First naturalization ceremony held at Zion National Park: 33 new citizens, 17 settle in Southern Utah

Written by Stephanie DeGraw
October 22, 2022

ST. GEORGE — In 1999, seven-year-old Luis Fernando Montero Perez moved to Utah with his family from Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. But Perez didn’t know English and was scared to attend school. 

Luis Perez moved to Utah with his family when he was seven years old from Sonora, Mexico and he is the first person in his family to gain citizenship, St. George, Utah, unspecified date | Photo courtesy of Luis Perez, St. George News

Today Perez is the first person in his family to gain citizenship. On Tuesday, he was one of 33 new American citizens from 21 countries to take the Oath of Citizenship in the first-ever ceremony in Zion National Park. 

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, National Park Service, and the U.S. District Court of Utah held a naturalization ceremony with U.S. Magistrate Judge Dustin B. Pead presiding. Pead provided welcoming remarks, and a court clerk administered the Oath of Allegiance. Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh also welcomed the new citizens. 

“I was excited about being in Zion National Park for the ceremony,” Perez said. “It was really cool.” 

Perez’s parents wanted to give him and his older brother more opportunities and education. Perez said his parents also desired to raise them in a safer environment. 

Perez attended high school and then Utah Valley University. Perez said he was grateful that he could get a job after college due to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a U.S. immigration policy instituted by President Obama in 2012.

Perez is excited that he can now sponsor his parents to apply for citizenship. He is an accountant and lives in St. George with his wife Sarah and their two dogs.

The Color Country Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution assisted with the planning of the naturalization ceremony. Valerie King, Honorary Regent, said she was honored to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Larissa Zhoukova Pope (center) from Russia  became a U.S. Citizen during the naturalization ceremony hosted by Zion National Park, Springdale, Utah, Oct. 18, 2022 | Photo courtesy of the Color Country Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, St. George News

“Assisting with naturalization ceremonies is a community service project our chapter loves to do. It falls under our Americanism Committee,” King said. “Our chapter chair is Karen Mangano, who personally worked alongside Deborah Aston, Deputy Clerk, U.S. District Court, in assuring a successful event. “

King said the Color Country Chapter arranged the following:

  • Color Guard support from Dixie High School AFJROTC cadets
  • Pledge of Allegiance led by Valerie King, Honorary Regent, Color Country Chapter
  • Patriotic medley performed by Color Country Chapter “Liberty Quartet” – members Karen Mangano, Laura Rasmussen, McKenzie Thomasson and Wendy Spooner. 
  • Patriotic speaker, Lex Howard

King also said the Color Country Chapter gave the new citizens lapel American flag pins and small American flags for the ceremony.  Members from the Bald Eagle Chapter from Cedar City and the Honorary State Regent Kathryn Asay from Provo drove down to the Park to greet the newest American citizens and witness the ceremony.

Debbie Cannon, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Media Affairs Division, public affairs specialist, said there were nine candidates for citizenship from St. George, four from Cedar City, two from Hurricane, one from Ivins and one from La Verkin. 

Cannon said the video Apply for Citizenship Online provides in-depth instructions on how to file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, online, and provided the following information to learn about gaining citizenship:

Easy Ways to Keep Up With Immigration Information from USCIS

Free Tools To Help You Navigate the Immigration Process   

  • Ask Emma, a computer-generated virtual assistant who can answer your immigration questions and take you to the right spot on uscis.gov for more information. 
  • Explore your options. Answer a few questions so that uscis.gov can present you with immigration options for which you might be eligible. 
  • Create an online account. Creating a free online account with USCIS allows you to file online, track your case, submit documents, and ask questions about your case. 
  • Accurately calculate the fee owed on your petition or application using the Fee Calculator. It will ask questions to help determine your fee, and this calculator will always have the most up-to-date fee information. 
  • Find a doctor. When you apply for a green card (adjustment of status) in the U.S., you usually need a medical exam, which a doctor authorized by USCIS must do. Use this tool to find a licensed doctor in your area.

Following the ceremony, the new U.S. citizens shared their stories on stage and took a shuttle tour of the Park. 

Photo Gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie DeGraw is an award-winning journalist. For 25 years, she engaged in journalism, broadcasting and public relations. DeGraw worked for the Salt Lake Tribune, Associated Press and The City Journals. She was a reporter for a CBS television station in Twin Falls, Idaho. She graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Broadcasting.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!