150 take oath of citizenship in Yuma ceremony

Wednesday had special significance for Jasper Tan.

After 19 years of living in the United States, the Yuma-based Marine corporal finally became a U.S. citizen.

He was one of more than 150 people who became U.S. citizens in a naturalization ceremony in Yuma Wednesday.

Tan attended the ceremony in uniform at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Neighborhood Center and led other new citizens in the Pledge of Allegiance.

"It means the end of a long, hard road," Tan said in an interview.

Tan came to the United States from the Philippines when he was 6. But until Wednesday, he didn't have the same rights as his fellow soldiers. He couldn't vote. He could die in war, but it wouldn't officially be for his country.

"It was very, very frustrating," Tan said. "Everything I know is American. It's weird how I wasn't a citizen."

"I'm happy to now be a citizen of the country I'm protecting and serving," Tan said.

Pfc. Ioulia Wojcik of the Army also was sworn in as a citizen. The Russian-born woman, who is married to a fellow solier, said, "Now I'm fighting for my country."

Triguna Israel and Nandita Israel sat side by side at the naturalization ceremony. They had studied for the naturalization exam together and had taken the test on same day. When they walked out of the auditorium they smiled at each other and looked at the piece of paper that certified that they were no longer Indian, but American.

"It's been a great country to live in," Triguna said.

Paige Lauren Deiner can be reached at pdeiner@yumasun.com or 539-6872.