by SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Nearly 400 individuals from over 70 countries officially became U.S. citizens Wednesday during a naturalization ceremony at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.
The event marked the second such ceremony held at the fairgrounds. Payam Tanaomi, acting field office director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in St. Louis, presented the candidates to the court.
“It is my privilege to present to the court 392 candidates for United States citizenship from 75 countries,” Tanaomi said. “Each has been determined to be a person of good moral character, supportive of our constitution and form of government, as well disposed toward the good order and happiness of the United States.”
Before receiving their citizenship certificates, participants took the Oath of Allegiance, pledging loyalty to the United States, renouncing prior allegiances, and agreeing to defend the country if required by law.
Oluseyi Elliott, originally from Nigeria and now a resident of Sherman, Illinois, came to the U.S. in 2017 as a student and now works for the state. He said preparation was key to navigating the process smoothly.
“I did a lot of reading, a lot of YouTube videos, just to make sure I fill out the forms correctly,” Elliott said.
Another new citizen, 21-year-old Vigo Etshitshi from the Congo, said the process took him about seven months but suggested more transparency on processing timelines.
“I never knew when the time was of the process or anything, I just got emails after a while,” Etshitshi said. “That’s the only thing I’d recommend to change.”
The ceremony was presided over by U.S. District Judges Colleen Lawless and Jonathan Hawley in the Orr Building at the fairgrounds.
