Five take oath as new US citizens during Law Day event

 For Emilia Lopez Taitano, acquiring her U.S. citizenship after being on Saipan for 23 years means she will not be separated from her family in light of new federal immigration rules.

Taitano, 45, a sales supervisor at Duty Free Shoppers, is a native of Pangasinan, the Philippines. She has been married for 21 years to Dominic Taitano, an employee of the Public School System. They have five children.

“I am very happy. I can now avail of all the benefits of a U.S. citizen,” the beaming Taitano told Saipan Tribune yesterday shortly after she and four others took their oath to become U.S. citizens.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. District Court for the NMI conducted the special naturalization ceremony in honor of Law Day.

According to USCIS, Law Day, a national day to recognize the country’s commitment to the rule of law, is a memorable day for new citizens to join the United States of America.

Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona administered the oath to Taitano and four other petitioners-Leonora Ramos Palacios, Adeline Lejjena Mizutani, Maribel Singson Engelskjen, and Regina Galang Kautz.

Immigration Services officer Diane Zedde presented the names of the five petitioners, all Filipinos except for Mizutani, who is a native of Likiep Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

For the 58-year-old Palacios, she is just happy that she finally got her wish after applying for citizenship in November. Palacios, who is from La Union, the Philippines, first came to Saipan in 1990 to work as a sewer at a garment factory. She has been married for 14 years to Jesus Palacios, an employee of Saipan Stevedore. The Palacios couple has one child.

Mizutani, 55, said she is very proud to finally be able to acquire her U.S. citizenship. A native of Likiep Atoll, she has been working on Saipan for 32 years now. Married to Linus Mizutani for 33 years, Mrs. Mizutani is a sales associate at DFS.

At the ceremony, Judge Manglona welcomed the newest U.S. citizens of “our great country” and to the third branch of the national government, the federal judiciary.

“The five of you have just joined the citizenry of the greatest country on this earth, the United States of America. By your own free will, you have chosen to leave your birth countries to become a part of the American family,” Manglona said.

She said it is an important day for each of the newest citizens. “Becoming a citizen of the United States is a significant day in your lives, as well as the lives of the people around you-because of the many rights and privileges that you now hold-from the youngest at the age of 33 years old, to the oldest at 58 years old. Together, you will begin a new life as American citizens,” the judge said.

Manglona also urged the newest U.S. citizens to join the Law Day celebration.