Ninety-three individuals took an oath in order to become United States citizens Friday morning during the annual United States District Court for the District of Kansas naturalization ceremony, hosted at the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
“Thank you for letting us share this special day with you,” Holly Baker, chief of interpretation and resource management at the fort, said to those becoming citizens and their families in attendance.
City Manager Dave Martin said the city of Fort Scott is both humbled and proud that the District Court of Kansas would again select the fort as the location for the special ceremony.
“You’re making a memory,” Martin said.
United States Magistrate Judge Teresa James said she considers it a tremendous honor to be able to participate in such ceremonies, saying it is one of her favorite aspects of her job. While she swears individuals in as citizens on a monthly basis in courthouses, James said she enjoys doing it yearly at the national historic site.
“There’s something very special about being here on these grounds,” James said.
The 93 individuals took an oath promising to renounce previous allegiance to any country and to now support and defend the constitution of the United States. Speaker Larry Nuss emphasized such rights as freedom of speech and others that the new citizens now have under that constitution.
Countries represented included Israel, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Germany, Bhutan, Columbia, Honduras, Mexico, the Peoples Republic of China, India, Ethiopia, Canada, Burma and a variety of others. The new citizens hold numerous positions in the United States such as with school districts, medical facilities, food services and as mechanics, managers, technicians, accountants as well as those who are retired and others who are college and high school students.
