More than 800 will take U.S. citizenship oath tomorrow

More than 800 Columbus-area residents from 88 countries will take the Oath of Allegiance and become United States citizens as Ohio State hosts a special ceremony at 11 a.m. tomorrow (4/29), at the Schottenstein Center. It is the largest citizenship ceremony ever held by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in Ohio.

Officials expect the group of new citizens to include several Ohio State students, faculty and staff.

The ceremony will last approximately one hour. Media seating, including an audio mult box, is located on the floor below section 128.

Ohio Secretary of State, J. Kenneth Blackwell will address the new citizens. Other speakers will include Barbara Snyder, Ohio State executive vice president and provost, and Mark Hansen, USCIS Cleveland District Director.

The ceremony is a milestone in USCIS’s effort to reduce the wait for immigration benefits. In the Columbus area, USCIS has cut the wait for citizenship by more that two-thirds in the last year. Nationwide, USCIS will help over 450,000 men, women, and children fulfill their dreams to become U.S. citizens this year.

WHAT:Ohio State hosts the state’s largest ever United States Citizenship Ceremony

WHEN: 11 a.m. on Friday (4/29)
Applicants for citizenship will begin arriving at 8:30 a.m.
The OSU Spring Pep Band will perform at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center

** Editor’s Note: Contact Shawn Saucier at (802) 660-5029 for advance contact information on applicants for U.S. citizenship.