SALT LAKE CITY – There was a different kind of naturalization ceremony today. This one was for some of Utah’s youngest new citizens. It brought out dignitaries like Representative Mia Love.
Kids under the age of 14 are not required to take the oath of citizenship, but, a lot of them wanted to. So, officials with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services Office held a ceremony for them. Kids from countries like Ethiopia, Thailand and Vietnam got their Certificates of Citizenship
Included among these kids was Marina Pacheco of Mexico, who is excited to call the U.S her home. She says, “I’m a citizen now, in the USA.” Also being recognized is Jaryd Cueto from Peru, who says, “It was a big, big thing for me when they said my name.”
Representative Mia Love took part in the ceremony, giving hugs to all children getting their certificates. She says working on new immigration laws will be a high priority in 2018, and she supports the RAC (Recognize America’s Children) Act as a fix for the Dream Act. Love says, “Getting back and revoking DACA, so that we can have a fix in the House, is incredibly important because then we give people something that a president can’t take away.”
Love was asked if she supports measures that reduces the number of refugees that can legally enter the country. She says the specific number is not something she’s focusing on. “To me, it’s more about a process and making sure we have a good process in place.”
