Citizenship Bill For WTC Victims Passes
From El Diario/LA PRENSA
November 16, 2001
By Jose Acosta
The House and Senate approved a bill yesterday introduced by Rep. Jose
Serrano (D-NY), which will grant citizenship to the legal residents who
perished in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon
and flight 93 which crashed in Pennsylvania on September 11.
In a telephone interview from Washington, the congressman was pleased with
the bill and revealed yesterday that the bill would be approved by the
Senate to be later signed by President Bush.
He indicated that citizenship would only be granted to those who sought it
before perishing in the tragedy "so that their wish to become American
citizens will come true."
"It1s clear that this act of terrorism was directed at Americans. This bill
is a symbolic homage. The law will be retroactive, that is, citizenship will
be granted with the date September 10, for those who died with the wish to
become American citizens," explained Serrano.
The congressman pointed out that the bill would not grant the benefits of
citizenship to the families of the victims "although that was my wish," he
said.
The new law will be applied to those victims who began the naturalization
process with Immigration and Naturalization Service before the tragedy, if
their families so wish.
(Translated from Spanish by Armando Reyes)
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