KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It was a very special day for more than 100 families in East Tennessee. Almost 150 people were sworn in as citizens of the United States.
A ceremony was held at the Knoxville City-County Building on Thursday to swear them in and celebrate.
Mina Alshebloi said she, her brother and her parents moved to the U.S. from Iraq in 2014.
The family said after applying for asylum, and then working to become an American citizen, it’s been a long nine years, but they've been looking forward to this day.
“It makes me feel good,” Alshebloi said. “Like everything that happened was worthwhile. All of the struggle we went through and all of the waiting, I’m like, ‘Finally!”
The new citizens come from 53 different countries across the world. The family said they moved here to America for better opportunities and better education. Alshebloi said moving to America was a huge lifestyle change and that it would take some getting used to.
“When I first moved here, my English wasn’t that good, so, I struggled with that a lot,” she said. “[My parents] struggled a lot with finding jobs. [My mother] had to downgrade a lot. She used to work in corporations back home and then we came here, and they were like, ‘Oh you don’t have American experience.’”
Mina said she’s thankful her parents sacrificed all they did so she could have a better life and get a college education.
As far as what’s next for Mina, and her chasing what she would call the American dream, she is set to graduate from the University of Tennessee in 2025 and wants to work in the fashion or media industry.