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Victor earns his American flag
Published Saturday, July 18, 2009
Nobody deserves an American flag more than Victor Nagpal.
And, there’s probably no one who appreciates the nation’s flag more.
For those reasons, two Troy University students presented an American flag to Victor Nagpal on Thursday in honor of his being a naturalized citizen of the United States of America.
At 2:30 p.m. on June 24, 2009, Victor Nagpal stood straight and tall in the Atlanta Field Office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and took the oath of U.S. Citizenship.
No cameras flashed to preserve that special moment in time but that moment will be held closely in Victor’s heart “for the rest of my life.”
“I didn’t expect to become a naturalized citizen of the United States that day,” Victor said. “I went to Atlanta for my verbal interview but I was sure that I would have to come back to be sworn in. But it didn’t happen that way and it didn’t matter that we didn’t have a camera with us. I was so proud to be a citizen of this great country. I had wanted it for so long. And, my wife, Stephanie, was there to witness that great event so it is a special memory for both of us.”
Victor said he was well prepared for the verbal interview that would determine whether he was ready to take the oath of citizenship.
“I had studied and I was ready,” he said. “I had learned all of the questions that had been given to me. When we walked into the building that morning, my wife said, ‘Look. They are having a swearing in today at 2:30. Maybe that can be you.’ But I said, ‘no.’ I would just get approved.”
The examination officer selected questions from the U.S. History and Civic category of the test.
“You have 10 questions asked of you and you must get six right and, if you get the first six right, you don’t have to be questioned more,” Victor said, and added with a smile. “I got asked six questions.”
He will never forget the first question that he was asked, “What does freedom of religion mean?”
“I said that it means that you have the right to worship as you please or not to worship at all,” Victor said.
After he correctly answered six questions, he was asked if he wanted to take the oath of United States Citizenship that day.
“I was so happy, so happy,” Victor said. “I told her, ‘Oh, yes. Yes I do.’ I was so proud and so happy.”
Because his “swearing in” was not even a thought when the Nagpals left home that morning, they didn’t have a camera to capture the moment.
“But I couldn’t be disappointed about that, “ Victor said. “I was about to became a naturalized citizen of the United State. I could not be sad in any way.”
One hundred and twenty-eight immigrants of 50 different nationalities became naturalize citizens of the United States that day. Victor is sure that he was the happiest of them all.
When they left the immigration building, Victor’s wife reminded him that he had left his Green Card.
“I said that I don’t need that anymore,” Victor said. “I am now a citizen of the United States and I have this paper to show that I am.”
The very next day, Victor went to the Pike County Courthouse and registered to vote.
“I didn’t waste any time. Now I can have a vote and a voice,” he said. “I want to do good things for my community and my country.”
The next day he applied for a United States passport.
“I had to lose my Indian citizenship but I can apply to be an Overseas Citizen of India so that I can go to visit anytime that I want to without having to get permission,” Victor said. “I want dual citizenship because my parents and all of my family are in India.”
Victor said his parents are happy for him that he is now a citizen of the United States.
“They want me to be happy and they know how much I have wanted this and how happy it makes me,” he said. “They gave me their blessings.”
Victor came to the United States in 1992. He first found work in a retail store in Florida and then a friend told him about Troy, Alabama.
“They were looking for waiters at Mr. Ho’s and I love to wait tables,” Victor said. “That was 1997 and I wanted that job very much. I love people and God has given me the gift to be able to remember people and their names and, as long as I have this gift I will use it.”
Victor quickly became the most popular waiter in Troy and he secretly hoped and dreamed of one day owning a restaurant of his own. The dream came true a couple of years ago when he was able to purchase Mr. Ho’s.
“The dream for me was to own a business and to become a citizen of the United States of America,” he said.
“I am blessed. It’s so good to say, ‘I am Victor Negpal, a citizen of the United States of America.’”
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Comments
Posted by ngateacher (anonymous) on July 20, 2009 at 7:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Applauding someone who was in this country illegally and worked for enough years to have to pay $14,000 in back taxes, taking advantage of the economic programs that were put in place for AMERICAN citizens does not speak well of your publication. In a time when bona fide, born in the USA, citizens are out of work, suffering from a lack of health care, losing their homes, and everything else they worked all their lives for and you are lauding someone who came here illegally is just plain wrong. I realize there are good people all over the world who want what we take for granted in this country and many do not appreciate, but there is a legal way to do this, that is the way it should be done. Then maybe he would deserve the praise you heaped upon him in this article.
Posted by ashmakkar (anonymous) on July 21, 2009 at 4:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr Nagpal I appriciate, pls join my campaign for NRI rights.
http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=s...
Posted by southalabama (anonymous) on July 21, 2009 at 6:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations to Victor! I am so proud of him. You worked hard and long to accomplish your "American dream." You are an example for us all.
I hope you will ignore the comments of "ngateacher." They are totally irrelevant as far as I am concerned.
Welcome, my friend! You have done well and it is an honor to have you in Troy, AL
Posted by mustang89 (anonymous) on July 21, 2009 at 8:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CONGRATULATIONS VICTOR. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE WORKED HARD FOR A LONG TIME TO BECOME A CITIZEN. ALSO TO ngateacher IF YOU READ THE STORY, HE WAS HERE WITH PERMISSION HE HAD A GREEN CARD. EVERYONE WHO KNOWS HIM KNOWS THAT HIS CITIZENSHIP HAS BEEN A LONG ONGOING BATTLE. HE DID EVERYTHING HE WAS SUPPOSED TO AND I AM GLAD THAT HIS BATTLE HAS COME TO AN END. GOOD-LUCK VICTOR AND STEPHANIE.
Posted by 1year2late (anonymous) on July 21, 2009 at 9:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Way to go Victor!! Ignore the negative comments ... you have worked very hard and deserve the chance to enjoy this important time in your life ... I am very proud of you!!!
Posted by Whynotnow (anonymous) on July 21, 2009 at 9:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ngateacher,
Your family too were once immigrants. I HOPE you do not teach students the biases you have expressed here. Or maybe the screen name means something else......sure hope so.
To Victor,
WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!! We are happy to have you join the rest of us "immigrants" as a citizen of the United States.
Posted by YEM (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 1:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congrats Victor!!! I wish you the best.
As for ngateacher: He was not EVER here illegally. He was here on a temporary visa. So, take your negativity and shove it. Way to show your ignorance, trash.
Posted by regis (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 7:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
IS: "Mr. Nagpal, your final question is not actually question but a task. Name every customer who has ever come into Mr. Ho's."
Victor: "This is not a problem."
IS: "Oh snap! He actually did it!"
Posted by TroyAlumna (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congrats Victor!!!! :)
Posted by ballbuster (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 8:56 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by YEM (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That is pretty funny, regis. hahaha.
ngateacher is a piece of racist trash. way to be a complete moron on the internet.
Posted by chookman (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CONGRATS VJ!!
Like others have said, ignore that negative jerk ngateacher....this town loves you and Mr Ho's. Keep up the good work and welcome to the United States
Posted by buddy1 (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 3:10 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by auburnfan (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ngateacher: It is quite obvious you know nothing about Victor or you would know he has always been in this country legally and unlike all these so called bona fide Americans you are bragging about, he WORKED to get where he is. He, unlike you has a loving heart and is always nice to everyone. You seem bitter, did you get turned down for the government programs? As for Americans being out of work, back when jobs were plentiful alot of people were to sorry to work and people are losing there homes because alot (not all please don't get me wrong) people where trying to live like the Jones', way above there means. So don't you dare slam this hardworking man who has worked hard LEGALLY to become an American. Maybe if we all had to take a class and learn about America, us who were born here would appreciate it more.
;
Posted by shiftingshadows (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 9:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
love vic hes awesome and he deserves everything good that hes got!! plus mr. hos rocks dude so nga teacher can shut it..
Posted by YEM (anonymous) on July 23, 2009 at 8:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I love the togetherness in here!
Racism sucks and happens too much in this forum. Makes me sick that people in this day and age still think like that. And have the cojones to type it out and post it. Racism is for losers and trash.
Posted by KBJ4Troy (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 12:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Victor! Please excuse the rather uninformed remarks from ngateacher. Fortunately, the right to the freedom of expression is given to all American citizens. Even those who are so ignorant. (unfortunately)
Anyone who knows Victor knows that he would NEVER accept handouts from the government when he can work. He is a work-a-holic and is a very fine example of what every American citizen should strive to be.
We love Mr. Ho's and this community loves Victor and Stephanie!
May God continue to bless you and your family.
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