New citizens celebrate becoming an American
For Sungjoo Yoo, neither age nor language could prevent him from coming to America and becoming a citizen.
The 80-year-old Chicago resident, originally from Korea, got his citizenship two years ago.
"When I heard of all the opportunities for my family and me here, I wanted to apply for citizenship," Yoo said. "I care about this country and its future."
In advance of Fourth of July celebrations this weekend, new citizens like Yoo told their own versions of the American dream at an event Thursday night in Mount Prospect.
About 50 new citizens and those applying for citizenship attended the event at the Hanul Family Alliance, 1166 S. Elmhurst Road, an organization that assists those seeking citizenship, primarily Koreans.
Schaumburg resident Jae Sim Shim, 48, has spent five years in the United States, but will be celebrating his first Fourth of July as an American citizen this weekend. He said he learned the benefits of becoming a citizen after hearing the presidential candidates talk about immigration reform last fall.
He received his citizenship documents June 25.
"The ink is still wet on my citizenship certificate," Shim said.
For others, U.S. citizenship is a goal.
Nehemias Taveras, 40, of Hoffman Estates, came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic six years ago on a visa. He is now a truck driver, and hopes to finish his degree this fall at DeVry University.
"The immigrant experience in this country is very good," Taveras said. "It's a country that opens up opportunities for a new and better life."
One of the younger new citizens at the event, Eun Young Lee, 26, told those gathered to get involved in the political process and vote.
"Becoming an American citizen means more than a certificate," said Lee, a Northbrook resident.
Organizers of Thursday's event wanted to let new citizens tell their stories, but they also wanted to bring up issues of concern to immigrants. On the federal level, they called for immigration reform. On the state level, they argued that budget cuts would threaten programs that assist new citizens.
The immigrants at Thursday's event were assisted by the New American Initiative program of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. The program receives $3 million in state funding for citizenship programs, and could face a 60 percent budget cut, said program director Flavia Jimenez.
ICIRR distributes the funding to 37 citizenship assistance groups throughout the state, including the Hanul Family Alliance, which assists Korean immigrants with citizenship preparation, English classes, and a homemaker program.
Paul Yun, the group's executive director, said $1.8 million of the organization's $2.3 million budget comes from the state, and half of the state's funding could be cut.
But beyond numbers, the night was about the new citizens.
"We're finding ourselves in difficult times," Jimenez said. "But don't we still have to celebrate?