It’s the moment they have been waiting for since departing from their home countries to pursue the American Dream.

On Sunday, 51 new U.S. citizens got a very special welcome to the country they call home. The second gentleman, Douglas Emhoff, delivered the key note speech at the naturalization ceremony in New York. The recipients had no prior knowledge that he’d be there.

“It was really a surprise to shake the hand of a second gentleman,” said Monica Brown after she got her naturalization certificate.

Emhoff talked about his ancestors who came to Ellis Island from Austria and about his wife Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India.  

“Ours is a nation of immigrants. With the exception of Native Americans, most citizens here can trace their family routes to someplace else, just like all of you and just like me,” said Emhoff.

The group represented 26 different countries from all over the world — people of different faiths and who speak different languages, all sharing the experience together.

“This is the land of freedom. We all struggled and we know if we work hard, come to this country, the opportunities are limitless,” said Brown.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services hosted the event at the New York Historical Society, the oldest museum in the city. It provides free history and civics education to people seeking American citizenship. The date for the occasion was also symbolic — World Refugee Day celebrates those who flee their native countries to escape violence and persecution, and a Father’s Day these families may never forget.

“The word patriotism denoting love of country, a value that we hold dear at NYH, is derived by Greek and Latin words meaning father,” said Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of the NY Historical Society.

The Outstanding American by Choice Award was presented to Immaculee Ilibagiza, a refugee whose family members were murdered during the genocide in Rowanda. After fleeing to the U.S., she went on to write books about her experience.

Jia-Lin Liu waited 20 years for the ceremony and says it was more than she imagined. The PHD student hopes being a citizen will help her work in advocating for Undocumented Chinese Immigrants.

“I was laughing and crying but I’m really thankful. Being an American gives you a lot of rights and power and resources,” said Liu who migrated from Taiwan.

As an added bonus, all of the newly minted U.S. citizens also received a free, one-year membership for their families to visit New York Historical Society.