Monday, May 29, 2006

21 immigrants newest Montana, U.S. citizens

After passing all the tests and paying all the fees, 21 new citizens! DP

By EVE BYRON, IR Staff Writer

Helena Independent Record : Antoinette Popp is a mother and a business owner in the Flathead valley.

Now she’s also a United States citizen.

Popp, a native of Jamaica, was one of 21 immigrants who on Thursday morning renounced their allegiance “to any foreign prince, potentate or sovereignty” and vowed to uphold the United States constitution and all its laws. They came from countries including Belarus, Germany, Russia, Costa Rica, Canada, New Zealand and China.

After the ceremony, Popp smiled at her 3-year-old daughter and her husband, and said that she decided to become a citizen for a number of reasons.

“I’m a taxpayer, and I want to have a voice in the government for my daughter’s future,” Popp said. “And I want to vote.”

The naturalization ceremony in the federal courthouse in Helena came as the U.S. Senate debated a far-reaching immigration bill that would improve border security, create a new guest worker program and open the door to eventual citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants.

The Senate bill contradicts a measure passed by the House that would criminalize all immigrants in the country illegally, and contains no provisions for a new guest worker program.

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