Eighty-eight Central Illinoisans took the Oath of Allegiance and became U.S. citizens today.
The naturalization ceremony was held Friday at the Peoria Public Library's main branch downtown. It honored people from 32 different home countries.
Among them was Mauricio Sadicoff, a Bloomington resident originally from Brazil. He's been living in the U.S. for 22 years.
"From a personal level, I've received nothing but positive support, in every way. But it is really weird to have a president that essentially tries to make me less of an American, now that I'm going to get naturalized, than somebody that just so happened to be born here," Sadicoff said.
He said he's most excited to now have the opportunity to vote and have a political say.
Arti Subramanian came to the U.S. from India. She's been waiting 17 years to get naturalized.
"It's getting harder day-by-day. People who are waiting behind us for the filing, they are hearing more horror stories than us," she said.
U.S. District Judge James Shadid officiated the ceremony, giving the new citizens the same oath and same certificate of citizenship his grandfather received in 1930 after coming to the U.S. from Lebanon.
After the ceremony, the League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria registered 50 new citizens to cast their ballots.
Copyright 2021 WCBU. To see more, visit WCBU. 9(MDIwMjIxMDA0MDE0Mzk4NDIzNjA0OGQ5Yg001))
