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(코리아타운뉴스) “ I shouldn’t go to Korea until I get my green card”

Korean immigrants fearful of anti-immigration Policy

Korean immigrants in the United States are seemingly shell shocked after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to block all people from seven mostly Muslim countries from entering the country.

For those who are awaiting for the renewal of their respective visas and approval of their green cards, the concern has grown larger.

Those worried voices were expressed vividly on the online forum WorkingUS, an Internet community for Korean immigrants in the U.S. Many posters have been resenting the decision of Trump, whose executive order banned people from Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen.

A majority of the posters agreed that Trump’s action is excessive and that his stance on immigrants may expand to people from Asian countries, including South Korea.



“I’ve heard that there have been cases in which even green card holders from Muslim countries couldn’t enter the country,” wrote a poster under the user name d**. “Maybe I shouldn’t go to Korea until I get my citizenship. I’m really worried.”

Another poster, named Youngju**, wrote: “Even the legal residents in the U.S. were held at the airport. I submitted my application for a green card last week and I’m not even sure if it’ll go through.”

Working immigrants from South Korea, many of whom hold an H-1B visa, are suddenly finding themselves with uncertain futures.

“I heard that the requirements for a work visa will only get stricter and that Optional Practical Training [employment visa for international students] will no longer be renewable,” wrote y**. “Does that mean I should just go home?”

DD** added, “Trump already mentioned that he wants to stall granting green cards and other work visas like OPT. The situation is only getting worse.”
Even on the Korea Daily website (koreadaily.com), posters’ debate centered on the controversy around Trump’s so-called “anti-immigration” policies.

“There’s something we’re overlooking,” wrote mint**. “The only target for now may be the Middle East and South America, but it’s possible that even Asians could face similar discrimination.”

Little did mint** know, the countries subject to the ban are in the Middle East or Africa—not South America.

Another poster cap*** wrote, “Blocking people from countries with terrorists may sound right theoretically, but there are plenty of loopholes in the policy. This is too extreme.”

However, some posters welcomed Trump’s executive order.
“The ban will only last for 90 days, not two years,” mau** wrote. “This is not an anti-immigration policy. It’s an anti-terrorism policy.”

Another poster spo*** wrote, “This is a policy to protect the American people. The 12 million illegal immigrants in the country should be deported.”


By Hyoung Jae Kim



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