DENVER — Fanangi Manganez is finally an American citizen. Manganez, after living in Colorado for 13 years, received her citizenship two months ago.
“If you have a kid, you don’t want to go back home, you have the right to become a citizen,” Manganez said.
Manganez is one of countless Latinos signing up in droves to become a citizen in the state. The apparent reason is politics.
“This year is really an important year for the election,” Manganez said.
The New York Times has followed the increase of Latino citizenship applications closely — estimating the government is dealing with about 200,000 more requests.
The newspaper recently profiled Denver as a city seeing an increase because of anti-Donald Trump fever. Citizens who register before May are expected to be able to vote in the November election.
Hilda Nucete with Conservation Colorado does not attribute the rise in applications to any one candidate, pointing to the fact Latinos have myriad reasons to want their voice to be heard.
Nucete is in charge of an effort by Conservation Colorado to get more Latinos to become citizens.
“Democracy is a beautiful thing,” Nucete said.
Nucete will be hosting a citizen workshop on Saturday in Brighton to help Latinos who might have citizenship questions. She estimates 50,000 in Adams County are eligible to become citizens and advises registering before May to be able to vote in the November election.
If you can’t make the Saturday session, another will be held on April 16. For information, call 720-336-9670.
The workshop is at Servioso de la Roza (22 S. Fourth Ave.).