Ceremony welcomes new citizens of U.S.
Group looks forward to exercising rights that come with their new status
Mary Blecha stood with a group of people, right hand raised, taking the Oath of Allegiance to become a U.S. citizen in a Friday ceremony at the Loma Colorado Main Library in Rio Rancho.
Loud applause broke out as Amy West from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service told the group, “You are now officially United States citizens with all the rights therein.”
Blecha, who would only give her age as “north of 65,” was older than most of the group of 28 people, the youngest being 14. For a long time, she thought she already had all those
“rights therein.”
She came to the United States from the Netherlands when she was 7 and her parents became citizens when she was 13. She always thought of herself as a U.S. citizen and for a number of years as an adult she even voted.
It wasn’t until she decided to go back to college full time to get a degree that she was informed that she was not technically a citizen, and that “I could be prosecuted if I voted,” she said.
“I went to four different lawyers and all but one told me I was not a citizen.” Blecha got permanent resident status about 10 years ago but what she really wanted was the paperwork that said what she already knew in her heart — that she was as American as apple pie.
“I’m delighted to get this over with, finally,” she said. “Now I can apply for a passport, and vote” — again.
Among the other countries the new citizens come from are China, Cuba, Germany, Honduras, India, Iraq, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Saint Lucia, United Kingdom and Vietnam.
Huy Nguyen, 14, an eighth-grader at Jefferson Middle school, came from Vietnam one year ago. “I am so happy to be one of the American people,” he said. “Yesterday I was Vietnamese, today I am also American.”
Irving Coronel Estrada, 15, lives in Juárez but will be moving to the U.S. to be with rest of his family and attend school in Albuquerque. “I am very happy and thankful for the opportunities of a good school and a career,” he said. “More doors will open for me here than in Juárez.”
Sisters Fernanda and Mariana Jimenez came from Portales to take the oath. They have been in the United States for more than eight years. Their mother is a U.S.-born citizen and their father is from Mexico.
“Not everyone gets to do this and for me it’s a wish come true,” said Fernanda, 16, a student at Portales High School. “It means I can vote when I’m old enough and I’ll be able to help other people become citizens. I feel like my heart is pumping really hard. I’m so happy.”
Mariana, 18, a student at Eastern New Mexico University, also said becoming a citizen was important to her. “I’m looking forward to voting.”
Asked if she had a preference in the upcoming presidential election, Mariana laughed nervously and said diplomatically, “Oh, I’m not sure.”
The one thing she is sure about is what lies ahead. “I’m excited and hopeful to do something big, something good with my life. I feel like, if I try hard, I will have a good future.”
I AM VERY HAPPY AND THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES OF A GOOD SCHOOL AND A CAREER. MORE DOORS WILL OPEN FOR ME HERE THAN IN JUÁREZ. IRVING CORONEL ESTRADA NEW U.S. CITIZEN