Arizona welcomes 150 new US citizens: Ceremony on Fourth is 'foundation of America'

About 150 people from 45 countries became United States citizens during a naturalization ceremony held in Phoenix on Independence Day.

The ceremony, held at South Mountain Community College on Thursday morning, was presided over by U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver, who administered the Oath of Allegiance and welcomed new citizens with a warming speech commending recipients for their new status.

"(I do it) every year that I have the opportunity," Silver told The Arizona Republic. "It's inspirational to me, out in the audience, to see the faces from all over the world, like no one else can see. And I get choked up because, I realize, this is the foundation of America."

Hundreds of new citizens stood across the community college's athletic center holding United States hand flags, wearing patriotic clothing, hugging family members and loved ones, and taking photos with Judge Silver while proudly holding their citizenship certificates.

For Gloria Xotchitl Medevielle, the ceremony was one of those moments in which she felt everything came to a "full circle."

Medevielle moved to the United States from Chihuahua, Mexico, at the age of 14 in the 1980s. For over 30 of those years, Medievelle has been an Arizona resident. She got her education at the community college that hosted the event, got married three years ago, and now lives in Goodyear with her husband, who like Medievelle, is also a nurse.

"It has been a long-awaited event for me," Medevielle said. "I attended South Mountain Community College .... that makes it a little bit more special, and also for today to be the Fourth (of July)."

As though it could not become any more special, Medevielle and her husband celebrated their three-year wedding anniversary on Monday.

"It has been a long week and a great time," she said.

Medevielle said what she looks forward to the most after becoming a citizen is being able to travel for work and having the opportunity to vote in the November elections.

Medevielle was one of the more than 110 new citizens who registered to vote during Thursday's naturalization ceremony, according to Melissa Armas, a volunteer with the Maricopa County Recorder's Office.

Medevielle registered as a Democrat to vote in the November election and said she was looking forward to learning more about the candidates for both the presidential and U.S. Senate elections and understanding more about the process.

"All this whole time, I've kind of just been like, 'I can't vote,' so I'm not really into what's going on, but I want to get more familiar with (it), so my vote can be educated," she said.

Donicio Jensen Bobadilla, events and fleet services coordinator at South Mountain Community College, said holding the ceremony on Independence Day and partnering with agencies to offer new citizens services to obtain documentation and register to vote on the same day are details that make the celebration more significant.

"It's just an exciting thing to do, to have it on the Fourth of all days, to see all of the bright faces become new citizens," he said. "I love the partnerships that we have with these agencies, especially because it's a one-stop shop for our new citizens."

Yet, Bobadilla said this year's event may have been an even more special one, as the community college had not held a naturalization ceremony during an election year since 2016.

"Seeing the swarm of everyone that got their citizenship, of all the tables that they went to, I notice that they all swarmed immediately to the voter registration," Bobadilla said. "Now having that opportunity (to vote), and with this being an election year, I think is going to be key."

Sandra Smith, a Bahamas native who also obtained her citizenship on Thursday, also said being able to vote in the upcoming elections made the ceremony more significant for her.

As Smith lined up to receive her passport, having already registered to vote and obtained her Social Security card, she couldn't help but tear up and let her voice break when asked about what becoming a citizen means to her.

"It's been since 2001, so it's been a long journey, but I'm grateful that it's finally happened," she said. "It's very, very overwhelming."

Smith said for her, becoming a citizen does not only mean having more opportunities and rights but also understanding new responsibilities. For her, that includes becoming an educated voter.

"I have a lot of homework to do as far as studying up on all the candidates, even from the local level, I think is very important," she said. "I think every voice counts. Every voice matters ... Now that I have the opportunity, each side has valid things that they fight for. And so whichever one aligns with my core beliefs and that sort of thing, then that's the way I will go."

Smith also said she was "shocked" when she was told her naturalization would take place on July Fourth. "You can't get more special than that," she added. "To actually have it on the Fourth of July, it's just the whole symbolism of freedom and new beginnings."

Fireworks near you: Biggest and best Fourth of July celebrations in metro Phoenix

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona welcomes 150 new US citizens: Ceremony on Fourth is 'foundation of America'