A ‘momentous event’ for newly minted citizens

Approved candidates are taking their oath of allegiance to the United States in Juneau this week, while mass deportations and detentions across the country are sparking fear, even among those with long-standing legal status.

“We wanted to be able to travel more freely, without having to worry about situations,” Vladimir Cruz, from Nicaragua, said. Cruz has been a U.S. resident since 2000 and applied for citizenship in December of last year.

“I know that my wife is gonna have peace of mind now and she was very worried,” he said.

The Le family shared that sentiment and said they are excited to travel. They embraced in the Mendenhall Valley Public Library’s large meeting room after Quang Le received her certificate of naturalization on Tuesday.

“It’s just always felt weird because the three of us would have a U.S. passport, and mom would have a Canadian passport, and it felt kind of weird,” Vinh Le said. “Now it’s kind of nice just all having the same kind of deal.”

His mother said she was happy to become a citizen because she loves Juneau. Quang Le immigrated to Alaska with her husband from Vietnam more than 40 years ago. She said she didn’t feel comfortable applying before because of the language barrier. Her daughter, Lynn, translated for her during appointments and the naturalization ceremony.

“This doesn’t change anything about her,” Lynn Le said. “She’s our mom, she’s great. She’s always looked out for us, and she’s kind. But we’re just glad that we’re able to do this for her. This is something she’s wanted for a long time.”

Detlef Buettner, from Germany, said becoming a U.S. citizen “closes a long story” for him.

“I’ve been here for 44 years on a green card,” he said. “So it’s a special day, for sure.”

His wife, Jacqueline Fowler, attended her naturalization ceremony at the age of 17. She said her husband’s citizenship meant a great deal to her.

“He knows so much about American politics, American history, more than the average American, and he couldn’t vote,” Fowler said. “It drove me nuts.”

Buettner said he waited because he did not want to give up his German citizenship. However, on June 27, 2024, American citizens became eligible for dual citizenship in Germany, following reforms to the Nationality Law, prompting his decision to apply.

After the ceremony, Buettner and four other new citizens registered to vote with the League of Women Voters. Bridget Smith, who has been registering people to vote after naturalization ceremonies for the last 10 years, sat at a table outside the library’s large meeting room.

“I want people to be protected by their citizenship and to experience real justice,” she said.

Smith is also a member of Juneau Refugee Relief, an organization supported by the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council that welcomes refugees to Juneau. Local sponsor groups assist refugees with finding housing and work. In May, they received a $25,000 grant from 100 Women Who Care to help with expenses for new refugees and immigrants. Smith said volunteers monitored safe access at the Juneau International Airport, where applicants are fingerprinted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) this week.

“Our laws are supposed to protect all of the residents of this country, but what’s happening right now is that they’re not,” she said.

As of Tuesday, Smith said there were no issues, but locals sponsoring refugees want to ensure people feel protected throughout the week. The last interview at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office in the airport is on Friday, before immigration service officers return to Anchorage.

Aaron Paul, the new USCIS supervisor in Anchorage, said the immigration process does not easily accommodate Alaska because of its unique geography.

“We have to argue to get the funding to come out to the community to try and save the applicants the money of the flight,” Paul said.

To conduct naturalization ceremonies in Juneau, officers use a home visit system, usually intended to enable them to perform naturalization ceremonies for individuals who are unable to leave their homes due to illness. He said Alaska and Hawaii use the system more than any other state due to the lack of a connected road system.

The citizenship certificates are pre-printed and brought to Juneau. This week, 39 people applied for citizenship, but not all will be approved, as some may fail the naturalization test or need to update their personal information.

“We have to do a whole lot of computer jumping through hoops to make this happen,” Paul said. “And if somebody’s stuff can’t be approved that day, it breaks everything in the system because nothing is designed for Alaska. So if we can’t get someone done that day, it might be six or eight months before we can get their file fixed.”

Usually, judicial ceremonies are held downtown at the Robert Boochever U.S. Courthouse, but Paul said administrative ceremonies like Tuesday’s at the library are possible when no name changes are required, allowing for the processing of more applicants.

“It’s a big, momentous event for a whole lot of people, like birthday parties, but once in a lifetime, or a wedding, so everybody’s having a good day,” he said.

During the ceremony, the applicants sat in the front row, holding packets of instructional material and small American flags. They recited the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance and answered questions about their new rights as American citizens.

“Our mission is to empower voters and to defend democracy,” said Ludmila Postolachi, an immigration services officer, who led the ceremony.

Early in the ceremony, she asked if anyone wanted to sing the national anthem.

Everyone hesitated, but eventually, Debra Ore volunteered, stepping to the front of the room. She said she hadn’t sung publicly in 20 years, but celebrating Beverley O’Malley’s citizenship inspired her. They work together at Hecla Greens Creek Mine.

“She’s my friend, and at Greens Creek, we’re a family,” Ore said.

O’Malley is the chief geologist at Greens Creek and said the job motivated her to immigrate from New Zealand. She described it as “one of the most amazing and complicated deposits in the world,” and said she looks forward to continuing her work there.

“You did a beautiful job,” she told Ore, who was nervous about her performance.

In addition to the naturalization oath of allegiance, which includes the promise to bear arms if called upon, the applicants were shown the video “Faces of America,” followed by a message from President Donald Trump.

“Today, you receive one of the most priceless gifts ever granted by human hands,” Trump said in a video welcoming the newly naturalized citizens to the U.S. “You become a citizen of the United States of America.”

• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz.garrett@juneauempire.com or (907) 723-9356. Contact Natalie Buttner at natalie.buttner@juneauempire.com.