LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Jobs, family, and the High School Musical movie, a few of the many reasons why immigrants took their Oath of Citizenship at a glitzy Las Vegas Allegiant Stadium event.
The Las Vegas Raiders welcomed 195 participants and their families for a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Ceremony on Tuesday. The American-centric occasion was made whole with the serving of stadium pretzel bites covered in beer cheese.
“America is the land of the free, if you just believe and work hard and never give up, and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it, because you can do it,” Mirna Saliba a Lebanese immigrant said.
The American-centric occasion was made whole with the serving of stadium pretzel bites covered in beer cheese. (KLAS)
Saliba said she and the others from 48 different countries were lucky to have the privilege to become Americans. Saliba was asked why she made the decision to become a citizen now.
“Right now, there’s a lot of troubles in the world,” she said. “There’s a lot of people who need the sense of freedom, who need the sense of hope… Right now, we need that more than ever.”
The ceremony concluded with an anthem and a message from President Donald Trump to the newly sworn-in citizens.
“The glories of American history now belong to you,” Trump said. “You have it in your being, like nobody has ever had it before.”
Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar said everyone in attendance understood this was a moment of seizing opportunity, but he was asked if recent immigration changes have caused unprecedented shifts for incoming immigrants.
“I think we are. It’s a challenge, right?” he said. “But I think here in Nevada, we’re one of the most diverse states in the country, and to know Nevada is a welcoming environment for every new American. We hope to keep them here.”
Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar said everyone in attendance understood this was a moment of seizing opportunity, but he was asked if recent immigration changes have caused unprecedented shifts for incoming immigrants. (KLAS)
Aguilar was asked to respond to recent remarks from Trump regarding immigration, in which he referred to European migration entry as an “unmitigated immigration disaster.”
“When you hear these immigrants that were naturalized today tell their personal stories of why they came to America and what America has provided to them and what they are providing to America, that is not the consensus at all,” Aguilar said. “We see amazing immigrants come to this community, do what they need to do to earn the right to be citizens and produce what we need them to produce, to be productive members of our community.”
Hugging her family, Saliba waved her American flag and mentioned the difficulty of the naturalization test, but now officially a citizen, she looked towards celebrating.
“We’re going to pop the tequila, we’re going to drink some champagne,” Saliba said. “And everyone’s invited.”
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