They applied to emigrate to the United States. They had to have a job waiting for them and a sponsor so they would have a place to live.
Though already in their sixties, they both learned to speak English, passed their citizenship tests and adopted this as their country, customs and all.

Even at his age, my Dad held a job, never collected unemployment, didn't get welfare, didn't get a single brick of government cheese and paid his taxes.

Something must have been wrong with him