23 female immigrants officially became U.S. citizens on Friday, March 22, amidst cheers and happy tears from friends and family in the auditorium of Tucson’s Safford Middle School.
The women raised their right hand in front of Tucson Magistrate Michael Ambri and repeated their oath of citizenship.
“It’s nice to prove to my kids that I can do whatever I need to do, I’m feeling very proud of myself and showing something good for them,” said new citizen Ana Siqueiros, originally from Nogales, Mexico.
The women were naturalized together to celebrate Women’s History Month. Together they represented 13 countries including Egypt, Vietnam, Tonga, Somalia, and more.
Mayor Regina Romero, Supervisor Sylvia Lee, and Tucson Unified School District Assistant Superintendent Mark Alvarez joined the ceremony.
“Our democracy may be imperfect, but it is resilient,” Romero said. “We need each of you more than ever to create the best United States of America.”
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