Dulles International Airport, July 29, 1999—the heat was relentless. Henriette Morton had just touched down for what was supposed to be a one-year internship at a hotel in Raleigh, NC. Her plan was simple: complete the internship, return to Germany, and start the next chapter of her life. But as life often does, it took her on an unexpected adventure.
After a whirlwind romance, Henriette found herself in Las Vegas, NV, where she married. Soon after, the couple welcomed their first child, and Henriette began the process of applying for her Green Card. Things were moving along until the unimaginable happened—9/11 shook the world, and suddenly, her immigration file vanished in the bureaucracy of the INS (now USCIS). At that time, everything was still paper-based, and it felt like her future in the U.S. hung in the balance.
After months of frustration and dead ends, her husband reached out to their congressman. Six months later, Henriette’s Green Card was finally in hand. Life resumed. She worked, traveled, and even welcomed another addition to their family. Her career eventually led her to BridgehouseLaw, where she worked closely with Attorney Reinhard von Hennigs.
One day, Reinhard asked: "Do you ever plan on becoming a U.S. citizen?"
Henriette hadn’t seriously considered it. As a German national, she knew obtaining a Beibehaltung (dual citizenship retention) permit would be difficult. The rules were strict, and she didn’t feel she had a strong case for it—after all, she hadn't faced significant discrimination or compelling reasons to apply. Plus, she had been working on similar cases for clients, so the process seemed daunting. However, Reinhard suggested waiting until she had held her Green Card for 20 years, at which point she could apply based on "gesteigertes Einbürgerungsbedürfnis" (increased need for naturalization).
Then, a change in German law opened a new path for her. With renewed optimism, Henriette decided to pursue U.S. citizenship.
Attorney Crystal McBride dove into research, finding the newly launched online submission process for naturalization (N-400). She guided Henriette through the preparation, ensuring everything was in order. The process moved faster than Henriette had anticipated. Before she knew it, she received her receipt notice, began studying for the citizenship exam, and soon passed with flying colors.
The moment she had been working toward for years arrived—the Oath Ceremony. On September 20, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina, Henriette proudly became a U.S. citizen. It was a surreal moment of pride, especially knowing that her American-born children now shared the same citizenship as their mother.
Her journey, though long and filled with challenges, is a testament to perseverance, patience, and the unwavering belief in building a future in a country that she now calls home.
Dathan D'Agostino, BridgehouseLaw LLP
