At ceremony, Obama extols U.S. diversity

He calls for immigration fix as 25 in service naturalized

Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (left onstage), accompanied by President Barack Obama (right), administers the oath of allegiance Friday during a naturalization ceremony for active-duty service members and civilians in the East Room of the White House.
Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (left onstage), accompanied by President Barack Obama (right), administers the oath of allegiance Friday during a naturalization ceremony for active-duty service members and civilians in the East Room of the White House.

WASHINGTON -- Celebrating the ethnic diversity of America, President Barack Obama said more than two dozen foreign-born service members who became U.S. citizens at the White House on the Fourth of July are vivid reminders that the country is, and always has been, a nation of immigrants.

At the White House later Friday, Obama and his wife, Michelle, welcomed a larger group of service members, including the new citizens, to a barbecue on the South Lawn, along with prime seating for the fireworks on the National Mall.

During the naturalization ceremony, Obama pleaded for new immigration policies, saying the vast range of backgrounds and experiences that has made America a melting pot for more than 200 years also makes the country stronger. He said the system must be retooled for the U.S. to remain the greatest nation on earth.

"The basic idea of welcoming immigrants to our shores is central to our way of life, it is in our DNA," Obama said after the 25 current or former service members representing 15 countries raised their right hands and pledged allegiance to the United States.

"Together, all of you remind us that America is and always has been a nation of immigrants.

"From all these different strands, we make something new here in America. And that's why, if we want to keep attracting the best and brightest from beyond our borders, we're going to have to fix our immigration system, which is broken," he said.

The immigration issue is receiving renewed attention because of the influx to the U.S. of tens of thousands of unaccompanied children from Central America. Under U.S. law, they must be returned to their home countries, angering immigration advocates who already take issue with Obama's enforcement of deportations. They want Obama to allow the children to stay.

At the same time, Obama blames House Republicans for delaying action on legislation covering the millions of illegal aliens already living in the U.S. A comprehensive measure the Senate passed last summer has been blocked by House leaders who have done little to advance their own immigration proposals.

Obama announced earlier this week that, as a result of inaction on Capitol Hill, he will pursue nonlegislative ways he can adjust U.S. immigration policy on his own.

"I'm going to keep doing everything I can to keep making our immigration system smarter and more efficient," Obama said Friday.

Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a Cuban who became a naturalized citizen in 1973, administered the oath of allegiance at Friday's ceremony.

Oscar Vanegas Gonzalez, 27, was one of those who got his U.S. citizenship. He arrived in the U.S. at 16, sneaking into the country after leaving Guatemala.

In the years that followed, he was embraced by a foster family, obtained residency status and became fluent in English. He graduated from high school, learned electrical wiring and, last year, joined the Marines -- a move that expedited his citizenship.

"We are not all bad," he said before Friday's ceremony, referring to illegal aliens. "I was given a chance to be who I am now. I'm thankful for everything."

About 5,000 noncitizens enlist in the U.S. military each year, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a Pentagon spokesman. There are now about 25,000 such service members in active duty, guard and reserve roles including infantry, aviation, logistics, health care and linguistics.

Under an executive order signed by President George W. Bush in 2002, noncitizens serving honorably at the time of or after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks can naturalize after basic training.

The U.S. naturalized 93,089 members of the military from September 2002 through this May, as well as thousands of spouses and children, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

"If we want to keep attracting the best and the brightest from beyond our borders, we're going to have to fix our immigration system," Obama said at the event Friday. "We shouldn't be making it harder for the best and brightest to come here and create jobs that can grow our economy. We should be making it easier."

Later Friday, service members and their families gathered at the White House for a barbecue sponsored by the USO, a nonprofit organization that provides services and entertainment to U.S. troops and their families.

Held under bright, sunny skies after Hurricane Arthur blew north through the region, the event featured food, patriotic music by the U.S. Marine Band and a concert by the rapper Pitbull.

Obama said at the barbecue that since its founding the U.S. has become the "greatest democratic, economic and military force the world has ever known" and a beacon for others looking on from beyond its borders.

"Immigrants from around the world dream of coming to our shores," he said. "Young people aspire to study at our universities, other nations look to us for support [and] leadership in times of disaster and conflict and uncertainty.

"And when the world looks to America so often they look to all of you, the men and women of our Armed Forces," Obama said.

As the Obamas marked the Fourth of July at the White House, Americans elsewhere celebrated the country's 238th year of independence.

New York City was hosting the nation's largest fireworks display. More than 1,600 shells per minute were to be launched during the 25-minute Macy's Fourth of July fireworks show over the East River.

Other major fireworks shows were being held in Chicago on Lake Michigan and in San Francisco over the bay.

Hurricane Arthur forced many East Coast cities to switch the dates of their Fourth of July celebrations. Boston officials moved the annual Boston Pops July 4 concert and fireworks from Friday to Thursday. Then they cut short the concerts so the fireworks could begin before the rain moved in.

Meanwhile, several cities in Maine, New Hampshire and New Jersey moved their fireworks shows to today or Sunday. Augusta, Maine, moved its fireworks to Aug. 2.

Information for this article was contributed by Darlene Superville and staff members of The Associated Press and by Margaret Talev and Gillian Roberts of Bloomberg News.

A Section on 07/05/2014

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