D

Chapter 2

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CEREMONY

OWN THROUGH THE AGES the bestowal of privileges and the acceptance of responsibilities have been occasions for solemn ceremonies. Among the American Indians the young men who had proved their skills and abilities were, in a ceremony of great dignity, admitted to the "status of the brave" with the privilege of sharing in the responsibilities of the council of the tribe. Churches, and fraternal, social, and other organizations initiate their new members with a ceremony which is intended to convey an understanding of the meaning and significance of the pledges that are given and the vows that are taken. High school and university authorities maintain the ceremonial of commencement. They are conscious of the emotional tides that influence most people, and they recognize that the commencement ceremonial creates a state of elation that holds great possibilities. The acquisition of citizenship is also a commencement. It is the beginning of a journey that vitally affects the life of the new citizen.

Therefore, it is logical to have an impressive ceremony for induction into the finest fraternity known to man-that of United States citizenship. The time when the alien completes his course in citizenship and stands before other American citizens, qualified and willing to become one of them and ready to shoulder his responsibility in the conduct of government, should be made impressive as a reminder to him of the sanctity of the obligation that he is assuming.

The courtroom ceremonial becomes the climax or the peak of the process of naturalization. Years of preparation spent in acquiring the qualifications of citizenship lie behind the ceremonial. In traveling this long road the prospective citizen should acquire something more than the routine answers to certain questions regarding the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, or the history of the

United States. Such answers may enable the petitioner to "pass" the examination and get his certificate of naturalization, but he can play the role of a good citizen of the United States only if during those years he has learned, and experienced, something of the spirit of this country. From the date of his entry into the United States to the time when the court bestows upon him citizenship, the most precious gift that this country has to offer, a continuing responsibility rests upon those who guide him along the path to citizenship to instill in him, by word and by example, the spirit of this land.

The courtroom ceremonial can and should be a gripping scene featuring the alien's entrance into the fraternity of citizenship. The last act of his life as an alien and the first act of his life as a citizen of the United States should be performed in such a manner as to stamp them in his memory as among the most stirring and unforgetable experiences of his life. Recognition should be given to the fact that impressions received at this time carry great and continuing possibilities for good or ill, as the time of the final court hearing offers an occasion when the alien is emotionally receptive and especially susceptible to serious and solemn reflections concerning the responsibilities of citizenship.

United States citizenship is a glorious possession representing the dreams and the struggles of men for centuries. Our charter of human liberty—the Bill of Rights—was obtained at a high price. Voice in our Government, freedom in our worship, freedom in our business-all the freedoms of human aspiration-did not come into being by accident. They were achieved only after generations of struggle, suffering, and sacrifice. Victims of terror, torture, and oppression made their contributions in the distant past. Men from dark dungeons, martyrs swinging from gallows, human torches lit by the flames of intolerance, victims of the Inquisition, patriots who suffered and died at Valley Forge and on other battlefields of freedom, and many others who made the supreme sacrifice while seeking human rights, have all played their part in the framing of our Charter of Liberty.

The courtroom ceremonial can stimulate in the new citizen a genuine enthusiasm for the democratic processes and his opportunities in this country. We of the United States are constantly striving to expand liberty and freedom, while many of the new

citizens come from countries run by dictators who are striving to expand their empires and destroy liberty and freedom. The significance of such a change in citizenship should not go unrecognized at such time.

Although the ceremony cannot take the place of the continuing daily practice of democracy and Americanism, a proper ceremonial observance of this important step in the life of the individual will greatly assist in guidance toward appreciation of the duties and privileges of citizenship that lie ahead.

Through the naturalization ceremony the spirit of liberty and freedom can be born in the minds and hearts of new citizens and renewed in those of native-born. When the naturalization court, civil and educational authorities, patriotic organizations, and individuals cooperate in an impressive naturalization ceremony, the new citizen not only feels honored with his citizenship but is impressed with the fact that he has become an integral part of the community in which he, too, has responsibility. In turn, those who are already citizens can be made better citizens by welcoming, and witnessing the appreciation of, the foreign born who are becoming Americans by choice rather than by accident of birth. When the new and native-born citizens come together for a common ideal-one pledging his allegiance, the other renewing his loyalty—both add to the unity which has been, and is, the strength of this Nation.

Chapter 3

THE COURT CEREMONY

O RIGID PROGRAM can be laid down for any court.

N°

Each court,

recognizing the significance of induction into citizenship, must face its own problems and chart its own procedures. The steps taken by each to comply with the purpose of the joint resolution of Congress will necessarily be different. Evidently the Congress recognized the varying situations of the courts, as the language of the joint resolution is sufficiently broad and elastic to meet the desires of any court at any time. No single induction ceremony, even within the same court, need be exactly like any other, so long as each conforms to the minimum essentials.

The essentials for compliance with the spirit of the joint resolution would seem to be: (1) the rendering of the decree of naturalization; (2) the administering of the oath; (3) the delivery of an address by the judge or someone designated by him; and (4) some participation by "civil and educational authorities and patriotic organizations." The discussion that follows will not concern itself with the minimum essentials alone but will deal with practices and procedures in naturalization courts that extend beyond the scope of such essentials. The purpose of so doing is to be of assistance to any court that may desire to expand its ceremony beyond the minimum requirements in order to meet its own peculiar needs.

As previously indicated, the naturalization courts of the United States present differences in viewpoint and practice because of local conditions and leadership. For example, courts that have heavy calendars and crowded courtrooms afford less opportunity for elaborate ceremonies than do those that have time and space available where naturalization proceedings can be