In an interview with NBC Sports Chicago, former baseball player Ozzie Guillén broke down in tears Sunday while reflecting on the day he became a U.S. citizen.
Interviewer Chuck Garfien asked Guillén what that day meant to him. “It’s special. People don’t know how hard that is. How many people die … How many people want to be American. This is an honor for me,” Guillén responded. (RELATED: Highly Skilled Workers Migrating From Venezuela Increasingly Turn Up At US Border)
An emotional Ozzie Guillén reflects on the day he became an American citizen in 2006.
“It’s special. People don’t know how hard that is. How many people die … How many people want to be American. This is an honor for me.” @OzzieGuillen ???????? pic.twitter.com/ify8wan8zb
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) July 4, 2021
Guillén was born in Venezuela and became an American citizen in January 2006. He started to cry as he spoke about his appreciation for America while watching a video of him gaining his citizenship.
“Opportunities, man … opportunities opened the door for me. I’ve been living in this country for a long time,” Guillén said when asked why he got emotional. He concluded by saying the U.S. “opened the door” for him and his family “to be who they are.”
Guillén played primarily for the Chicago White Sox from 1985 to 2000. After his career as a shortstop ended, he worked as a coach and manager for the White Sox, leading them to the World Series Championship in 2005, according to Britannica.
Venezuela is experiencing severe crime and high inflation. There is a lack of food and water, and most of the water is not clean enough for drinking. As a result, migrants from Venezuela are flooding towards the U.S. border.