Sep 20, 2007 11:13 pm US/Mountain
Applications For Naturalization Surge In Colorado
by Anna Alejo
DENVER (CBS4) ―
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Sara Guillen from Honduras, a private first class with the U.S. Army, was sworn in with 600 other people from 90 different countries as an American citizen Thursday.
CBS
More than 600 people from 90 countries were sworn in as American citizens Thursday at Denver's Civic Center Park.
Applications for naturalization are surging in Colorado and across the country. Colorado is on pace to exceed last year's total by 80 percent.
Hundreds of new citizens will bring hundreds of fresh perspectives to the American experience.
Sara Guillen from Honduras, a private first class with the U.S. Army, was overcome with emotion.
"Just having all the privileges of everybody else, I don't know, I'm just excited," Guillen said.
The new citizens, who wasted no time to register to vote, spoke of how eager they were to have their say in America's future.
"In other parts of the world, people are crazy to come to America and so I feel blessed to become a citizen," new citizen Cecil John said.
"It doesn't matter how long you've been a citizen, your vote counts as much as anyone else's," Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper said to the crowd.
Helena Ny was born into turmoil in Cambodia in 1974. She was raised by strangers there and came to the U.S. 20 years ago. A hairdresser, Ny said she preaches to others about America's virtues, one head at a time.
"My destiny was chosen for me there," Ny said. "Here I choose my own destiny. I am thankful to this country for that opportunity."
Immigration officials say they will hold many more naturalization ceremonies in the coming months.
There was an increase in citizenship applications over the summer before new fees went into effect.
(© MMVII CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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