31 new citizens call Colorado home
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- More than two dozen people, including several Fort Carson soldiers, became U.S. citizens today in Colorado Springs.
It was a long-awaited celebration for the 31 people who received citizenship Friday at Pikes Peak Library District’s Library 21c.
And after serving our country for many years, five Fort Carson soldiers are grateful they can finally call the United States home.
It was an emotional start to the morning. 31 people from 21 different countries came together under one roof to celebrate an equal achievement, becoming U.S. citizens.
"I'm excited. I don't know what to really say. I'm just very happy," said Private First Class, Sclavenky Michaud.
Friday's ceremony at the Pikes Peak Library was the first in-person citizenship ceremony since the pandemic.
"This is a great excitement that I'm actually a citizen instead of a permanent resident," Michaud said.
People from Jamaica, Haiti, Nicaragua, Thailand, Mexico, and many other countries were able to stand up, wave their flags, and be recognized by their families and peers.
Army Specialist Kailash Gurung is originally from Nepal. He joined the army in 2020 and was deployed to Iraq during his naturalization process.
"I chose to serve kind of like a volunteer. I chose to be in the Army right and I was able to still be in service," said Kailash Gurung.
He was able to get his citizenship processed once he returned in 2021. Similar to Sclavenky Michaud, who says his biggest excitement now is the opportunity to help his family in Haiti apply for U.S. citizenship.
"They are going through so much in Haiti with everything that is going on. Now they have a greater opportunity. Because of me, they can come over here now, and I am so happy because of that."
U.S. Immigration Services say that within the last year more than 9,000 people living in Colorado have become citizens.
