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Newly sworn-in citizens in LR speak of dreams

BY LINDSAY RUEBENS ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Photo by Benjamin Krain

Palestinians Ashraf Oda and his wife, Manal, became American citizens Friday in a naturalization ceremony at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little
Rock.

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LITTLE ROCK — Friday morning, 150 people raised their right hands and gave a resounding, “I
do,” after a reading of the Oath of Allegiance in the Clinton Presidential Center to cement their
American citizenship.
The three most common countries represented by the new citizens were India, Mexico and
China, but there were people from as far away as Cambodia, Nigeria and Brazil.
After the new citizens took the oath and received their naturalization certificates, Gov. Mike
Beebe addressed the crowd of about 300.
Beebe said that all too often Americans take the rights, privileges and responsibilities of being a
citizen for granted.
“You can teach us all a lesson,” he told the newly naturalized.
He quoted former President Bill Clinton in saying that citizens’ obligations aren’t only to
themselves and their families.
“You have great obligations to improve your fellow man,” he said. “That’s the real secret of what
this country’s all about.”
Audrey Evans, the judge who presided over the ceremony, told of how her grandfather came to
this country from Ukraine and took the very oath that she had just administered.
“I think that he would be happy to see me up here in my robes and all, but I think he’d be just as
happy to see you here, because then he’d know that his dream is still alive in you,” Evans told
the crowd.
After the ceremony, Evans said she really enjoys naturalization ceremonies.
“I’m a bankruptcy judge, and sadly, I take things away from people,” Evans said. “But this is my
favorite day of the year because instead I get to give people the oath and see them become
citizens.”
Friday was new citizen Andres Guerrero’s 38th birthday.
“It’s the best present I could ask for,” he said. “It feels great.”
The Atkins resident said immigration, as well as the new law in Arizona that allows law-
enforcement officials to check a person’s legal status if they suspect that person is an illegal
alien, is a topic that he and his friends and family discuss often.
“It’s something that shouldn’t be happening,” Guerrero, formerly of Mexico, said of the Arizona
law. “To me, it’s discrimination. They should not do that. It’s not right.”
Maria Valenzuela, 47, also from Mexico, said she used to fear deportation but now feels at
ease.
“Because I’m an U.S. citizen now,” she said proudly.
Her son, Joel, 27, was at the ceremony to help celebrate. “I feel happy,” he said. “I’m glad she
made this step, a big step.”
Joel Valenzuela, who came to the United States from Mexico at age 13 and is a resident, said
he plans to finish the naturalization process before the end of this year.
Because of his residency status, Joel said, he’s not worried about deportation.
“I think there could be another solution about it, something to relieve the whole crisis,” he said of
immigration issues and the Arizona law. He added that he feels sorry for children whose parents
will be deported as a result of the law.
For others, Friday’s events were simply cause for great celebration.
Michelle Yi, from China, has been in this country for10 years and said she’d been dreaming of
her naturalization day. Yi, who resides in Little Rock, has a daughter still in China who recently
obtained a green card and will soon move here with her mother.
Yi spoke of the hope and opportunity she thinks this country will provide her.
“I think my future will be great, so bright, I’ll be wearing sunglasses,” she said.
This article was published today at 5:35 a.m.
Arkansas, Pages 13 on 05/22/2010

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