Young people are sworn in as U.S. citizens in Utah, August 6, 2018.
WEST JORDAN – They have waited almost all of their lives, and now, 24 Utahns, all under age 18, are now U.S. citizens after a naturalization ceremony.
They took the oath of allegiance at the Veridian Event Center in West Jordan.
“America is a great country, and so, I’ve always wanted to be an American,” said Tania Ko, 16, of American Fork. She emigrated from Hong Kong at age 9.
Andrew Charles, 17, of Taylorsville, came from Uganda.
“I was still little, so I don’t remember much from there,” he said. “I came when I was two years old.
They became citizens of the only land they really know.
Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams called them his “fellow Americans” for the first time in his address to them.
“It’s important to take a moment to recognize and remember the hope and the good things that have come to our country because we are a nation of immigrants,” he said.
Andrew wants to pursue medical studies. Tania is set on the arts and photography.