‘PART OF THIS DEMOCRACY’
146 new citizens take the oath in Albuquerque
Thirty-six nations were represented at a ceremony in which 146 people became U.S. citizens.
Against backdrop music of “America, the Beautiful” and video clips of flag-waving children, Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty and purple mountains’ majesty, 146 people from 36 countries took the Oath of Allegiance and became U.S. citizens Wednesday.
The naturalization ceremony at the National Hispanic Cultural Center was led by officials from the Albuquerque field office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Field office director Jesse Mendez read the opening words of the U.S. Constitution: “We the people.”
“Remember that means you, more than ever before. You are the people of the United States. This is your country as much as it is any other United States citizen’s,” he told the standing-room-only crowd. Citizenship is not conferred in tiers, he noted. “You hold the same rights and same responsibilities as any other United States citizen in this country.”
President Donald Trump, whose immigration policies have been a topic of division and debate, welcomed the new citizens in a video clip.
“You now share the obligation to teach our values to others and help newcomers assimilate to our way of life and uplift America by living according to its highest ideals of self governance,” he said. “All Americans are your brothers and sisters.”
Among those taking the citizenship oath were 87 people from Mexico, the largest segment by far. Other countries of origin that were represented included Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, Denmark, Honduras, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Turkey, Vietnam and many more.
Bijena Adhikari, 30, came to the United States about 10 years ago from Nepal and is currently work-
ing on a nursing degree.
“I am very proud, very happy,” she said. “There are so many opportunities here. I came as a student with my husband and he went into the U.S. Army and got his citizenship, then I applied for my citizenship. I feel so very lucky.”
Silke Bletzer, 47, moved to the United States from Germany in 1996 with her husband, a U.S. citizen, but had been an exchange student in Texas years before then.
“This actually feels more emotional than I expected,” said the project director for the nonprofit HealthInsight New Mexico. “We take so much for granted these days. It’s been a long process for me, and to be able to vote and be part of this democracy is a big thing. I’ve paid taxes for 20 years, but now I have taxation and representation.”
Recognizing that he has had “more opportunities than other people,” Moustapha Idrissa, 32, a native of Niger, came to the U.S. about 12 years ago as a student. “It feels great and it’s an honor to be a U.S. citizen and to be part of the community and contribute to society,” he said.
Idrissa, who studies greenhouse management and solar energy in Santa Fe, said the current national debate about immigration “has definitely shown there’s a lot of fear in the country.” Still, he remained hopeful that “the president will bring the country together.”
“I’m excited and proud,” said 47-year-old Larry Racca, a surveillance agent at the Route 66 Casino. He came to the U.S. with his family about 10 years ago. “I never though I’d be coming here. It was just a dream.”
Growing up in the Philippines, people recognized there were many more privileges and opportunities in the United States, he said. “Everybody wanted to be an American.”