WENATCHEE — Eleven people are now U.S. citizens after NCW Libraries and Hand in Hand Immigration Services partnered with officials from Yakima to bring U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to Wenatchee.

A naturalization ceremony was held for the new U.S. citizens at the Wenatchee Public Library, on June 26, which was a first for NCW Libraries, who were contacted by USCIS earlier this year about hosting their three-day visit to the area.

NCW Libraries Latinx Services Manager Claudia Bovee said the opportunity was “a no-brainer,” as the closest immigration offices to Wenatchee are in Yakima, Spokane or Seattle.

“Sometimes folks think we are only about reading, but truly, we are about connecting people to what they need,” Bovee said in an email. “Bringing immigration services to a central location like Wenatchee aligned with our mission of removing barriers and providing people with life-changing opportunities.”

The three-day event offered free informational sessions with the officials in both English and Spanish, with Hand in Hand present to share about the services they offer to help people obtain citizenship. While in Wenatchee, the Yakima officials also scheduled naturalization interviews for those who had appointments.

Those interviews, Bovee explained, are 100 questions in total and cover questions including past and current government figures and U.S. and Washington state history. The interviewees do not know which questions they will be asked before ahead of their appointment.

Bovee said many of the library’s participants passed their interview only a few hours before the ceremony.

“Their faces upon getting their certificates reflected so many emotions,” Bovee said. “This is a tough, tough process and they deserve to be celebrated.”

Although NCW Libraries does not offer legal advice or help fill out forms, the library helps prepare folks for citizenship in other ways. NCW Libraries has offered civic classics with Hand in Hand and USCIS officials at several branches in the past, including Wenatchee, Peshastin and Moses Lake.

Through the library, study materials like test preparation books and free printing and photocopying for their forms, and Bovee said NCW Libraries is hoping it can expand offerings of civics and ESL classes in the future.

“Our hope is that as we continue to offer more classes, we can see those students back for their very own ceremonies,” Bovee said.