1. Crowded and chaotic US Embassy interview site for refugees seeking to resettle, at the Hmong refugee camp Ban Vinai.
2. Hmong practiced polygamy in Laos, which was acceptable, and brought it over to Thailand, but is not allowed in the USA. Families were broken up so they can come to the USA since a man is allowed to bring only one wife and their children. This was tough because family is important to the Hmong people.
Jake & family (Relevant to the photo of family w/T# Lee, Chao):
When we got to Thailand we did not have any money.
- We went straight into the Vib Nais refugee camp.
- We had to hide from the UN people as we did not have identification cards.
- We did not have any money so there was a sister in France who sent us money to use.
- We did not get water, we only got it when there were left overs.
Just like water, we only got the left overs
We made Hmong story cloth for money.
There was no medication or any way to cure a sickness.
3. JVA, Joint Voluntary Agency, was the interview team in Ban Vinai. The JVA was between NGO (non government organization) and USA embassy. Once refugees passed the screening interview, they got a T#. Interview was done by INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service)
4. The Thai government encouraged refugees to resettle in the USA or return to Laos, not settling in Thailand.
5. Most Hmong in BV claimed these two status under U.S. resettlement criteria: P-3, with close relatives in the U.S., and P-4b) previously in the civil or armed services of the former governments of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
6. "By the end of the process, the refugee’s case has been reviewed by: 1) UNHCR, 2) the JVA registrar, 3) a JVA form writer, 4) a JVA caseworker, 5) an ethnic affairs officer, and 6) INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service)” page 158, Ban Vinai: The Refugee Camp by Lynellyn D. Long
Research suggestions:
Can interview Jake. Minors will connect your teacher with Jake, and you can communicate on scheduling an interview.