In the early afternoon on the Fourth of July, more than 500 people gathered at Seattle Center and became U.S. citizens in an almost defiant celebration of immigration.

An American flag atop the Space Needle rippled in the breeze, and sun peeked through the clouds as Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell welcomed the hundreds of people to their “new home.” Still, the national discourse surrounding immigration loomed over Seattle’s 40th annual swearing-in ceremony.

President Donald Trump has ramped up efforts to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. In Seattle and other cities, people have clashed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in an effort to stop deportations. Immediately upon regaining control of the White House, Trump issued an executive order intending to end birthright citizenship.

Harrell said even as the city welcomes so many new citizens, the national conversation cannot be ignored.

“We are patriots, but we hold our country accountable for what we are seeing … where even the promise of birthright citizenship is being called into question,” he said. “Not on our watch here in Seattle.”

The mayor explicitly called out the rhetoric from the president, saying that while Trump “may choose fear and division, we choose a different path. One that’s rooted in our values, our diversity, our inclusion and a clear pathway to citizenship.”

That pathway to citizenship was not easy for those in attendance. For some, it had been a long time coming.

Victor Perez first came to the U.S. in 1997 when he was 14. He worked on a farm in Oregon, picking apples and other fruit for a year before he moved to the Seattle area.

Becoming a citizen has always been on Perez’s mind, but recently, he’s felt the urgency. “It’s not safe,” he said of being an immigrant.

Now that he has his citizenship, Perez is excited to finally vote. He said that’s one of the biggest benefits.

For Emeka, who moved to the U.S. from Nigeria 15 years ago for college, the motivation to become a U.S. citizen was to be able to travel the world. Without a passport, he can’t visit his family back home.

Emeka, who asked to only use his first name due to privacy concerns amid the current political climate, said he’s grateful for the opportunities he has now and even has a trip to Mexico planned. But the day brought some confusing feelings.

“For most of my adult life, I’ve been chasing this goal. I don’t even remember what it was like to not want this,” he said. “But I’ve lived here for so long I almost don’t feel any different. I’ll go to work on Monday and everything will be the same.”

Emeka’s been married to his wife for seven years, but even attaining citizenship through that route is a complicated process, infuriating at times, he said. He bristles when people brush off the hoops immigrants have to jump through.

“People say ‘Oh, just come in legally,’ and it’s like trust me, people are doing it legally,” he said. “But it is still hard.”

Mohamed Mohamed has lived in the U.S. for almost 27 years. He left Somalia at 21 as a refugee. Like Emeka, he wanted his citizenship so he could cross the border and help those back home.

After entering the U.S., Mohamed bounced between states like Arizona, Ohio and Iowa before landing in the Seattle area. The city, he said, feels like “home, sweet home.”

During the ceremony, Leanne Leigh, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services District 41, said more than 79 countries of origin were represented. She went through every country, urging those in attendance from each one to stand as she called the name. More than 60 came from Mexico, the most represented country. Dozens of immigrants from China, Canada, India, the Philippines and Vietnam were also granted citizenship.

Leigh also recognized Peter Jancke, an 83-year-old man from Germany, who was the oldest person sworn in Thursday.

After Chief Judge David Estudillo of U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington granted 501 people their U.S. citizenship, he addressed the national conversation around immigration.

Estudillo was more subtle than Harrell. He said he wasn’t there to offer any comments on what was seen on social media or in the news.

“But despite all of that, I want to let you know the reason why I still believe in the promises of the United States,” he said. “It’s simple, I’m looking at the reason. I see all of you, my new fellow citizens, and I am proud. I am inspired. I am hopeful.”