Naturalization Ceremony Held At Speed Museum

One-hundred forty-three foreign-born Kentuckians became naturalized U.S. citizens Friday in Louisville.Immigrants representing 50 countries took the oath of citizenship at the Speed Art Museum. Among them was Hajira Begum, who moved to Louisville from India nearly a decade ago."My husband worked here and I've been here for the last nine years," she says. "I guess I'm ready to call this my home. In another year I'll be graduating and I'll be working as a registered nurse."Unmarried civilians must legally live in the U.S. for five years before they can be naturalized. Ceremonies are held every month in Kentucky. The largest in the state is typically in September at the Louisville Worldfest, when about 300 immigrants become citizens.