Student Immigrants of Reading Strive for Citizenship with Renewed Rigor

As the United State’s government budget plan looms in public concern, President Trump’s plan to build a wall on the border of Mexico and the United States has become a highly debated topic within the budget’s shadow. While the cost of the wall is between $10 - 12 billion according to BBC's article, there seems to be little change in the mindset on whether to drop this project from the budget. Immigration has been in the spotlight ever since President Trump had become a candidate for president. As tensions grow higher, there are strong social repercussions in many communities. Reading, Pa., a city that is known to have a large latino population is feeling this tension and immigrants are not standing idly by.

Within the city of Reading, legal immigrants, illegal immigrants, and students on educational visas are pushing for citizenship or work visas with a renewed effort. The government’s sudden shift of focus has made the possibility of deportation and canceled visas an ever-present reality. Immigrants are also more wary of coming to the United States. According to a Pew Research study, the number of illegal immigrants coming into the United States has started to decline. This trend started in 2007 where the number stopped increasing and has held its position around 11.3 million people. The New York Times has also noticed this trend and reported that illegal crossing attempts seem to be down by 75 percent.

Immigrants are starting to see the United States as hostile territory rather than the land of opportunity. But how are immigrants residing locally fairing between social and economic opposition that stemmed from the political tide of this past election? They are working with renewed rigor.

One student from Reading Area Community College, who is unnamed because of being an illegal immigrant, spends her free time educating local Reading residents on their rights as immigrants and is a social advocate for more immigrant rights. “I hope that an immigration reform can help a lot of people who have been here working and productive that would allow us a pathway to citizenship so we wouldn’t have to live in fear,” said the RACC student. Upon receiving a GRIP (Greater Reading Education Program) scholarship, she has started participating in the programs fundraisers.

The RACC student came to the United States when she was six years old and is now 22. Without having any family members who are residents, a skill that the United States government finds irreplaceable, or a citizen who she is planning on marrying, the student does not know of a way to safely get become a resident. Being here since she was a child, she does not know how to speak Spanish anymore and views deportation back to the Dominican Republic as an end to her life and ability to work and act as a member of society. The student discusses her concerns about living in the U.S. illegally in this podcast.

Prasadi Dangolla, a senior at Albright College, is living in the United States on an education visa. Because she will soon be receiving her degree, she views the remaining year as a ticking clock. Once she receives her degree she cannot leave the country because her visa will be voided then. Her goal in the meantime is to reach a highly skilled level in work and education so that she can receive her citizenship through her own personal ability.

“There are a lot of ways I could go about it, one would be to continue my education to the highest level possible and then get hired by an American company who would say that I am a valuable employee and asset to their company, and we would like to help in her process to citizenship,” said Dangolla.

Obtaining citizenship for Dangolla does not come without cost. Already having citizenship in Sri Lanka and Denmark she would have to drop one of them. She feels the recent activities of the government are making citizenship even more difficult, yet making people more aware of the subject.

Jaya Minhas, a senior at Albright College, can relate closely to Dangolla’s situation. Minhas and her family have lived in the United States and England for large parts of her life and because of recent political activity are in the process of getting citizenship. Her father’s business is advocating for their family. The process is strenuous and extremely particular to details, she had to miss classes because of a fingerprint test. They would not allow the fingerprint test to be rescheduled and if she missed it for any reason, the citizenship process would be terminated. At the end of the process, her family will take a final written citizenship test, one Minhas helps teach people about presently.

Minhas believes tolerance and acceptance are needed for immigrants because they are coming to the United States because of struggles within their own country that have brought them here.“ I think education is the key and exposure to the people different than yourself is important it is so easy to hate and fear someone if you do not know them personally,” said Minhas.

A social change must occur before politicians follow. Education on the subject of immigration is the first step, then social change, political change and finally economic. Visit https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learners/apply-citizenship to learn about the 10 steps to naturalization.

For more information and perspectives on the processes of gaining citizenship, listen to this podcast created by Elise Nelson: https://soundcloud.com/elise-nelson-866403573/us-citizenship