New citizens get welcome from Obama - News

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Jul. 03, 2009
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

New citizens get welcome from Obama

Ceremony salutes 102 immigrants

By LYNNETTE CURTIS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

View the slide show

Sharlee Cabalda listens to the proceedings of a naturalization ceremony Thursday in the Las Vegas City Council chambers. Her mother was among the 102 people who became U.S. citizens.
Photos by John Locher.

People participate in a naturalization ceremony Thursday at Las Vegas City Hall. At the ceremony, 102 immigrants took the Oath of Allegiance and became U.S. citizens.

The 102 Las Vegas immigrants stood side by side to swear the Oath of Allegiance.

They waved tiny American flags, enjoyed the patriotic melodies of a string quartet and received glowing congratulations from various dignitaries, including Mayor Oscar Goodman, U.S. District Judge Lloyd George and, in a recorded statement, President Barack Obama, who told the freshly minted citizens that "in America, no dream is impossible."

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'It's Just a Rolling Party'

But the best part of Thursday's naturalization ceremony at City Hall, they said, was the knowledge that at the end of it all they could finally call themselves American citizens.

"It's such a great nation, a country of immigrants," said Antonio Quintana, 63, who posed for photos before the ceremony accompanied by his wife, a permanent U.S. resident who is also pursuing citizenship.

Quintana, a banquet food runner, and his wife immigrated to the United States from Cuba seven years ago seeking more freedom and opportunity. He and the other new citizens represented 35 nations, including Cambodia, Vietnam, Nigeria, China, Ghana and Australia.

The morning ceremony, hosted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the city, was part of the city's annual Celebrate America initiative to showcase the diversity of the community.

"We have a fabric made up of many different threads ... that bind together to make us into something very, very special," Goodman told the new citizens.

Nileshni Lata Gopal, a 37-year-old Fiji native, said diversity was what "totally intrigued" her when she first visited the United States in 2001.

Gopal saw "all segments of people ... working together. I still get intrigued to see a Hispanic cook making me authentic Indian curry in a restaurant."

Like Quintana, Mary Ann Santo Hizon came to the United States seven years ago in pursuit of opportunity.

The 63-year-old from the Philippines is now a psychiatric nurse who works with emotionally disturbed children.

Santo Hizon had mixed feelings when she first decided to come to America, she said.

But, "I have not looked back. I have not regretted it since day one, because everything went so well," she said.

Santo Hizon and the other new Americans each got a "good luck mayor" chip, resembling a poker chip, from Goodman.

They also heard from new City Councilman Stavros Anthony, who reminded them they are now eligible to vote and that every vote counts.

Anthony in June defeated opponent Glenn Trowbridge for the Ward 4 seat by 10 votes. "You could be the one that pushes your candidate over to win an election," he said.

About a million people became naturalized U.S. citizens last year, about 12,000 of them in Las Vegas.

Those who want to become U.S. citizens must first be permanent residents.

After applying for citizenship, they must be interviewed, take a U.S. government and history test, and prove they can read and write English.

Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. Mary Anne Hizon wrote on July 04, 2009 08:44 AM: Dear Lynette, I am really honored that you wrote this beautiful article, for the special mention of my name, plus my picture in the slide show! Needless to say I bought a lot of this issue of Las Vegas Review Journal and I have sent them to the Philippines and my friends and family in the USA. More power to you and your paper! Sincerely, Mary Anne Hizon...American Citizen. July 4, 2009 Wassup? wrote on July 03, 2009 11:51 PM: Weren't there any Americans to welcome them? fremmasmind wrote on July 03, 2009 10:17 PM: With all of the unemployment in the U.S. we should not be bringing in more citizens with Visa cards and /or greencards. These people are allowed to be payed less than american citizens. They are taking jobs away from americans. Marcus P. Smithers wrote on July 03, 2009 09:07 AM: This was all a divergence so that 10 times as many illegal immigrants could sneak in through the back door. joethe plumber wrote on July 03, 2009 09:03 AM: Oscar gives the real new citizens a gambling chip, while Barry gives illegals free medical, free education, untaxed paychecks under the table, social security, and voting rights in exchange for their votes........why wouldn't they vote for free benefits? Americans, what's left of us, you are losing your country. joethe plumber wrote on July 03, 2009 08:38 AM: The Community Organizer Barry Obama is more excited about the other 20 million from Mexico and Central America that didnt do through the citizenship process. With ACORN'S help (his former organization), they will keep him in power..... VegasSmitty wrote on July 03, 2009 08:26 AM: WOW 102 out of 12 million. Now thats news! Bill wrote on July 03, 2009 06:06 AM: Can't understand why anyone would join at this point. We torture people and we're out of money.