Seventeen become U.S. citizens during ceremony in Macon

The ceremony at the federal courthouse marked the end of a long journey for new citizens from around the world.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Inside the William A Bootle Federal Building & US Courthouse Wednesday, 17 people stood together, raised their right hands, and took the oath of allegiance, officially becoming United States citizens.

Those applicants came from 11 different countries.

Erica Yang first arrived in the United States as a toddler from a refugee camp in Thailand. She says the journey to citizenship was long but worth it.

“It took me so long, but finally I have my own family, I have my kids, and my husband, and I feel like it’s time to be able to vote and be able to be an American,” Yang said. “Like I am an American, but now I’m really an American.”

Yang says fear and uncertainty kept her from applying for years, but now that she is officially a U.S. citizen, she feels a weight has been lifted off her shoulders.

“Now I can continue being a good citizen and be that good mom and not have to worry about all of a sudden being separated from my family,” she said.

Sanjida Pervin took the oath months ago. Wednesday, she watched her mother do the same after waiting more than a decade before their family even arrived in the United States.

“We had to wait about 13 years until our papers got processed, and then once we got here, we finally were able to apply for citizenship,” Pervin said. “And then now me and my mom, both of us today, here we are as citizens of the United States.”

She says while the process takes patience, the opportunities in the United States make it worthwhile.

“I do miss my friends and family back in my country of Bangladesh, but the life and the quality of life here is absolutely much better,” Pervin said.

Both hope their stories encourage others to stay patient and continue the path toward citizenship.