(October 4, 2008)--About 1,200 Houston-area immigrants whose naturalization ceremonies were put on hold as Hurricane Ike stormed ashore three weeks ago will take their citizenship oaths Saturday, just in time to register to vote in the November election.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials originally said hurricane damage to their office would make it impossible to administer the citizenship oaths until Oct. 29, which is well after the Monday deadline for voter registration.
But they were able to enter the damaged portion of their building Thursday and get the paperwork needed to contact the scheduled applicants.
The change came as pressure built from immigration advocates, attorneys, U.S. District Court Judge Lynn Hughes and U.S. Rep. Gene Greene, all of whom pushed for an emergency ceremony.
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