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Nearly two dozen sworn in as American citizens in Vancouver

By Tom Vogt, Columbian Science, Military & History Reporter
Published: November 10, 2015, 4:54pm
4 Photos
Amina Idy of Portland, holding flag, celebrates her U.S. citizenship Tuesday by having her photograph taken with friend Megan Tragethon at the Vancouver Community Library.
Amina Idy of Portland, holding flag, celebrates her U.S. citizenship Tuesday by having her photograph taken with friend Megan Tragethon at the Vancouver Community Library. (Photos by Amanda Cowan/The Columbian) Photo Gallery

The path to American citizenship has been a family journey for Tony and Heleen Woest.

The natives of South Africa took the oath of allegiance together Tuesday at the Vancouver Community Library, along with 20 other foreign-born residents of the region.

After they were sworn in by immigration official Michael Hickman, each newly minted citizen received a certificate.

As Heleen Woest shook hands with Hickman, library manager Jackie Spurlock and U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, she mentioned that earning American citizenship has been a 15-year process for the Beaverton, Ore., couple.

“We’re really glad we did,” she said. “This is a great country, and we’re glad to be part of it.”

One of their sons accomplished it a little quicker, by the way. The three family members started working on it together, Heleen said. Their son — now 21 — was the first to take the oath; their 25-year-old son is working toward citizenship now.

The new citizens hail from 16 different countries. Amina Idy came to the U.S. in 2009 from the Central African Republic.

“It feels awesome,” the north Portland resident said. She had just posed for a photograph in front of an American flag with Megan Tragethon, a friend who came along to witness Idy’s big moment.

The Vancouver Community Library teamed with the Portland office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on the ceremony. Library staff member Supisa Oliver was one of the organizers and brought a personal perspective to the project.

“I went through this process in 2009,” said Oliver, an adult services librarian at the downtown branch.

Oliver and her husband met when he was working in Thailand. She came here with him in 2002. It took her a while to consider becoming a citizen, Oliver added. An Election Day was the pivotal moment.

“The thing that made me think about it was when everybody was voting, and I can’t vote,” Oliver said.

That is a big part of what these new citizens can contribute, Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, said in her keynote address.

“You are given the responsibility to be active participants in our community,” Herrera Beutler said.

In closing, Herrera Beutler noted: “We are honored that you are choosing to be Americans.”

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Columbian Science, Military & History Reporter