Wednesday was a special day for some seventy-seven individuals from 29 countries  around the world who became United States citizens. They came from as far away as Nigeria,  Canada and South Korea.

United States Federal Judge Phillip Green who presided over the ceremony in Grand Rapids, spoke to the new citizens saying,  "you as new citizens are becoming a part of the greatest county in the world, The United States of America", and at the same time encouraged them to register to vote and to vote in any and all elections from local to state and presidential elections.