SAN DIEGO- People from 74 countries around the world became US citizens in San Diego, in a ceremony this Wednesday, where 593 people took the oath.
Some of the participants in the ceremony told TELEMUNDO 20 how coming to the United States changed their lives.
For Ana Delgado and her daughter, Andrea, becoming US citizens seemed like an unattainable dream as they watched out for immigration detention while walking through the Arizona desert in 2004.
“We walked the desert at night, me and my mother and my sister, I will never forget it, all that sacrifice, here is proof that it is possible, everything is possible,” said Andrea Delgado, a new US citizen and originally from The Savior.
His mother, Ana, had her own cleaning business in San Diego and is in charge of three women, proof that the American dream does exist, despite all the challenges that living in a new country implies.
“In English, everything in English and you know that when you haven’t studied it’s a little more difficult but not impossible,” said Ana Delgado.
Mother and daughter became US citizens, Andrea Delgado this Wednesday and her mother, a week ago.
Eleanor Sinaniz shared the same experience, and assured that the pandemic and inflation also made it more difficult to start a new life in the United States.
“The income, we work only for the income, sometimes we eat less, but we continue working to keep going,” said Sinaniz, a new citizen of the United States, and originally from Bolivia.
However, the dreams ensured that they continued to be just as big and this Wednesday they celebrated with their entire family, becoming a US citizen. Sinaniz assured that with her new document, she hopes it will give her the opportunity to one day be a director and teacher as she was in Bolivia.
“English, study at the university and be a great professional in that country as I was in my country,” added Sinaniz.
The same for Martha Odriozola, originally from Durango, Mexico, part of the new citizens from up to 74 countries, who secured this new chapter, hopes it will lead her to other job opportunities and even to participate in the country’s political life.
“Voting because I wanted to be a part of the democracy of the United States,” said Odriozola, a new US citizen, originally from Mexico.
Meanwhile, for Ana and Andrea Delgado, this day reminds them of their beginnings in El Salvador, and what they left behind. They assured that now they will also be able to leave the country to visit the place where they were born.
Andrea Delgado took her oath on the same day as her 27th birthday, and said that she has nothing left but to thank her mother for bringing her to this country as best she could.
“For all the sacrifice it was not easy, I remember it as if it were yesterday and because of her I have everything I have and the truth was not here,” added Andrea Delgado.
Two members of the military representing the Air Force and Navy, as well as citizens from China, Russia, Iraq, Honduras and dozens of other countries, also became US citizens at the ceremony.
