During a naturalization ceremony that occurred in Little Havana in Miami on June 5, it was announced that the month of June would be called Immigrant Heritage Month. The month was given this name by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in order to honor those who have immigrated to the United States. At the ceremony, 50 people from all over the world were selected to be sworn in as citizens of the U.S. Unlike most ceremonies, this particular event honored the previous generations of immigrants who were instrumental in the shaping of the state of Florida and the nation.
Many of those who were being sworn in decided to seek citizenship in order to have the freedom to speak their minds and to vote. Others initially came for the purpose of seeking an education and ultimately decided to stay. For some, the transition can be a struggle as it is not always easy to obtain permanent residency and then citizenship.
That being said, the new citizens indicated that this ceremony would not cause them to forget where they came from. For example, one Brazilian couple who came to obtain their masters degree stated that they visit Brazil yearly so that their children can receive a cultural education.
During the quest to become a legal citizen, some may face potential deportation especially if they are in the country illegally. An attorney for someone who is accused of being an illegal immigrant may be able to provide a strong defense on behalf of the client. In addition, the attorney may also be able to defend their client against any potential immigration removal if they get into trouble with the law.
Source: WLRN, “Becoming Citizens In Little Havana“, Jephie Bernard, June 06, 2014
