23 residents naturalized at new South Portland federal immigration company workplace
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Providers held a long-delayed ribbon reducing at its new South Portland discipline workplace on Thursday.
The ability has been operational since 2021 however the pandemic pushed again the date of a public opening.
Talking on the occasion, Gov. Janet Mills mentioned USCIS workers has the accountability of explaining sophisticated federal regulation to new immigrants, together with many who’ve taken nice dangers to succeed in the U.S.
“Lots of the people who come right here have undertaken harmful journeys to succeed in Maine and the US, making the typically very tough determination to forsake their residence nations for the possibility at a greater life,” she mentioned.
After the ribbon reducing ceremony, 23 immigrants had been naturalized as Americans. Amongst them was Yussif Abdallah, initially from Ghana, who now lives in Bangor and runs an electronics restore store.
Abdallah mentioned he’s lived within the U.S. for 4 years, and is worked up that gaining citizenship will permit him to take part within the political course of.
“Ever since I got here right here, it has been a dream, to sooner or later, you understand, be formally to have the ability to vote,” he mentioned. “And I feel at the moment is the day.”
Abdallah mentioned after the ceremony he deliberate to go residence and have fun, including that he was wanting ahead to the November elections, and the possibility to forged a poll.
This story seems by means of a media partnership with Maine Public.
