Street Roots • May 13-19, 2016
News
CITIZENSHIP, from page 4
agricultural industries being “taken
advantage of by other people just because of
their status,” citing lower pay and higher
demands put on undocumented immigrants
in comparison to their legal counterparts.
“So many immigrants, they’re scared
because they’re not supposed to be here,”
she said. “They don’t fight, they don’t speak
up - they just take it.”
Before this election, Adriana wasn’t
interested in politics. “But now,” she said, “I
was just like, why not? I’m one of the few
that can do it, and actually speak for the
ones that can’t”
She and her mother each paid the
required $680 fee to apply for citizenship.
They received free legal advice at Causa’s
citizenship clinic before applying, which
saved them from having to pay an additional
$500 to $1,000 for an attorney to help them
through the process. Adriana said one law
firm quoted her $2,000 for legal advice, the
highest estimate.
“I think that if we would have had to hire
a lawyer,” Adriana said, “we would not have
been able to do it because it’s hard enough
trying to save up for the fee when you have
other bills, and in my mother’s case, kids to
support”
Causa’s Miller said, “One of the top
barriers for people applying for U.S.
citizenship is how costly it is.” That’s why
her organization offers free citizenship
clinics.
“You can actually look at USCIS
Adriana Sanchez, of Keizer, and her mother, Silvia Sanchez, of Oregon City, have lived in the
application numbers and see a huge dip
United States for nearly 20 years. They both became U.S. citizens in March and are looking
when the price goes up,” she said. “It’s one
forward to voting for president.
of the leading reasons why, although
Mexican legal permanent residents are one
of the most populous in the United States in
terms of numbers, they are actually the
least likely to apply for U.S. citizenship.”
She said the cost is “not only having an
impact on low-income people; it’s also
having a racial impact - or a country-of-
origin impact - because Mexican
immigrants, who tend to be low-wage
workers as well, face increasing barriers to
apply for U.S. citizenship.”
Portland immigration attorney Teresa
Statler recommends that immigrants who
have any history of arrest, at the very least,
have a legal consultation before applying.
“Many people who file for naturalization
aren’t aware that some things in their past
can, instead of making them a citizen,
actually place them into removal
proceedings,” she said. In rare cases, the
application process may reveal mistakes
made when the individual applied for
residency that can also lead to deportation,
Immigrants participate in a naturalization ceremony May 5 in Portland. Maria Salacr, left, of
she said.
Guatemala, said earning the right to vote factored into her decision to obtain citizenship.
Statler has also noticed a significant
increase in immigrants’ applying for
took part in a naturalization ceremony. The
got his green card in 1970, so that’s 46
citizenship in recent months.
reasons participants gave for applying for
years he’s been a permanent resident, and
“I’ve been doing this for about 23 years
citizenship varied, but some said it was
he’s been very concerned about what’s
now,” she said, “and I’ve had people coming
largely due to the political climate.
going on in America, and he said, ‘It’s time
in the door in droves in the last couple of
“I don’t want to be separated from my
months wanting to become citizens - people for me to be an American. I need to vote,’”
family,” said José Sanchez of Clackamas
Statler said. “The Republicans have been
that have lived here 40 years with a green
County (no relation to Adriana and Silvia).
brewing this for many years. They are the
card, even longer - because they are very
He wore a pressed blue suit, red-striped tie
party of anti-immigrant rhetoric. There’s no
upset and concerned about what’s going on
and continuous grin to the ceremony.
question, and it’s not just Hispanic
in our country today, politically.”
“It’s time for people to wake up and do
immigrants that are worried and offended;
She said business at her office had more
what they are supposed to do in this
than doubled, and people of many
it’s many people.”
country,” he said. He’s lived in the U.S. for
nationalities are seeking citizenship for the
At Portland’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at
20 years and said he’s going to vote in the
Tom
McCall
Waterfront
Park
earlier
this
same reason.
presidential election because, “I want to
month, 48 immigrants from 20 countries
“I have a gentleman from Australia who
Page 5
show people I am doing my part.”
Laurentino Martinez moved to the U.$.
from Mexico 30 years ago, and when asked
why he’s naturalizing now, he replied,
“Because I want to vote.”
Also at the annual naturalization
ceremony,
hosted by
Portland
Guadalajara
"I'm one of the
Sister City
few that can do
Association and
it, and actually
USCIS, was
speak for the ones Maria Salacr.
She emigrated
that can't?*
from
ADRIANA SANCHEZ,
RECENTLY NATIONALIZED Guatemala 28
U.S. CITIZEN,
years ago, and
ON VOTING
through a
translator she
said earning
the right to
vote was a motivating factor in her decision
as well.
For others, it wasn’t so much the right to
vote as it was gaining a sense of security
that drove them to apply, should the next
president attempt to deport non-citizens.
Roberto Valla, originally from El Salvador,
said he applied for citizenship “because I
want to be sure of my safety. I see all the
changes that are happening -1 want to be
safe to be here.” He also plans to vote, after
having lived in the U.S. for 26 years.
There are several ways an undocumented
immigrant can gain legal status as a
permanent resident, including having a
family member that’s in the U.S. legally.
Typically, they are eligible to apply for
citizenship after spending five years in the
U.S. as a permanent resident
Many gained their residency 30 years
ago, when President Ronald Reagan signed
the Immigration Reform and Control Act of
1986, granting 2.7 million immigrants legal
status.
“Many of the folks that received legal
permanent residency in that time, they are
just now coming to apply for U.S.
citizenship,” Miller said.
When Adriana and her mother sat down
with Street Roots in front of a coffee shop in
Keizer on an overcast Saturday afternoon in
late April, she explained that she knows
many Latinos who are afraid of what could
happen if Trump becomes president
“People being so out and open about
being aggressive about it,” she said, “and
throwing so much hate towards immigrants,
I think is sort of scary. If this is how it is
now, I think it’s going to get worse when
somebody gets picked. If it’s the person that
I really don’t want to win, I think it will get a
lot worse.”
Her mother, Silvia, thought answering
questions in English would be the biggest
challenge in becoming a citizen. Although
applicants can take the test in their native
language, depending on their age and how
long they’ve lived in the U.S., Silvia did not
qualify, but she answered all the questions
correctly, she said, beaming.
She said she will use her vote to speak for
immigrants who are abused and cannot vote
themselves.
“My vote can bring the light of a
thousand stars,” she said in Spanish, with
smile from ear to ear.
emily@streetroots. org