OAKLAND PARK, FLA. (WSVN) - It was a very special day for hundreds of South Floridians who became U.S. citizens just in time to celebrate the Fourth of July, after the coronavirus pandemic led to delays in their swearing-in ceremonies.
7News cameras captured the new citizens in Oakland Park as they sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” during one of the socially distant ceremonies held earlier this week.
“I was making true my dream: just to be a U.S. citizen,” said a man.
“Oh, I’m feeling very excited,” said a woman. “From Haiti to here, I’m living the American dream.”
But these ceremonies almost didn’t happen, since restrictions at federal buildings during the pandemic have made business as usual next to impossible.
Then U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom stepped in.
“I welcome each of you to our great nation,” she said during one of the ceremonies.
Bloom was able to overcome the difficulty that is getting groups of proud, new American citizens sworn in, in person, during a pandemic.
“It’s the best part of my service. If I could do this every day, I certainly would,” she said.
However, since COVID-19 began sweeping across the country and South Florida, these kinds of gatherings had stopped.
“Since February there was a backlog of individuals, so we wanted to do our part to make sure that those individuals were able to become U.S. citizens,” said Bloom.
Federal buildings have been mostly closed off to the public, making swearing-in ceremonies in South Florida impossible.
Bloom reached out to the United States Citizen and Immigration Services Miami and Caribbean District back in June.
They worked together to organize masked, socially distant ceremonies at the Miami and Oakland Park USCIS field offices.
“Today will always be remembered as a special day,” said Bloom.
With groups of no more than 22 at a time, they began getting it done, swearing in more than 500 new U.S. citizens.
“We’re thrilled for them. We’re thrilled that this is going to be a special weekend for these new United States citizens and their families,” said Bloom.
The thrill came with smiles, selfies and certificates.
“God bless America and God bless our Constitution,” said new citizen Angel Ramon Navas Prieto.
“To change peoples lives, to give them an opportunity to become a United States citizen, even in this pandemic, and right before the Fourth of July holiday, it doesn’t get any better,” said Bloom.
The last of the recent ceremonies wrapped up Thursday morning. Another round of swearing in sessions are being planned for August or September.
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