| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2010 5:31 pm |
ADVERTISEMENT |
|||||||||
 |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
Local News 
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Citizenship classes: All for a better life People from around the globe study for citizenship in local classrooms MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — Thirteen years ago, a friend told Gilberto Ramirez about all the money he made working for a commercial fishing operation in Alaska.Job opportunities were scarce in Ramirez’s native Mexico City and his friend’s story intrigued him. He told Ramirez the fishing company was based in Seattle. “I asked him, ‘Can I go to Seattle with you?’ ” Ramirez says. Arriving illegally in Washington, Ramirez applied for a job on a fishing boat in Alaska. He says he decided against it, however, after hearing stories about federal immigration officers raiding illegals in Alaska. In their search for a better life, thousands of foreigners come the United States every year. Some arrive because they’ve been persecuted in their home countries; others come because they want a better job than they can find where they live. Ramirez is one of a small group of immigrants from Iran, Kenya, Southeast Asia and Canada who meet weekly for a free citizenship class at the Mountlake Terrace Library. Their goal is the same: to pass the citizenship examination that gives them the right to vote and other rights accorded native-born Americans. Instead of heading to Alaska, Ramirez found work at a Seattle Mexican restaurant. For years, he worked 16-hour days at two restaurants, then left to work in construction. Nearly seven years ago, Ramirez married his English-as-a-second-language class assistant, a native of Guam. He got his green card, bought a home in Mountlake Terrace and is now legally allowed to work in the U.S. Though transition to life in the United States was often rocky, he’s happy he took the leap of faith. Now Ramirez, 41, wants to become a U.S. citizen. “We’re trying to find a better life,” he says. Becoming a citizen can take years, navigating through the federal process. Newcomers to the U.S. first receive visas — authorization to be here for reasons that vary from education to employment. To stay beyond the length of their visa, they can either apply for an extension or for a document known as a green card, which gives immigrants the legal right to live and work in the U.S. A green card involves passing a medical examination and completing a detailed application for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency that since 2001 has overseen immigration. Path to citizenship Getting the card, however, isn’t the same as becoming an American citizen. That process, known as naturalization, involves passing an examination in which applicants are tested for their knowledge of civics and their ability to read, write and carry on a basic conversation in English. Applicants must correctly answer six out of 10 questions that federal examiners cull from a list of 100. It costs $675 to take the test. “They might ask, ‘Do you know what deportation means?’ ” says Jim Hodges, citizenship project coordinator for the St. James Cathedral ESL program in Seattle. “They want to make sure the applicants fully understand the questions and they’re not just memorizing (them).” Hodges is a native of Great Britain who arrived in the United States in 1994 on a student visa and eventually married an American. He oversees citizenship classes through the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle, including the 90-minute class in Mountlake Terrace, one of the few places in Snohomish County that prepares future citizens for the exam. Chuck Brewer, 57, teaches the class. “What is the supreme law of the land?” Brewer asks the students at one of the Thursday meetings. “The Constitution,” a few of them reply. “The United States was kind of a revolutionary idea,” he tells the students. “America was designed as a democracy where the people were going to rule themselves.” Brewer, who runs his own computer sales and marketing business, says he volunteered to teach the class when it started last fall and was inspired by his wife, head librarian Rosie Brewer, who started a program teaching computer skills to beginners. “I was very proud of what she was doing, teaching all these people skills they’d never had before,” he said. “When she mentioned they were looking for volunteers to teach citizenship, I thought, ‘I guess I can do that.’ ” From Kenya to America Pursuit of a better life led Ramirez’s classmate Norman Wanjao to Washington from his native Kenya more than seven years ago. For several years, Wanjao, 50, traveled back and forth between Nairobi and Seattle, searching for work before settling in Shoreline in 2008. Today, Wanjao works at Home Depot in Shoreline and dreams about starting his own business. Wanjao, who has a green card, says he has an economics degree from the University of the Punjab in Chandigarh, India. He’d like to start his own export business, selling construction and other heavy equipment. “That’s the area I would prefer — business,” says Wanjao, who did marketing for an insurance company when he lived in Kenya. He told immigration officials when he arrived that his goal was to start a business. “But when I came, I found things were very difficult,” he says. He’s adjusted to life in the United States and says doors are open to those who are willing to work hard. “No doubt, every place has new things you have to learn, even the fact that you have to learn to drive on the other side of the road,” he says. Chona Dormaier sought a better life, too. The 44-year-old native of the Philippines met her husband, Albert Dormaier, online. After a period of courtship, in which Albert spent time in the Philippines, the two were married in the U.S. in 2004. A Marysville resident and one of Brewer’s students, Dormaier says she is hopeful her 20-year-old daughter can follow her here and settle down as well. Life in the Philippines is hard for her family, she says. “I want to become an American citizen because I want my kids to live here,” says Dormaier, who comes from a family of nine children. “Most of the kids in the Philippines, they marry early. I want them to finish their studies and have a decent job.” She has a full-time job at Goodwill in Marysville and works on-call as a custodian for the Marysville School District. “I’m not looking to become rich but for my life to become happy,” she says. Oscar Halpert: 425-339-3429, ohalpert@heraldnet.com. Find a class Where to find citizenship classes in Snohomish County: Everett Community College Multicultural Center, 11627 Airport Road, Room F Free if already registered for other classes. $25 if not. Info: 425-388-9291. Familias Unidas The nonprofit offers free citizenship classes from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays at 6315 Fleming St., Suite B, Everett. Info: 425-513-2880. Mountlake Terrace Library The library, 23300 58th Ave. W., offers free citizenship classes from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays. Info: 425-776-8722. Try the test Here are some questions that could be part of the civics portion of the exam to become an American citizen: Questions: 1. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution? 2. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? 3. How many amendments does the Constitution have? Answers: 1. The Bill of Rights 2. Speech, assembly, religion, press, petition the government 3. 27 |
- Tulalip man accused in a toddler's death is a no-show
- Everett routinely sees people break anti-dumping law
- Boeing to boost output of 787s
- Boeing tanker deal may be expedited
- It’s a pain getting old, but doctor’s ideas can help
- Man's apparent wrath turns destructive in Mountlake Terrace
- New high-tech tool aids searchers after avalanches
- Community Transit cuts will hurt; just ask a rider like Crystal
- Man charged in toddler's death suspected in Marysville robbery
- Boeing tanker creates up to 70k U.S. jobs – study
- Tulalip man accused in a toddler's death is a no-show
(33) - Cut through solid-white lines and it could cost you $411 (15)
- Everett routinely sees people break anti-dumping law (10)
- County to pay builders $1.7 million to settle suits (9)
- Special session likely to finish budget, tax increase (9)
- New high-tech tool aids searchers after avalanches (9)
- Fugitive charged in toddler's slaying accused of robbery (9)
- Marysville girl on bike in critical condition after struck by car (8)
- Community Transit cuts will hurt; just ask a rider like Crystal (7)
- Woman still in critical condition after Monday crash on Highway 9 (6)
- Meadowdale boys refuse to fold, but rally falls short in 3A state opener
- Prairie’s zone defense stymies Lynnwood at Class 3A state girls basketball tournament
- Ellensburg takes it to Archbishop Murphy girls at 2A tourney
- Beyond the ‘Woodstock Generation'
- Magical run for Jackson
- Schools, public debate budget cutting ideas
- Farrand watercolors on exhibit at MLT library
- FD1, FD7 could merge
- Boeing to Offer NewGen Tanker to US Air Force
- New CEO at Valley General Hospital
- Dan Koffman's ‘TopSpin' marketing astounds, inspires, motivates, produces — just for starters
- Economic forecasts for Snohomish County, Everett, Marysville offer some bright moments
- Government officials influencing home prices
- Massive EPA energy regulations meet challenge
- Washington state healthcare reforms also needed
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
| TODAY'S TOP JOBS |
| View All Top Jobs |
| Top Cars |
|
| Top Homes |
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT |
|
|
|Contact Us
|Advertiser Services
|Home Delivery
|Newsstand Locations
|Classifieds
|Feedback
|About the Company
|Work@the Herald
|Site Map |
|
COMMENTS
Log in or register to post a new comment.
To read other terms and conditions, click here
How many of these "immigrants" can we absorb? The U.S. is bankrupt. The "official" unemployment rate is 10.2 %. Services for American citizens are reduced and then reduced some more. When do we say to these illegal aliens, "go home... rehabilitate your own country. We've had enough"!!!
Veritas Splendor | Feb 3, 2010 10:44 pm | 1 replies | Request removal
Post reply
Actually, we can "absorb" quite a few more. Recent economoc reports show that undocumented immigrants alone contribute as much as 1.5 billion to state revenues; and 1.5 trillion to the country as a whole over the next 10 years.
Chris Koehler | Feb 05, 2010 12:25 pm | Request removal
So, he never really followed the rules, just skirted them enough to get a green card via the marriage tunnel? So, this is why so many have a problem w/ our broken immigration system...it still allows illegals to go to the head of the line-while thousands of others have followed the law and paid their dues...
brilliant.
CC At the Big B | Feb 3, 2010 8:42 am | 2 replies | Request removal
Post reply
I don't know where you got that he was able to get a green card "via the marriage tunnel." Your response is mean-spirited and seems to assume the worst.
Kim O'Brien | Feb 03, 2010 5:15 pm | Request removal
Todos somos inmigrantes!
We are all immigrants!
Teresa Acosta | Feb 04, 2010 2:09 pm | Request removal