Longtime Daniel Islander and native Canadian to celebrate her first Independence Day as an American citizen

On May 22, 2025, Daniel Island resident Jennifer Esse – a native Canadian – stood up, raised her right hand, and, in unison with a dozen other people, swore an allegiance to the red, white, and blue, and became an American citizen.

 

“(At the ceremony), you’re saying you are going to set your motherland aside in order to represent yourself as an American citizen,” Esse said. “And that means a lot to me. It makes me a little emotional.”

 

Esse was born in Canada and raised about an hour north of Toronto, Ontario. She moved to the United States more than 20 years ago to pursue a master’s degree which led her to a career as an audiologist.

 

During that time, she married, settled on Daniel Island, and gave birth to two children who have dual citizenship – all while Esse remained an immigrant on extended visas to stay in the country.

 

Until now, Esse was the only member of her immediate family not American.

 

“I am really connected to my home country (of Canada), so maybe that’s why it took me so long,” Esse said, noting that her mother, brother, and an aunt still live in The Great White North.

 

Esse said with recent government policies tightening immigration laws, the uncertainty of being able to go back-and-forth to visit her relatives prompted her to take pause and she decided to fill out Form N-400 and apply for naturalization.

 

“Honestly, I should have done this years ago,” she admitted.

 

BECOMING AN AMERICAN

As a lawful permanent resident of the United States and with a medical background that allowed her to renew her employment-based green card every 10 years, the naturalization process for her particular case wasn’t as difficult as she anticipated.

 

After a deep background check, the immigration office scheduled Esse an appointment for an interview.

 

“The interview was just biometrics, just proving I am who I say I am,”

 

Once she was cleared, Esse received a big surprise.

 

 “I didn’t realize after that appointment, the immigration officer was actually prepared to have me do my oath ceremony that day. I came in with jeans and a t-shirt and my hair a mess, and he’s like, ‘Hey, you are going to take the test now.’ And I said, ‘What test?’ He said, ‘Your test so you can become a citizen.’”

 

Bewildered, Esse took the naturalization test right then and there, and luckily, was not stumped.

 

“Questions like, ‘Who is the father of the United States?’ George Washington. Having been here so many years - 26 years - I passed the test. I would have been embarrassed had I not passed,” she laughed.

 

The immigration office had scheduled Esse to be sworn in that day, but the ceremony had already begun by the time she finished her test. So her swearing-in was rescheduled to May 22 giving her an opportunity to dress up and have her family in attendance.

 

It also gave her time to bond with other soon-to-be Americans.

 

“There were 12 or 13 of us and we were all from different places. There was one other Canadian woman, and we were the only two that were from the same country originally. Everyone else was from all over,” she said. “They let you bring your family and you take pictures. It was really, really special. Just awesome.”

 

THE WEIGHT OF THE OATH

The Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America requires that immigrants renounce their allegiance to their former country, agree to defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and agree to bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law.

Recalling her naturalization day almost brought Esse to tears.

 

“When you take the oath, you actually say I am going to set my original citizenship aside because if I am required, I have to bear arms. This country supersedes my home country, so it’s an emotional thing, right?”

 

This Fourth of July, the fireworks and pageantry celebrating America’s birthday will take on new importance for Esse. It will be her first Independence Day as an American, a proud moment she looks to cherish.

 

“It is just a very personal journey,” she said. “It’s honestly one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had just from a personal standpoint, in terms of my connection to the United States. 

 

“It was really special and I’m really glad I did it,” she said.