I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and give up all loyalty to any foreign prince, state, or country of which I have previously been a citizen. I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law. I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces when required by law. I will perform work of national importance when directed to do so by law. I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, so help me God. --- Note from USCIS: In 2022, more than 967,000 people took this oath and became new U.S. citizens. The most common countries of origin were Mexico, India, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines. The average wait time from applying to taking the oath was about 10 months. Many new citizens say the ceremony was one of the most emotional days of their lives. Some had waited years or even decades for the opportunity to become Americans. After the ceremony, new citizens can register to vote, apply for a U.S. passport, and sponsor family members for immigration.

People ask me why I spend so much time volunteering when I could be relaxing in my retirement. The answer is simple: this community gave me everything, and I want to give back. I came to this country from Guatemala when I was nineteen years old. I barely spoke English. But my neighbors helped me — they drove me to English classes, they watched my children while I worked, they showed me how to fill out forms I didn't understand. Without their kindness, I never could have become a teacher. Now I try to do the same for others. Every Tuesday, I help run the food pantry. We serve about 120 families each week — families who are working hard but still struggling to put food on the table. On Thursdays, I tutor students in reading and math. Some of these children remind me of myself at that age — trying so hard but needing someone to believe in them. Being a good citizen isn't just about following the law or voting, though those things matter. It's about seeing a need in your community and doing something about it. It's about treating every person — whether they were born here or arrived yesterday — with dignity and respect. That's what my neighbors did for me, and that's what I try to do every day. I also serve on the Parks advisory board because I believe citizens should have a voice in how their community is run. When the city wanted to close our neighborhood park to build a parking lot, I organized a petition and spoke at the city council meeting. We saved the park. That's citizenship too — speaking up when something matters to your community.