A few days after the 9/11 terrorist attack, I received a letter from the Justice Department containing my notice to be sworn in as an American citizen.
I was both ecstatic and a little anxious upon receiving the letter. I had been essentially living in the United States continuously since college and for the previous seven years as a permanent resident under green card status. But as one born in Canada, I had yearned for the right to vote and fully engage as a citizen in this country.
About a month or so later, I went down to the courthouse in southern Manhattan for my swearing in ceremony. As it was so soon after the terrorist attacks, I entered cautiously, walking past the armed soldiers guarding the building. Inside, I felt a sense of awe as the presiding judge discussed the meaning of being a citizen of the United States and had us recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
After reciting the Pledge, I stood in silence, reflecting on my heritage. I knew that my Canadian upbringing and exposure to a bilingual culture had a significant impact on who I was but, over the years, I identified more and more as an American and marveled at this ever-present, irrepressible and indescribable spirit to dream, to choose and to have an opportunity to soar. I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude in finally becoming an American citizen and now able to fully participate in the civic life of this country.
As I looked at the other people who had just been sworn in, I noticed an elderly Asian man. He could very well have been 100 years old, with a gentle-looking face and tears running down his cheeks. I kept looking at him, wondering what his journey to get to this country might have been and why it was still so important to him that he become an American citizen near the end of his life.
I will never know why or how this elderly man became an American, as every immigrant to the United States has a unique journey on the path to citizenship. I do believe that he felt blessed during the ceremony. Like other immigrants, he cherished the opportunities available in this country and the possibilities ingrained in the ideals “of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Our standing as a country of immigrants has sadly been diminished recently. Yet, the richness of our culture and heritage as well as our strength as a nation are inextricably linked to our openness as a society and our history of being a place that welcomes others. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s founding father, once famously said that America would lead the 21st century because although China had 1 billion persons the United States had 7 billion people because it had access to the world’s best, brightest, most adventurous and risk-takers who seek to make their lives in the United States.
No doubt, immigrants have made major contributions in many fields and will continue to do so. Think of Google founder Sergey Brin (from Russia), Tesla founder Elon Musk (from South Africa), former New York Yankees Robinson Cano (from Dominican Republic), businessman George Soros (from Hungary), or Secretary Madeleine Albright (from the Czech Republic). Given the centrality of science and technology in this modern age, without greater progress in these disciplines and the continual immigration of the best and the brightest young minds to America, our nation stands the risk of stagnating and, ultimately, falling behind.
We remain a nation of opportunity. The journeys of immigrants and their contributions are central to the overall American story. Commonsense immigration reform can ensure that this American melting pot continues to combine both depth and richness in priceless ways. As we move forward as a nation and having recently celebrated another Independence Day on July 4, let us both remember our past and, as we look ahead, our pathway forward.
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Why I Became an American Citizen originally appeared on usnews.com
