The immigrant who nearly deported back to China until he was pardoned by Governor Paterson earlier this year is now an official U.S. citizen. Qing Hong Wu was naturalized yesterday and he showed off his citizenship papers to NY1, "This is the most important document for me. I feel complete happiness now that I have this.... It's traveling to hell and back, almost -- complete change, complete sadness, complete shock to complete happiness."
At age 15, Wu, whose family legally immigrated from Hong Kong when he was five, was convicted of muggings but at his sentencing, then-Judge Michael Correiro told him to use his time in a reformatory wisely, "If you do that, I am here to stand behind you." Wu did that, earning his GED in custody and later getting his Associate's Degree, becoming the vice president of an Internet company. But an application for citizenship and his honest disclosure about his youthful offenses prompted immigration officials to jail him, especially since a 1996 law prohibits judges from taking into account rehabilitation.
Wu's plight gained notoriety, with Correiro and Manhattan DA Cy Vance championing for his pardoning. Paterson created a panel to review cases of legals immigrants facing deportation. Yesterday, Wu told the reporters, "I can now officially say I’m an American. I can finally have peace that I am safe and won’t be forced to leave my home and my family." He also promised to keep giving back to his community.
And Judge Correiro, who attended Wu's ceremony, said, "It’s truly a magnificent affirmation of American values and justice. It’s taken a little while for us to get here. But today demonstrates what can be done when so many people see the way to justice, in a situation that was crying out for it."
