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Process of Becoming a Refugee Process of Becoming a Refugee

By Joseph Trently

(SOT 1: Chol)
“Heat, hot, dry, hunger, not enough services such as basic services.”

(Track 1: Joe)
Refugee life is a very difficult process to go through, and most don’t get the opportunity to come to America.
Chol Majok was one of the lucky ones, who got to escape the harsh conditions of a refugee camp in East Africa.

(SOT 2: Chol)

“I came here in 2001. September of 2001, from a refugee camp called Kakuma, in the northern part of Kenya.”

(Track 2: Scopas)

An incredible journey, and now, Chol Majok is the common councilor for the city of Syracuse.

(SOT 3: Chol)

“Cause when I was in Kakuma since I was a litte boy, I wanted to be in public service. That has been my aspiration since I was in the refugee camp. Coming here made it better, because here I could pursue that.”

(Track 3: Joe)
So now that Chol is here, what was the process like for him to get to the United States?
First, the process is very lengthy.

(SOT 4: Chol)

“The process took four years before we got here actually.”

(Track 4: Scopas)

The process starts by a refugee leaving their home country.
Once in the host country, UNHCR chooses which refugees are most vulnerable for resettlement.
The chosen ones undergo screening by eight federal agencies.
Then, database and biometric security checks.
After those checks, they go through medical screening.
And finally, three in-person interviews with the Department of Homeland Security.

***Standup*** : Joe
“Now Syracuse is already a big host hub for refugees throughout New York State and throughout the entire country, and it’s churches like St. Vincent Depaul Church that welcome in these refugees and give them a sense of feeling at home.”

(Track 5: Joe)

When refugees like Chol arrive in the US, they need someone to turn to to get them on their feet.
Carl Oropallo is one of those people who helps them with some of the basic paperwork that they have to go through, but to him, it’s more personal than just paperwork.

(SOT 5: Carl)

“When they got off the plane, it was February 14, 2001, and they just had a shirt on in February. I mean no jackets or boots or gloves or whatever. So it sort of changed my whole life I think, I just said wow, they’ve come with nothing. Just the papers they have in their hand.”

(Track 6: Scopas)

Carl is happy that his generosity has paid off.

(SOT 6: Carl)

“Tremendous satisfaction all of these years and I’ve stayed with it, because I’ve seen them progress.”

(Track 7: Joe)

And talking about progress, Chol exemplifies what helping others is all about, and he is more than grateful to be here.

(SOT 7: Chol)

“I love this country, this is my country.”

(Track 8: Joe and Scopas)
Reporting from Syracuse, I’m Joe Trently, and I’m Scopas Bethuel. NCC knows and now you do too.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS)–  We in the United States often take so much for granted because we live in arguably the best living conditions in the world. That is not the case for a majority of the rest of the world, and in some places it is so bad that people leave their own countries and risk it all to head to refugee camps.

Leaving their home countries is only the first step in the long process of making it to the United States. Most of the time, it takes years for selected individuals to get here, and those are the lucky ones.

Once individuals are selected, they go through a long and often frustrating process to make it here:

  1. Fleeing their home country
  2. Undergo federal screening
  3. Security checks
  4. Medical screening
  5. Department of Homeland Security interviews

For individuals like Chol Majok, it is more than a blessing to be here.

“I love my country,” Majok said. “This is my country.”

Majok now serves as the Syracuse Common Councilor. His journey getting here wasn’t pretty, however.

“I came from a refugee camp called Kakuma in the northern part of Kenya,” Majok said. “It is very hot and dry there and the resources are very limited. The process took us four years to get here.”

Once Chol arrived, however, he always knew that he wanted to work in public service.

“Growing up in that area of the world, I always knew I wanted to help people,” Majok said. “I always knew that I wanted to be in public service ever since I was a little boy.”

Getting here is the big battle, but what about when a refugee arrives here? Who do they rely on? How do they start a whole new life than they’re used to?

It’s individuals, like Carl Oropallo, who helps these refugees with anything they may need when they first arrive.

“It’s really the little things,” Oropallo said. “Whether it’s helping them get groceries or showing them around the area, I just find joy in helping these people start the better life that they came here for.”

Oropallo is a member of the St. Vincent Depaul Church in Syracuse. They are one of the many churches throughout the Syracuse area that help refugees both when they arrive and after they arrive.

Syracuse is one of the major refugee hubs not only throughout the northeast, but the entire country as well, and the city continues to welcome in these people with open arms.

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