Citizens at last

Many tears and years of hard work paid off for Boris Kozlovsky and his family Friday as they became U.S. citizens.

"I'm really proud to be here," Kozlovsky said. "Thank you."

Kozlovsky said he came to the United States from Slovakia in 1996. He did not have a job, did not speak English and did not know which papers he needed to stay.

The following year, he was able to bring his family over on a work permit, but the permit did not allow any other member of his family other than himself to work for the next three years. His children could go to school. But that left Kozlovsky as the sole provider for his family for the next three years.

"It was really hard," he said. "I had to take care of whole family."

More than a decade later, Kozlovsky, 55, and his wife both speak English and are American citizens. His younger daughter, Lucia, is working on her master's degree in nursing at Southeast Missouri State University, and his older daughter, Silvia, has completed her master's degree at the university to teach English as a second language. Kozlovsky said his son, who is under 18, was not yet eligible to become a citizen.

Kozlovsky's journey was just one of many stories of 25 new citizens from 11 countries who were granted citizenship Friday at the Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Cape Girardeau.

The ceremony opened with the advance of colors by the American Legion Post 63 and a rendition of "America the Beautiful" by Quitman McBride III, who will be a junior at Central High School in the fall.

Dr. Ken Dobbins, president of Southeast Missouri State University and the ceremony's guest speaker, had one expectation for the new citizens.

"My hope today is that you, as citizens of the United States, will leave our country a bit better than when you got here," he said. "I'm sure you'll do that."

Before the administration of the oath, Michael Price, an assistant federal prosecutor and naturalization examiner, asked all petitioners to stand and announce themselves to the full courtroom. The petitioners had a variety of backgrounds and had responses mixed with joy, humor and pride.

"I come from Canada," said Jon Kimble Coppieters. "Eh."

"I'm very proud," said Jose Daniel Ramos Rodriguez of Venezuela and a graduate of the University of Southern Florida.

"I like this place very much," said Indian-born Subrat Mishra when his name was called by Price. Mishra was sworn in alongside his wife, Babita Patnaik.

Price concluded the roll call by saying, "We're glad you're here."

In comments after the administration of the oath, District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr. welcomed the new citizens as "fellow Americans" and praised American citizenship.

"The nation's gift to you of citizenship is the best gift you will ever receive in your life," he said.

Limbaugh also outlined his view of the opportunities available to the new citizens.

"We cannot promise you happiness; we can promise you the pursuit of happiness," he said.

Limbaugh said he hoped the United States would become a stronger country because of the added diversity the new citizens brought with them. He said he wanted the new citizens "to share all that richness and beauty" of their cultures and added that "much of the strength of the country comes from this."

Price said the petitioners had to go through a rigorous process to qualify for citizenship. Petitioners needed to demonstrate residency in the United States for five years, pay a citizenship fee, pass background checks conducted by 14 agencies, conduct an interview with an agent and pass a citizenship test on what he said were general American history and facts.

Limbaugh said the citizenship process is demanding but that, as a result of dedication, some of the new citizens might know American history better than a few native-born ninth-graders.

After the ceremony, new citizens crowded a table set up by the League of Women Voters to allow them to register to vote.

The naturalization ceremony was the first held in the new federal courthouse. Another ceremony was held in the old Broadway courthouse Aug. 11, 2006; Limbaugh said he hoped the ceremony would continue to happen regularly in Cape Girardeau.

tthomas@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 197

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