The ribbon was cut Tuesday on the new United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' Buffalo Field Office. Guests celebrated both a new workspace and some new citizens.
Tnew new field office is located within a renovated space on the 300 block of Delaware Avenue. Services there include naturalization interviews, permanent resident processing, photographic services and fingerprinting.
"The Buffalo Field Office also operates the Child Citizenship Act Program, which is a national initiative through which children adopted abroad, by United States citizen parents, who enter through immigrant status are issued certificates of citizenship within 45 days of their admission," said USCIS Northeast Regional Director Lori Pietropaoli.
Five young children from two families were ceremonially sworn in as new U.S. citizens during the grand opening celebration.
"It's a very big family you're joining," said Daniel Renaud, USCIS Associate Director, Field Operations Directorate. "More than 300 million adults and children just like you, who proudly share the rights, privileges and responsibilities of being citizens of the United States of America. I welcome you and your new country welcomes you."
Renaud told the children who took the oath that their new citizenship is a gift from their parents. He urged the kids to thank their respective parents for the work and sacrifices made to make their new citizenhip possible. He also encouraged them to ask their parents to share their stories, so that the family could have a better appreciation for where they came from, and what U.S. citizenship means to them.
A space within the new Buffalo Field Office is dedicated to the memory of Julius Langbein, who was born in Germany and moved to the United States with his family just before his second birthday. Langbein, as a teenager, served in the Union Army as a drummer who participated in field combat.
His great-great-great nephew, James Gallagher, spoke at the opening ceremony of his ancestor's bravery in helping a wounded officer move to safety for treatment of his combat-related injury. Langbein later became a lawyer and judge.
The USCIS Buffalo Field Office is anticipated to serve about 200 people daily, from 24 counties in New York State and three counties in Pennsylvania.
