OAKLAND -- Omar Maher couldn't have been prouder Wednesday to become "a citizen of the No. 1 nation in the world," even though one recent poll showed that half of his new countrymen support Donald Trump's call to ban Muslims from entering the U.S.

"I am very bothered, but you can't control the minds of everybody," said the Egyptian-born Muslim engineer from Dublin. And besides, his 18-year-old daughter, Salma Maher, chimed in: "Trump doesn't represent Americans, just like we don't represent terrorists."

Some political analysts say that Omar Maher and the 1,101 other people who swore allegiance to the United States on Wednesday at Oakland's Paramount Theatre might represent a big threat to the Republican Party.

New U.S. citizens take the Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. Eleven hundred and two people from 98 countries became citizens during the program. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) ( JANE TYSKA )

That much became apparent shortly after the immigrants pledged to defend the nation's laws "against all enemies, foreign and domestic." Many of the newly minted Americans left the theater to find tables staffed by Democratic volunteers handing out voter-registration forms. And many of those interviewed made it clear that they consider their No. 1 domestic enemy to be the GOP presidential front-runner.

"I think he's muy mal," said Patricia Rocha, of San Mateo, who applied for citizenship more than 20 years after arriving from Mexico so she could vote and "defend the immigrants."

Trump has made immigration an even more divisive issue this year by saying that some Mexican immigrants were drug dealers and rapists, calling for the Muslim travel ban and demanding that Mexico pay to build a wall along the southern border.


Harmeet Dhillon, of San Francisco, vice chairwoman of the state Republican Party, said the GOP often has a presence at immigration events, too. But she acknowledged that signing up voters at the events is difficult.

Still, Dhillon said she has found some kindred spirits when it comes to opposing citizenship for illegal immigrants.

"It cuts both ways," she said. "There are many immigrants who are going to walk out of that ceremony and say: 'I followed the rules, and I don't' think it's fair that people jump the line.' "

Groups that advocate for immigrants say they have seen a recent surge in citizenship applications, as is often the case in presidential election years. But even though the immigration issue may have been politicized this election year by Trump and some of his fellow Republicans, that doesn't mean most new immigrants are political people.

As happy as they would be to vote against Trump, many of them said they chose to become citizens to help bring over other family members, travel more freely or have better job opportunities.

"It's more about traveling the world," said Indian immigrant Maninder Singh, a 26-year-old Fremont resident and Bernie Sanders supporter. "I won't have to wait in the immigration line anymore."

Whether the Republicans' anti-immigrant rhetoric spurs new citizens to make their voices heard in this year's elections remains to be seen.

A poll released this week by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that while the foreign born account for 1 in every 3 adults in the state, they constitute only 1-in-6 likely voters.

Their lack of participation can have major policy implications since foreign-born residents are more likely to support government spending on social programs.

"They will certainly be a group that is closely watched in this election cycle with so much attention being paid to immigration policy," said PPIC's president and CEO, Mark Baldassare. "Does it motivate people to become citizens? And does it motivate people to become engaged in the electorate?"

Immigrant advocates say signs point to a tidal wave of citizenship applications this year. "We've seen an unprecedented turnout rate at naturalization events," said Tara Raghuveer, deputy director of the Chicago-based nonprofit National Project for New Americans.

A March event held by Oakland-based Centro Legal de La Raza drew about 80 walk-in participants -- triple the normal number, said Laura Polstein, an immigration attorney at the nonprofit.

"I think there is a ton of fear," she said. "The rhetoric we've heard only makes things worse."

But the nation still has 8.8 million legal residents who are choosing not to become citizens. Last year, 734,697 took the citizenship oath.

To apply, immigrants need to have had green cards for five years, pass English and civics exams, and not have recent criminal histories.

Raghuveer said the biggest impediment is the nonrefundable $680 fee. Many poorer immigrants, she said, prefer to pay the $450 fee to renew their green cards for 10 years.

"A huge number of the folks who are eligible to become citizens are working poor," she said. "For them the $680 is a huge sum of money that requires savings over months or years."

But for Robert Adenavel, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, and his American-born wife, Tess Adenavel, the fee was worth the peace of mind that came with citizenship.

"Especially with what Trump is saying, I was concerned," said Tess Adenavel, of Pleasanton.

Her husband, though, isn't worried. "I don't like Donald Trump at all, but it doesn't change what I feel for America," he said. "I'm still proud to be American."

The same was true for Omar Maher, whose wife and daughter are now applying to become citizens.

"We've been very well-respected," he said. "We love this country more and more as we learn about it."

Contact Matthew Artz at 510-208-6435. Follow him at Twitter.com/Matthew_Artz.