DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO
As a child, Marine Corps Sgt. Luis Diaz Moreno was brought to the U.S. as a refugee from Columbia along with his family in 2012. Years later, it inspired him to enlist in the military.
“I wanted to give something back to the country that gave my family a second chance for a better life,” Diaz Moreno said.
That journey came full circle Tuesday.
Diaz Moreno was among 40 military service members from 19 countries — including Ecuador, Haiti, American Samoa, Belize, China, Philippines, Peru and Jamaica — who took the oath to become U.S. citizens atop the iconic USS Midway Museum.
Keynote speaker Navy Lt. Dmitriy Yakubov, who was recently naturalized after immigrating from Russia, told attendees it is important for immigrants to draw strength from their cultures.
“This isn’t just a country you happened to be born in. This is a country you chose,” Yakubov said. “Your allegiance to it — you calling this country yours, your right to everything this country has to offer — are a product of an arduous journey of hard work and deliberate choice, not just chance.”
The annual event, which takes place across the country during the week of Independence Day, pays special honor to service members.
Chief U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw led the new citizens through the oaths. U.S. Reps. Juan Vargas and Sara Jacobs, both Democrats, spoke to the courage of service members and the sacrifices made.
“America is a nation of possibilities,” Vargas said. “It’s a nation of opportunities. And importantly, it’s a nation of immigrants.”
The ceremony also featured music from the U.S. Navy Band Southwest and an audio message from President Joe Biden. Service members were surrounded by family and friends who burst into applause at the end of the ceremony.
Navy Logistics Specialist Miguel Velazquez was born in Mexico before moving to the U.S. for “better opportunities.” His plan was to move for one year and assess whether he should return home. Instead, he continued his service and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Washington State University.
His family and friends were in attendance, with a surprise guest — his girlfriend.
“She wasn’t planning on coming and then she surprised me. I texted her, like, ‘I just became a citizen,’” he said. “And she was like ‘I know, I just saw you. Look at the back.’”
Before the ceremony, Velazquez said he warned his supporters that he might get emotional.
“I told my friends if they see me crying, don’t mind me,” he said. “Don’t make fun of me or anything. Because I’ve been waiting for this moment for such a long time.”
