Newly Naturalized Citizens Can Vote in November Election

SAN ANGELO, TX -- The 75 people who became United States citizens in San Angelo Wednesday will be eligible to vote in the November general election if they register to vote.  

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas held a naturalization ceremony at Angelo State University’s C.J. Davidson Center at 10 a.m. Wednesday for 75 individuals from 13 countries.  

U.S. Magistrate Judge E. Scott Frost presided over the official federal court proceeding while Santiago Santos representing the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Office and recommended the 75 for citizenship.

Angelo State University student Kate Creecy spoke about the U.S. Constitution and what it means to her and the keynote speaker was Goodfellow Air Force Base Commander Colonel Ricky Mills.  

Creecy told the newly naturalized Americans that the Constitution matters, “because it establishes a government that works for us.  That means that in order to protect ourselves, we must protect the Constitution.”

Colonel Mills had advise for the new citizens.  “You control your work ethic. I know for a fact that each one of you has worked hard to get where you are today. You are also in control of your attitude.  I know that today you are quite proud to be a U.S. citizen. I urge you to continue to have the right attitude. Stay positive. Be resilient and be determined to achieve success.”  

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Here is the Oath of Allegiance the new citizens took:

“I hereby declare on oath that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or of which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen, that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law, that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by law, that I will perform work of National Importance under civilian direction when required by law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, So Help Me God.”  

The new citizens come from the following countries; one each from Canada, Chile, Ghana, Honduras, India, South Korea, Nepal, Nigeria and Vietnam; three from Cambodia, three from Jordan, four from the Philippines, and 56 from Mexico. The youngest naturalized citizen Wednesday was 20-years-old from Mexico and the oldest was 79-years-old also from Mexico.

Here are the new citizens reciting the Pledge of Allegiance:

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Judge Frost encouraged all the new citizens to register to vote and participate in the electoral process. Naturalization ceremonies are held quarterly by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas San Angelo Division.