RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The first night of the RNC is in the books. The nation saw appearances from President Donald J. Trump, and heard speeches from former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Donald Trump Jr., and GOP Senator Tim Scott. 

The RNC invited over 300 delegates to Charlotte, North Carolina to renominate President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, and to proxy vote for hundreds of other delegates back home.

One Riverside County delegate, Nam-Yong Horn, has been a strong supporter of the Republican Party for four decades. She’s the former president of the California Federation of Republican Women and the leader in several local activist groups.

Horn, who emigrated to the U.S. in 1977 from South Korea, after living in the U.S. Embassy housing in Japan for four years directly before her move to the States, said she believes President Trump is guiding America in the right direction and commends what she calls the president’s “fulfilled campaign promises.” 

“Now I know, after almost four years, he’s a promise keeper,” Horn said.

This includes cutting taxes, slashing regulations, increasing defense spending, limiting abortion rights, and maximizing the right to bear arms.

The president has also appointed several conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts. 

“What else you need to know? Everything he said, he kept his promise,” Horn said.

The promises, however, have come with controversy.

Regarding immigration, the president restricted migration amid the coronavirus, by banning worker visas and limiting green cards. He also expanded 'expedited removal’ throughout the country (as opposed to just near the border like past administrations), and is actively fighting to dismantle DACA, an Obama-era program which allows children who were brought to the U.S. illegally a chance to go to school and/or work under a renewal process.

The Department of Homeland Security stated legal immigration declined by almost 87,000 people or 7 percent under the Trump administration’s first two years.  

Democrats are calling the president’s actions “inhumane” and unwelcome. 

Horn became a naturalized citizen in 1978, and said if immigrants want to be in America, they need to go through the legal process just as she did. She also said it’s only right to keep immigrants out of America during the global pandemic for safety.

“You have your home. America is our home. So in our home, a stranger knocking on the door, it looks dirty and all that. You don’t know what kind of disease they have. Would you open the door widely? No, you lock your own door right?” Horn said.

The president has called for merit-based immigration, where a point system would give foreign skilled and educated laborers priority over others, who may be applying to be with family.

“Like your own, you want your children to associate with those who will lift them up, right? It’s the same thing. I don’t want somebody from another country, a bunch of losers who want to come here,” Horn said. “We have many Americans who are looking for a job, too."

Horn said no matter the issue or rhetoric, she has never disagreed with the president. Now she said she’s honored to renominate him for the presidency, and wishes she could attend in-person. 

“Of course we would love to be there, the excitement,” Horn said. “I was all ready to endorse President Trump, and I want to be a part of that too, but I respect their decision and President Trump’s decision.”

Horn said, as a grandmother of four, she’s basing her vote in November on what she thinks is best for future generations. 

For Tuesday night, the RNC is featuring Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Trump’s children, and first lady, Melania Trump.

The first night painted the president as a caring leader who also stands up against foreign leader pressures. The RNC said it would set itself apart from the DNC’s “sad and dark” convention. Democrats, however, were quick to point out the president’s use of gloomy rhetoric as he warned voters about possible election fraud. The president also said that if Biden were elected, the country would be overrun by violence.

The first night of RNC had more live presence than the DNC and fewer produced pieces with video and photos which had added emotional appeal to the DNC.

CORRECTION: In a previous version of this story, it was stated that Nam-Yong Horn emigrated to the U.S. from Japan. The story has been updated to reflect that she emigrated to the U.S. from South Korea after living in U.S. Embassy housing in Japan for four years. (August 27, 2020)