JOSLIN, Ill. (KWQC) - Tyson Foods is expanding its Immigrant Connection Program to all of its plants, helping its employees become U.S. citizens with free legal counsel and no application fees.
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The program launched last year at the Joslin plant, and because of the pandemic had to take a short pause. Now it’s back and able to help hundreds of Tyson employees get the help they need.
The process to become a U.S. citizen can take years, and cost thousands of dollars. Zach Szmara, the National Executive director of Immigrant Connection says this program helps remove the obstacles for working-class residents, allowing them “access to trustworthy, high-quality legal services, [where] your cost is down.” He says it costs $725 to apply for citizenship, on top of the up to $5,000 fees in immigration attorney fees per person. On top of that, it can take about one to two years before the first interview even takes place.
“The beauty of this program is we’re able to bring that [help] directly to the team members and alleviate some of that concern that happens. As well as ‘hey, you don’t have to figure out how to fill out that form. I do it because I’ve done a lot of them.’ So, it’s able to make it a lot easier for them,” says Esperanza Legal Assistance Center’s immigration legal specialist Carolyn O’Connor.
Tyson officials say about 40% of their employees are legally approved to work in the U.S. and eligible to pursue citizenship. Garrett...
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