30 new U.S. Citizens take oath at 9/11 Memorial

CASHMERE – Thirty individuals from eight different countries took the Oath of Allegiance and became naturalized U.S. citizens at the 9/11 Spirit of America Memorial in Cashmere on Sept. 11, prior to the 9/11 remembrance ceremony.

“We looked at the memorial service as honoring those who have sacrificed so much for this country, things that happened on that day, on Sept. 11…A lot of sacrifices were made to really keep the American Dream and American spirit alive, which is what continues to be the beacon of hope to many in other countries, that really translates into kind of what we're doing,” said Doug Jones, president of the 9/11 Spirit of America Memorial Foundation.

The ceremony was organized by Norma Gallegos, Program Director of Hand in Hand Immigration Services, an accredited, Wenatchee-based nonprofit that assists legal permanent residents in obtaining U.S. citizenship. Gallegos collaborated with Jones and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to ensure the thirty new citizens, some of whom live and work in the Upper Valley, were able to celebrate their significant accomplishments among friends, family, and the community.

Legal permanent residents who want to naturalize must go through a lengthy, complicated process. It involves a costly fee, paperwork, a background check, an interview, and a test. It often takes multiple trips to either Spokane or Yakima, where the closest USCIS offices are located.

Hand in Hand Immigration Services assists over 100 people in getting naturalized each year but typically always has around 250 open cases, said Gallegos.

“The need is bigger than people think. It's not just filling out paperwork, it’s walking [people through it], that's why our name is very fitting, Hand in Hand. Sometimes we hold people's hand. There's times that people don't want to go to an interview, they're so scared…And I have to take them. I [say], ‘You have to go…You're not going to quit on the eighth step,” said Gallegos.

Of the thirty individuals taking the oath on Sept. 11 was 94-year-old Margarita A De Luna. A De Luna first came to the U.S. in her 30’s, said her grandson, Arturo Rodriguez. 

“She always wanted to be a U.S. citizen, but because she used to go back and forth between the U.S. and Mexico, she never decided to do it. Until last year, we were talking, and she's like, ‘You know what? I want to become a U.S. citizen, because I want to have the right to vote,’” said Rodriguez.

After nearly a year of going through the process, she proudly took the oath. The new citizens had the opportunity to register to vote shortly after the ceremony.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media