100 people become US citizens on Notre Dame’s campus

 

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind.—One hundred people who live in the area completed the final step to United States citizenship during a special ceremony on the University of Notre Dame’s campus on Friday.

The Naturalization Oath ceremony was sponsored by the Notre Dame Institute for Latino Studies, La Casa de Amistad, U.S.C.I.S.-Indianapolis Field Office and the U.S. District Court- Northern District of Indiana.

“Today what we have before us our 100 applicants from 27 countries who will be taking the oath of citizenship today and I think that describes to us the fabric that is America,” said Susan Curda, the Central Regional Director for U.S.C.I.S.

The only continent not represented during the ceremony was Antarctica.

Judge Michael Gotsch Sr. presided over the official court proceeding, handing out certificates to each new citizen, along with care instructions for their American flags. 

Louis Nanni, the University of Notre Dame Vice President for Community Relations delivered the keynote speech.

“We need to speak out when something is not right, we need to help fellow citizens when they need a hand and we need to come together always to shape the course of our great nation,” Nanni said in his speech.

Sisters Daniela, Varvara and Elisa Vallejo came to the United States from Mexico in 2012.

“We feel like we belong to the United States because we’ve been here since 7 years and I have a daughter, she has a daughter so we just want to be a family here,” Daniela said.

The sisters plan to finish up college now that they’re citizens. They also registered to vote.