by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
The Naturalization Committee of The Jacksonville Bar Association is two-person committee chaired by Paul Perez, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida and co-chaired by Ada Hammond of Johnston and Hammond Law Firm.
The purpose of the committee is to sponsor naturalization ceremonies that are held about four times a year at the Federal Courthouse.
“We conduct and put on the ceremony,” said Perez. “Otherwise these folks would be sworn-in by an Immigration and Naturalization Service officer at the University of North Florida auditorium or something. This way it is a little bit more of a formal ceremony in the sense that a federal judge is the one that swears them in. We convene in the Federal Courthouse, which gives it a little bit more of a formal atmosphere.”
Perez said they usually have a guest speaker who is a community leader to welcome the new citizens. They invite some of the patriotic clubs like the Daughters of American Revolution, who present the citizens with a small American flag or a copy of the U.S. Constitution.
“It’s just more of a formal ceremony to welcome them aboard,” said Perez. “We introduce the guest speaker and usually there is a musical presentation and traditionally we give a large flag to the youngest and oldest new citizen.”
Perez and Hammond, who are both from Cuba, have a personal interest in the ceremonies because they are naturalized citizens.
“My parents went through the same process in 1969, so for me it is a personal thing,” said Perez. “It’s a neat program and America for all intents and purposes is a land of immigrants itself so this is just part of who we are and these ceremonies are part of what we are so that’s why I do it.”
Perez and Hammond alternate hosting and planning the event.
They speak on the phone a couple of times a year to coordinate schedules to see who will cover the events.
“Diane Gill, executive director of the Jacksonville Bar, is really the one who puts it together and coordinates it along with the David Angotti, the INS special agent in charge. He picks out three or four inductions a year and asks if we can do them at the Federal Courthouse.”
The next naturalization ceremony will be held May 1 as part of Law Week.