Fifteen people became American citizens on Thursday afternoon during a naturalization ceremony at the Ethan Allen Homestead in Burlington.
The individuals came from 10 different countries: Iraq, Somalia, Congo, China, Bhutan, Ireland, Canada, Argentina, Brazil and India.
About 75 people attended the ceremony, which marked the successful conclusion of the citizenship application process for the fifteen immigrants.
Among those present was Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, who delivered a short address.
In his remarks, Leahy urged the new citizens to participate in U.S. politics.
Leahy cited the backlash to the Trump Administration's policy of separating migrant families as an example of engaged citizens influencing national politics.
"Children today would still be forcibly separated from their parents at the border en masse if not for the collected voices of concerned Americans across this country," Leahy said.
After the official ceremony ended, many of the new citizens posed for photos with Leahy and Judge Geoffrey Crawford, who presided over the event.
The number of naturalizations in the U.S. varies year-by-year, but in recent decades has usually been between half a million and a million people.
