15,000 immigrants become US citizens in July 4 tradition marked by jabs at Trump

Senator Harris extolled traditional views of liberty and justice during a naturalisation ceremony in Los Angeles

Harris told new US citizens to stand up for 'liberty and justice' (AP)

With nearly 15,000 people being sworn in as American citizens on Independence and in the days leading up to the holiday, critics have used the occasion to take jabs at Donald Trump.

Every year, thousands of people achieve their dream of becoming Americans in public spaces across the country. It is a long-cherished tradition in the US — a country that has traditionally prided itself on its willingness to bring in people from other countries looking for a better life.

But, with Mr Trump looking to impose limits on legal immigration into the country, some of his critics have used the naturalisation ceremonies to try and draw a contrast to the exclusionary rhetoric coming from the White House.

“Whenever you feel that future is threatened, whenever those values of liberty and justice for all that drew us here seem under assault, you need to speak up and speak out,” California Senator Kamala Harris said at one of the naturalisation events in Los Angeles in an apparent reference to Mr Trump’s push back on immigration.

Ms Harris is a daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica. She’s California’s first black senator, and the first Indian American US senator in history.

“That’s the whole point of the freedoms we cherish,” she continued, according to prepared remarks obtained by the Huffington Post.

Immigrants hoping to become citizens don’t simply show up and become Americans. The process can be long, and immigrants must be a permanent resident or green card-holder for at least five years before applying. They must be able to speak, read, and write in English. And, they must pass a citizenship test — which only about two-thirds of born and bred Americans are able to pass, according to a recent study.