20 people become new U.S. citizens at Lebanon County Courthouse
When Lesley and Martyn Reed first met, around 24 years ago, they quickly determined that a shared dream between them was a goal to one day move to the United States.
Through Martyn's employment, they were granted the opportunity to move from the United Kingdom to California, and then several years later to Pennsylvania.
"We'd never been to the U.S. before, and I was given an offer, I was told you need to sign within like 48 hours. We both talked about it and weighed it up, we hadn't been over and things like that," he said. "But we made the choice and since we've been here nine years, we lived the first three years in California and the rest of the time here in Pennsylvania, and we fell in love with it."
On Friday Martyn and Lesley, as well as their son Morgan, took the naturalization oath, officially becoming U.S. citizens.
The Reed's were three of 20 other residents who became U.S. citizens during Friday's Naturalization Ceremony held at the Lebanon County Courthouse.
Their youngest two children, Ethan and Tabetha, are both under 18 and will soon become U.S. citizens under a separate process.
"When I reflect on the prior proceedings I've been to and this proceeding," said Judge Charles Jones said during opening remarks, "I think about the folks who have been naturalized before today. I think about the folks who are here today to be naturalized. And I think about all the work that you folks have put into this process. "
"I think about the fact that you've had to choose to become a citizen of the United States of America, and I did not have to do that, I was born here."
President Judge John Tylwalk administered the Oath of Allegiance.
Along with the Reeds, other residents becoming U.S. citizens were: Aaron Conrad Mullings, Sunita Thapa Rai, Ralph Widmaer Presume, Luis Gonzalez Ledesma, Johanna Rashie Rse Ramirez, Mohamed Ahmed Khamis Saleh, Juan Manuel Sepulveda Luperon, Lila Gurung, Arlheys Taveras Ortiz, Kimlak Lun, Jorge Emilio Martinez Polanco, Anyelo Enrique Ricart Sanchez, Miguel Angel Santos Valera, Lisbeth Nicol Alverez Quinones, Carlos Reyes Bedolla, Miki Sawhney all.
Countries of origin for those naturalizing included Haiti, Egypt, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, Jamaica, Mexico, United Kingdom and Dominican Republic.
One of the people taking the oath was Jorge Emilio Martinez Polanco, 28. He was born in the Dominican Republic but moved to New York City with his mother and stepfather when and has lived in the country for 10 years. He moved to Lebanon from New York five years ago to be with his girlfriend.
"I don't see myself living back in my country, like living living, I go visit once or two times in a year. but being here I have changed my life," he said. "Opportunities, school wise, job opportunities, all of that."
He said that he was most excited about the fact that he now has all the rights and privileges that come with being a citizen.
Becoming a U.S. citizen allows the 20 people who took the oath the benefits that include the right to vote, run for public office and work government jobs that require citizenship as a point of employment.
The United States has added over 7.7 naturalized citizens over the last decade and 878,500 in 2023, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Naturalizations in fiscal year 2022 and 2023 make 24% of all naturalizations in the last decade.
Carlos Reyes Bedolla, 38, was born in Mexico but has lived in the U.S. since he was 9. He decided to become a citizen after some convincing from his wife, who became a citizen a couple of years ago. His children were born here, and he said that he was pretty much the last one in the family to become a citizen.
He said that he was most happy about being able travel as a citizen of the United States and say that this was his home county.
"My wife was the one who pushed me to get it. I was always kind of like, I don't get into trouble, I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't go party. I'm not going to get into trouble with the law where I can get like, sent back. But eventually at some point when I had all my kids, I figured OK, it's time to go for it."
He described the process as quick, taking only about 5 months.
Residents looking for more information about naturalization statistics and resources on how to become a U.S. citizen can visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website at uscis.gov.
Daniel Larlham Jr. is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at DLarlham@LDNews.com or on X @djlarlham.
This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: 20 people take oath at Lebanon County Courthouse to become citizens
