I could not read the text: the immigrant remained without US citizenship due to blindness

Lucio Delgado said the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) did not provide the citizenship test in Braille, which he requested. Writes about this The New York Times.

Photo: Shutterstock

The 23-year-old Mexican, the holder of the green card Lucio Delgado, in February, accompanied by his sister, went to the post office to pick up an envelope from USCIS. They opened the envelope right at the post office.

The letter said that he could not cope with reading and was not entitled to naturalization. Blind Delgado was crushed.

When he passed the test in May, the reading section was not available in Braille. At a meeting with federal agents a few months later, he explained the problem and thought he would be helped.

He decided to share his story in public.

"I thought, 'Well, I doubt I'm the only blind or disabled immigrant who's had a naturalization request denied because of this,'" he said.

The publicity of the story worked: the immigration authorities planned a meeting with Delgado in mid-March.

On the subject: USCIS Changes US Visa Application Process: New Details

“It’s not hard to imagine that many undocumented people remain silent because they fear deportation,” said his lawyer, Kriha. “We will work to understand the extent of the problem for undocumented people with disabilities, who stand to lose much more.”

USCIS recognized that problems exist.

“USCIS has identified gaps and barriers, many of which are systemic or procedural in nature,” the USCIS self-audit report states.

Delgado said that there were problems not only with the lack of test materials in Braille, but also with the placement of the request.

“USCIS has policies to ensure that accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available upon request, and we work diligently to ensure compliance with these policies at all times,” the agency said in a statement. “If we become aware of an error in compliance with these rules, we make every effort to correct the situation.”

The agency said they would provide English language tests in Braille for any blind or visually impaired applicant for citizenship.

According to Mary Rosenberg, a lawyer for Access Living, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that promotes the rights of people with disabilities, many blind people do not use the Braille test, in part because new technologies provide them with different ways to access the text.

“But yes, it is definitely a problem that people who need it and who request braille from various government agencies are not receiving it,” she said.

Blind since birth, Delgado came to the United States when he was 16 years old. He said he left his home in the Mexican state of Guerrero because he wanted better educational opportunities, and also because his family was afraid of the growing influence of drugs.

Delgado and his relatives, who now have green cards, live in Pembroke Township (Illinois), in rural areas about 70 miles (112 km) south of Chicago.

Delgado carefully prepared for the citizenship exam, which includes a civil exam with questions about American history and public administration, as well as an English test that includes reading and writing.

He went to the eye doctor for documentation to prove that he was blind, and requested that he get the test in Braille a few months before the exam date.

On the subject: 5 USCIS innovations in 2020 to make life difficult for legal immigrants

May 21, the day of the exam, he traveled by public transport for two hours to the office of the department in downtown Chicago. He passed the civil exam and the English exam orally.

But when it came time to test his reading skills, the agent told him that the agency did not have any materials in Braille, and instead offered a large print version of the test. Naturally, a blind person could not read it.

The agent, he said, told him to go to another ophthalmologist for a month to get additional evidence of his blindness. But Delgado has no health insurance.

He called the Citizenship and Immigration Service and was eventually able to make another appointment in Chicago on September 17th. This time, the agents were convincing that they could smooth things over.

Delgado was waiting for the letter with hope, but when he received it, he was very upset.

“I felt like my world was shattered,” he said.

This could be the end, but Delgado shared his story with friends on social networks who advised him to contact news agencies. It worked: CBS Chicago first reported the story in early March. And next week, an agent from the Citizenship and Immigration Services called Delgado to make another appointment.

“I was surprised,” Delgado says. “I didn’t know what to say.”

USCIS said it “cannot comment on individual cases due to privacy protection,” so it’s not clear what will happen when Delgado leaves for his third meeting.

Delgado is not sure if he will be asked to take an English test in Braille. But just in case, he nevertheless prepared for the exam.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Where they can help you prepare for the US citizenship test for free

USCIS Launches H-1B Online Visa Lottery: How to Register

List of benefits and allowances for which an immigrant may be recognized as a 'social burden'

New US Immigration Rules for 2020: Everything You Need to Know

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.