SAN ANTONIO \u2013 A San Antonio firefighter lived in the United States since childhood officially became an American citizen Thursday, joining 47 others from 16 countries during a naturalization ceremony held ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.<\/p>\n
The moment marked the end of a years long journey for Kendell Ramlal, who\u2019s originally from Trinidad and Tobago.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been here since I was four years old,\u201d Ramlal said after taking the Oath of Allegiance. \u201cObviously I\u2019m a firefighter, so I like to give back to the community, and it feels great to actually be a part of the community officially. Still doesn\u2019t feel real, but I\u2019m loving every moment of it so far.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ramlal, who serves as a firefighter in San Antonio, said becoming a U.S. citizen makes his commitment to serving the community even more meaningful.<\/p>\n
While the ceremony highlighted the culmination of the naturalization process, immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch said many immigrants continue to face uncertainty earlier in the immigration system.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe immigration court system is a complete mess,\u201d Lincoln-Goldfinch said. \u201cThat\u2019s primarily because the immigration court system is an administrative court system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lincoln-Goldfinch said obtaining a green card \u2014 often a prerequisite to applying for citizenship \u2014 has become increasingly unpredictable. <\/p>\n
While some applicants move through the process without issue, others face requests for additional evidence or denials.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn some green card cases, we\u2019ve seen people denied outright or issued notices of intent to deny or requests for evidence,\u201d Lincoln-Goldfinch said. \u201cIn other cases, they sail right through. It\u2019s not one impact evenly across the board. It really varies widely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ramlal said his own path to citizenship was relatively smooth, though it took years to complete.<\/p>\n
Now officially an American citizen, he hopes others still navigating the process remain encouraged.<\/p>\n
\u201cPray about it,\u201d Ramlal said. \u201cTrust God that he will open doors for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
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