Immigration Office In Las Vegas Nv – After multiple delays and cancellations due to the pandemic, 32 people from 15 different countries finally received their U.S. citizenships Thursday at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Las Vegas, just before Independence Day. went
What was once a large natural ceremony adorned with speeches and music is now confined to a private chamber of citizens, with a judge appearing via zoom call to administer the oath of allegiance. This is the final step in the long and difficult process of immigration to the United States.
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The mixed format was not without its technical hiccups, including Judge Cristina Silva presiding over her first natural ceremony since being sworn in less than three months ago. He initially joined the court but had to move to his office due to video problems.
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The visiting residents seemed oblivious to the further delay, instead waving their little American flags excitedly when Silva finally appeared on screen.
Nature Day is a day that many expats look forward to, especially around the 4th of July. However, many candidates began to wonder if that day would ever come.
On March 18, 2020, USCIS temporarily closed its offices, leaving thousands unable to obtain citizenship. For those who had an event or interview scheduled, it has been rescheduled to a possible future date.
“The actual citizenship process took about two years and was delayed a bit because of the Covid-19 pandemic. It really sped up…it’s time for citizenship,” said new resident Eric Escamilla. “That was the biggest challenge — You should wait longer for the interview.”
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In June 2020, offices reopened and 625,400 immigrants became citizens nationwide that year. This rate was about three-quarters of normal – there were 843,593 new residents in 2019. To continue naturalization ceremonies, USCIS has moved to physical ceremonies and in-person ceremonies are starting anew, much to the delight of new citizens. .
Growing up in Mexico without readily available amenities such as hot water and air conditioning, Escamilla’s family moved to the United States when she was a child in search of a better life for herself. Now Scamella, 39, can see herself as an American after Thursday’s party. He described it as a “dream come true”.
A U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field office is seen in Las Vegas on Thursday, June 30, 2022. (Daniel Clark/The Nevada Independent)
Each year, USCIS holds special naturalization ceremonies around Independence Day. This year, from July 1 to July 8, more than 6,600 new citizens will be welcomed to the United States in a series of events held at historic sites – from George Washington’s Mount Vernon to Arizona’s Saguaro National Park.
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But for Nevadans, that special day has been upended due to high rates of Covid-19 transmission in the state’s urban areas. Friends and family joining new residents are no longer allowed to comply with social distancing regulations.
“I definitely have family that wanted to be here today,” Escamalla said. “I’m still very happy to be an American…I’m going to celebrate with them later.”
Typically, the naturalization ceremony involves naming each applicant’s country of origin and taking an oath of allegiance to the United States. And listen to speeches from invited guests.
However, to make the event happen as soon as possible, certain elements were decided upon. Before the ceremony, an official handed out certificates and answered any questions. Certificates are checked for validity as it may take an unspecified amount of time to complete a new certificate due to pandemic-related delays.
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The judges then joined via Zoom and took the oath. The ceremony was over in less than an hour. While it wasn’t perfect, senior Bryan Mcquirk, who helped implement the event’s protocol, pointed out the bright side of the quick process to attendees.
“You get to enjoy lunch as a new American … you eat cheeseburgers and fries and maybe apple pie for dessert,” she said. “Then on Monday you can celebrate Independence Day as an American citizen.”
When the outbreak began, a common sight was the parking lot where immigrants swore to protect their cars. Judge Miranda Du, herself an immigrant from Vietnam, said she still understands the importance of participating in the program.
“Our goal was to make sure that they become citizens without delay. That’s why we do so many physical ceremonies,” Du said.
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So far, Nevada has held 129 natural birth ceremonies between January and May, with a total of 5,002 new residents attending. That’s slower than before the pandemic — there were 197 deliveries and 10,582 deliveries in Nevada in 2019, according to federal court clerk Debra Campi.
New citizens hold an American flag as Officer McCork explains the ceremony at the Citizenship and Immigration Services field office in Las Vegas, Thursday, June 30, 2022. (Daniel Clark/The Nevada Independent)
After living almost her entire life in the U.S. — 22 years — Valeria Rojo Salazar finally became a U.S. citizen during a ceremony Thursday.
Born in Medellín, Colombia, his family moved to the United States in search of work when he was 3 years old. But even though he felt like an American, his lack of title on paper prevented him from exercising certain rights, such as voting. She is very happy that she can vote.
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“I was able to speak and do things like that and campaign, but I didn’t vote on paper,” said Salazar, who plans to vote in the fall.
Groups like the National Partnership for New Americans — the world’s largest network of immigrant rights legal services — align with that goal. The organization aims to get at least 2 million people to relax naturally this year and is organizing national tours, action weeks, pop-up events and other educational gatherings to achieve their goal.
“We want people to settle so they can not only have a stable immigration situation in this country, but also use that citizenship to vote and shape their communities, their democracy and the leaders they want.” Be accountable. They show us,” said Nancy Flores, deputy director of the network.
But this is not an easy process. Immigrants must live in the United States to obtain citizenship. At least five years through a green card, visa or other residence permit.
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They must bring background checks, tax forms, military service, foreign travel and marriage information and other forms.
The process is lengthy and expensive – applicants must complete Form N-400, which usually carries a fee of $725.
Office closures due to the pandemic have resulted in significant delays in processing Form N-400. While processing times were three to four months before the pandemic, wait times have increased to an average of 11 months.
“It’s frustrating for everyone, not just for the people going through the process, but also for the legal service providers who find themselves in an unusual situation and not sure what to do,” Flores said. What to tell people.”
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The group met with USCIS officials to clear the backlog. In response to an executive order aimed at strengthening immigration programs under the Biden administration, USCIS has taken steps to promote naturalization and streamline procedures. Now, applicants only have to wait a week or two after submitting their applications to hear back about naturalization.
Salazar waited to naturalize until after she earned her master’s degree and began her career as an educational consultant. Her parents are not yet citizens, but she hopes to be able to start the process soon.
But me and my sister are with him and it’s very interesting. The process is very long and we still have a few steps left,” Salazar said.
Naomi Peretz, originally from France, got her green card in 2013 after vacationing and visiting her husband. Now nine years later, her name was changed during the ceremony and she was unable to get a new name change certificate due to the delay.
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Although his real name appears on his citizenship document, he cannot apply for a passport. He had plans to visit the family in the coming months, but that will be delayed until he receives the certificate. But even after this extra wait, his happiness continued to grow.
“Today I’m an American… I’m French, but my children are American, my mother is French and my father is Israeli. So I think that’s what it means to be an American,” Peretz said.
Even if the ceremony wasn’t what they expected, the oath-takers could finally celebrate their first Independence Day as new citizens.
“I’m very grateful for where I come from and my culture and everything,” Escamilla said, but she’s looking forward to a new chapter in her life “now as an American.” Thanks
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