U.S. Attorney Ganjei Gives Remarks at Houston Naturalization Ceremony

# U.S. Attorney Addresses New Citizens at Houston Naturalization Ceremony

U.S. Attorney Ganjei addressed newly naturalized citizens in Houston on August 20, 2025, sharing remarks about immigration and American citizenship. Ganjei reflected on his own family's immigrant experience, noting that his maternal grandparents arrived from Yugoslavia in 1941 and his father immigrated from Iran in 1961 with only $100 and faith in America's possibilities. His father worked various jobs before earning a college degree and becoming a citizen in 1972 after a decade-long wait.

Ganjei emphasized that immigrants who choose American citizenship often bring a deep appreciation for freedom and opportunity, having experienced deprivation in their countries of origin. He cited President Richard Nixon's observation that Americans "by choice" from other countries understand liberty as "precious and fragile" and are motivated to defend it fiercely. Ganjei connected this commitment to the nation's founding principles, referencing the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution as a reminder of the sacrifices made to establish freedom and opportunity in the United States.