Thread: Diary of a woman trying to get U.S. citizenship

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?secti ... id=4733139

(New York-WABC, Nov. 6, 2006) - It was a long struggle for the Dutch native, but she was determined to become a citizen. But when the system seemed stubbornly against her, she reached out for help from Seven On Your Side.

This is Vera Krijn's diary of frustration.

Vera Krijn: "I sent an email on the government hotline, no response. "

For the past twenty two months she's called and written immigration services trying to gain her citizenship.

Seven on Your Side's Tappy Phillips: "Do you understand any of what's been going on?"
Vera Krijn: "Absolutely not."

Vera was born in the Netherlands, but has lived here for the past 31 years as a resident alien. Finally she applied for citizenship in 2003. Immigration brought her in for fingerprinting twice, even issued her a certification number. But she had never taken the final critical oath of citizenship.

But in early 2005, Vera left the country for a month. She had notified the immigration service that she would be away, but during her absence a letter arrived.

Vera: "It was two weeks notice for the oath ceremony, so by the time I came back, the oath ceremony had passed, and there it was."

Vera had missed the ceremony. She thought it would be an easy matter to correct. But a year and a half later?

Vera: "I visited, I think, about seven or eight times, and every day, time, I was told, just go home, we're working at it."

So in desperation, Vera called for seven on her side and a week later, she was taking her oath and became an American citizen.

The customs and immigration service told us that when Vera missed the first oath ceremony that triggered a glitch in the system. They didn't explain why it took so long to work out. Vera says one of the first things she wants to do as a citizen is vote.

My firm position is that no one illegally in this country should be able to gain legalization while in this country! What's the difference in that and amnesty?