Over the past year, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City has completed 100 citizenship applications and has supported 46 individuals to become new U.S. citizens. These accomplishments could not come to be without the work of the IRC’s immigration team! Their primary focus is helping people navigate the U.S. immigration legal system by supporting refugees, asylees and other immigrants to prepare forms, gather needed information, offer translation and interpretation services, and consult on the immigration legal processes that families and individuals are required to navigate. Anna Springer, immigration program manager, oversees these efforts and manages a team of five who work diligently in support of immigrants living in Utah. Anna is a U.S. Department of Justice accredited representative and has worked to aid people with immigration legal processes for more than eight years.

The immigration team supports families and individuals with services that meet their unique needs. From supporting temporary and marriage-based visa applications to guiding individuals through employment or family-based applications, the team is experienced in navigating complex legal processes and works to stay updated on adjustments in the law. The team also helps ensure that individuals understand the requirements of certain applications: employment-based visas require a sponsoring employer while family-based reunification applications require proof of familial connection and a focus on the humanitarian need.  

The IRC’s immigration team spends time working with refugee families to submit family reunification applications, ensuring family members still overseas are able to join them in the U.S. These processes can take years to complete but remain vitally important to the U.S. humanitarian mission. As part of the Refugee Admissions Program, the U.S. works to admit 80,000 to 120,000 refugees each year, ensuring they are properly vetted and eligible for resettlement. For family members waiting in refugee camps and other uncertain spaces, reunification applications can support their case for resettlement to the U.S. Once families arrive to the U.S. as refugees, they are permitted to begin work, apply for a permanent residence status and, after five years, pursue U.S. citizenship.  

“There will always be obstacles to the immigration process that we cannot do anything about. It can be frustrating that the timing of things can take so long, and that there are frustrating waiting periods. But what makes it worth it is hearing the stories of people every day. We hear about families and children, of older people and other cultures, little pieces of each of their lives,” said Anna. 

Anna’s passion for working in immigration is getting to see people’s stories or chapters fulfilled. “When I get to see a family reunited, these are the best moments. Family petitions are so huge - a lot of times family members may not have been able to see each other for a long time. When I hear that they are coming, it is so great because it is a whole new beginning for the family,” said Anna. 

“We are all so similar. We have so much more in common than we think we do - our differences are so superficial - we all want to work hard and build a better life,” said Anna. Her work supporting families through the U.S. immigration system helps them overcome obstacles and rebuild their lives in our community.  

At the IRC in Salt Lake City, the immigration team works with community volunteers to support their efforts as families settle into their life in Utah. Civics & Citizenship Tutors help individuals prepare for their citizenship exam through English language practice and curriculum study.  

Learn more about the immigration services offered by the IRC in Salt Lake City here »