‘Dream come true’: USCIS hosts naturalization ceremony for more than 20 immigrants on Fourth of July

CHARLOTTE — While the Fourth of July is an important day for all Americans, for 21 newly naturalized citizens, the day now has a personal tie.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) hosted a special Independence Day naturalization ceremony at the Charlotte Museum of History on Tuesday morning.

For people like Rohit Ghule, this was a dream come true. He has lived in the U.S. for more than a decade after moving here for a sense of freedom and a better lifestyle. While his wife, Neha, became a citizen in June, Ghule told Channel 9 he asked the USCIS on July 4 to become a citizen.

Analaa Oroluchtti came from Argentina with her two kids in 2001 and has been waiting for her citizenship for more than two decades. She said she never thought this day would come.

“It’s beautiful to be here. I’m so proud to be a citizen, and I love this country,” Oroluchtti said. “It’s a dream come true, and I’m very thankful to God, especially for guiding me here.”

The number of people immigrating to the U.S. and becoming citizens is higher than ever before. According to Pew Research, there are about 700,000 applications still pending. Ghule knows about those wait times all too well.

“This is a day that I’ve imagined, that one day I will be a citizen and that we can do something for our country,” Ghule said.

(WATCH BELOW: ‘Opportunity for everybody’: Charlotte man speaks on his journey to citizenship)

‘Opportunity for everybody’: Charlotte man speaks on his journey to citizenship

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