Morgan Hill’s Frank Bath, a 67-year-old regional sales manager from the United Kingdom, and Gilroy’s Alonzo Bedolla, a 45-year-old concrete contractor from Michoacan, Mexico, were born worlds apart.
But Tuesday in the aesthetic outdoor Events Plaza venue at Gilroy Gardens, the two immigrants sat among 289 others representing a total of 46 countries. All shared one common variable as they anxiously awaited a Certificate of Citizenship from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
“I just wanted to participate (in the elections) and to vote to feel more a part of the country, and I feel like I owe the country a lot after 35 years,” said Bath, a Welshman who emigrated from Wales to the U.S. more than three decades ago, eventually settling in Morgan Hill in 1989. “(The ceremony) was very moving, other than the fact that it was very hot.”
Gilroy’s naturalization participants – who also listened to a pre-recorded audio speech from President Barack Obama – were among more than 7,800 immigrants who became citizens at more than 100 special ceremonies held across the country and around the world July 1-5.
The emotional ceremony, marked by hundreds of immigrants waving small American flags as they sat or stood underneath a large white canopy surrounded by trees and flower bouquets, opened with the Presentation of Colors by four members of the Gilroy Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6309.
Temperatures that climbed into the high 80s by late Tuesday morning couldn’t melt away the smile on Bedolla’s face as the newly naturalized U.S. citizen basked in the moment with his wife and four children.
“It’s very special, especially having my family here,” said Bedolla, holding his 19-month old daughter Stephanie in his arms with his two teenage sons standing by his side. “There were more opportunities for me in this country, but I never planned to become a citizen.”
In fact, Bedolla returned to his small village in Mexico, as he had planned, just six months after moving to the U.S. He soon realized that better opportunities beckoned across the border, so he returned to the states that same year.
With no formal schools where he grew up in Mexico and work options limited to farming the surrounding land, Bedolla entered the Land of the Free with his eyes wide open in search of a better life and career opportunity.
“I found that all the opportunities are there for everybody,” Bedolla said. “The only thing I couldn’t do was vote and every time it’s time to vote I’d have this regret.”
When it came time to renew his immigration residency, which is required every 20 years, Bedolla decided to put in the legwork required to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. An immigrant must first legally reside in the country for five years – reduced to three years for a spouse – to apply for citizenship to the USCIS, which has a field office in San Jose. It generally takes three to five months before the applicant is called in for an interview, where he or she must orally answer questions to demonstrate an understanding of U.S. history and also having learned the English language.
Once an applicant has passed the interview and paid the $680 in fees, he or she is invited to attend a naturalization ceremony. The USCIS holds three ceremonies on the same day each month at its office in San Jose or at the Heritage Theater in Campbell.
This year, however, “we just thought it would be nice to do something special with the ceremony so close to the Fourth of July,” said USCIS organizer Sharon Rummery. “Now, every Fourth of July, their hearts will be warmed with memories of being sworn in at this beautiful location.”
The brand new citizens and their families were also given a free pass to spend the rest of their special day inside the city-owned, family-fun horticulture theme park.
“It’s an honor to have the ceremony here. We have a lot of immigrants in our community since we are a farming community,” said Gilroy Mayor Don Gage, who shared with the audience that his parents immigrated to the U.S. from Italy in 1921.
“I’m very proud of them because it takes a lot of effort to get here,” added Gage. “I couldn’t be happier for them and to have it here at Gilroy Gardens.”
Gage was one of many community leaders to address the crowd, which included immigrants from far away places such as Algeria, Bangladesh, China, India, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea and Vietnam. Congressman Sam Farr offered congratulatory remarks, while Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren delivered a keynote speech. Speeches were also given by Shannon Buschey with the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters and Michael Silva with the San Francisco Passport Agency.
“We want to give them the opportunity to immediately register to vote and be a part of the democratic process right away,” said Buschey, whose staff set up a booth for the naturalized citizens to take advantage of, along with complimentary patriotic souvenirs.
Bath said one of the first things he’s going to do is “get my passport and register to vote. I’m going to vote in the next election.”
Silva noted that this year is the 237th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
“I’ve always felt like a citizen, that this is my only country,” said Bedolla, who has considered himself a Gilroyan since 1986, as he has only visited Mexico once in his 20 years since coming to the U.S. “This is where I pay my taxes, where I live, where my kids were born and where they are growing up.”
Bath added that being a naturalized U.S. citizen will make this year’s Fourth of July festivities in Morgan Hill that much more meaningful to him, as well as his wife and three children.
“It will be more special,” Bath said. “There’s a parade in Morgan Hill, which will be more special, and the events in Morgan Hill around the Fourth will be more special.”
