Utah's newest Americans — Scores take citizenship oath at Capitol

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Beatriz Cooper of Mexico embraces her daughter Ivy, 5, during a special naturalization ceremony held at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Representative Norm Thurston hosted the ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services play a broadcast from President Barack Obama congratulating the newest citizens of the United States during a ceremony held at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, celebrating 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Narciso Penate of Guatemala joins the 132 citizen applicants during a special naturalization ceremony at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. Representing 49 countries, friends and family joined the new U.S. citizens, filling the rotunda where they took the oath of allegiance.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services host a naturalization ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, who were then eligible to register to vote.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Rose Ndayishimiye of Burundi, center top, gathers with family for a photo following a naturalization ceremony at the Utah Capitol where 132 citizen applicants from 49 countries became U.S. Citizens on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Jerry Flowers of Belize has his bow tie adjusted by friends following a naturalization ceremony by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Newly appointed U.S. citizens proudly hold up their new certificates during a ceremony at the Utah state Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services hosted a naturalization ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Claudia Gonzalez of Mexico is surrounded by family as she proudly holds her new certificate of U.S. Citizenship following a naturalization ceremony at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Carri Koon of England proudly holds her new certificate of U.S. Citizenship during a ceremony at the Utah state Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services hosted a naturalization ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Gissou Ceron of Mexico proudly holds her new certificate of U.S. citizenship during a ceremony at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services hosted a naturalization ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Joining the 132 citizen applicants from 49 countries, Cristian Olivera from Peru, S.K. Han from South Korea and Jerry Flowers from Belize, from left, take the oath of allegiance during at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, during a special naturalization ceremony.

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Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Beatriz Cooper of Mexico embraces her daughter Ivy, 5, during a special naturalization ceremony held at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Representative Norm Thurston hosted the ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services play a broadcast from President Barack Obama congratulating the newest citizens of the United States during a ceremony held at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, celebrating 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Narciso Penate of Guatemala joins the 132 citizen applicants during a special naturalization ceremony at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. Representing 49 countries, friends and family joined the new U.S. citizens, filling the rotunda where they took the oath of allegiance. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services host a naturalization ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, who were then eligible to register to vote. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Rose Ndayishimiye of Burundi, center top, gathers with family for a photo following a naturalization ceremony at the Utah Capitol where 132 citizen applicants from 49 countries became U.S. Citizens on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Jerry Flowers of Belize has his bow tie adjusted by friends following a naturalization ceremony by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Beatriz Cooper of Mexico embraces her daughter Ivy, 5, during a special naturalization ceremony held at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Representative Norm Thurston hosted the ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Newly appointed U.S. citizens proudly hold up their new certificates during a ceremony at the Utah state Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services hosted a naturalization ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Claudia Gonzalez of Mexico is surrounded by family as she proudly holds her new certificate of U.S. Citizenship following a naturalization ceremony at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Carri Koon of England proudly holds her new certificate of U.S. Citizenship during a ceremony at the Utah state Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services hosted a naturalization ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Gissou Ceron of Mexico proudly holds her new certificate of U.S. citizenship during a ceremony at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services hosted a naturalization ceremony for 132 citizenship applicants from 49 countries. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Joining the 132 citizen applicants from 49 countries, Cristian Olivera from Peru, S.K. Han from South Korea and Jerry Flowers from Belize, from left, take the oath of allegiance during at the Utah Capitol on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, during a special naturalization ceremony.

The Salt Lake Tribune

· October 3, 2016 4:09 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

They hailed from Brazil and Burundi, China and Chile, Samoa and Somalia, and from dozens of other nations large and small. Now they can all be called Americans.

On Friday, more than 130 immigrants from nearly 50 countries took their citizenship oaths at a naturalization ceremony in the state Capitol, according to a news release from the Utah House.

These new U.S. citizens also were allowed to register to vote to help shape their new nation's future.