“Today this is an American dream,” Servin said. “I cried today. It is the happiest day of my life. This is a dream that came true and I’m very happy and I am so very glad I’m an American citizen. I’ve been here 25 years and today I feel like I’m born again.”
Servin said he and his family would go celebrate together.
Chief United States District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in Waco, the Honorable Walter S. Smith Jr., presided.
Smith told the assembled crowd of citizen applicants and their families the ceremony would be a formal special court. The meeting hall in the Mayborn Center would become, in fact, the federal courtroom.
Smith said he would suspend the rules that normally dictate decorum for his court.
“I will allow photographs to be taken,” said Smith. “And if I say something humorous, you are allowed to laugh.”
The hall erupted in laughter.
Jerry Bawcom, president of UMHB, greeted the citizen candidates.
“This is a special occasion for each of you and your families,” Bawcom said. “One of our own is among you and we are so excited for her,” he said referring to Claudia Nunez, one of his staff members.
Jose Trujillo, district adjudication officer for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, San Antonio District, presented the 301 candidates to Smith and assured the judge each was certified as eligible for citizenship.
“I do move that each applicant be granted citizenship,” Smith said.
Then he asked applicants to rise as he named the 61 countries they had come from. Smith next instructed them in their responsibilities as American citizens and told them that by swearing the oath they would attest to three things.
They would renounce all previous allegiances to former countries, they would swear to defend and support the Constitution of the United States and bear faith and allegiance to the same, and they would bear arms for their country when asked.
Then 301 hands went up to swear loyalty and devotion to the United States in an emotional moment for the applicants and families in the bleachers.
U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, delivered the keynote speech.
“This ceremony in this session of court is the happiest session a federal district judge will hold,” Carter said grinning. “Like an adoption, everyone leaves the room happy.”
Carter told the applicants that freedom is part of what naturalization is all about.
“You by your pledge will support that dream of freedom,” he said.
Mario R. Ortiz, district director for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, San Antonio District, congratulated the new citizens on a hard-earned accomplishment.
“You wanted to become a citizen and you had to work for it,” Ortiz said.
Smith said Carter’s comment about the naturalization ceremony being one of the most enjoyable for a judge was true.
“Conducting these ceremonies is one of the most satisfying parts of my job,” Smith said.
Smith declared court adjourned. Families poured out of the bleachers and hugged loved ones who had just become American citizens. Immigration officials handed certificates to the new citizens.
Claudia Nunez, Bawcom’s staff member, was a sea of smiles as she greeted her family members.
“I have wanted to be a citizen the last 23 years,” she said. “My husband has been in the military a long time. The last year we have really focused on it.”
Randy Nunez, who retired last year at Fort Hood as a Sgt. 1at Class with the 2nd Battalion, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, looked as happy as his wife.
“I got emotional just watching her get emotional,” Nunez said. “I didn’t realize it was 23 years. It was well deserved and well worth the wait.”
Mrs. Nunez said she felt it an honor to share citizenship with her husband and child as a U.S. citizen. She is formerly from Colombia.
“We are going to go have lunch,” she said. “We’ve been here since 8:30 this morning and I’m starving.”
