CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Smiles and tears filled a room inside the federal courthouse in Charleston where 37 people took their oath Thursday to become citizens of the United States.
U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin lead a naturalization ceremony that included an oath of allegiance by the applicants, the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, the singing of “America the Beautiful,” “The Star Spangled Banner” and West Virginia’s famous “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
Maria Maza of Venezuela told MetroNews she moved to the United States nine years ago to start a family in Florida. She moved to West Virginia four years later.
“It’s a moment I’ve waited for so long and it’s probably one of the best days of my life,” said said as she smiled at her mother, a native of Venezuela, who was visiting.
Maza lives with her son in Huntington and works in the city as a risk management specialist. She studied at Marshall University.
“One of the things I wanted to do was to be able to vote and that’s one thing I’m going to do today — register to vote,” she said of what she plans to do now that she’s a U.S. citizen. “I’m going to get my U.S. passport, so I can travel.”
Nefisa Mufti of Ethiopia also took her oath for citizenship. The 24-year-old moved to West Virginia a few years ago when she began studying nursing at BridgeValley Community and Technical College. She plans to graduate this May.
“I just wanted to come here for my education and I decided to stay. I love it here,” Mufti said.
Mufti said she made the move all by herself.
“I just did it and I hope my family gets to come,” she said.
The citizens come from the following countries: Mexico, Canada, Syria, Ghana, Czech Republic, Peru, Morocco, South Africa, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Jamaica, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, Iran, Russia, Philippines, United Kingdom, St. Vincent-Grenadines, Thailand, People’s Republic of China and the Netherlands.