>> IT'S SOMETIMES SAID THAT AMERICANS TAKE THE FREEDOMS OF
THIS COUNTRY ALL FOR GRANTED.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE FOR OUR NEXT GUEST WHO WAS SWORN IN AS A --
WHO WAS SWORN IN AS A U.S. CITIZEN THIS SUMMER.
CARRIE SALDO SAT DOWN WITH THE TWO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PATH
OF CITIZENSHIP.
>> I CAME HERE BECAUSE I NEEDED TO BE SAFE.
FIRST I GOT HERE AS A STUDENT AND THE FIRST THING I APPLIED
FOR ASYLUM WHICH WAS APPROVED AND THEN AFTER A YEAR, I HAD TO
APPLY FOR MY GREEN CARD AND THEN AFTER THAT I HAD TO WAIT 5 YEARS
TO BECOME A CITIZEN.
SO UNITED STATES HAS BEEN REALLY A SAFE PLACE FOR ME AND A LOT OF
PEOPLE -- >> AND WHEN YOU TALK YOU CAME
HERE AND YOU WANT TO BE SAFE -- YOU'RE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
>> YES.
>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND WHAT LIFE
WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE COMING TO THE UNITED STATES.
>> LET'S JUST SAY A LOT OF POLITICAL ISSUES OVER THERE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I CHOOSE TO COME HERE WITH THE
DETAILS I'M NOT REALLY COMFORTABLE SHARING IT.
BUT I JUST NEEDED TO BE SAFE HERE, SO, YEAH.
>> WOULD YOU SAY LAURIE, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME TRAUMA
THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT'S GOT TO
BE SO INCREDIBLY HARD WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH PEOPLE?
>> YES, AND IT'S FAIRLY COMMON, AND SO WE HOPE THAT OUR STAFF
ARE TRAUMA-INFORMED AND TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM ISSUES THAT ARE
LIKELY TO TRIGGER PEOPLE IS BEST WE CAN.
>> SO HER PROCESS -- IT TOOK MAYBE ABOUT 9 YEARS, I THINK, IS
WHAT YOU DESCRIBED AND SHE HAD REFUGEE STATUS.
>> RIGHT.
>> TELL US ABOUT THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE, IS THAT
TYPICAL?
DOES IT TAKE THAT LONG TYPICALLY?
>> IT'S ALWAYS A JOURNEY.
IT'S MUCH MORE A JOURNEY THAN, I THINK, MOST AMERICANS REALIZE.
WE'RE BORN INTO THE CITIZENSHIP AND WE TEND TO TAKE IT FOR
GRANTED BUT IF YOU ARE ACCEPTED AS A REFUGEE, THEN YOU DO HAVE A
PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP.
AS SHEILA SAID AFTER YOU'VE BEEN HERE AS A REFUGEE YOU CAN GET
YOUR GREEN CARD AND AFTER YOU GET YOUR GREEN CARD YOU CAN
APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP FOR 5 YEARS.
THAT'S A PROCESS YOU HAVE TO -- YOU FILL IT'S AN APPLICATION
WHICH IS PRETTY LONG.
IT'S ABOUT 22 PAGES.
WE HELP PEOPLE HELP WITH THAT PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S VERY
DETAILED.
THERE'S A BIOMETRICS APPOINTMENT WHERE YOU GET FINGERPRINTED BY
IMMIGRATION.
AND THEN YOU PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW.
SO YOU STUDY AND YOU NEED TO KNOW 100 QUESTIONS RELATING TO
U.S. HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, CIVICS.
THEY'LL ONLY ASK YOU 10 -- WELL, THEY'LL ASK YOU 6 IF YOU PASS
THE FIRST 6 BUT -- YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR 10 BUT IT COULD
BE 10 OUT OF 100 SO YOU PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW.
YOU NEED TO DO A LITTLE WRITING.
YOU NEED TO DO A LITTLE READING.
YOU NEED TO HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE IMMIGRATION OFFICER AND
IT'S A JOURNEY AND IT'S EXPENSIVE.
YOU HAVE TO PAY A FEE TO APPLY SO YOU NEED TO CONGRATULATE
PEOPLE WHEN THEY BECOME CITIZENS BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF
PERSISTENCE AND FOCUS THAT GETS THEM THERE.
>> THIS PROCESS WAS OBVIOUSLY INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO YOU BUT
IT'S A LONG ONE -- I MEAN, TO STUDY FOR THE TEST, DID YOU
ALREADY KNOW ENGLISH WHEN YOU CAME HERE?
>> WELL, I LEARNED ENGLISH IN HIGH SCHOOL JUST LIKE AMERICAN
LEARNS FRENCH IN HIGH IN HIGH L AND I HAD A GOOD BASIS AND I
WENT TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND I STARTED MY UNDERGRAD SO I WAS
PRETTY GOOD IN ENGLISH.
>> WHAT ARE YOU STUDYING.
>> I'M STUDYING AN MBA AND I HAD A BABY SO I HAD TO START.
>> WHAT'S HIS NAME.
>> LIAM.
>> BABY BOY, HE'S SO QUIET AND HE'S SO QUIET AND ADORABLE.
>> A LOT OF THINGS JUST HAPPENED.
YOU HAD A BABY.
CONGRATULATIONS THAT'S THE FIRST THING AND YOU'RE A NEW AMERICAN.
YOU JUST WERE SWORN IN JULY 4TH.
HOW DOES THAT FEEL.
THAT'S JUST INCREDIBLE?
>> YOU KNOW, HONESTLY I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE I'M AN AMERICAN.
IT'S LIKE A JET STREAM HONESTLY.
IT'S JUST BEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS -- IT'S LIKE A DREAM
HONESTLY.
IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
I CAN BE FREE AND MY -- >> DID YOU REGISTER TO VOTE.
>> I DID JULY 4th BEFORE LEAVING I DID.
JUST KNOWING I'M PROTECTED AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING IS PROTECTED
BY AMERICANS.
IT'S JUST A BLESSING.
IT'S THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO ME THIS YEAR.
>> WHAT'S THE PROCESS LIKE FOR YOU AND FOR OTHERS WHO WORK WITH
YOU TO SEE SOMEBODY LIKE SHAYLA, YOU KNOW, COMPLETE THIS PROS.
>> THAT'S WHY YOU DO THE WORK THAT YOU DO ESPECIALLY NOW WHEN
THERE'S SO MUCH NEGATIVE RHETORIC.
WE SEE THIS JOURNEY A LOT.
PEOPLE JUST VERY FOCUSED.
ONE STEP AT A TIME, ONE GOAL AT A TIME AND WHEN THEY, YOU KNOW,
REACH THE CULMINATION AND WE KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SOME SMALL
MEASURE OF SUPPORT, IT'S WHY YOU COME TO WORK EVERYDAY.
VERY REWARDING.
>> AND SHE MENTIONS JUST THE BIG, I GUESS, DEBATE SURROUNDING
IMMIGRATION IN THIS COUNTRY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT CERTAINLY GETS PEOPLE FIRED UP ON BOTH
SIDES.
HERE YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, A NEW AMERICAN.
YOU DID HAVE REFUGEE STATUS BUT IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO FINALLY
BECOME AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?
>> HOW DO I FEEL ABOUT IT?
I MEAN, REALLY WHEN SOMEBODY COMES TO THIS COUNTRY AND NEEDS
HELP AND ASKS TO STAY HERE, IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN HERE SO MUCH
AND WHEN WE COME HERE, WE DON'T COME HERE TO SIT AROUND OR JUST,
YOU KNOW, TAKE MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT OR ANYTHING.
WE NEED HELP SO TODAY I'M A STUDENT AND I'M WORKING.
I USED TO WORK AND STUFF BUT WE'RE ALSO ADDING SOMETHING TO
THIS COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MELTING POT, I GUESS.
I CALL IT A SALAD BOWL YOU CAN LOOK AT DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND THE
CULTURE SO YOU CAN SEE AND WE'RE ADDING SOMETHING MORE TO THIS
COUNTRY AND I'M THANKFUL THEY'RE ACCEPTING US TO COME HERE.
THEY SHOULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR MORE PEOPLE HERE.
NOT EVERYBODY IS BAD.
>> BUT YOU CAME LEGALLY BECAUSE OF THE REFUGEE STATUS, IT KIND
OF PUTS IT SORT OF IN ALMOST A DIFFERENT CATEGORY.
IS IT HARDER.
IT IS HARDER; RIGHT?
>> SHE WAS FORTUNATE AND RIGHT NOW THE REFUGEE STATUS IS
SOMEWHAT ARBITRARY SO THERE'S AN AWFUL A LOT OF PEOPLE AS SHAYLA
SAID ARE COMING TO SITUATIONS THAT ARE UNTENABLE AND SOME OF
THEM -- IT'S HARD TO CALL A REFUGEE FORTUNATE BUT SOME
PEOPLE GET THAT STATUS BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHOSE
NEEDS MAY BE AS COMPELLING AND I THINK TO SHALE YSHAYLA'S POINT E
HAVE STUDENTS IN AMHERST, GREENFOLD MANY OF THEM GO
RUSHING OUT OF CLASS BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING MORE THAN ONE
JOB.
I HAVE YET TO MEET AN IMMIGRANT AS SHAYLA SAID SITTING AT HOME
COLLECTING MONEY.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE I KNOW, THEY DO RECEIVE PUBLIC BENEFITS AT
THE BEGINNING OF THEIR TENURE HERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T SPEAK
THE, THEY DON'T KNOW THE CULTURE.
THEY'RE STILL RIGHT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM.
THE MINUTE THEY HAVE A MODICUM OF INDEPENDENCE -- I HAD ONE
STUDENT SAID TO ME AND HE SAID THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP ANYMORE.
I'M A CERTIFIED NURSE AIDE NOW AND WE DO THAT TRAINING -- WE
SEE PEOPLE THE MINUTE THEY HAVE THEIR INDEPENDENCE THEY'RE
PROUD.
THEY DON'T WANT ANYBODY'S HELP.
IT'S NOT LIKE PEOPLE COME HERE TAKE THE BENEFITS.
IT'S A STEPPING STONE, AND AS SOON AS THEY CAN, THEY SAY THANK
YOU.
I'M ON MY OWN NOW.
>> WHAT WOULD U.S. TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN -- WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN YOUR SPOT MAYBE SECOND YEAR IN THE PROCESS
AND ARE DISCOURAGED, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
>> IT'S NOT EASY.
IT'S VERY STRESSFUL AND JUST NOT TO GIVE UP AND STAY FOCUSED AND,
YOU KNOW, WHY YOU'RE HERE AND JUST FOCUS ON THAT AND KEEP
WORKING HARD, KEEP DOING THE RIGHT THING AND DO NOT LISTEN TO
OTHERS AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING ILLEGAL OR ANYTHING.
I CAME HERE LEGALLY AND I WILL BE ABLE TO GET MY CITIZENSHIP.
IT'S A LONG PROCESS, JUST BE PATIENT.
>> AND IS THERE SOMETHING -- IF YOU COULD WAVE A MAGIC WAND AND
IS THIS THE WORK YOU DO AND WE CAN'T SOLVE THE IMMIGRATION
PROBLEM IN 8 MINUTES BUT IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WOULD
STREAMLINE THE PROCESS FOR SOMEBODY WHO DOES NOT HAVE
REFUGEE STATUS THAT WOULD MAKE THINGS EASIER HE IN YOUR
OPINION?
>> -- EASIER IN YOUR OPINION?
>> I THINK THE CITIZENSHIP PROCESS IS PRETTY CLEAR.
I THINK THE OVERALL IMMIGRATION POLICY IS VERY CONFUSED.
THERE ARE WEIRD QUOTAS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PLACES THAT
PEOPLE COME FROM.
THERE ARE WAITING LISTS FOR SOME COUNTRIES AND NOT FOR OTHERS.
I THINK BIPARTISAN IMMIGRATION REFORM -- TO HAVE A DIALOG, TO
STEP BACK FROM ALL OF THE HYSTERIA AND THE EMOTION AND
HAVE A RATIONAL DIALOG -- I MEAN, I THINK SHALE LA'S POINT
IS -- SHAYLA'S RIGHT IS RIGHT.
THEY PEOPLE COME HERE AND CONTRIBUTE.
WE HAVE A FARM ECONOMY, WE HAVE FOOD SERVICE, WE HAVE
HEALTHCARE, WE HAVE MANUFACTURING -- ALL OF THESE
INDUSTRIES DEPEND ON AN INFLUX OF NEW PEOPLE AND IF WE CUT THAT
OFF OUR CULTURE SUFFERS, OUR ECONOMY SUFFERS.
WE NEED COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM.
PEOPLE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AND WE NEED SOME KIND OF PATHWAY FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY HERE.
WHATEVER IT INVOLVES, PEOPLE ARE HERE.
THEY HAVE FAMILIES.
THEY HAVE JOHBS.
THEY ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME WAY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE A PATHWAY
FOR THEM IN A WAY THAT'S O OPEN-HEARTED AND GENEROUS
AND LEGAL.