I hope the Korean consulate and advocacy groups are recommending to the illegal immigrants calling them to go back to Korea instead of remaining as criminals in the US:
Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs take an undocumented immigrant to a patrol car in Los Angeles on Feb, 7, 2017, in this photo released by The Associated Press. (Yonhap)
Park Sang-ok, a consul responsible for immigration affairs at the South Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles, was inundated with telephone calls all day long on Friday.
Many Koreans who are not legally in the United States called him for inquiries, as they were becoming aware that the anti-immigration polices of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration were imminent and are scared of possibly being deported.
According to Park, the callers, including one from Boston, Massachusetts, were responding to the consulate general’s posting of a notice about the U.S. administration’s measures to toughen immigration polices and related information.
Advocacy groups supporting the rights of Korean immigrants, such as the Los Angeles-based Korean Resource Center (KRC), have been dealing with an increasing number of callers seeking more information about the administration’s campaign to crack down on illegal immigration. The center, founded in 1983, was created to educate, serve and organize the Korean-American community in Los Angeles.
One of the officials at the KRC, Chung Sang-hyuk, said, “We received an average of 20 calls a day last week. There were calls from Ohio State and New York as well as Los Angeles.”
The Korean-American community has been gripped by fear since the Trump administration on Tuesday announced new guidelines that could lead to more aggressive deportations of undocumented immigrants inside the country and at the border. [Yonhap]
The new immigration policy deports illegal immigrants arrested for crimes. Such as this guy here quoted in the article:
A Korean-American in his 20s living in Georgia State said to Yonhap News Agency, “I have been fined for drunk driving in the past and my visa has expired. I am so worried about agents coming after me.”
If an illegal immigrant is driving around drunk, putting people at risk, why should American citizens be expected to let this person stay?
Here is the other effect from President Trump’s new immigration policy, it is forcing people to apply for residency and citizenship:
Against the backdrop, lawyers specializing in immigration law are cashing in on many Koreans’ needs to obtain permanent residence rights and citizenships earlier.
A 49-year-old Korean resident near Los Angeles said on the condition of anonymity that he hurriedly applied for citizenship right after President Trump’s inauguration. “But it remains to be seen whether I will get it in due time,” he said.
I have little sympathy for illegal immigrants that have had years to apply for residency and did not do it.
“If an illegal immigrant is driving around drunk, putting people at risk, why should American citizens be expected to let this person stay?”
Please understand their situation!!!
If you are in a country illegally, then you should be worried and shouldn’t feel sorry for yourself, or expect people to “understand” your situation.
Those idiots make South Koreans and others trying to do it legally look bad and it’s unfair to those good people.
Maybe the authorities in the US should go on a one month tear and visit all the places where illegal South Koreans may be working, living etc… and check everyone’s status out.
Considering how South Koreans and their media have in the past (and present) demonized illegal language teachers, three D workers and just about everyone who isn’t Korean living in South Korea, they are in no position to complain.
I’m sure as usual they and their apologists will offer up the usual excuses of why they should be the exception.
Like it, or lump it, illegal is illegal whether it be in South Korea, the States, or wherever. If you go to another country and break the law(s) you don’t deserve an once of sympathy.
@Tyson, if someone immigrates legally to the United States there is no reason to deport them. However, if someone is staying illegally in the United States they are criminals to begin with. Then to top off they are committing crimes and getting arrested I can’t understand why anyone would want to keep them around.
GIKorea, I understand that criminals and illegals will be deported. But the latest immigration crackdown also affects the legal permanent residents with proper documents. There are reports that even traffic tickets and parking ticket violations are going to be used to deport permanent residents. I don’t think there are many people who have never gotten a traffic ticket some point in their lives. That’s a lot of people the US is looking to expel.
@Tyson I have seen no evidence that permanent residency card holders are in danger of getting deported. Can you provide a link from a reputable source? If so I am totally against permanent residency card holders getting deported since they immigrated the legal way into the country.
“If an illegal immigrant is driving around drunk, putting people at risk, why should American citizens be expected to let this person stay?”
Please understand their situation!!!
If you are in a country illegally, then you should be worried and shouldn’t feel sorry for yourself, or expect people to “understand” your situation.
Those idiots make South Koreans and others trying to do it legally look bad and it’s unfair to those good people.
Maybe the authorities in the US should go on a one month tear and visit all the places where illegal South Koreans may be working, living etc… and check everyone’s status out.
Considering how South Koreans and their media have in the past (and present) demonized illegal language teachers, three D workers and just about everyone who isn’t Korean living in South Korea, they are in no position to complain.
I’m sure as usual they and their apologists will offer up the usual excuses of why they should be the exception.
Like it, or lump it, illegal is illegal whether it be in South Korea, the States, or wherever. If you go to another country and break the law(s) you don’t deserve an once of sympathy.
What’s your thoughts on legal immigrants who abide by law? Should they be deported as well?
@Tyson, if someone immigrates legally to the United States there is no reason to deport them. However, if someone is staying illegally in the United States they are criminals to begin with. Then to top off they are committing crimes and getting arrested I can’t understand why anyone would want to keep them around.
GIKorea, I understand that criminals and illegals will be deported. But the latest immigration crackdown also affects the legal permanent residents with proper documents. There are reports that even traffic tickets and parking ticket violations are going to be used to deport permanent residents. I don’t think there are many people who have never gotten a traffic ticket some point in their lives. That’s a lot of people the US is looking to expel.
@Tyson I have seen no evidence that permanent residency card holders are in danger of getting deported. Can you provide a link from a reputable source? If so I am totally against permanent residency card holders getting deported since they immigrated the legal way into the country.