By Cristina Cabrera Jarro -
Bobbie Joe Bracie, left, and Rosalie Chaviano arrive at Marlins Park as volunteers for the Miami New Americans Campaign Mega Citizenship Day workshop March 19. Chaviano's T-shirt captures the event with the question: I am a Florida new American. Are you?
Loandres Fernandez, left, and Rodolfo Blanco take a quick photo in front of their adoptive flag before the start of their naturalization ceremony at Marlins Park March 19.
U.S. citizenship candidates hold on to the American flag and a program bearing the words to the Star Spangled Banner and the Pledge of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony held at Marlins Park March 19.
U.S. citizenship candidates raise their right hands as they take the Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony held at Marlins Park March 19.
Alejandro Sanchez, left, and Flavio Paparella show off their certificate of naturalization after the naturalization ceremony held at Marlins Park March 19. Sanchez is a native of Spain and Paparella is a native of Argentina. Both of their families have been naturalized.
Randolph McGrorty, executive director of Catholic Legal Services of the Archdiocese of Miami, takes a moment to answer questions from the press during the Miami New Americans Campaign Mega Citizenship Day workshop.
With hundreds of applicants waiting to review their paperwork and documentation, New Americans Campaign volunteers wait to help residents at the Mega Citizenship Day workshop held at Marlins Park March 19.
Photography: CRISTINA CABRERA JARRO | FC
MIAMI | The United States is home to thousands of immigrants from all over the world. Miami, specifically, is one of the greatest portals for immigrants from the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Recently, the Magic City hosted an event that allowed immigrants to take a step further toward achieving the American dream: becoming U.S. citizens.
Over 1,200 U.S. legal
Photographer: CRISTINA CABRERA JARRO| FC
Loandres Fernandez, left, and Rodolfo Blanco take a quick photo in front of their adoptive flag before the start of their naturalization ceremony at Marlins Park March 19.
Photographer: CRISTINA CABRERA JARRO| FC
Randolph McGrorty, executive director of Catholic Legal Services of the Archdiocese of Miami, takes a moment to answer questions from the press during the Miami New Americans Campaign Mega Citizenship Day workshop.
Over 600 legal volunteers from these organizations were present to assist residents in the application process. They also provided legal review and helped applicants apply for fee waivers.
“I don’t want to be the person who just posts important things on Facebook; I want to actually do the important things. I want to help as much as I can and our community needs it,” said Mariela Roselle Pritkin, a volunteer for the Miami New Americans Campaign.
Pritkin, a museum educator with a passion for social justice, said she was excited to help the immigrant communities of South Florida.
“This is the last possible stop for the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) to deport anyone. It is an awesome responsibility. So we need to make sure that they have everything they need according to the law for this moment,”
To help those applying, the citizenship process was broken down into four major steps: submitting an application for naturalization (N-400) to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), followed by fingerprinting, an interview and citizenship test, and the oath ceremony.
Becoming a U.S. citizen entitles residents to numerous opportunities that they would otherwise be exempt from, including the right to vote, the ability to bring family members to live permanently in the U.S., the right to obtain citizenship for children under the age of 18, protection from deportation, and the ability to acquire a U.S. passport.
“In our democracy there is no higher office holder than the citizen,” said Randolph McGrorty, executive director of Catholic Legal Services. He added that “452,000 residents of
While one part of the Marlins Park prepared residents for their journey into democracy, the other part of the stadium celebrated democracy in action as 50 legal permanent residents from 16 different countries took their oath as U.S. citizens.
Flavio Paparella, a native of Argentina who took part in the ceremony, said he wanted to set the example for his family.
“My children were the ones who motivated me to become a U.S. citizen,” he said. “They were both born here, and I’ve been living here for 20 years. It’s a beautiful moment, after so many years. It was the right time.”
Alejandro Sanchez, a businessman from Spain who travels
“It is well known that it is a great nation, and to be able to be a part of both, Spain and the United States, it is a great advantage,” said Sanchez. “With your home country, you never lose it because it will always be your nation. But being here I can share the obligations and the rights that citizens have.”
To find out more about the Miami New Americans Campaign visit www.miaminac.org or call 888-839-8682.
