8,000 people from all over the world become US citizens in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Thousands of new U.S. citizens proudly waved the American flag at the Los Angeles Convention Center, where their naturalization ceremony was held.

Tudor Roman joined his wife and daughter as they became citizens. It was an emotional day not just for Tudor, but also his wife.

"We were divided. It was me and my daughter, we're both U.S. citizens. He was on the other side and it was like this is a physical, visual (divide) that we're apart right now, but we're soon going to be together," she said.

That division is no longer a barrier physically, legally or emotionally for more than 8,000 people who received their American citizenship.

They come from more than 140 countries, such as the Ukraine, China, Iran, Nigeria and Nicaragua. Now they can all call themselves Americans.

"I feel strong that I now have a country that can fight for me as a citizen, which is probably the best thing that can happen to anybody," one woman said.

During the 2017 fiscal year, the United States Customs and Immigration Services welcomed 725,800 people nationwide. Of those people, about 11 percent were welcomed into the Los Angeles district.

For those newly naturalized citizens and their families, the ceremony is a dream come true.