New citizens share strong ties to the U.S.

For Hans Kaufmann, the decision to finally become a U.S. citizen after living in this country legally for more than four decades had nothing to do with the national debate on immigration.

His decision was personal. He held on to his German passport in honor of his father, who was very proud of his heritage. But when his father died at age 91 last year, Kaufmann decided to become a citizen for his children’s sake.

“Now that he has passed, I need my family to have roots here,” said Kaufmann, who is married and has two daughters. “I’m here to stay.”

This year has seen record increases in immigrants becoming citizens, many motivated by a new test, proposed fee hikes and possible changes in the law. But four green card holders who were recently sworn in as citizens show that those aren’t the only reasons for immigrants to exchange their green cards for U.S. passports.

Late last month, more than 8,200 immigrants from around the world were sworn in as citizens at a ceremony at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Among them were Kaufmann, Irina Trebunskaya, Josue Garcia and Ray Liang.

‘I can’t wait’

Hans Kaufmann was 5 when his father, who worked in computers, transferred from a job in Colombia to one in the United States. He grew up here, got married and became an architect.

But Kaufmann, 50, said he always felt embarrassed by his green card, which he kept behind his driver’s license in his wallet. He worried that people didn’t take him seriously. He also worried that he was missing out on travel opportunities with his company.

“I can’t wait to get rid of this thing,” he said from his office in Long Beach, before the ceremony.

With the help of a community organization, Kaufmann applied for citizenship last year. At his interview, the only question that made him pause was if he had ever been in front of a judge.

“Just for a speeding ticket,” he responded nervously.

One month later, Kaufmann learned he was going to be a citizen. He called his mother, who nearly dropped the phone. He said he wished he could call his father.

After being sworn in at the Convention Center, Kaufmann said he couldn’t wait to wear his ‘I voted’ sticker.

“It’s like there was a missing piece,” he said. “It’s all coming together.”

‘My vote counts’

Russian native Irina Trebunskaya, 48, said she first visited the United States in 1995 to participate in a professional dancing competition and fell in love with the country.

The next year, Trebunskaya returned with her daughter, arriving with a temporary visa for foreigners with extraordinary ability. She decided to stay, got her green card and bought a dance studio. She later moved to California and began designing dresses for professional dancers, including those on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.”

Last year, Trebunskaya, who lives in Hermosa Beach, married an American man. They frequently discussed politics and she began thinking about becoming a citizen. In Russia, she never voted because she believed it didn’t matter. But it was different here.

“Now I feel I can make a difference,” she said. “My vote counts.”

In October, she downloaded a citizenship application and sent it in. As she studied for the civics test, Trebunskaya said, she felt excited learning about the country that was adopting her. But the day of her interview, she just felt nervous. When asked the names of the California senators, she got mixed up, answering Diane Boxer and Barbara Feinstein.

Trebunskaya said that overall, the process went smoothly. “It’s like a birth of a child. I wouldn’t call it pleasant, but I like the end result.”

On the day of the ceremony, holding her certificate of citizenship and waving a miniature American flag, Trebunskaya said, “I got it! Oh my!”

‘A new beginning’

Josue Garcia, 25, traveled from Guatemala to the U.S. with a green card when he was 11. His parents came for the same reason as many others: They were looking for a better life for their children.

They arrived in Chicago just in time for a snowstorm. The weather was a shock.

“I came from a country where you can walk out to the yard any time of the day, any day of the year,” he said.

Garcia graduated from high school in 2001 and studied to be a mechanic. Then came Sept. 11, and Garcia enlisted in the Marine Corps, eventually deploying to Iraq.

“It kind of felt like I owed something to this country,” he said. “They gave me a chance for a new beginning.”

While stationed at Camp Pendleton, he met the woman he would marry in 2005. Last year, he applied for citizenship.

“It became clear that there was no future for me in Guatemala,” said Garcia, who lives in Lompoc. “Here I am doing the military.... I might as well claim American citizenship.”

The process took nearly a year, Garcia said, but wasn’t difficult. The military attorneys took care of most of the paperwork, he said. Garcia has since left the Marine Corps and wants to become a firefighter.

The day of the naturalization ceremony, Garcia stood in uniform as he raised his hand and recited the citizenship oath. He already felt like an American, he said, except for not being able to cast a ballot.

“Here I was fighting for our country,” he said, “and I couldn’t even choose our commander in chief.”

‘I’m more adapted’

Ray Liang, 28, left Taiwan when he was a child and attended high school, college and graduate school in the Bay Area. He considered following his parents when they returned home but decided to stay and apply for citizenship.

“I realized I was half American,” he said. “I’m more adapted to life here than in Taiwan.”

Liang grew up doing the same things as American teens -- going to school football games and participating in academic competitions. Now he spends his free time skiing, hiking and dancing.

Liang, who lives in Rowland Heights, filled out his application online in November.

For him, the civics test was easy. Though he felt a bit anxious, Liang said he remembered most of the material from high school.

He now works as a project planner at a cosmetics company and said that as a citizen, he will be able to apply for government jobs.

After being sworn in, Liang said he was surprised by how emotional he felt.

“I didn’t expect for it to hit me,” he said, “but it did.”

anna.gorman@latimes.com