On Thanksgiving, New US Citizens Have Extra Helping Of Gratitude

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Thanksgiving is a time for families to gather and give thanks for their blessings, and to feast. For immigrant families, it's an even more joyous occasion when a loved one receives a green card in the mail or takes an oath to become a naturalized citizen in a ceremony, allowing them to vote, pay taxes and join the military.

Huong Nguyen of Fairfax has been a green card holder since moving to the United States in 2012, but she's looking to start the naturalization process in December. She's originally from Vietnam, but she met her husband, a U.S. citizen, while studying in South Korea.

"When we work and we pay taxes, we feel more like citizens of this nation and we are contributing," she told Patch.

Nguyen works at the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium, a grassroots group that in part helps immigrants apply for naturalization through workshops. Her experiences have fostered a passion to help other immigrants achieve citizenship and feel comfortable living in the U.S.

The number of new citizens and permanent residents has grown over the years. Last year, over 752,800 people became naturalized citizens across the United States, while 1,051,031 became lawful permanent residents (green card holders) during 2015. Green card holders are authorized to live permanently in the U.S. and can apply to be naturalized citizens if eligible. They can work without restrictions, own property, receive financial aid at public colleges and universities, and join the military. Meanwhile, naturalized citizens enjoy all of the rights of native-born Americans, including the right to vote.

The idea of becoming a citizen or legal resident especially resonates in the nation's capital. To immigrants, the area is a diverse, welcoming environment with plentiful work opportunities and excellent education. Patch asked a number of immigrants and new legal residents in the Washington, D.C., area to share what they're thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Jose Bonilla of Waldorf, Maryland, has much reason to celebrate, as he received his green card just days ago. It was satisfying end to a process that took more than one year. Bonilla has lived in the area for about 10 years after immigrating from El Salvador. He now works as a flooring installer.

"I'm so glad," he told Patch of his new status as a lawful permanent resident.

Even undocumented immigrants with an uncertain future feel grateful for the opportunities America provides. Maro Park, a South Korean undocumented immigrant living in Fairfax, Virginia, tells Patch he's thankful for his parents coming to America to provide a better education and future for their children. His parents and brother are also undocumented, while his sister is a citizen, having been born in the U.S.

"This common thread that is shared in the stories of all immigrants is an universal story of love and sacrifice, not just immigrants. It’s the story of families, and I am eternally grateful for what my parents gave me," he told Patch.

Nguyen echoes the point about the education she's received, and is pursuing a science degree from Northern Virginia Community College. "I didn't have the choice to see the different perspectives," she said. "[American] education gives me the right to choose and pursue what I believe in."

Blanca Soriano of Alexandria has enjoyed living in Virginia for 10 years, but the holiday is extra special because her family can be together. This year, she not only renewed her green card, but she now has all three of her adult daughters living in the area. "I'm definitely thankful for all of my family being together now. My oldest daughter just came from El Salvador," she told Patch.

And the nation's capital isn't a bad place to enjoy the holidays at all. Nguyen sums it up well: she originally immigrated to Tennessee, but with a move to Northern Virginia, she thought, "This is my home."

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