More than 250 people, including Congressman Thomas Carper, Lt. Gov. Dr. Bethany Hall-Long and Rep. Ruth Briggs-King, gathered at La Esperanza’s inaugural citizenship celebration at Delaware Technical Community College in Georgetown.
“The process to become a citizen is not an easy one,” Carper said to the group. “It takes years of waiting, paperwork, studying and money, but you did it! You never gave up, and the day is finally here. Congratulations!”
Delaware Tech Campus President Bobbi Barends led a panel discussion with four of the citizens, who discussed their journey. Among them was Tidal Health physician Dr. Sandra Palavecino Acuña of Seaford. Political instability forced her and her family to leave Venezuela and settle in Chile. Later, she came to the United States.
“At times, the citizenship process felt like a part-time job,” she noted. Along her path, she also had to repeat her medical residency in the United States to fulfill medical board requirements.
La Esperanza helps an estimated 600 people each year on their citizenship or residency journeys in multiple ways, including permissions to work, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals renewals, temporary protected status and permanent residency applications.