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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Citizenship Day: Helping WA's Newest Americans Find Their Way

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013   

MOSES LAKE, Wash. - The road to U.S. citizenship can be long and confusing, even for people who are here legally. This weekend, "Citizenship Day" events in four Washington cities will be staffed with volunteers to help navigate it.

One volunteer will be Natasha Burns, who became an American in January after starting the process at a Citizenship Day event. A native of Russia, she said there's a lot of paperwork to fill out and it can be intimidating no matter how well a person speaks English.

"For sure, ask as many questions as you feel needed," advised Burns. "Don't be afraid that the question is stupid or silly. If they don't know the answer, they always (say), 'Let me find somebody who will be able to answer.' "

According to Jessica Scruggs, Washington New Americans program coordinator, 170,000 people in the state are eligible for citizenship, and immigration reform would increase that number.

"That need could be much, much higher, and there simply aren't enough immigration attorneys and there aren't enough programs like ours to meet the demand right now," she said. "So, we're going to have to get creative to make sure that everybody is able to navigate this new process that we're looking at."

Applicants must share information about where they've lived, worked, gone to school and traveled for the past five years, plus relatives' names, tax returns and more. Location information and guidelines for what to bring are online at WAnewamericans.org.

Scruggs said she expects this weekend to be busy for the interpreters, attorneys and paralegals who volunteer. They're closely watching the progress of immigration reform in Congress, she said.

"It's a very personal bill for everyone who does this work, and I think there's a huge amount of hope and a huge amount of fear," she said. "We've gotten so close and we really want to make sure that it goes through in a way that's just and humane, and really provides a secure path to citizenship."

Burns, who now serves as a translator, is being honored this month with a volunteer service award from Gov. Jay Inslee. Organized by the Washington New Americans program, Citizenship Day events will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in Moses Lake, Mount Vernon, Tacoma and Vancouver.



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