Last week, I was proud to return to New Mexico to deliver the keynote address at a special U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalization ceremony in Albuquerque.
It was an inspiring ceremony, held at the South Broadway Cultural Center. Having fulfilled the requirements to become citizens, 68 New Mexicans — representing 29 countries – took the oath of allegiance to our country.
New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment not just because of our beautiful landscapes but because of our people. We have a blend of cultures like nowhere else, and we celebrate our diversity and treasure our immigrant traditions.
Throughout our history, immigrants have contributed to our country in many ways. They have helped defend our freedoms - even when they did not always fully enjoy those freedoms themselves. They are each a part of the heritage – and promise – of America. Their hard work and sacrifice help create better lives for others, and their character speaks to the best of our traditions and values.
Their character also speaks to why we need comprehensive immigration reform. Too many people are left out of our system because it is broken. I was glad that we in the Senate came together in a strong bipartisan fashion to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill earlier this summer. I hope the House of Representatives will take it up soon, so more individuals, like those we celebrated last week, can enjoy the full benefits of citizenship after working so hard and contributing so much to our nation.
Citizenship is a great privilege - and a great responsibility. We know that in our system, democracy does not always run smoothly, and we have seen unfortunate evidence of that in recent weeks. My message to the new citizens was the same as to all Americans: "Make your voice heard. You work hard, and you deserve a government that works just as hard for you."
I congratulate all of our new citizens and look forward to their continued contributions to New Mexico and our nation.
