Lions LB Steve Longa Becomes USA Citizen to Fulfill Late Father's Dream

Twelve years after Steve Longa came to the United States as the son of a refugee, the Detroit Lions linebacker has officially become an American citizen.

According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Cameroon native was sworn in in April more than a year after first applying for citizenship and five years after beginning the naturalization process with a green card.

Longa noted the achievement after officially becoming an American:

"It hasn't been smooth. But I am fortunate enough that I've got to this point cause some people have been waiting a lot longer. Although it hasn't been smooth, I am happy with the way it went. I've learned a lot through this process, watching my dad go through it, my mom go through it. I thought it was just going to be something that's cool, go in and do it. I didn't expect all the emotions to hit me like they did."

The 24-year-old has spent the past three years with the Lions after joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2016. While he appeared in 15 games during the 2017 season, he missed all of 2018 with a torn ACL.

Still, his off-field concerns took precedent.

His father, Etienne Longa, came to the United States as a political refugee in 2002 and eventually earned his citizenship in 2016. One year later, he was killed as a pedestrian after being hit by a truck.

One wish for him before his death was for Steve to eventually gain citizenship, a goal he has now accomplished.