Elgin’s New Citizen Recognition Ceremony marks 26 years of welcoming immigrants

An event that was started when Elgin parents were celebrating their adopted children from Russia and others from Elgin becoming citizens is now in its 26th year.

Elgin’s New Citizen Recognition Ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, in the Heritage Ballroom at The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way in Elgin.

New citizens from many countries will be celebrating their accomplishments with the community at this event. Mayor David Kaptain, city council members, and state elected officials will be congratulating them in person, while the area’s congressional elected officials and Senator Dick Durbin will be offering their congratulations via prerecorded videos.

Judge Julio Cesar Valdez will be emceeing the event, and Elgin Police Lt. Hector Gutierrez, an immigrant from Guanajuato, Mexico and a naturalized citizen -- and the officer who went viral in 2020 for busting a move at a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in Elgin -- will be the featured speaker.

The public is invited. Refreshments will be served thanks to the generosity of state-elected officials and local organizations that are personally contributing to making that element of the celebration possible.

The Elgin Master Chorale will be performing patriotic selections. Also, the League of Women Voters will have voter registration, while the Kane County Clerk office will train those interested on how to use the county’s voting machines.

Coordinating organizations for the event are Centro de Información, City of Elgin, Chinese Mutual Aid Association, Elgin Community College, Elgin Area Historical Society, Gail Borden Public Library, The Literacy Connection, and YWCA of Elgin.

More information on the new citizens can be obtained by contacting Halina Kopec at (847) 214-6975.