New U.S. Citizens recognized at ceremony
MARQUETTE — A total of 16 people were named U.S. Citizens at the Naturalization Ceremony conducted by U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Greeley Thursday afternoon at the Marquette Federal Court Building.
All of the new U.S. Citizens are from 12 different countries, including China, Germany, Ukraine, and Jamaica to name a few.
For Judge Greeley, conducting a Naturalization Ceremony is one of the best things about his job.
“For me, it’s an opportunity to have people come into court who I would not normally see and participate in a ceremony which is very joyous,” said Greeley. “Court is normally a very solemn place. People are usually charged with very serious crimes. When we’re done in court people leave unhappy, but not today. Everyone benefits from this ceremony.”
“I got teary eyed there for a little while until I got sworn in. It means a lot to be an American now,” said Robert Thull. “I’ve been here for 37 years now and it was time to become an American Citizen. It took a little over a year to get it done. I was anxious.”
“These people have shown a commitment to this. They’ve worked hard at it. They have come to this country, studied, and gone through this process because they want to be citizens and I appreciate the commitment that they have shown,” added Greeley.
After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed some cake and other snacks.