Bernice Saroni openly acknowledged that she strategically leveraged US citizenship laws to secure American citizenship for all four of her children. In a recent interview with Obinna, the mother of four, who had returned to her home country, shared the details of her journey to the United States and the acquisition of US citizenship for her boys.
Saroni revealed that her relocation to the US occurred when she was just 12 years old, prompted by her desire to be with her father, who had already obtained American citizenship. She explained, “I went to the States when I was 12 when my mom passed away. My dad was living in the States, he was a citizen. He filed for me, so I went to the States with a green card.”
Furthermore, Bernice Saroni disclosed that all four of her sons were born in the US, making them American citizens by birth. “My kids were born there, they are citizens by birth,” she affirmed. She clarified that while she got married and lived in Kenya, her children were conceived in the country but born in the US.
Saroni admitted to a deliberate practice she maintained when expecting a child. She would travel to the US during her eighth month of pregnancy, give birth in the US, and return to Kenya with the newborn when they were two months old. She explained her motivation, saying, “When I got married, we lived here because he had a good job, so he said he could not relocate to the US, so I am the one who had to relocate here. So when I was eight months pregnant, I would go to the US, give birth, and then come back with the baby when they were two months old.”
In response to Obinna’s surprise, she affirmed that she followed this process for all four of her children. Her ex-husband was the one who covered the flight expenses, even opting for business class.
Bernice Saroni’s intention was to ensure that her children became US citizens by birth, taking advantage of US laws that grant citizenship to babies born on American soil, irrespective of their parents’ citizenship status. She referred to Amendment XIV, Section 1, Clause 1 of the US Constitution, which stipulates that all individuals born in the United States are automatically considered US citizens.
She also touched on the challenges she faced in the US, mentioning that her decision to move with her children was driven by her marriage’s breakdown due to her ex-husband’s infidelity. The children continued their education in Kenya until 2018 when her marriage faced difficulties, leading her to relocate to the US in November 2018. Initially, she left her kids in Kenya for six months to ensure they would be comfortable upon joining her in the US.
Saroni candidly admitted that her children experienced culture shock when they arrived in the US, as she couldn’t offer them the same lavish lifestyle they had been accustomed to in Kenya. She recounted, “So when they came, they were like, ‘ehh mom, this house is the size of your bedroom [in Kenya].’ I remember that’s what my firstborn told me.” Over time, however, her children adapted to their new surroundings and began to appreciate their life in the US.
Bernice Saroni also shed light on her career in the US, dispelling claims that she worked as a trailer driver. Instead, she clarified that she is a businesswoman, a promoter, and a nurse.
It’s worth noting that Bernice Saroni is a cousin of Mugithi singer Samidoh. She played a role in assisting Samidoh’s wife, Edday Nderitu, when she first moved to the US before ultimately settling into her own home. Edday and her three children relocated to the US in early May 2023, with Bernice Saroni facilitating their arrival in Boston, Massachusetts.
