TULSA, Okla-
The United States has put a temporary hold on immigration applications for 19 countries after the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last week. This includes putting citizenship ceremonies on hold as well.
One of the countries on the list is Burma, and Tulsa County has about 20,000 Burmese people living here.
Hau Khai became a U.S. citizen last year after being in Oklahoma for eight years, and he says suspending naturalization ceremonies has made lots of people in the community sad, because their dream is to become a citizen.
“We are hard-working people. We love each other. We love the God who created the universe, and also we love our neighbors,” said Hau Khai, Jenks.
Burma, officially known as Myanmar, is in Southeast Asia and borders India and China. Hau fled his home in Burma when he was 28 and was a refugee in Malaysia for several years before he was allowed to come to the U.S.
“We are not just crossing the border, climbing up and getting to the country. We process, and we face lots of interviews, and, when you pass your interview, especially in order to come to the United States with DHS, the health screening with IOM [Organization for Migration], then only we can come to United States,” said Khai.
After that, he says the journey to become a citizen was also a demanding process, learning the language, and most of the women and elderly don’t drive, so it takes work.
“The day they arrive here, they try to be a good citizen. And in order to pass the test, they are studying ESL and the citizen classes. And when finally, after they pass the test, when these things happen, they are very upset and sad about that,” said Khai.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Statement
“The Trump Administration is making every effort to ensure individuals becoming citizens are the best of the best. Citizenship is a privilege, not a right. We will take no chances when the future of our nation is at stake. The Trump Administration is reviewing all immigration benefits granted by the Biden administration to aliens from Countries of Concern.”
Original Post: https://www.newson6.com/tulsa-oklahoma-news/tulsa-countys-burmese-population-upset-after-u-s-puts-naturalization-ceremonies-on-hold
