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Tulsa Immigrants Receive US Citizenship with Help from ORU

Vanessa Roberts

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Click Photo to Enlarge From left to right: Sonny Branham, Doris DeMartos, U.S. Senior District Judge James Ellison, Blanca Suarez. Erneston Suarez Ortia, and Baldemar Tovar at the Courthouse in Downtown Tulsa.

As four immigrants stood willingly in front of the American flag at the District Court in downtown Tulsa on July 12, they pledged allegiance to their new home – the United States of America.

With help from Oral Roberts University and its students, Blanca Suarez, Blademar Tovar, Ernesto Suarez Ortia, and Doris DeMartos gained their US citizenship through ORU's Tulsa Citizenship Program. Over forty students from the History, Humanities, and Government department have helped over 150 immigrants learn our country's history, government, and basic English. They have also guided at least ten of these immigrants to become permanent US citizens.

ORU's Tulsa Citizenship Program is used as a service learning class that allows students to earn credit while gaining real-world experience. Sonny Branham, ORU professor and the program's advisor, is not only passionate about seeing the participants become citizens of this great country, but allowing students to gain experience outside the classroom.

"Certainly, it is very satisfying as a teacher to see my ORU students helping others with the teaching skills they are developing," Branham expressed. "They prepare the lesson plans and they instruct the classes. Basically, all I do is drive the ORU van that takes them to the library!"

Previously known as the South Peoria Citizenship Project, ORU's Tulsa Citizenship Program began in 2003 as a way to serve a particular neighborhood near ORU. Recently moving to Martin Regional Library, it has served over 50 patrons during the previous session.

This ever-growing program gives immigrants the knowledge and understanding to become a US citizen. Each session is two hours long. The first hour is dedicated to teaching American history and government, and the second hour is used for teaching basic English. In order for one to pass the citizenship test, he or she must learn to read and write in English.

Before taking the citizenship test, applicants must have been lawfully admitted for permanent US residence as a legal immigrant. They must live continually as a lawful, permanent US resident for at least five years and be in good moral standing. ORU students are able to assist applicants one-on-one before the citizenship examination is taken.

The success of ORU's Tulsa Citizenship Program has caught the attention of other programs in Tulsa. Inspired by what ORU is doing to help immigrants become citizens, many in the community are reaching out to those who truly desire to become a permanent part of this free country.