[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 76 (Thursday, April 30, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2163-S2164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO NEW CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES: NATURALIZATION CEREMONY
IN PORTLAND, MAINE
Mr. KING. Mr. President, I speak today to recognize the powerful and
inspiring remarks delivered by Judge Stacey D. Neumann of the U.S.
District Court of Maine at a recent naturalization ceremony in
Portland. Her words capture the profound significance of becoming an
American citizen and the role immigrants continue to play in shaping
our country.
I ask unanimous consent that her remarks be printed in the
Congressional Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Today we have 30 new citizens from 17 countries here this
morning: Armenia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Congo,
Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala,
India, Iraq, Russia, South Korea, Spain, and Vietnam.
Welcome.
I have the high honor and personal privilege of being the
first to welcome you as newly admitted citizens of the United
States. This is a momentous event not only for you but for
generations of your family to come. So cherish this moment;
savor this moment; but perhaps most importantly, go home
today and write about this moment so that future generations
can learn the story of their American citizenship. Before you
leave, take a moment and look at each other: you,
individually and as a group, are now America. Welcome to your
new citizenship.
I am thrilled to be here with you today. This is, without
question, among the most significant and moving duties we
perform on the federal bench. Thank you for letting me share
this moment with you.
A naturalization ceremony is one of the purest expressions
of what this country aspires to be. America is not defined by
ancestry, heritage, or any single story. It is defined by an
idea: that people from every corner of the earth can join
together to build a more generous, creative, and hopeful
future. 2 Today, your stories--your journeys, your
sacrifices, your determination--become part of the American
story.
We often hear that America is a ``nation of immigrants.''
almost as if it were a slogan. But it is a profound truth.
From our earliest days, people have come here fleeing hunger,
war, persecution, or poverty; seeking education, safety,
work, and possibility. And in every era, immigrants have
expanded this country's conscience, creativity, and capacity
to grow.
Today you join a community bound not by a single language,
ethnicity, or religion, but by a shared promise: that a free
and democratic nation can be strengthened by the talents,
dreams, and hard work of people from all over the world. Your
presence here shows that this promise endures.
As a nation of immigrants, we have long been shaped by
people who carried that same longing for freedom into the
work of building this country.
Chinese laborers--many just teenagers--laid the rails that
connected a continent, Mexican and Filipino farmworkers, led
by Dolores Huerta, taught the nation that dignity in labor is
a human right. Japanese American soldiers served in the 442nd
Regiment with extraordinary bravery during World War II, even
as their families were unjustly incarcerated at home.
Immigrants and the children of immigrants have not merely
contributed to America's progress--they have pushed it to
live up to its own ideals.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, whose Puerto Rican parents brought
their hopes and determination to the mainland, has spoken of
the impact of immigrants, reminding us that ``the dynamism of
our nation comes from our immigrant roots.'' Immigrant
contributions reach beyond politics and law, shaping art,
memory, music, and business. Consider Elie Wiesel, who
survived the Holocaust, and taught that memory is not
passive--it calls us to act with courage and conscience. Maya
Lin, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, reshaped our
national memory with her design of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial--a memorial my father, a Vietnam veteran and son of
Polish and German immigrants, visits to honor fellow
soldiers. Yo-Yo Ma, the renowned cellist, reminds us that
culture can be a bridge across differences. Indra Nooyi,
former CEO and Chair of PepsiCo, shows how immigrants have
shaped innovation and American economic growth. And I am
thrilled to add 3 to this list Alysa Liu, the daughter of a
political refugee, whose 2026 Olympic gold medals prove that
the pursuit of excellence--and the American Dream--knows no
borders. Their contributions strengthen our communities,
enrich our economy, and uphold the promise ofour democracy.
Still the deeper truth is this: even as a nation shaped and
strengthened by immigrants, America has not always lived up
to those ideals. Many immigrants still face challenges--long
waits, complicated systems, moments of doubt, and times when
the journey feels harder because of misunderstanding or
prejudice. Our history includes painful chapters: the
exclusion of Chinese laborers, the incarceration of Japanese
American families, and the many moments when newcomers met
suspicion instead of open doors.
Yet again and again, America has returned to its core
promise, We growl morally, economically, and culturally--when
we choose inclusion over exclusion, hope over fear, and
community over isolation. We become stronger when we
recognize the dignity and potential of those who arrive on
our shores. Today, as new citizens, you step into that
ongoing story, joining generations of immigrants who have
woven their own dreams and achievements into the very fabric
of the American promise.
You may not think of yourselves as part of American
history--but you already are. Your children and grandchildren
will look back on this day as a turning point. They will
inherit the courage it took to move to a new country, learn a
new language, begin again, and persist through every
challenge. They will inherit your belief in possibility--and
America will inherit your talents, your dreams, and your love
for your families, your communities, and this country.
Becoming an American citizen does not erase your past; it
honors it. Your languages, your cultures, your food, your
music, your memories--they do not make you less American than
anyone who has lived here for decades. They make America more
herself: a nation always expanding, always learning, always
becoming. Today, you join this nation of immigrants--
scholars, artists, inventors, caregivers, soldiers, teachers,
engineers, parents--who have made this country what it is.
Isabel Allende, who immigrated from Chile, has said, ``Life
is a gift--and with that
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gift comes a responsibility to help others.'' As new
citizens, you gain rights that people around the world long
for--the right to vote, to serve on a jury, and to run for
local office, as well as the full protections of our
Constitution and laws. But these rights carry
responsibilities. Our democracy depends on citizens who stay
informed, who speak up, who serve their communities, who
defend justice, and who treat others with dignity and
respect--even when we disagree; especially when we disagree.
You will strengthen your neighborhoods, schools, workplaces,
and places of worship. You will enrich our culture, our
economy, and our democracy. In doing so, you join generations
of immigrants who have renewed and redefined what America can
be.
We are a nation of immigrants. I am deeply honored to have
shared this ceremony with you. What a privilege it is to
welcome you as the newest citizens of the United States. This
nation is stronger, richer, and more complete because you are
now a part of it.
Congratulations--and welcome home.
Stacey D. Neumann,
U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Maine.
____________________