14 become U.S. citizens at Constitution Day ceremony at Bandelier
Sep. 18—Jesus Chavira came to the U.S. roughly 28 years ago, hoping to give his family a better life after fleeing violence in Mexico.
"In Mexico, there is a lot of violence, a lot of drugs," Chavira said in Spanish. "People try to insist you to get into it. ... If you say no, they kill you and your family."
After arriving in the U.S., everyone in else Chavira's family had become U.S. citizens; he was the last one left.
That was until Saturday, when he and 13 others took an oath of allegiance to the United States during a Constitution Day Naturalization Ceremony at Bandelier National Monument.
These 14 new citizens stood proudly as they recited the Pledge of Allegiance as Americans for the first time. They came from eight countries — Sri Lanka, Italy, China, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Venezuela, the Netherlands and Mexico. Though they came from different backgrounds and came here for different reasons, the one thing they had in common was their desire to be a part of this country.
"Though you become citizens of the United States today, never forget where you came from," Bandelier Superintendent Patrick Suddath said during the ceremony. "Never forget your struggles, and those of your ancestors. ... The strength and richness of this country lies in the diversity of our stories, and the broad perspectives of our people."
Though Chavira said he will always miss Mexico, he is grateful for what the U.S. has given him and his family.
"It's given us work; it's given us everything," he said.
New citizen Susan Ennaceur, from the United Kingdom, took a trip across the Atlantic in the name of love four years ago and decided to stay.
Ennaceur worked as a scientist at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in the United Kingdom, when she met Los Alamos National Lab scientist Albert Migliori.
Migliori was looking for plutonium for his research when the pair met at a conference in the U.K. After realizing Ennaceur had access to the radioactive material, they began working together, going on to publish their research.
Before they knew it, they had fallen in love, gotten married and Ennaceur moved to the U.S.
"His children live in Santa Fe, and he wanted to remain in America, so I thought I'd give it a try," Ennaceur said.
She came to the country with a green card and after staying for a few years, Ennaceur decided to make America her home.
"I was like a passenger, unable to vote or unable to do jury service. So, for me, it's about being able to participate in the country I live in," Ennaceur said.
Though Ennaceur said going through the immigration process was tedious, it wasn't difficult for her.
On the other hand, Chavira, who works as a mechanic in Española, said he had a much harder time.
"It's a struggle," Chavira said. "Sometime, people make salaries that aren't adequate to live with here. You have to work two jobs, and it's hard to gather the money."
After the ceremony, Chavira, Ennaceur and their new fellow citizens lined up to register to vote with the Los Alamos County Clerk's Office.
Meanwhile, the Herrera family, from Cochiti Pueblo, played drums and danced to celebrate the occasion and honor the Earth. The event concluded with a friendship dance, where friends and family joined hands to welcome some of the country's newest citizens.
