Liu Lafaele Says D.C. Internship Phenomenal

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American Samoa Community College graduate and alumnus of Samoana High School, Liu Lafaele of Afono, has ended a fellowship for the International Leadership Foundation during which he interned at the D.C. office of  Congresswoman Aumua Amata Radewagen.

Liu, who has been a news reporter, translator and host on our radio stations WVUV and 93 KHJ, said the eight weeks he spent in Washington D.C. were  phenomenal.

He conceded it was hard to be “living alone and being away from home, but I’ve managed, for the past two months.”

For his internship Liu says he researched several bills that Congresswoman Aumua proposes and others that  lobbyists bring to her office.

One of his research topics  was the process of naturalization under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952.

He writes, “American Samoan born  are considered nationals which  is defined by the INA as a person though not a citizen of the land, owes allegiance to the United States…Samoans have honorably served the U.S Armed Forces since the two world wars and  we hold the highest rate of enlistment across the nation. “

Liu says Congresswoman Aumua is working to push a bill that hastens the naturalization process for U.S Nationals to replace the current process where American Samoans have to complete six months of residency in the US before they are eligible to become US citizens.

He says, “When we go through this lengthy process, it seems that we are similar to aliens when being processed, but as defined by our actions for the past century, we have risked many lives on the line for the freedom of this great country.”

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