AMHERST — Ten years ago, Angelo Mercado began the lengthy and difficult process of becoming an American citizen. On Tuesday inside the Bowker Auditorium at Stockbridge Hall at the University of Massachusetts, that arduous journey finally came to an end.

“It’s something very monumental,” said Mercado, who originally is from the Philippines and now lives in West Springfield with his family. “Coming to America was the turning point of our lives. This is a land of opportunity.”

Mercado was one of nearly 200 people inside Stockbridge Hall for a naturalization ceremony hosted by the university and its College of Social and Behavioral Science. This newest cohort of American citizens traveled from across the commonwealth to attend the ceremony, now in its third year at the university, with their families and friends crowding the upper balconies of the auditorium.

The tone at this year’s ceremony was punctuated by a rapidly changing political climate for immigrants in the United States. Under the administration of President Donald Trump, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has engaged in a crackdown of illegal immigration and has even detained immigrants living in the country legally, such as the case of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish student at Tufts University who was arrested in Somerville by ICE agents in March.

Katherine Robertson, the federal judge who presided over the naturalization ceremony, acknowledged the ongoing anxieties of immigrants in the country while maintaining a congratulatory message to the new citizens.

“I don’t think there’s any denying that this is a very difficult time to talk about immigration in this country,” Robertson said. “No one really knows what lies ahead. But here today, you’ve sworn a solemn oath, you’ve committed yourselves to making a life in this country and today we’re celebrating the choice that you’ve made.”

Also speaking before the new citizens and their families was Fouad Abd-El-Khalick, the provost and senior vice chancellor for UMass Amherst. Abd-El-Khalick related to his own experiences as an immigrant, having been born in Lebanon before coming to the United States in 1995 to obtain a doctorate at Oregon State University. Abd-El-Khalick said after obtaining his doctorate he returned to Lebanon, but described being overcome by the urge to return to America.

“When you come to the U.S., you’re often infected by some bug, some virus. My bug was research,” Abd-El-Khalick said. “I knew that I wanted to come back to the U.S., to be engaged in this great research enterprise that is higher education.”

Abd-El-Khalick encouraged those in attendance to always remember what it was that drew them to the country, and to remember that the U.S. historically has been a nation of immigrants.

“[Immigrants] work incredibly hard. They make a life for themselves, but more importantly, they make a better life for their children,” he said. “In that process, they’re adding to the vitality of the nation. They’re adding to the creativity, innovation and perseverance of this nation.”

Despite any political insecurities, the mood was festive and joyous outside Stockbridge Hall following the naturalization ceremony. Families embraced and some of America’s newest citizens wiped tears of joy from their eyes as they posed for photographs while holding American flags and their certificates of citizenship.

Among the new citizens outside was Doreen Acheampong, who attended the ceremony for her naturalization with her husband and four children. Originally from Ghana, Acheampong first moved to Canada to attend nursing school before making her way to the United States. She now lives in Springfield with her family.

“It’s a good feeling. Most of the people here come to pursue their dreams,” Acheampong said. “Now I’m living that dream.”

Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.