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Panel: Immigration process becoming more difficult
By Robert Pore
robert.pore@theindependent.com
Much of the U.S. illegal immigration problem stems from the federal government’s failure to enact reform, which can cause delays of 17 years or longer for people wanting citizenship in the United States.
That was one of a number of concerns expressed Tuesday at a noon “Lunch and Learn,” hosted by the Multicultural Coalition of Grand Island at the public library, that examined the U.S. immigration process.
One of the panelists was Elisa Guerrero of St. Mary’s Immigration Program. The program helps families and individuals who want to be in the United States legally.
Guerrero expressed concerns, shared by all members of the panel, that much of America’s illegal immigration problem is a result of bureaucratic delays that encumbers people seeking legal status in the United States.
That delay, which can be 17 years or longer, can also be very costly to people seeking to become American citizens. It can break families apart as family members struggle to legally be united with their love ones.
“They want to come legally,” Guerrero said. “They don’t want to die in the desert or die crossing the river. They are just looking for a better life.”
Guerrero said becoming a U.S. citizen and being in the United States legally is becoming more difficult. “It is very hard for them to get a green card,” she said.
A green card is a federal permit for someone who is not a citizen of the United States that allows him or her to live and work in this country.
Guerrero said the lack of immigration reform by the federal government is only adding to the problems of people coming into the United States illegally. “We are waiting for that reform to help a lot of immigrants who are already living in the United States,” she said.
Guerrero said people have been waiting many years just to begin the process of being in the country legally. In many cases, families are torn apart as one family member, who is legally in the United States, is separated from another family member, who is waiting for a visa. Rather than wait many years to be with their families, those other family members may choose to enter the U.S. illegally.
Guerrero said people don’t have to look any further than Grand Island to see the impact of families being torn apart because of a lack of immigration reform. A child may have been 1 year old when their parents entered the U.S. illegally several years ago, but that child still cannot legally get a driver’s license once they’re 16. That makes it difficult to get to school and almost impossible to hold a job.
“They also are not able to go to college because they don’t have a Social Security number,” she said. “It’s a problem that has to be solved by the federal government,” Guerrero said.
Maria Lopez, who works as a volunteer for Grand Island Multicultural Coalition, gave testimony on her process of becoming a U.S. citizen. Lopez, who immigrated from Mexico 17 years ago, has been a citizen of the U.S. for eight years.
After receiving permanent residency, Lopez said she had to wait another three years to become a U.S. citizen.
Now, Lopez said, that process of becoming a legal resident in the United States is becoming even longer and more difficult.
“Immigration laws are becoming harder and the steps are harder for people to legally be here in the United States, especially when they want to become an American citizen,” she said.
Lopez said the test immigrants have to pass to become citizens has become harder. As an example, the more than 50 people of the legal residents attending the meeting was given the 100 question quiz about American history and geography. When asked some of those questions aloud, such as name the original 13 states, no one could answer the question.
“They are requiring more questions, more history, and more geography,” she said.
Lopez said many of the questions now required by immigrants who seek American citizenship were not there when she took the test.
Elizabeth Barrios, who works for Lutheran Immigration Services in Grand Island, said people who call for federal immigration services find the system and process extremely frustrating.
“They don’t receive the help that they want to receive, and they don’t get the explanation about the process they need to apply for,” Barrios said.
When immigrants in the United States can’t get answers about how the process works from the people who administer that process, there is a lack of understanding, she said.
“Because of that lack of understanding, the don’t apply for U.S. citizenship,” Barrios said.
Also, immigrants struggling to feed their families also have to pay ever-increasing costs to go through the complicated process of being here in the U.S. legally. “Many times they don’t want to apply because the prices are really high.”
That was one of a number of concerns expressed Tuesday at a noon “Lunch and Learn,” hosted by the Multicultural Coalition of Grand Island at the public library, that examined the U.S. immigration process.
One of the panelists was Elisa Guerrero of St. Mary’s Immigration Program. The program helps families and individuals who want to be in the United States legally.
Guerrero expressed concerns, shared by all members of the panel, that much of America’s illegal immigration problem is a result of bureaucratic delays that encumbers people seeking legal status in the United States.
“They want to come legally,” Guerrero said. “They don’t want to die in the desert or die crossing the river. They are just looking for a better life.”
Guerrero said becoming a U.S. citizen and being in the United States legally is becoming more difficult. “It is very hard for them to get a green card,” she said.
A green card is a federal permit for someone who is not a citizen of the United States that allows him or her to live and work in this country.
Guerrero said the lack of immigration reform by the federal government is only adding to the problems of people coming into the United States illegally. “We are waiting for that reform to help a lot of immigrants who are already living in the United States,” she said.
Guerrero said people have been waiting many years just to begin the process of being in the country legally. In many cases, families are torn apart as one family member, who is legally in the United States, is separated from another family member, who is waiting for a visa. Rather than wait many years to be with their families, those other family members may choose to enter the U.S. illegally.
Guerrero said people don’t have to look any further than Grand Island to see the impact of families being torn apart because of a lack of immigration reform. A child may have been 1 year old when their parents entered the U.S. illegally several years ago, but that child still cannot legally get a driver’s license once they’re 16. That makes it difficult to get to school and almost impossible to hold a job.
“They also are not able to go to college because they don’t have a Social Security number,” she said. “It’s a problem that has to be solved by the federal government,” Guerrero said.
Maria Lopez, who works as a volunteer for Grand Island Multicultural Coalition, gave testimony on her process of becoming a U.S. citizen. Lopez, who immigrated from Mexico 17 years ago, has been a citizen of the U.S. for eight years.
After receiving permanent residency, Lopez said she had to wait another three years to become a U.S. citizen.
Now, Lopez said, that process of becoming a legal resident in the United States is becoming even longer and more difficult.
“Immigration laws are becoming harder and the steps are harder for people to legally be here in the United States, especially when they want to become an American citizen,” she said.
Lopez said the test immigrants have to pass to become citizens has become harder. As an example, the more than 50 people of the legal residents attending the meeting was given the 100 question quiz about American history and geography. When asked some of those questions aloud, such as name the original 13 states, no one could answer the question.
“They are requiring more questions, more history, and more geography,” she said.
Lopez said many of the questions now required by immigrants who seek American citizenship were not there when she took the test.
Elizabeth Barrios, who works for Lutheran Immigration Services in Grand Island, said people who call for federal immigration services find the system and process extremely frustrating.
“They don’t receive the help that they want to receive, and they don’t get the explanation about the process they need to apply for,” Barrios said.
When immigrants in the United States can’t get answers about how the process works from the people who administer that process, there is a lack of understanding, she said.
“Because of that lack of understanding, the don’t apply for U.S. citizenship,” Barrios said.
Also, immigrants struggling to feed their families also have to pay ever-increasing costs to go through the complicated process of being here in the U.S. legally. “Many times they don’t want to apply because the prices are really high.”
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