Redwood City – Forty immigrants from 18 nations became the newest citizens of the United States at a ceremony Friday on the County Center campus in downtown Redwood City.
Red, white and blue balloons and streamers welcomed the new citizens in a ceremony both joyous and solemn. San Mateo County Supervisors Carole Groom and Dave Pine congratulated the immigrants on their journey to becoming citizens and honored their commitment to democracy.
The new citizens come from Belarus, Brazil, Burma, Canada, China, El Salvador, India, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine and Yemen.
Ellen Jankins, citizen section chief at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ San Francisco Field Office, administered the Oath of Allegiance. The morning ceremony was held in the County’s Regional Operations Center, which serves as the hub of the County’s emergency response activities.
Numerous County of San Mateo departments attended the ceremony and to help the attendees navigate the benefits of becoming a U.S. citizen. This included a presentation on registering to vote.
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard presented the colors and the Office of Community Affairs provided a welcoming environment for the ceremony.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services encourages new citizens and guests to share their naturalization ceremony experiences and photos through social media, using the hashtag #NewUSCitizen.
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