The setting for yesterday's naturalization ceremony, Liberty State Park's Flag Plaza, was not lost on Sen. Bob Menendez.

In a speech to the 40 new U.S. citizens, who hail from 18 different countries, the son of Cuban immigrants noted that it's place he declared his candidacy for the congressional seat representing Jersey City in 1992.

The plaza overlooks the Statue of Liberty, which Menendez yesterday called "an icon of immigration that for so long has served as a beacon of hope reminding immigrants that they've arrived in the land of their dreams."

Among the new citizens are two brothers from Bangladesh, Aminul Riyadh, 28, and Mohammed Tuhin, 29, whose sister, Roksana Akter Papiya, took her oath of allegiance just last month.

They were joined by their father, Harun Rashid, 65, who became an American in 2003.

The family, of Cottage Street, is overjoyed that they can finally say they are all U.S. citizens.

"I'm feeling awesome," said Papiya, 24.

The brothers said their second favorite thing about the United States is the security. When you wander around after dark in Bangladesh, Tuhin said, "you have to think about whether you'll make it back home."

And their favorite thing?

"Freedom," Riyadh said.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.