By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Nearly 400 people from more than 70 different countries became naturalized U.S. citizens Wednesday at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.

The ceremony was the second of its kind at the fairgrounds. Payam Tanaomi, the acting field office director of the St. Louis Field Office for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the candidates achieved what’s needed for citizenship.

“It is my privilege to present to the court 392 candidates for United States citizenship from 75 countries,” he 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 becoming new citizens, the candidates took an oath to the U.S., renounced all allegiance and fidelity to an foreign power and to take up arms to defend the U.S. if required to do so by law. They also took an oath to defend the U.S. if needed.

Oluseyi Elliott is from Nigeria. He now lives in Sherman, Illinois, and works for the state. He came to the U.S. as a student in 2017. He said he’s blessed to be a new U.S. Citizen.

“It took me about, maybe I can put a year to it, but the process was, I think it was quite easy, if you do your research,” Elliott told The Center Square. “I did a lot of reading, a lot of YouTube videos, just to make sure I fill out the forms correctly.”

Vigo Etshitshi is from the Congo. He also lived in France. The 21 year old followed his parents and is now a U.S. citizen. He said it took him about seven months to go through the process. He also has a recommendation.

“Honestly, I feel like if they were more straight up with how long the process was going to take, I feel like that would help people know exactly, gauge, like, you know how to plan,” Etshitshi told The Center Square. “Because … I was kind of left in the dark. I never knew when the time was of the process or anything, I just got emails after a while. So, that’s the only thing I’d recommend to change.”

Judge Colleen Lawless and Jonathan Hawley, District Judges of the United States District Court, Central District of Illinois, presided over the ceremony in the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds.