Immigrants embrace citizenship at naturalization ceremony

Arianne Macgillivray always considered herself an American. Now she officially is one.

Arianne said she was only 2 years old when she and her parents, Kelly and Robert Macgillivray, immigrated from Canada. They settled in Sikeston, Missouri.

All three were among 13 immigrants who became American citizens at a naturalization ceremony Friday at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau.

Despite growing up in Southeast Missouri, Arianne said she was considered an �international student� when she attended the University of Missouri.

Her father, Robert, said he came to the United States on a business visa in 1993.

Owner of Heartland Wood Products Inc., Robert said he was glad he and his wife and daughter could all become U.S. citizens together.

�It has been a long time coming,� he said.

Robert added the United States is �the greatest country in the world.�

Joseph Magsaysay immigrated from the Philippines where he was a banker. He now lives in Jackson and is a real-estate agent.

�I am very excited to be an American,� he said when introduced during the ceremony in the courthouse atrium. Magsaysay said he hopes to help other immigrants realize their dreams of homeownership.

The immigrants who took the oath of citizenship Friday included three each from Canada and Vietnam, two from Mexico, and one each from China, Jordan, Philippines, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. presided over the ceremony as he has in past years. Limbaugh called it the �highest honor� to administer the oath of citizenship.

Zel Fischer, chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, said the United States has always been a nation of immigrants.

�You have chosen to be an American and chosen to be a Missourian,� he told the immigrants.

Morry Cole, a Cape Girardeau native and president of the Missouri Bar, said the �diversity� of citizens makes the nation great.

�It allows the sharing of perspectives that otherwise would not be shared,� he said. �It drives innovation.�

Cole told the petitioners for citizenship that �today our nation becomes greater in this room because of you.�

He told them, �We want you. We want your family.�

The U.S. Constitution, he said, �protects all of our rights.�

He thanked the immigrants for �sharing your hopes and dreams.�

Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas-Aburto spoke to the immigrants. Vargas, himself an immigrant from Mexico, became a naturalized resident two years ago.

�I am very proud of having become a resident,� he said.

Vargas encouraged the new citizens to register to vote.

�It is an important responsibility that we have,� he said. �One person makes a difference.�

mbliss@semissourian.com

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