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Museum Honoring Immigrant History Opens in San Diego

America is a nation of immigrants, and San Diego is one of our nation's most diverse communities. With our close proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, San Diego seems like the perfect place to build a

Museum Honoring Immigrant History Opens in San Diego

Tom Fudge: This weekend, the New Americans Museum opens on the site of the Old Naval Training Center on Point Loma. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be honorary chairman of Friday's grand opening, though we're still not sure if he'll be in attendance. It would be appropriate, of course. The museum is created in honor of immigrants like Schwarzenegger.
The founder and chairwoman of the New Americans Museum is Deborah Szekely, who has worked for years to get the project off the ground. Ms. Szekely is known to San Diegans as the owner of the Rancho La Puerta spa and health club in Tecate. She's 86 years old. She and her husband fled the U.S. to Mexico during World War II to prevent her immigrant husband from being deported back to Hungary, where he'd be forced to serve in that country's fascist army. Deborah Szekely joins me in studio.

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The New Americans Museum opens to the public this Saturday, June 21st, at 11am. The museum is located at Liberty Station, which is the site of the former Naval Training Center in Point Loma.

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