PHOTOS: 80 immigrants become U.S. citizens after citizenship ceremony in West Jordan
Sep 9, 2023, 10:00 AM | Updated: 10:31 am
Candidates for U.S. citizenship raise their right hands and take an oath of allegiance during their naturalization ceremony at Viridian Event Center in West Jordan on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Eighty candidates from 37 countries were sworn in as U.S. citizens at the ceremony. (Megan Nielsen, Deseret News)
(Megan Nielsen, Deseret News)
WEST JORDAN, Utah — There are 80 new U.S. citizens from 37 different countries after a citizenship ceremony was held in West Jordan Friday.
Catholic Community Services helps hundreds of refugees every year get their citizenship.
The 80 people standing up front of the auditorium woke up as citizens of foreign nations across the globe. But by lunchtime, they were as American as Sunday football.
Tears and cheers filled the room as people embraced one another.
“To start a new life, essentially,” George said. “An American Life.”
During the ceremony Director of Catholic Community Services, Aden Batar, told KSL NewsRadio in a text message “This is what makes our day.”
Devin Oldroyd contributed to this story.
