FENWAY HOSTS FIRST CITIZENSHIP DAY

By Jenny Speer

FENWAY – On June 11, David Ortiz became a US citizen when he took the Oath of Citizenship at Dorchester’s John F. Kennedy Library. On Sept. 17, 3,081 immigrants from 138 countries came to his office to do the same thing.

“America’s Most Beloved Ballpark” opened its gates on Citizenship Day to naturalize thousands of applicants for citizenship. Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Judge Patti B. Saris of the US District Court for the District both spoke, welcoming the applicants as new citizens. The ceremony, a joint effort between the Red Sox and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, was the first to be held at Fenway.

“It was a beautiful day,” said Marcel Carboni, a representative from the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers. “It meant a lot to people. I mean, oh my God, it’s Fenway!”

As the US Citizenship and Immigration services received 1,051,000 applications in the fiscal year 2008 – more than ever before – Fenway was chosen to accommodate the thousands taking the Oath of Allegiance and introduce them to “America’s pastime.”

"Baseball itself is a universal language," said Meg Vallaincourt, senior vice president of corporate relations for the Red Sox. "It involves going far from home, going around and finding home again. We like to think Fenway ties Bostonians together and we're glad to welcome new Americans into that community."

The Fenway name attached to the ceremony caught the attention of many immigrants in the area who wish to become citizens.

“I have only been here one year, so I have to wait awhile,” said Herbert Santamaria, 22, a Colombian immigrant who works as a bus boy at Game On! next to the ballpark. “It would be nice to be able to go back to my country and see my mother.”

Santamaria’s father died earlier this year, but he was unable to return to Colombia for fear he would have trouble getting back into the United States. Immigrants must be permanent residents and of the US and green card holders for five consecutive years before they can become citizens.

“I miss my family, but I don’t want to leave,” said Jose Santamaria, another bus boy at Game On! and Santamaria’s cousin. “I want to learn better English and get a good job. That’s easier if you are a citizen.”

Chris Rhatigan, the deputy press secretary at the Services, attributes the influx of applications for citizenship to many things.

“The election played a big part,” she said. “But it’s more than that. These people will be able to go back and contribute to their communities. Plus, people who read the sports pages will realize that there are new people around.”

Many immigration activists, such as Cabroni, emphasize the importance of community in the naturalization process.

“[Immigrants] want to socialize,” he said. “They need a reason to live a little outside of working. At Fenway, they could, and it wouldn’t have been as special anywhere else.”