New Citizens of the United States of America

Learn and Earn Program

Fifty-Seven Reno area residents were sworn in as new citizens on Friday, December 16th in a Naturalization Ceremony at the downtown Reno Federal Building. The new citizens immigrated from a total of sixteen different countries including Mexico, El Salvador, Columbia, Guatemala, China, the Philippines, Poland and England. The new citizens were joined by almost two hundred relatives, friends and well-wishers.
The new citizens were sworn in by the Honorable Egan Walker, who is the presiding judge of the Second Judicial District Court for the State of Nevada. Following the swearing-in, two of the new citizens spoke about their experience of becoming a U. S. citizen and how proud they were to become Americans. That was followed by a video presentation that included a welcome message from President Barack Obama.
Representatives from the offices of Senator Dean Heller and Congressman Mark Amodei read letters from the two elected officials to the new citizens. Additionally, the Washoe County Registrar of Voters Heather Carmen also spoke and she urged the new citizens to participate to their fullest in the political process.

Two of the new citizens sworn in were Arminda Vega and Sonia Patricia Martinez de Vega (Patti). Both had attended the citizenship classes sponsored by the Northern Nevada Literacy Council and presented by Peter Tovar and Laura Clarke at the Sparks Christian Fellowship. Arminda and Sonia were both very grateful for the classes as they helped prepare them to meet the requirements of becoming United States citizens.
A new series of citizenship classes will begin on Saturday, January 14, 2017 at the Sparks Christian Fellowship. For more information, call (775) 356-1007.