New citizens sworn in on final day of DNC
MORRISVILLE, Pa. (WPVI) -- The U.S. gained nearly four dozen new citizens from our area Thursday - nearly four dozen new potential voters who are anxious to cast their ballots for the first time this November.
The 46 new citizens from 21 countries took their oath of allegiance at Pennsbury Manor in Morrisville, with the Delaware River as a backdrop.
For many, it was a long time coming for many.
"I came here when I was five years old," said Franklin Suero-Acevedo of Reading, Pa., originally from the Dominican Republic. "And it finally happened."
Pablo Montes de Oca stopped to take a selfie with the judges to send to his family in Florida.
"I just wanted to capture the moment," he told Action News. "It's such an amazing experience for me, and I really wanted to make the most out of it.
The event came as many eyes are on the Democratic National Convention and looking ahead to the upcoming election.
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"I'm really looking forward to voting in November," said Deepika Chhabria Khilnanny of Collegeville, Pa., originally from India. "Which means I'm really looking forward to making up my mind!"
Many of the new citizens we spoke with said they're still undecided as to who they'll vote for for president this fall.
But all of them say they're looking forward to using their new right to vote in this critical election.
For Daniela Hampshire, women's rights are a key issue. She was a horse racing jockey in Argentina and came to the U.S. for more opportunities.
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"In Argentina it was a sport of men," she said. "I was the only woman on the racetrack."
Now she's a licensed horse racing judge. She said she'll be listening closely when Hillary Clinton speaks Thursday night.
"She's going to be the voice for a lot of women like me," said Daniela. "I'm waiting for what she's going to say about equal opportunities for women."
