Welcome home: New Americans take oath of citizenship in Cedar Rapids ceremony

CEDAR RAPIDS - Liani Cherput was 19 when she fled civil war in Myanmar, also known as Burma, a decade ago. It wasn't until Friday, however, that she truly felt at home again - the day she became a United States citizen.

'Now I feel this is my real country, this is my real home,” she said.

At her side, her 7-year-old son, James Chhuann, also a new citizen, waved an American flag.

They were part of a group of about 75 people from 33 countries who became U.S. citizens in a ceremony at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.

Gail Naughton, the museum's president and CEO, welcomed the new Americans and their families with a reference to the immigrants who came before them.

'In these days when immigration is always in the news, we look at the positives - the positives of the people and their families who founded this museum and the positives of the people and their families who are here today,” she said.

The new citizens came to the United States for many reasons - some were fleeing war, some were looking for better economic opportunities, some came as students, some to join family members.

All took the same oath Friday - an oath of loyalty to the United States, to support and defend the Constitution and laws of the country from enemies foreign and domestic, to bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law and to perform work of national importance when required by law.

To get to this point, they had to undergo interviews, learn English and pass a test on U.S. history and system of government.

Vandross Mukuna, born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, first came to the United States in 2010 in the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, which gives a limited number of visas to people from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. Now, he attends classes at Kirkwood Community College and works as an accountant.

'It was always my dream to come to the United States,” he said. 'The United States is the country for opportunity. Every young person has a dream to come here. The visa is very difficult to get - when you find out you got it, it's like you are the luckiest man alive.”

U.S. Chief Magistrate C.J. Williams presided at the event. He said naturalization ceremonies are one of the most enjoyable parts of his job.

'I do about a dozen of these a year, and it still chokes me up the first time I get to tell people they are citizens of the United States,” he said.

He urged the new Americans to take full advantages of both their rights and duties as citizens, including voting and participating in civic life. Quoting President John F. Kennedy, he implored them to, 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

Many are already doing that.

No longer a newcomer, Cherput works at EMBARC: Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center, in Waterloo, where she helps recently arrived refugees and immigrants with everything from getting doctor appointments to signing up for English language classes.

She is helping, in other words, the next new Americans.

l Comments: (319) 398-8434; alison.gowans@thegazette.com