20 Tucsonans become citizens in Independence Day ceremony at Saguaro National Park

Santos Martinez had been a permanent resident in the United States for five years, the shortest amount of time possible, before starting the application process to becoming a full naturalized citizen.

Martinez, originally from Mexico, was one of 20 people who took the oath of citizenship on Friday morning, Independence Day, at Saguaro National Park’s welcome center.

“I know the road to getting here hasn’t been easy, but we are all better for it,” said U.S. District Judge Angela Martinez, who presided over the ceremony.

Among those sworn in were people from Brazil, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, South Korea, Syria, Taiwan, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

Data from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services shows that nearly 8 million immigrants have become naturalized citizens within the past decade and last year, more than 13% of those naturalized citizens came from Mexico.

Within 15 minutes of the start of the ceremony, the new citizens had raised their right hands and recited the Oath of Allegiance in front of a standing-room-only crowd of their loved ones.

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”

Those who spoke at the ceremony stressed the importance of exercising their rights as Americans, particularly voting. In each new citizen’s packet, voting forms were included. Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly told them during the ceremony that she’d be available afterwards to take those forms and answer any questions they might have.

“We are great as a country because we’re able to express our opinions and share our values with each other. And we do that by voting,” she said.

Keynote speaker Rúben Reyes, the district director of Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, recounted his own path to citizenship. He came to the U.S. with his family at three years old and didn’t become a naturalized citizen until college, where he met the late U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, whose office he worked for for more than two decades.

Though becoming an American was a special occasion, he said, he reminded the new citizens to remember their countries of origin and take pride in them.

“America will test you. It is hard,” he said, “Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that immigrants come to take something from America. Immigrants come here to give something to America. Be proud of where you came from. Be proud of your heritage and your family.”

When each inductee was given the change to speak, Santos Martinez was the only one who took it.

“I have dreamed about this day,” he said.

After the ceremony, he compared his new citizenship to earning a medal at the end of a marathon. He said he first came to the United States with his wife, and grew their family here. They now have three children.

“I was always trying to be a part of this country by working hard and taking care of my family,” he said. He added that he felt fortunate. The application process took him about four months, which was much shorter than some other immigrants experienced.

Nadine Donkeng, from Cameroon, was surrounded by family after the ceremony. She credited their support, as well as the support of everyone from USCIS she met through the application process, with her success.

“I was a little stressed before the test, but the officer was so good. She told me everything was going to be okay,” she said. “After that, I was just waiting to sow my oats.”

Chiui Lin, who had been a permanent resident for 20 years, said she first came to the U.S. when she met the man who would become her husband. She said voting was her biggest priority, now that she could do it.

“You have to pay the same taxes and you have to obey the laws all the same,” she said. “Before, I had all the responsibilities of being here, but now I have the full rights.”