With the possibility of former President Donald Trump’s return to power, concerns are growing among the Korean community about their immigration status. This is largely due to his anti-immigrant policies, such as the suspension of green cards and H-1B visa applications, which he implemented through executive orders in the past.
Additionally, Trump’s recent anti-immigrant statements have heightened these anxieties, such as that the immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country,” and that there is a “100% chance of terror,” foreshadowing a stricter immigration policy.
A Korean national, who immigrated to the U.S. 15 years ago and has lived as a non-citizen without issue, is now considering U.S. citizenship due to concerns that stricter immigration policies might complicate re-entry into the country.
“I was thinking of living in Korea someday because it’s a headache to dispose of my Korean property and I have family in Korea,” he said. “I travel back and forth between Korea and the U.S. several times a year, and if it becomes a problem to get in and out of the country, I think it is better to be a U.S. citizen.”
Similar concerns are prevalent among Koreans holding U.S. visas. One Korean H-1B visa holder is looking for a new job in a hurry. His company been putting off applying for a green card at his current company because he worries that the green card process could be suspended after the election. He is currently planning to move to a company that guarantees him a green card application, even if it means taking a small pay cut.
Past experiences under the Trump administration also fuel this atmosphere of anxiety among Koreans. One Korean green card holder tells her friends to make haste in getting a green card, knowing that her application had been suspended in the previous Trump administration.
“The whole green card process just stopped one day, and then the income requirements became stricter,” she said. “The problem is that everything changes immediately even before preparing for how the policy will be implemented.”
Despite these concerns, there has not been a noticeable rush to apply for citizenship and permanent residency. In early 2016, anticipating Trump’s election victory, there was a surge in citizenship applications, and many couples expedited marriage processes to apply for green cards.
Experts, however, say that there is no need for immediate concern. It is widely believed that most of Trump’s campaign promises are unconstitutional, making it challenging to penalize law-abiding Koreans.
“While there was a surge in citizenship applications around this time in 2016 before the presidential election, the number of inquiries this time around is not as high,” says Juyeon Song, an immigration lawyer, adding, “I think the Korean-American community has gotten used to it.” However, she notes, “Considering the confusion caused by the policy changes every morning at the time, those who can apply now should hurry.”
BY HAEUN LEE, HOONSIK WOO [lee.haeun@koreadailyny.com]
