Immigrants become U.S. citizens at New-York Historical Society

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - Adromeda Thompson-Thomas says she could hardly sleep last night. Adromeda was one of 200 immigrants who became naturalized citizens of the United States in a ceremony held at the New-York Historical Society.

The faces that walked across the stage represented 60 countries including Egypt, Mexico, Albania, and the Dominican Republic.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will naturalize more than 30,000 immigrants at ceremonies across the country this week. The process begins after a green card has been granted.

"And then you have to remain living here as a green card holder in the United States three years if you are married to a U.S. citizen or five years if you got your green card through some other means," Katie Tichacek of USCIS said. "You have to demonstrate knowledge of English and also of U.S. civics and that's done through our famous civics test that everyone has heard about."

"I filled out the paperwork last November but due to monetary constraints I had to actually go for naturalization this April," Uwemedimoh Umoh said. "So I finished up the process this April and from there the ball started rolling."

Adromeda led her fellow new citizens in the pledge of allegiance. The reason she wore army fatigues is that she is in the U.S. Army Reserve and had to report to duty at Fort Totten after the ceremony.

"I'm actually on active duty right now so I need to get to up to work as soon as I finish this," she said. "So I'm on my way to work but I stopped to swear in."