On August 4, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana held a naturalization ceremony in which thirty-six individuals from twenty-three countries across the globe became U.S. citizens.  The Honorable Wendy B. Vitter, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, presided over the ceremony.   The Jesuit ROTC Color Guard presented the colors for the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance, which was followed by a keynote speech by the Honorable Bernadette D’Souza, Chief Judge for the Orleans Civil District Court.  Chief Judge D’Souza, a native of Goa, India, told her personal story of immigration and citizenship, and recounted how with the encouragement of her beloved husband and children, she was able to achieve her life-long dream of becoming a lawyer.  She impressed upon the candidates the notion that with hard work and determination, their goals and dreams could be fully realized in these great United States.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Gutierrez served as the U.S. Attorney General’s designee and certified the candidates’ eligibility for naturalization.  The candidates then swore an oath of allegiance to the United States, as administered by Judge Vitter, thus becoming fully-fledged United States citizens.  Afterwards, the candidates were invited to register to vote at a table staffed by volunteers from the New Orleans Chapter of the League of Women Voters. U.S. Passport Agency employees were also on hand to provide information to the newly, sworn-in citizens.  To view photographs from the ceremony, please select this link.