Vermont Talk: Odyssey of a woman from Africa to refuge in Vermont – VTDIGGER

The conversation in Vermont with David Goodman is a podcast of VTDIGGER, who presents in -depth interviews on local and national issues. Listen below and subscribe free to Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get podcasts.

Trudy escapes from home in Africa in fear of his life. Her “crime” supported a presidential candidate who was running against the acting leader. While her friends and family were abducted, tortured and killed, Trudy decided to save herself and her 1 -year -old daughter. Seven years ago, she left her country. She arrived in the United States, applied for and received political asylum and is now a permanent resident in Vermont. Referring to concerns about the safety of her relatives, Labor requested to be identified by her name.

One of President Donald Trump’s first acts was to close the refuge and acceptance of refugees, accusing migrants of organizing an “invasion”. The US Civil Freedom Union has since filed a federal case accusing the Trump administration of breaching legal obligations to offer asylum to those who are running away from persecution.

“These changes have been introduced to cool the system, to scare everyone to hide, to withdraw, to do not act, to panic, to self -portion or self -harm,” says Jill Martin Diaz, an immigration lawyer who is CEO of the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP), an organization for legal services and advocacy. “Although many of these enforcement actions will not survive control in court only after accepting them and creating fear in our communities, there is already a truly freezing effect.”

Martin Diaz explained that there were recently a number of arrests in Vermont by US immigration agents and customs application (ICE). Agents are reported to appear in supermarkets, gas stations and offices of the Western Union, where migrant workers are known. VAAP has a form on its website to account for ice activity.

Vermont is home to several thousand asylum seekers, according to Martin Diaz.

Trudi explained that if she was sent back to her country, she was considering giving up her daughter for adoption and then returning to “face the consequences”.

“When I got refuge, I regained my life,” Trudi said. “You have no idea what it is like to be in a condition you don’t know. Because most people who leave their countries come here do not leave because they want. For example, I had everything for me. I had a good job, I went to school. I’m not coming from a very poor family. I came here for reasons for my child’s security and for me. “

After receiving asylum, “I fell from me. I started the recovery process. “

She now works as a business office manager and her daughter is in third grade.

“We move forward. We look at the future. We hope. We are happy. We’re fine. We’re really fine. “