By AP/KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Fifty Bosnians and Croatians became U.S. citizens at the federal courthouse in St. Louis during a special ceremony today.
They struggled for years to become U.S. citizens. All are all disabled, and most don't speak English.
Only a court fight let them bypass the normal citizenship tests that are written in English.
The new citizens are part of a community of some 40-thousand Bosnians and Croatians who settled in St. Louis after fleeing the genocide in their home countries that raged during the 1990s. Most arrived in1998.
Today's proceedings were conducted in English, then translated for the refugees, who cheered and applauded at almost every step in the process.