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350 become U.S. citizens during July 4 ceremony
Jahna Berry
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 4, 2007 05:15 PM
Cheered on by more than 600 friends and family, 350 people became U.S. citizens in a special July 4 ceremony at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix.
Most of the new citizens, more than 150, were from Mexico. The rest came from nations around the world, from Afghanistan to the United Kingdom.
Some said they were pulled to the United States by work. Others came to be reunited with loved ones or to escape war zones.
Fatuma Imanke, 22, and her family fled the violence that consumed her native Mogadishu, Somalia.
"Our neighbors were getting killed," the Phoenix resident recalled, adding that she didn't go to school until she came to the U.S. at age 12 because it was too dangerous to go to classes in her homeland.
Speakers at Wednesday's Fiesta of Independence reminisced about their immigrant ancestors and told the crowd to cherish their cultural roots.
"Our potential for greatness has at its core the diversity of our people," said Robert Onkin, district director of U.S. citizenship and Immigration Services in Phoenix.
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon recalled his late Uncle Jack, a Lithuanian immigrant who came to the U.S. at age 15.
"Today you will realize fulfillment of your dream to be citizens of the United States," he said.
Orlando Cazarez's parents brought him to the U.S. from Sinaloa, Mexico, when he was 8 years old. Now 28, he has two young children of his own and is looking forward to voting.
"I am looking forward to, for example, political involvement and to have a say in what happens," Cazarez said.
Although many of the new citizens came to the United States to chase their dreams, some said they were also thinking about family and the future.
"I can give my kids a better education," Long Lin, 29, of Phoenix. said.
Lin hails from Vietnam. He's still single, but he said citizenship will help him when he starts a family.
"You can have freedoms for yourself," he said. "You can have freedoms for your family."
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Jahna Berry
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 4, 2007 05:15 PM
Cheered on by more than 600 friends and family, 350 people became U.S. citizens in a special July 4 ceremony at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix.
Most of the new citizens, more than 150, were from Mexico. The rest came from nations around the world, from Afghanistan to the United Kingdom.
Some said they were pulled to the United States by work. Others came to be reunited with loved ones or to escape war zones.
Fatuma Imanke, 22, and her family fled the violence that consumed her native Mogadishu, Somalia.
"Our neighbors were getting killed," the Phoenix resident recalled, adding that she didn't go to school until she came to the U.S. at age 12 because it was too dangerous to go to classes in her homeland.
Speakers at Wednesday's Fiesta of Independence reminisced about their immigrant ancestors and told the crowd to cherish their cultural roots.
"Our potential for greatness has at its core the diversity of our people," said Robert Onkin, district director of U.S. citizenship and Immigration Services in Phoenix.
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon recalled his late Uncle Jack, a Lithuanian immigrant who came to the U.S. at age 15.
"Today you will realize fulfillment of your dream to be citizens of the United States," he said.
Orlando Cazarez's parents brought him to the U.S. from Sinaloa, Mexico, when he was 8 years old. Now 28, he has two young children of his own and is looking forward to voting.
"I am looking forward to, for example, political involvement and to have a say in what happens," Cazarez said.
Although many of the new citizens came to the United States to chase their dreams, some said they were also thinking about family and the future.
"I can give my kids a better education," Long Lin, 29, of Phoenix. said.
Lin hails from Vietnam. He's still single, but he said citizenship will help him when he starts a family.
"You can have freedoms for yourself," he said. "You can have freedoms for your family."
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