On the historic lawn of the home of Thomas Jefferson, 74 people became American citizens during the 63rd annual Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony.
The new citizens hailed from all over the world – from places like Afghanistan, Vietnam, Syria, Peru, Venezuela and Cameroon, to name a few.
The 74 individuals swore an oath of citizenship and stood individually to be recognized and accept their certificates. Many wore red, white and blue; a few wore head scarves; some held an American flag.
All of the recipients seemed extremely grateful to be bestowed the honor of American citizenship.
“I chose to become a citizen because I want to have a say. I want to take part in the responsibilities of this country, not just the opportunities, and I want my voice to count as a neighbor, a parent, and now finally, as an American,” one new citizen said after receiving their certificate.
“I would say, I’m so glad to be part of this nation today, I’m so glad to be part of all these wonderful opportunities that United States has been providing and giving to me and to us as an immigrant. We are going to keep contributing now in a better way, in another way, as a citizen,” said another.
A woman said she wished her father was alive to see his daughter become a citizen “of the greatest country on Earth.”
Founders had vision for a nation of immigrants; far cry from ‘greatest country on Earth’
Jefferson, known as the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, laid out the foundation for a “nation of immigrants” giving all certain unalienable rights including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The document also asserts the rights of the people to abolish a government that becomes destructive or prevents these rights.
The founders envisioned a nation where the naturalization of foreigners was the very fabric of what made the nation strong and healthy.
In Trump’s America, however, on the same day our nation welcomed the 74 new citizens, the president signed into law his so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” that passed the U.S. Congress one day earlier.
The bill gives unprecedented power and funds to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, allocating more than $100 billion to the agency through 2029. The funding is for hiring officers and agents as well as for the detention of undocumented immigrants.
Unlike the vision of the founding fathers of America, the Trump administration has focused less on creating paths to American citizenship for those looking for a better life, and instead built scary detention centers, including one called Alligator Alcatraz, to intimidate and detain immigrants until they are deported, proving to be anything but the “greatest country on Earth.”
Quotas appear to be driving ICE enforcement
In his campaign, the president promised to deport millions.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller has allegedly threatened ICE leadership, saying they will be fired if they don’t start making 3,000 arrests per day, multiple sources told NBC News.
In response, it appears that ICE agents are going after easy targets: ICE and immigration offices and courthouses.
“If you enter, there’s a possibility that they’ll take you into custody,” one person told NBC News. “And if you don’t enter, you’ve missed your appointment, and that’s automatic deportation. We have no way out.”
The administration has ignored court orders aimed to prevent officials from sending immigrants, without due process, to places like El Salvador, where they have been allegedly subjected to torture.
ICE agents, many with masks to conceal their identities, have raided farms, factories, restaurants and construction sites. They’ve stopped vans of immigrants on highways. It has also done targeted traffic enforcement efforts in large cities like Nashville.
In contrast, the administration has offered asylum to white people from South Africa and offered citizenship to the wealthy with a $5 million Gold Card, offering a fast lane to residency.
While still facing legal challenges, the administration has also revoked the temporary legal status of 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, effectively ending these individuals opportunities to become citizens.
The administration has said that it might allow immigrants back one day legally if they self-deport now.
It is also reportedly considering a reality TV show to allow immigrants to compete in American-themed challenges to potentially fast-track their path to U.S. citizenship. One can see the script of the show now, with those eliminated from the competition having their hands zip-tied and immediately deported along with their families with TV cameras in tow to capture it all for its MAGA audience.
Trump is also looking to stop and potentially revoke birthright citizenship calling it unconstitutional despite the 14th amendment clearly stating the opposite.
Chief judge to new citizens: ‘You are all welcome’
While speakers at the naturalization ceremony did not address the administration directly, Monticello President Dr. Jane Kamensky stated the ideals of Jefferson in her remarks: “Like many American leaders since, Thomas Jefferson believed that immigration made our country stronger, fairer, richer and truer to its ideals, the ideals he expressed in the Constitution.”
Chief Judge Elizabeth K. Dillon, of the Western District of Virginia, appointed by former President Barack Obama, spoke to the new citizens directly.
“The joy on your faces has filled my heart with joy today, so, thank you. Thank you for your hard work in achieving this goal. Thank you for sharing your talents, contributions and culture with our country, and thank you for reminding me and others how fortunate we are to be citizens of this country. It is a status that we sometimes take for granted.
“Unfortunately, at times in our history, varying groups of people have not felt welcomed. Some of these groups were indigenous to this country, some were brought to this country against their will, some were persons born in this country and some were immigrants.
“Please know today that we welcome you. Some of you may have come here for a better life, some for a job, some for family, some for education, some for love and some for freedom.
“Some of you may have lived here for a long, long time, and others may have arrived more recently. Some may have come from free countries where your transition was one of choice, and others may have risked your lives to flee a country where there was no freedom and no choice. You are all welcome.
“I feel particularly close to you today because you and I and each of the judges of this court share something in common. We have all sworn to support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States. That is an awesome and weighty obligation as new citizens and judges.
“That means we have responsibilities. We must learn about and understand the Constitution and the rights it provides to us, and importantly, the rights it provides to others. We must support it and defend it, even if at times we don’t agree with it, and we must do so even when it bestows rights upon persons with whom we disagree. That is our responsibility.”
“To the newest citizens of the United States of America, hold your head high and remember we welcome you, and we are proud of you.”
Video: Monticello’s 2025 Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony
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Crystal Graham
