Citizenship gives Modesto refugee hope for his kids, but he worries for family left behind
Nisar Ahmadi, an Afghan refugee who resettled in Modesto six years ago, felt a mix of emotions as he took his oath of allegiance Thursday, thinking of family members who remain behind.
For eight years, Ahmadi, now 44, worked with U.S. Navy forces until death threats from the Taliban reached him and his family, including three small children who at the time were ages 7, 4 and 3. It took three years for them to get special immigrant visas, allowing them to flee, and five more for the family to be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship.
Still living in the war-torn country, though, are Ahmadi’s parents and two brothers, and he worries for their safety.
Since 2009, as many as 18,000 Afghans have been issued SIVs, along with 45,000 immediate family members who accompany them, according to National Immigration Forum. The processing time for visa applications varies from roughly two to three years, but some have waited as long as three and a half years, reports the Washington, D.C.,-based forum, which was founded in 1982.
Afghan immigrants are less likely to become naturalized, with only 41% of them being U.S. citizens as of 2019, compared to 52% of all immigrants who were naturalized, Immigration Policy reports.
In March, Ahmadi got news he’d finally be able to become naturalized. Though his wife submitted her application at the same time, she has yet to receive the same opportunity.
“The happiest day of my life was yesterday because I have been waiting a long time to become a U.S. citizen,” he said Friday, emphasizing his pride in America and willingness to defend the country.
Safety but struggles in American life
Ahmadi said he feels indebted to the U.S. because he and his family live in peace, much different from life in Afghanistan. That’s not to say his family’s journey is free from struggle and sacrifice.
Ahmadi went months without being employed. Refugees normally find work within 60 to 90 days from arrival, according to the International Rescue Committee. It also was difficult to obtain housing, an issue that persists as thousands more Afghan refugees are expected to come within the next year.
Once he found housing, another barrier followed.
“The money that we got … welcome money … it was not enough,” Ahmadi said.
Though refugees can apply for additional assistance once they resettle and receive their paperwork, they typically are given only a one-time payment of $1,125 per adult, $300 per child, to cover their basic needs, regardless of where they end up resettling, the IRC reports. While that money helped cover most of his rent for the first month and deposit, Ahmadi still had to come up with the remaining $100 rent balance and pay for utilities and a source of transportation.
Thanks to the support of the growing Afghan community in Modesto, he was able to borrow from people he knew.
Now husband and father to a family of six — the youngest a 5-year-old born in Modesto — Ahmadi says his children are growing up with big dreams. His 13-year-old daughter, the oldest, wants to be both a doctor and an astronaut. His 9-year-old, the second youngest, wants to serve in the military, while his older brother seeks to be a Modesto police officer.
Before coming to the U.S., Ahmadi had dreams like his children. The Uber driver hoped to pursue a higher education once he got to the U.S., but the reality of working life makes him feel that’s nearly impossible.
“We have to work here. There’s no time to study,” he said, adding that American life is all about working to survive.
Recently, Ahmadi got his commercial license to become a truck driver. While he feels the American dream may not happen for him, he hopes to provide for his wife and children so they have that opportunity.
Thinking of family left behind
But as he rebuilds a life in the U.S., he can’t help but to think of his parents and two younger brothers who remain in Afghanistan. Like him, his brothers also worked with U.S. forces, and they are waiting for their SIV applications to be processed.
He said his brothers received a call from the U.S. Embassy during evacuations, saying they would get another call. “They say, ‘OK we call you back,’ but nobody called them. And unfortunately … both of them got left behind,” he said.
SIV applicants can bring only their spouses and children, making it more difficult for Ahmadi to get his parents to the U.S.
He shared his frustration with former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country amid its fall under Taliban rule to avoid further bloodshed. “He betrayed the people of Afghanistan,” Ahmadi said.
And now with the Taliban under control, there leaves little room for his family to be able to escape to a neighboring country. Further, with no passenger flights leaving Afghanistan, Ahmadi wonders if his family ever will reach safety.
This story was originally published September 22, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
