50 immigrants from 22 nations become US citizens at a ceremony before the July 4th goat game

The registration plate at Dunkin's Donuts Park was briefly transformed into a federal hearing room on Wednesday while 50 people from 22 nations took the oath of allegiance and became American citizens.

Crowds gather for game Hartford Yard Goats New citizens received citizenship certificates from Judge Donna F. Martinez and shake hands with US Senator Richard Blumenthal and Mayor of Hartford, Luke Bronin

"It's one of the most beautiful sites I see, on July 4 in a baseball stadium," said Blumenthal to new citizens and their families. "It's not all right "

Martinez, Blumenthal and Bronin spoke about the history of the nation and the important role played by immigrants

" I look at you and see my father, "continued Blumenthal. father came to this country in 1935. He was 17 years old. He was alone. He did not speak English. He did not have much more than the shirt on his back and he knew practically no one. This country gave him a chance to succeed. "

The United States is the largest nation in the history of the world, said Blumenthal, because it is an immigrant nation. 19659007] "Let no one ever forget" said, "We are an immigrant nation and we should build bridges to other countries rather than walls." [19659002] Bronin told the crowd that Hartford has been a destination for and reinforced by generations of immigrants and refugees from Ireland, Italy, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Bosnia and Albania. Hundreds of thousands of people made Hartford their home while they were looking to build the life that they wanted for themselves and their families, "he said.

Martinez said to the new citizens whom they honored all Americans, they enrich the nation by bringing their heritage, their language and their culture from their country of origin.

"Just as baseball is particularly American, immigration too," said the judge. "Almost all American families, including mine, came from elsewhere. The history of America is filled with stories and success stories of immigrants.

Last year, Martinez said that about 700,000 immigrants became citizens of the United States. In Connecticut, about 10,000 people have become citizens.

"Historically, the United States has permanently resettled more refugees than all countries on Earth combined," Matinez said. "I know you know the great gifts that come to those of us who are Americans.Freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the right to vote are all so important. 39; other gifts: education, opportunity, the gift of having a better chance. "

The judge said that his grandparents arrived in America as young teens from Europe's 39; East. They were sent separately by their families and none spoke English.

"They could not read or write in any language," Martinez said. "They had never been to school.They died without having been to school.They never learned to read.They never learned to write I, their grandson, have 22 years of American education, all but the first year in public schools.Because I had a better chance today of doing of you citizens. "

Those who became citizens on Wednesday came from Afghanistan, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Jamaica, Mexico, Morocco. , Pakistan, Poland, Korea, South Africa, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Vietnam.

Abdelhadi Aitazzi, 23, came from Morocco to America to live with his father in Windsor and graduated from Windsor High School in 2014 and now looks forward to attending UConn to study computer engineering.

"It's an amazing day for me to get my citizenship, "he said. Her youngest sister, 11-year-old Sumaiya, who was born in the United States and is already a citizen, said she did not immediately understand why her brother was so excited a few weeks ago when he was not married. he arrived home after pbading his citizenship test. "He came home and said 'I will be a citizen'," she said. "I was like, oh my god, I did not know what that is." Now she does and she said that she likes that.

Aitazzi said he looked forward to being able to travel the world and work to bring family members still to Morocco in the United States

Leri Lebenibze, 23, of Stratford, came to in the United States from Georgia five years ago to join his mother, arrived earlier and already citizen. "It means a lot," said Lebenibze. "I became a free citizen, I have a better future." He also thought that it was very special to obtain his citizenship on July 4.

While working to become a citizen, Lebenibze has obtained a commercial driver's license and is working as a long-distance truck driver, and now his goal is to become a police officer, like his family friend, Cindy Dolyak, who is a Bridgeport officer.

"As soon as he arrived here, he started running," said Dolyak.Lebenibze and his mother, Irina Nesterok, are hard workers, she says.

Victor Fernandes, 25, of Bloomfield , became a citizen on Wednesday with this brother, Daniel, 24, and his mother, Anaruth, 51. USA from Brazil about 15 years ago When asked why his family came, Victor thought for a moment.

"It's better here," he says. "That's why they came." And then he and his f Rere went in search of a hot dog.