The City of Chicago on Tuesday hosted a Citizenship swearing-in ceremony where 50 Chicago residents representing 26 countries became U.S. Citizens in City Hall’s Council Chambers. The ceremony was the second ever in City Hall’s Council Chambers.

“Today a group of people have the chance to raise their right hand and recite a solemn pledge to be new, fully-fledged members of our society and participants in our democracy,” said Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (IL-04). “It comes at a moment when we are poised to reform our immigration system so that more of the people who live, work, and raise families in our country also have the opportunity to fully participate in our nation’s affairs.”

The first naturalizations ceremony took place at Council Chambers in City Hall in June of this year during the launch of the Chicago New Americans Initiative. The Chicago New Americans Initiative is a comprehensive municipal efforts to assist eligible immigrants become U.S. Citizens. This coordinated campaign is the first of its kind and being led by the City of Chicago Mayor’s Office of New Americans (ONA), in collaboration with the State of Illinois Governor’s Office of New Americans (GONA) and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Uniting America Campaign.