GLENCOE, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — More than 100 people took the oath Monday to become naturalized U.S. citizens at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
The Honorable Mathew F. Kennelly, U.S. district court judge, approved a motion by acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Morris Pasqual, on behalf of the United States, to admit to citizenship 124 petitioners in attendance from 44 different countries.
Prior to administering the oath of allegiance, Kennelly summarized its true context.
“Basically, what your doing in this oath is you’re saying that you’re giving up your loyalty to the leader of the country you came from; you’re agreeing to support and defend our Constitution; and you’re agreeing to certain other things that, if people were called upon to perform national service, that you’re just as eligible for that as if you’d been born here,” he said.
Among those who became U.S. citizens was a woman named Kahloot, originally from Lebanon.
“It’s been a long journey, but I’m so happy now,” she said.
Kahloot told WBBM that she has been in the U.S. for 5 years leading up to Monday — a period of time that has had its ups and downs. Kahloot said there were times, especially as her process took longer than expected, where she felt discouraged. Another new citizen struck a similar tone.
“My parents discouraged me a little bit,” said one man. “They were worried about me because I [was] going to another country … so far away, but I convinced them that it’s a good choice, that I’m going to have a better life here, a better future.”
He added that Monday felt like the start of “a new chapter.”
Kennelly ended the day at this official court proceeding by saying that immigrants many times become the best of U.S. citizens.
“I was born in the United States, so I became a citizen automatically,” he said. “That wasn’t true for any of you. You had to make a choice, and then you had to earn your citizenship. Usually, when people have to earn something — it’s not just handed to them — they tend not to take it for granted, and they tend to understand it a little bit better. I think you understand, in a way that a lot of people don’t, some of the important principles that our country stands for.”
Each new citizen offered voter registration after the ceremony, a very special day for these new Americans. Kahloot shared encouraging words for others.
“It’s the country that everyone [is] looking forward to [living] in, so just stay focused and don’t lose hope,” she said.
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram