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Armed sevices members sworn in as U.S. citizens

By Amy Isackson / Border Reporter,  KPBS Public Broadcasting
Published November 10, 2005 at 9:00 PM PST
This story was published more than 19 years ago.

One hundred eleven members of the armed services took the oath of citizenship atop the Midway aircraft carrier in San Diego Friday. The active duty service members hailed from 48 countries. Though the

One hundred eleven members of the armed services took the oath of citizenship atop the Midway aircraft carrier in San Diego Friday. The active duty service members hailed from 48 countries. Though the majority were Filipino and Mexican. KPBS Reporter Amy Isackson has more.

Esau Cuevas came from Mexico to the United States with his family illegally 15 years ago. Cuevas became a legal resident and attended Mission Bay High School. That's where he met military recruiters.

Cuevas: "Once the recruiter talked me into it, I was like, you know what, this is probably for me. I'll join in."

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Isackson: "What did the recruiter tell you?"

Cuevas: "Basically, told me about different things the Navy has to offer for you. How you can go see the world and basically make a difference in someone's life. "

Cuevas says citizenship is an added bonus.
However, many have been critical of military recruiters targeting Latino high school students with promises of citizenship money for school.

Mexicans account for the largest group of immigrants killed while fighting for the U.S. in Iraq. Amy Isackson, KPBS news.

Amy Isackson
Amy Isackson was the border reporter at KPBS from 2004 to 2011. She covered breaking news and feature stories on California-Mexico border issues and immigration, for local and national broadcast. Amy got her start in public radio by pitching a series of stories about rural New Zealand - horse dentistry and sheep sheering - to Radio New Zealand's "Country Life" program. She then worked with Peabody Award-winning radio producers Nikki Silva and Davia Nelson, to help create the Sonic Memorial, a series of stories on the World Trade Center before, during and after 9/11. Amy's work has been recognized with awards from the Associated Press Television-Radio Association of California and Nevada, the California Chicano News Media Association, and the San Diego Press Club. She won the Sol Price Prize for Responsible Journalism in 2009 from the Society of Professional Journalists for her story about high school students smuggling people and drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border. Prior to venturing into the wonderful world of public radio, Amy worked for Yahoo! Inc. for nearly five years as an editorial surfer, associate producer and broadcast communications manager. She majored in Latin American History at Williams College. She grew up in San Diego and made frequent trips south of the border.
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