Fifty local immigrants became U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony at City Hall Friday, the first time such an event has been held in Bellevue.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Seattle field office presented the ceremony in partnership with the City of Bellevue and the nonprofit Bellevue Downtown Association (BDA).

Today, 30 percent of Bellevue's 122,363 residents were born outside of the United States. Deputy Mayor Conrad Lee, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in China, offered congratulatory remarks. BDA Chairman Greg Johnson welcomed participants on behalf of the downtown community.

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