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The Oath of Allegiance has been used to swear in new citizens for over two hundred twenty years. The requirements and language of the oath have changed a bit over the years, and they once differed from courtroom to courtroom. In fact, at one point in time, because there was no precise text for the oath, there were as many as five thousand courts with naturalization jurisdiction, and each one could develop its own procedures and words.
In 1905, a Presidential Commission on Naturalization decided that U.S. naturalization courts lacked uniformity. The Commission recommended the creation of a federal agency to oversee naturalization procedures, re-codification of the law, and standard forms, one of which was a uniform oath of allegiance.
In 1906, Congress passed the Basic Naturalization Act, which implemented many of the Commission’s recommendations, but did not mandate a uniform oath. It wasn’t until 1929 that an official standard text for the Oath of Allegiance appeared in the Act’s regulations. From that point forward, all new citizens have been required to take the exact same oath and repeat the exact same language.
Some minor additions and deletions were made over the years. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 added a section about performing work of national importance under civilian direction. This amendment stands as the last major addition to our nation’s Oath of Allegiance as it appears today.
On this day, a large crowd gathered in Judge Leo Farhat’s courtroom. Marshall Mann, Amy Fletcher, and Zachary Blake arranged the ceremony to honor three new citizens of the United States of America. Governor Whitman, Senator Stabler, Dan Wolfe, James Theurer, and several mayors attended at Zack’s invitation. Local celebrities, attorneys, judges, reporters, television, and radio personalities were also in attendance. Two bright and beaming children were present to cheer on their parents. A young Muslim family also attended to honor the woman who saved two of its members.
Judge Leo Farhat stepped up to the podium and tapped the microphone. The boisterous crowd quieted immediately.
“Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Leo Farhat. I am an Immigration and Naturalization Judge here in Detroit. Welcome to my courtroom. Thank you for being here on this momentous occasion. First and foremost, I’d like to thank attorneys from Zachary Blake’s office for granting me the privilege of swearing in our special guests. Marshall Mann, Amy Fletcher, and Zack Blake were instrumental in procuring justice for our soon-to-be citizens. It is not an overstatement to say that citizenship would not have been possible for our honorees but for the efforts of these fine lawyers.
“Throughout our nation's history, foreign-born men and women have come to the United States, taken the Oath of Allegiance to become naturalized citizens, and contributed greatly to their new communities and country. I have no doubt the same will be true for the three people who take the Oath today. These fine people have already honored our judicial faith by creating and managing Community Foundations for immigrants in the Latino community Downriver, and in the Muslim community in Dearborn. These foundations are doing important work all over the city, indeed, all over the country. I am proud to have played a small part in their path to citizenship. Rima Al-Baklavi, Mary Carmen Gonzalez, Miguel Gonzalez, please step forward, raise your right hand, and repeat after me:
“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God (Allah)."
Miguel, Mary Carmen, and Rima each repeated these historic words and were declared American citizens. They weren’t born into freedom—they earned freedom the hard way. Because of their addition to our citizenry and their service to the less fortunate, America became a better country.
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