Since March 2003, when the department was first created, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – the largest investigative branch of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – has been arresting undocumented aliens. Recently ICE arrested several undocumented Korean immigrants in a raid on a house in Palisade's Park, New Jersey. Although stories of such arrests in the Korean community are not new, this case marks the first time that ICE arrested people in their own home. ICE's actions have come as a big shock to many Koreans.
Koreans generally respect their public face, their family name and honor and are often very sensitive regarding private matters. But in the case of these recent arrests, many Koreans have responded in a new way; instead of feeling shame, or embarrassment, or fear of anti-Korean reactions, most people who hear the story feel sorry for those arrested. There is deep sympathy, even heartbreak, for those arrested by ICE. There is great understanding for those Koreans who became illegal immigrants, whose only wish is to lead good lives and live well in America. Everyone understands how difficult life can be for those who came here originally as students or tourists, or just family members, but ended up as illegal immigrants.
Therefore, many Korean organizations in New York, and across the United States, are now active in pro-immigration issues for both documented and undocumented Korean immigrants. In the eyes of the pro-immigrant groups, those who insist on fitting people into categories, or calling for acts of discrimination against immigrants, have crossed the line. Such anti-immigrant views must be changed. The Korean-American community has come out as strongly pro-immigration.
According to the 2006 federal census statistics, the number of Korean immigrants is approximated at 1,335,075. Seen regionally, there are 430,913 Korean immigrants in California; 139,282 in New York; in New Jersey 86,356; 63,767 in Virginia; 60,078 in Texas; and 58,028 in Illinois.
The DHS calculates the number of undocumented people in the United States as 10,500,000 and the number of illegal Koreans at about 210,000 nationally, or 2 percent. Based upon census results, illegal Koreans represent 15.72 percent of the Korean-American community. Other Asians – Chinese, Vietnamese, or Philippines – have lower percentages of illegal immigrants.
Why are there so many undocumented Korean immigrants? Is the high number due to Koreans' general willingness to emigrate and that many have family members, friends or colleagues already in the United States? Almost all undocumented Korean immigrants are some relationship to legal Korean immigrants. If the census and DHS calculations are correct, one Korean in seven is in the United States illegally.
