A proud day for 201 immigrants from 59 countries also turned into a once-in-a-lifetime moment, when Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made a surprise appearance to preside over their naturalization ceremony and swear them in as U.S. citizens. “My father and grandparents reached as you do for the American Dream,” she told them. “As testament to our nation’s promise, the daughter and granddaughter of these immigrants sits on the highest court to the land, and will proudly administer the oath of citizenship to you.”
The appearance was all her idea. The justice had read an article about the New York Historical Society’s Citizenship Project, which “offers free classes to green card holders who are studying for the naturalization test, involving art, documents and artifacts at the museum.” Hundreds have completed the program. “I thought it was a grand idea,” she said. “So, I wrote to N.Y.H.S. and said if ever I am in town when they had a naturalization ceremony, I would be glad to participate.” Ginsburg “is believed to be the first Supreme Court justice to take part in a naturalization ceremony in New York in recent years”:
Across the packed rows of seats at the historical society’s Upper West Side theater sat people from 59 countries, with first names like Islam, Hussein, Kazi, Angie and Sunday, and with professions as diverse as pastors and pediatric cancer doctors. Two men from Guinea sat in the third row and learned they were both named Mamadou Alpha Diallo, both taxi drivers.
"Today, you join more than 20 million current citizens who were born in other lands, who chose as you have to make the United States of America their home,” she continued. "We are a nation made strong by people like you. People who have traveled long distances, overcome great obstacles, and made tremendous sacrifices, all to provide a better life for themselves and their families."
According to the Washington Post, “before administering the oath to the room full of immigrants from nearly every continent—from Albania, Guinea, Serbia, Venezuela—she encouraged the citizens to take advantage of their newly granted rights: namely, the right to vote.” Dante Amaury Perez-Valdez, originally from the Dominican Republic, said he has plans to register for 2018. Many others were left, simply put, in awe.
The New York Times: “Yusif Abubakari, 42, born in Ghana, was struck by Justice Ginsburg’s ‘humbleness,’ he said. ‘She is supposed to be at home but she came because of me, because of us, and that made me feel so special today,’ Mr. Abubakari said, adding, ‘May God bless her and give her more life and prosperity.’”
Congratulations to all our new U.S. citizens—it’s you who make our country great.