GeoffM

I've not noticed many (any?) reports on the ceremony itself so I thought I'd relay my experiences yesterday at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Around the Convention Center (CC) are several open air parking lots. These seem to cost more than parking under the CC itself. This applies to all events, not just citizenship. Arrive early if you can as the CC parking must fill up at some point. We arrived at 11:45 for a 12:10 "appointment", though we were in the area 45 minutes before. There were lots of stalls selling certificate covers, flowers, photos, and (outside) food. The CC itself has a few food eateries but quite pricey.

In the citizenship pair of halls, you first queue to get through security. Two "lines", one wrapping clockwise around the outside of the hall and 5-10 people wide was for applicants; an inner queuing system for the visitors. For the applicants the two ushers working the crowd were telling the applicants to keep right as the security lines were shorter (they were), but the natural flow meant access to those right hand lines was blocked. Security itself was airport-style X-ray machines and arches. Tablets allowed but anything with a keyboard was not - but there were no signs to that effect; just a "no" once you've queued for 2 hours. FFS. Had to run to an office center in the CC and leave my laptop for $10 - lady there asked if they still weren't telling anybody. Ran back to the hall which was now nearly empty and definitely no signs. Nothing on the letter either. Despite the X-ray machines, snacks and drinks were allowed in.

Once passing through security it was off to hall number 2. This had two sections of seats, one for applicants; the other for visitors. Two large screens and a huge American flag adorned the stage. But we couldn't sit down yet: another queue to submit our GCs for hole punching, and a desk number to return to after the ceremony. Finally get taken to the seating area where angry Chinese man swore at me for daring to sit next to my wife. Apparently he'd been trying to save the aisle seat for himself but got pushed back a bit by everybody piling past him to sit down. We're about 2.5 hours in at this point.

Ceremony itself was fairly quick, maybe 25-30 minutes maximum. They actually turn it into a courtroom and the judge declares the court in session. A few people spoke (USCIS, judge, other notables) but the judge actually choked up a couple of times and stepped away from the lectern. Seemed genuine and he got cheers and applause while he composed himself. The Oath was one of the first items, after which he congratulated the audience for becoming citizens. A few more speeches, videos, and the national anthem followed.

Finally wrapping up involved thanking some people:
"Let's give thanks to the men and women of USCIS" - cheers, claps
"And to our military here today" - big cheers, claps
"And to our president, Donald J Trump" - one aborted whoop from the back of the room; tumbleweeds, some laughter
"And to the judge" - big cheers, claps

There were 4,487 people naturalising in that ceremony so inevitably collecting our certificates was going to take a while. First the military and their families, then handicapped, then they took people a few rows at a time from seemingly random blocks of the audience. Thankfully we got out fairly early and collecting the certificate was only a 5-10 minute wait after getting up. Angry China man stil glaring at us from his seat while we walked past again with our certificates.

Total time about 3.5 hours - probably about 4 for the last of the certificate collectors.

One tip: if you are taking slow walkers, eg elderly parents, who don't usually use a wheelchair, it might be worth considering taking one. I believe you need to inform them in advance as well. Otherwise it's a lot of standing up and shuffling around with very limited provision for those with undeclared needs.

Generally a friendly event, most staff smiling and - after the ceremony - many staff congratulating random passers by.

Awesome Welles

It's been a couple of years since I attended mine, but my wife finally got summoned to hers last week and it ran pretty much the exact same course as mine, other than the somewhat naff presidential video (mine was Obama, hers was Tango Man).

One thing struck me as being rather odd. It was pointed out by the MC which countries the new recruits came from - and they asked the noobs to stand up when their country was named. The order was read out alphabetically. When we got to Colombia, a huge cheer rang out from the assembled audience of family, well-wishers etc.

It made me wonder - if Colombia is so *****ing wonderful, what are all these people doing over here, either residing or becoming American citizens?

It kind of made the whole ceremony seem a bit ridiculous.

lansbury

Congratulations and welcome to no longer having to deal with USCIS.

GeoffM

I sat through that video just waiting for "fake news media" and about the only unscripted moment seemed to be a doubling up of a word or two "Our great, great country" kind of thing.

They didn't do a country roll call. I think they said how many countries were there but given the 4000 plus attendees, I'm glad I didn't have to sit through them calling out every country and having them stand up (and applause, and sit down, repeat ad nauseum).

Cheers

Octang Frye

Someone misplaced the binder containing the procedure/process and so we couldn't continue until that was found. So we just sat there.
It never turned up so the judge or whoever just sort of winged it.

S Folinsky

Do they still play that cheesy video "God Bless The USA" by Lee Greenwood?

Did you register to vote? If not, it is still timely for new citizens to register.

I've only attended one some years back when former INS invited attorneys to witness the ceremonies. I went out of curiosity. The thing I remember most clearly were the emotions wafting over me as 4,000 people took the oath. I became an American citizen the easy way - I was born here. This was 4000 people choosing to be citizens. I remembered my grandparents talking about their oath ceremonies, albeit in local courts - they fiercely and passionately loved this country. After that, I encouraged my naturalization clients to take their children to the ceremonies so they could see .t!he importance of becoming a citizens.

BTW, the practice here in L A is uncommon. Before 1990, naturalization was a judicial function. The 1990 law switched over to administrative naturalization with Article III judge getting involved if there was an administrative denial. Howver, adoptions and naturalization were areas where judges had the enjoyable duty of making people happy. In other words, it was fun for the judges. So, the judges of the Central District of California lobbied for an amendment allowing local districts to elect to conduct swearing in ceremonies.

So, now two things remain - register to vote and apply for a US passport.

GeoffM

They played *a* video (plus the Presidential one). Not sure who it was by.

No, though there was plenty of opportunity to do so. Feisty and hungry kids. We will though.

Ah. Thanks for the insight. Like I say, our judge was emotional too. In fact, everybody (like strangers knowing one way or another) has been really positive about it.

I'm doing the passport applications right now, for the appointment tomorrow in San Diego.

Rete

Congratulations, Geoff. The ceremony is so different from, not only state to state but court house to court house, but underlying them all is the emotional meaning to so many. Of course, to some it is only a means to an end and to others it is a dream that they harbored their entire lives. Even my husband's poor experience with a lush of a judge in federal court in Manhattan who was annoyed because it was time for his err lunch and refused to have pictures taken with the new citizens or even remain in the courtroom after the oath was administered, no videos, no welcome to America speech, had the undertones of emotion from the hundreds of newly sworn in citizens.

rpjs

Still the same at the Southern District Courthouse in Manhattan, no videos, no singing, and we had to check in our phones so we couldn't take photos even if the judge had been amenable (she was very nice though, gave a very nice speech and wasn't at all drunk or in a hurry).

joto

S Folinsky

More than once I had had clients who naturalized as a means to an end. However, when they came to see later me afterwards to handle "...to an end" procedures, they informed that the oath ceremony got to them. They were surprised.

S Folinsky

This thread reminds me of once reading an autobiography by Richard Safire who had been a speechwriter in the Nixon White House. When his wife was naturalized, the White House was able to arrange a private oath ceremony in the chambers of a local District Court Judge. The Judge spoke of his parents who had immigrated from Italy. Name of the Judge? John Sirica.

md95065

Oddly enough (and I do not intend to offend anyone by this), I have a feeling that this may be part of the reason why, after some 25 years as a permanent resident, I have still *not* become a US citizen.
I think that part of it may just be that I don't want to risk suddenly discovering that I might have a deeper emotional attachment to the country where I happen to live and pay taxes. I realize that this might seem very strange to some people but I really do have a deep dislike of nationalism in all of its forms and that means that deliberately going out of my way to acquire citizenship any country is something that I am rather reluctant to do.

S Folinsky

Some people believe that having as many passports as possible increases fleeability if the crap hits the fan.

On the issue of crap hitting the fan, an interesting case on dual nationality relating to the definition of "refugee" is Matter of BR I will admit that I find this case very very strange. The BIA sets forth an excellent argument that BR needed only to be a refugee from any one country he was a citizen of. [BR was a citizen of Venezuela who also had a claim of Spanish citizenship]. However, they conclude just the opposite. Every time I read the case, I scratch my head.

dc koop

This is what gets me cars with bumper stickers saying "I love' Colombia" or "I love Guatamala" These people jump through hoops and fires to get away from the shit heap they were born in and then on getting here at last stick silly messages on their cars.