102-Year-Old North Hollywood Man Becomes American Citizen

A 102-year-old North Hollywood man was among the 7,362 immigrants who became naturalized U.S citizens today in mass swearing-in ceremonies at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, Joaquin Arciago Guzman first came to California as a teenager in 1928 and is one of only 27 people older than age 100 have become U.S. citizens in at least the past 50 years.

The immigrants at the ceremony came from more than 120 countries and included members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

French actor Gilles Marini was also sworn in at the ceremony. The 36-year-old Marini, who appeared in "Sex and The City: The Movie" and was a "Dancing with the Stars" contender, took his oath at the morning ceremony, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokeswoman Mariana Gitomer.

"It's hard to explain the feelings," Marini told ABC7. "It's 10 years in the making but, you know, I don't think there's many words to say except the fact I'm very humble and proud and it's a dream come true."

The top eight countries represented at today's ceremonies were Mexico, the Philippines, Vietnam, El Salvador, China, Iran, Korea and Guatemala, Gitomer said.

During fiscal 2011, nearly 77,000 immigrants residing in seven Southern California counties became citizens at monthly ceremonies in Los Angeles.