Thursday, August 26, 1999
600 join melting pot
New citizens come from 74 countries
BY MARK CURNUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Jinhee Choi stands with her family prior to naturalization ceremony.
(Yoni Pozner photos)
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I hereby declare that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty ...
A few minutes after 3 Wednesday afternoon, Jinhee Choi raised her right hand, swore the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and saw the future.
The Oxford woman was one of 600 people naturalized as U.S. citizens at the Albert B. Sabin Convention Center.
“I would like to make a small business,” said Mrs. Choi, 33, who moved from South Korea after marrying a Korean-born American in 1994. “I am going to be a busy school parent. I am paying attention now to politics because I will vote.
“I feel more comfortable and very happy.”
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CITIZENSHIP TEST
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Applicants for U.S. citizenship must have a basic knowledge of U.S. history and government, in addition having the ability to speak, read and write basic English.
Here are some sample civics questions:
1. What are the three branches of our government?
2. What country did we fight during the Revolutionary War?
3. Who elects the president of the United States?
4. What was the 50th state added to our Union?
5. Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence?
6. In what year was the Constitution written?
Answers: 1. Executive, judicial and legislative; 2. England; 3. The Electoral College; 4. Hawaii; 5. Thomas Jefferson; 6. 1787.
Source: Immigration and Naturalization Service of the U.S. Department of Justice
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The largest naturalization ceremony held in Southwest Ohio was, fittingly, big on patriotic pomp. The group was so large because many have had to wait on the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to process their applications.
The Roger Bacon High School band warmed up the audience — estimated at 1,500 — with “America,” “Stars and Stripes Forever” and other patriotic songs.
The “Star-Spangled Banner” was sung before court was opened.
“Citizenship is, perhaps, the greatest honor this nation can bestow,” said U.S. District Judge Sandra Beckwith, who presided over the court proceeding and was one of six federal judges and other federal and state officials to attend.
“Stand proudly as American citizens and remember your new rights and responsibilities were attained at a high price,” she said.
This was the largest naturalization ceremony in Southwest Ohio.
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The 600 new citizens came from 74 countries and have been living in the Greater Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, areas. The most, 146, came from China; 69 were from India, and 56 from Vietnam.
There were a few tears and a lot of hugs and camera flashes. A woman handed an elderly Asian-American man three star-shaped balloons, colored red, white and blue.
I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic ...
Flags representing each of the new citizens' former homes ringed the convention center room. An oversized U.S. flag hung behind the platform. Beside it on the wall was a large banner that read E Pluribus Unum.
Qian Qian, 76, from China, right, and Nikhila Chandain Rao from India became citizens.
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U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, R-Terrace Park, was among the speakers who referred to the U.S. motto.
“From many, one,” said the congressman, translating the Latin. He then asked how many of the new citizens had already registered to vote.
Only a few raised their hands.
“How many of you are going to register?”
Almost all hands shot up.
“That fewer than 50 percent of the people vote is an embarrassment,” Mr. Portman said. “You have the responsibility to raise those stakes.”
Ernest Barbeau, executive director of the International Family Re source Center — the local refugee and immigrant assistance organization formerly known as Travelers Aid International — delivered this message: “You now have the responsibility to respect people who are very different from you.”
A mother and son sat in the front row and became U.S. citizens together. Qian Qian, 76, and her son, Renhong Zhao, 47, were born in China.
“For my original country, I was born there,” said Mr. Zhao, of Symmes Township. “For this country, I have the opportunity to make the selection. I choose to be here.”
His mother said, “I am so happy.”
In 1996, the most recent year for which statistics are available, the number of U.S. immigrants increased 27.1 percent, to 915,900. The overwhelming majority of those immigrants — 81.9 percent — came from Mexico, according to the INS. Nine of the new citizens naturalized here Wednesday were from Mexico.
More than 90 percent of immigrants who become U.S. citizens have met the requirement by being permanent residents for five years, accord ing to the INS. They also must have had a period of 30 months physical presence in the United States, including three consecutive months in the District of Columbia or a state, be of good moral character, pass English language and civics exams and have an attachment to the U.S. Constitution. They pay a $225 naturalization application fee and $25 to be fingerprinted.
Immigrants married to and living with a U.S. citizen must be permanent residents for only three years.
Mrs. Choi's husband, Benjamin Choi, 42, has been a U.S. citizen since 1982. He attended the ceremony with their two children, Joyce, 2, and Nicholas, 4 months, both of whom are U.S.-born citizens.
“This really completes our family,” said Mr. Choi, a Ford Motor Co. engineer who commutes from Oxford to Connersville, Ind.
“It wasn't too difficult for us to become American citizens because there is so much more opportunity here. As Asian-Americans, we can contribute to the United States, as well as Korea.”
Patrick Elersic, officer in charge of Cincinnati's INS office, administered The Oath of Allegiance. The applicants stood and raised their right hands.
I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law ... I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.
A few minutes after swearing allegiance, Mrs. Choi was among the new Americans parading across the stage to receive their certificates of citizenship.
Then she walked to her waiting husband and kissed him and their daughter. Their son slept in a stroller.
On the way out of the convention center, Mrs. Choi was handed a small U.S. flag and a copy of the Declaration of Independence.
“I know,” she said, “that my family in Korea is very proud of me.”
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