USCIS Announces New Citizenship Ambassador Initiative

MINNEAPOLIS — Yesterday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the launch of the first-ever citizenship ambassador initiative. Through this new initiative, USCIS will partner with community leaders who will promote citizenship through their own immigrant experience. Abdirizak Bihi, executive director of the Somali Education and Social Advocacy Center and himself a naturalized U.S. citizen, was selected as the Minneapolis ambassador.

The initiative is designed to make a personal and local connection to the more than 9.1 million lawful permanent residents who may be eligible to apply for naturalization and who otherwise may not have access to or knowledge of the naturalization process. Mr. Bihi, one of the eight ambassadors, will help support the Minnesota immigrant community. His vision to educate and train community leaders for civic action and engagement comes directly from the experiences of his father, who was imprisoned for seventeen years in Somalia for consistently speaking out on behalf of the community.

“Granting citizenship is vital to our nation’s economic prosperity, and a future built on America’s promise as a nation of welcome and possibility,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “The citizenship ambassador initiative is a positive step towards raising awareness of the many benefits of U.S. citizenship and providing tools that help immigrants become successful as they embark on their journey as new citizens and beyond.”

The citizenship ambassador initiative was created to support implementation of President Biden’s Executive Order 14012 to promote naturalization, and is guided by the principles of the Interagency Strategy for Promoting Naturalization.

To help demystify the naturalization process and share the life-changing impact of U.S. citizenship, USCIS selected eight community leaders across the United States to connect with aspiring citizens. Newly selected citizenship ambassadors will connect eligible populations with the USCIS mission by:  

• Sharing their own experiences with the naturalization process;  
• Highlighting available information and resources;  
• Emphasizing the advantages of U.S. citizenship;  
• Addressing myths and misconceptions; and  
• Providing inspiration for others pursuing citizenship.  

The seven other citizenship ambassadors are:

• Magdalena Alvarado, President, Ser y Hacer Galveston, Galveston, TX;
• Myriam Mezadieu, Chief Operating Officer, Catholic Legal Services, Miami, FL;
• Nam Loc Nguyen, Former Director of Immigration and Refugee Department, Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Orange County, CA;
• Margarita Rocha, Executive Director, Centro La Familia Advocacy Services, Central Valley, CA;
• Luis Shephard, Community Leader, Boston, MA;
• Dr. Mara Vaughn, Professor, University of North Texas at Dallas, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX; and
• Pao Yang, Executive Director, President and CEO, The Fresno Center (TFC), Fresno, CA.

Citizenship ambassadors will serve on a voluntary, unpaid basis and coordinate with USCIS staff at the local level to promote and encourage others in their communities to apply for U.S. citizenship. Citizenship ambassadors will assist with outreach to more isolated communities and advise on best engagement strategies and messaging, helping to build trust between USCIS and their communities.

More than 200 years after our founding, naturalized citizens are still an important part of American democracy. Citizenship is the common thread that connects all Americans. The United States is a nation bound not by race or religion, but by the shared values of freedom, liberty, and equality. Citizenship offers many benefits and equally important responsibilities and demonstrates an immigrant’s commitment to this country and form of government.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

– USCIS – 

Waxaa magaaladda San Diego ee gobolka Californaia lagu xiray Mahad Aweys Cumar oo ah 20 sanno jir looga shakisanyahay in uu geystay toogasho dil ah oo ka dhacday magaalada San Jose 19-kii bishii October 2019.

Mahad Aweys Cumar oo ah wiil Soomaaliyeed oo ku koray, qoyskiisuna ay deggan yihiin magaalada San Diego ayaa maalintii Axadda ahayd loo xiray dilka uu u geystay Savion Hollingsworth oo ahaa 21-jir. Toogashadda dilka ah ee lagu eedaynayo Mahad Aweys ayaa ka dhacday magaaladda San Jose ee gobolka California.

 Bilayska ayaa sheegay in ay Axaddii ay qabteen Mahad Aweys, kadibna ay u masaafuriyeen magaaladda San Jose. Hadda falka iyo dambiga dilka ah ee loo haysto Mahad Aweys ayaa ka dhacay meel u dhow Jaamacadda San Jose State University.

Bilayska gacanta ku haya baaritaanka la xiriira dilka iyo dambiga loo haysto Mahad Aweys ayaa sheegay in ay hayaan video magal iyo muuqaal ah oo cadaynaya wixii dhacay, dilka ka hor iyo wakhtigii uu dilku dhacayba.

ST. Paul: – Maamulka iyo Mulkiilaha ganacsiga caanka ah ee Afro Deli ayaa maanta oo ah Arbaco, bishuna tahay January 16, 2019 ku dhawaaqay in ay siin doonaan cunto bilaash ah shaqaalaha ka shaqeeya dawladda federaalka muddada ay xirantahay dawladda dhexe, maadaama ayna shaqaalahani helaynin wax mushahaar ah.

Dowladda Mareykanka ayaa xiran mudo 25 cisho ah, welina lama oga goorta dib loo furi doono shaqada dowladda. Madaxweynaha Mareykanka Donald Trump ayaa lagu eedaynayaa in uu mas’uul ka yahay hakadka ku jira qeybo ka mid ah howlaha dowladda, balse Donald Trump ayaa isagu ku eedaynaya in xisbiga mucaaradka ee dimoqraadiga kaligood ay mas’uul ka yihiin arrintan maadama ay u diideen in ay siiyaan lacagta uu rabo in kuu dhiso darbi uu balanqaaday wakhtigii uu doorashadda ku jiray in uu ka dhisi doono xuduudka labadda wadan ee Mexico iyo Maraykanka.

Isaga oo la hadlay wargeyska Tusmo Times ayuu Mulkiilaha iyo maamulaha guud ee ganacsiga Afro Deli Abdirahman Kahin yiri, “Waa wax aan caddaalad ahayn, shaqaalahan aan taageeraynana waa xubno ka tirsan jaaliyaddeena iyo bulshadda, marxalada ay ku sugan yihiina ee mushahar la’aanta iyo shaqada dowladda ee xiran waa arrin laga xumaado oo nasiib daro ah,”.

Cabdiraxmaan Kaahin ayaa hadalkiisa ku daray, “Dad shaqayna oo aan qado ama cunto iska bixin Karin laguma daawan karo. Waxaan rabnaa in dadka tusno in aan nahay dad gobolka  wanaag iyo wax ku soo kordhiya, balse aanan ahaynd dad gacanta hoorsada.

Makhaayada Afro Deli qaybteeda ku taala faras magaalaha St. Paul.

Sidoo kale ganacsade Abdirahman Kahin ayaa yiri, “Waxaan dooneynaa in ay shaqaalaha dowladu ay ogaadaan in aan taageerayno oo aan hiil iyo hooba la garab taaganahay.”

Haddaba maamulka Makhaayadda Afro Deli ayaa sheegay oo si rasmi ah barta ay ku leeyihiin Twitter-ka ku shaaciyay in laga bilaabo maanta oo ah Arbaco ay bixin doonaan cunto ama qado.

Cuntadan bilaashka ah ayaa makhaayada Afro Deli oo dhowr meelood oo ganacsigoodu ay ku kala yaalaan labadda magaalo ee Minneapolis iyo St. Paul la bixin doonaa inta u dhaxaysa saacadaha 11ka subaxnimo illaa 3da galabnimo.

Go’aankan geesinimada iyo bini-aadanimada leh ee ay qaateen maamulka ganacsiga Afro Deli ayaa socon doona maalin kasta muddada ay socoto xirnaansha dowladda federaalka ee dalka Mareykanka.

Cuntada ama qadada bilaashka ayaa u furan ama loo ogol yahay qofkasta oo muujiya ama haysta cadeyn ah in uu yahay shaqaale dowladda federaalka.