Daniel’s family brought him to the United States when he was just 12 years old to give him better opportunities beyond Guatemala. The transition from Guatemala to the United States was difficult, to say the least. Learning a new language at age 12 presented many challenges for Daniel, as did leaving his grandparents. Daniel decided to become a U.S. citizen because he wanted to have the same rights as everyone else. He was a little hesitant at first about applying for citizenship because of the complexity of the process. After meeting with the staff at NCICC he felt more confident about his ability to finish the process successfully. Daniel expressed endless gratitude for his tutors at the citizenship class because they helped him study every Wednesday at the Solana Beach Library. Wednesdays became long days for him because of his two jobs, as he had to commute about one hour each way.

For Daniel, the most challenging part of the citizenship process was the day of his interview with USCIS. He was very nervous, but the adjudicator reassured him that he would do well. Now that Daniel is a citizen he feels more freedom, and he feels more a part of this country. He now enjoys the freedom of traveling anywhere as an American citizen. One dream of his is to go back to Guatemala and visit his grandparents, who he has not seen since he was 12 years old. Just the thought of going back to Guatemala brought a big smile on Daniel’s face. Daniel plans to continue learning about US history and US laws. He is currently looking for an online class to expand his knowledge. We know he will achieve everything he sets his mind to!

Congratulations, Daniel!