FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — Amid the noise of food vendors and the smell of fried dough, a different kind of moment unfolded at the Minnesota State Fair this week: 30 people from around the world raised their right hands and became U.S. citizens. For many, it was the end of a journey decades in the making, and the start of something entirely new.

An accordion carried the notes of the national anthem across the crowd, where new citizens sat shoulder to shoulder — nervous, smiling and waving small American flags.

At the podium, U.S. District Court Judge Kate Menendez called on the group to rise — the signal that the final step toward citizenship was about to begin.

“We are going to be a little bit better as a country, a little bit stronger, a little bit more resilient and a little bit more di

See Full Page