New Citizens Happy To Be Americans

Despite the continuing controversy over reform of immigration laws, dozens of people every month are still realizing their dream of becoming legal US citizens. A group of proud new Americans took the

Wednesday, May 10th 2006, 10:25 am

By: News On 6

Despite the continuing controversy over reform of immigration laws, dozens of people every month are still realizing their dream of becoming legal US citizens. A group of proud new Americans took the oath Wednesday morning in a Tulsa federal courtroom.

News on 6 reporter Heather Lewin was there.

"My name is Sirley Castro I'm from Venezuela." "I'm from Russia." "I came from Ukraine." "Guadalajara, Mexico." "The United Kingdom."

The names and faces change but the hopes and dreams behind them haven't in 200 years. 41 people from 20 different countries realized the dream of a lifetime as they adopted a new homeland, America. "That I will support and defend the constitution and laws of the United States of America." Sirley Castro emigrated from her native Venezuela seeking a better life. She says she's grateful for the schools and other opportunities in the US. "For my children, life in this country is very good I like these people."

Vladimir and Nadezhda Lyubchenko left war-torn Chechnya because of one of America's founding principles, freedom of religion. As Christians, the couple felt discriminated against in their homeland. â€œBecause we have freedom here. In Russia we don't have freedom."

Vijayalaxmi Reddy left India to be with her children, her grandsons helped her learn US history to pass the citizenship test. "It means a lot, it's a land of opportunity, that's what I tell my kids, that they have so much, things we never had when we were growing up."

Many of us born in this country probably don't remember when we learned the pledge of allegiance or the feeling of saying it for the first time as an American citizen. "One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all."

At the ceremony's end, each walked up; some with tears in their eyes, to accept their proof of citizenship. Sirley Castro: "Happy, happy, happy I'm going to be very happy. I'm a citizen." Nadezhda Lyubchenko: â€œI'm very happy to be a citizen. American citizen." Sirley Castro: "I love this country."

Naturalization ceremonies are open to the public and happen once a month at the federal courthouse in downtown Tulsa.