An Acadiana resident became a U.S. citizen Wednesday in Shreveport.
Here's a story shared by our friends at KTBS/KPXJ, reported by Madison Edwards, about the ceremony:
Court was in session at the Strand Theater in Shreveport as the city welcomed 50 newly naturalized American citizens into the melting pot.
They took the oath of citizenship, surrounded by family and friends.
The Strand Theater in Shreveport was transformed into a courtroom during a naturalization ceremony. Fifty new American citizens were celebrated by friends and family as they took the naturalization oath.
U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. presided.
"This was 50 new citizens, all arranged on the stage at one time. The last one I've had anywhere close to this was 2019 with 34," he said.
"It's exciting, it's exciting," said Geoff Jones, a newly naturalized citizen from Carencro. "I been to about 35 countries over my life, and this is definitely the place to be."
Jones was a Scottish citizen and lived in the US for 48 years with his American family
"My wife is American. The grandkids are American. The kids are American," he said. "It's about time."
Adaobi Umeaku was born in Nigeria but came to America in search of a dream.
"I've always wanted to be a doctor and it was a passion of mine. And I got an opportunity to and I came and I achieved it," he said.
Umeaku moved to Texas to pursue a medical career 20 years ago, and now is a hospitalist in Lake Charles.
"The opportunities are endless, you know. I'm so grateful to this country for this opportunity because one thing I've loved about America is if you believe that you can you can," he said.
Hicks presided over the ceremony and left the audience with one message: Be a good citizen.
"This is the way to do it. people who are motivated and who are committed to doing it the right way, I think become probably the best citizens that we have. It was easy for me to be born an American citizen. It was not easy for any of these people to simply waltz into the United States, set up shop and go through a process of on average, last about eight years before they can become citizens," Hicks said.
To watch the entire ceremony, click here.
