‘A win-win’: Utah launching effort to promote US citizenship among eligible immigrants

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah officials are hoping to bolster the number of Americans in the state, tapping the pool of immigrants living here.

As part of an effort dubbed the Utah Citizenship Initiative, the Center for Global Talent and New Americans will encourage the state’s contingent of lawful permanent residents to pursue U.S. citizenship. Some 80,000 immigrants legally reside in Utah, and state officials estimate that 60,000 of them are currently eligible to pursue citizenship.

“Everyone can agree that having people address their status and become naturalized U.S. citizens is a win-win, both for immigrants who are eligible but also for our communities across the state,” said Natalie El-Deiry, director of the center, which is part of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. Research shows that immigrants who take the step to become citizens “are more likely to become homeowners, to start businesses, to advance or upskill in their careers.”