A Brand-New US Citizen Walks Us Through the ‘Hell’ It Takes to Go From Foreigner to American

Jon Yildiz will never forget the moment during his citizenship ceremony when President Donald Trump appeared on the screen at the front of the room. In the same aggressive tone he uses to rile up supporters at his infamous rallies, Trump barked out a welcome message to the group of new citizens who had just sworn the Oath of Allegiance. “There were a couple of laughs across the room when we were facing just Donald Trump screaming at us, telling us how proud he was, and all of this stuff we know is not really true,” Yildiz told INSIDER, laughing.

For Yildiz, it was a bizarre, but emotional moment. He felt a mixture of pride in his new country and bitterness toward the immigration process that got him there.

Like so many other naturalized citizens, Yildiz’s journey from immigrant to American was a years-long struggle that cost thousands of dollars, crippled him with anxiety and depression, and even contributed to the breakdown of his marriage.