Becoming American
Ernesto Serrano, 19, stands outside of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Louisville, Ky before the start of his citizenship ceremony on March 31, 2022.
The United States sees over 1 million people arriving from foreign countries to the U.S. every year. Texas sees the most people moving from foreign countries in Latin America. One family, 10 year old Ernesto Serrano, his mother Doris, and brother Emerson are packing up their home and are about to move more than 2,ooo miles away from their family and friends and their hometown of La Ceiba, Honduras to Lubbock, Texas.
"I was just a kid when I was told we were going to be moving. I didn't really know what to think, I was confused and a little mad but at the same time the idea of moving to a new country was exciting. No one ever told me why we moved and I never really cared to ask after we did," said Ernesto
In February, 2014 the Serrano family landed in Lubbock, Texas. In the days following the international move Ernie and his brother were moved into their new bedrooms and registered for American public schools. Ernie started school in America in the middle of his fifth grade year. The two biggest obstacles for him at the time were learning English and making new friends.
"I knew some English that I learned while in school in Honduras but it wasn't a lot," said Ernie.
Despite the language barrier Ernie was determined to make new friends at his new school.
"I wanted to have fun. Learning English was hard but I the hardest part about moving was trying to make new friends. Making new friends was a lot harder than I thought it would be," said Ernie. "I have a lot of good friends now that I love but it was hard when I was living in Texas."
After five years in Texas the Serrano family packed up and made the move from Lubbock Texas to Bowling Green, Kentucky in 2019.
"Moving to Bowling Green was for sure easier but I was still upset because I had to leave my friends again." said Ernie.
Ernesto Serrano falls asleep on co-worker and friend Morgan Stokes. Serrano and Stokes met while working at Texas Roadhouse in Bowling Green Kentucky. They completed the lighthouse program and graduated at the same time. "I love it here, everyone gets along, it' s one big family."
Serrano, plays pool at Southern Lanes in Bowling Green, Ky. When asked why he likes play pool at the bowling alley he said, that it was because he had a crush on one of the girls who worked at the concession stand.
After living in the United States for seven years Ernesto and his mother Doris decided they wanted to start working to get their citizenship.
“It was strange to me at first because I wasn’t American, I was from Honduras. For 18 years I was Honduran.” said Ernie
Ernesto and his mother spent months studying in order to take their citizenship tests. The process to get naturalization takes anywhere from 14 to 20 months after applying for citizenship. The process is long and daunting for many people but Ernie and his mother had been waiting for over seven years to become a U.S. citizen and nothing was going to stop them.
After months of studying and over 60 flashcards memorized Ernesto traveled to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Louisville, Kentucky with his mother and stepfather. At 10 in the morning on March 10, 2022, Ernesto passed his naturalization test and was given the date he would officially become a citizen of the United States.
“I was relieved when I passed the test and all the study paid off.”
Ernesto studies with his mother for his citizenship test later that week. "I don't study as much as I should, there are still a lot of cards I don't know," said Ernesto. Ernesto and his mother studied together when his mother was preparing for her test that she took a few weeks before Ernie. "I was glad this was something we could do together, he has always supported me and I will alway support him," said Doris, Ernies mother.
On March 31, 2022 dressed in a new suit Ernesto Serrano once again traveled to Louisville with his mom and stepfather for his citizenship ceremony.
"I was so nervous, it was just me and even though I knew I had already passed it was still crazy. I was about to become a citizen," said Ernie.
March 31, 2022 was a special day not only because Ernesto received his official citizenship but he received his citizenship on his 19th birthday.
"It was a pretty good birthday present," said Ernie.
Ernesto celebrates after his citizenship ceremony. "Finally!" Ernie said after walking out of the office.
The folder Ernesto's certificate was given to him in.
Ernesto kisses his mother while celebrating his citizenship outside of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Louisville, Ky.
Ernesto's family sing Happy Birthday to him outside of the Immigration Office in Louisville, Kentucky on March 31, 2022.
"I wasn't thinking in that moment. I was really proud of myself and I was happy that I made my mom proud and accomplished something she really wanted me to do. I was just really proud of myself."
After getting his citizenship Ernesto moved onto his next big journey, college. Ernesto enrolled in Job Corps in early 2022. Job Corps is he largest career technical training and education program in the country for people 16 to 24. Ernie decide to attend the school for welding. "It was interesting, I knew I wanted to do a trade and that was the one that I could see my self really liking," said Ernie. One week after officially becoming a U.S. citizen Ernesto left home to attend Great Onyx Job Corps in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. "After school I'm not sure where I want to go. I will go to wherever feels right," said Ernesto.
Ernesto meets Mark for the first time when mark picks him up to take him to Great Onyx Job Corps. The students are not allowed cars at the school so the school picks up and drops off students when needed.