NEW YORK — When he first came to the United States after escaping civil war in Sierra Leone and spending almost a decade in a refugee camp, Dauda Sesay had no idea he could become a citizen. But he was told that if he followed the rules and stayed out of trouble, after some years he could apply. As a United States citizen, he would have protection.

It’s what made him decide to apply: the premise — and the promise — that when he became a naturalized American citizen, it would create a bond between him and his new home. He would have rights as well as responsibilities, like voting, that represented a mutual commitment.

“When I raised my hand and took the oath of allegiance, I did believe (at) that moment the promise that I belonged,” said Sesay, 48, who first arrived in Louisiana more than

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