Many people are living in a one-bedroom apartment on Parsons Boulevard in Flushing these days. In addition to the actual tenant renting the apartment, Ms. Kim (age 32), there are three men and one other woman living in the apartment since last summer. These additional tenants are Mr. Choi, 28, Mr. Chung, 28, Ms. Oh, 19, who all illegally entered the United States through Canada last September and Mr. Lee, 24, who entered the United States on a three-month travel visa. They are all young people who have lost their jobs back in Korea and have come to the United States to find a new life for themselves. Choi came to the United States after three months of planning, telling his family members, “When I don’t have any options left I will go over to the United States,” Choi said, “I used to work in a refrigeration parts manufacturing company but left the firm when the company continued to decline and their financial situation became irreparable.”
Chung was born from the same Chunju Province as Choi and both worked in Sunchun City, Chung as a highly trained and certified auto mechanic. Due to the auto repair industry’s recession in Korea, Chung became unemployed and with Choi, decided to seek illegal entry into the United States
Oh explained, “After graduating high school I was training to be a makeup artist and also receiving training in nails, which was supposed to have good prospects. I came to the United States because it didn’t work out and with monthly income ranging from approximately $120 to $240, I could not survive.”
Lee studied computer programming and even started a small business with his parents in Korea, but ultimately the business did not work out and he came to the United States on a three-month travel visa.
Choi said, “I now wash clients’ feet at a nail salon.” Oh has also found a job in a nail salon.
Chung explained that he could not reveal his current occupation for fear of his identity being exposed, “The community is too small and I am afraid that I would be identified if I talk about my job.” These three people were able to find jobs within a month of arriving in the United States but Lee is still searching.
Choi, Chung and Oh all entered the United States illegally through Canada. Illegal entry into the United States from Vancouver usually happens early evening after sunset, on foot walking fast through a cornfield about thirty minutes to arrive in Washington State.
Oh said, “Life in the United States is still better. You earn based on how much you work and there is no discrimination against being too young.”
However, in reality, starting a completely new and unfamiliar life in the United States brings more difficulty than benefits. They said, “It’s unfortunate because we really need to study English but there are no classes provided in the evening and it is disheartening so see that many Korean-Americans here are more likely to take advantage of illegal immigrants like us, rather than help us.” They get together around 10 p.m. every evening with a can of beer each and talk about their 12-hour shifts and 6-day workweeks. They try to stay away from talking about their immigration status and problems but the late night conversations usually end in a question mark about their future. “I hope someday it will become really easy to receive a green card.” After a long sigh, they turn to sleep, imagining about getting a green card and hoping for a world where they can work hard but with a piece of mind.
How illegal entry takes place
Illegal entry into the United States starts with hiring a broker in Korea who then acquires a legal travel visa from the United States consulate by creating false documents showing that the applicant is employed by a company and earning at least the equivalent of U.S.$12,000. If the applicant is lucky, he or she will receive a travel visa without any problems but if you do not make it past the interview, the brokers will try to retrieve the documents from the United States consulate. If the fraudulent documents remain in the United States consulate, the company listed on the visa application could be investigated. The fee for this whole process ranges from approximately $5,000 to $10,000. In situations where the individual pays the broker upfront but the visa does not come through, he or she will not receive a refund. Once the broker retrieves the unsuccessful application from the United States consulate, the second option that they take is illegal entry through Canada. The fee associated with this process also ranges from $5,000 to $10,000. Airfare to Canada and subsequent travel expenses to the United States are included. The cheapest flights are selected from airlines such as Singapore Air.
After arriving in Vancouver the immigrant stays a day or two at a motel and waits for the broker’s next contact. When two brokers arrive in a van, this means that they will cross the border into U.S. territory. Around 8 p.m. in the evening after the sun has set, approximately 10 people get into the van and drive toward the United States borders. When they get close to the border, one broker takes the van and drives back while the other broker leads his 10 “clients,” across. Once inside the United States, two cars arrive and five “clients” get into each car and both cars head for Seattle. The rule is for the passengers to duck while they drive through the border area. Once they reach Seattle, the illegal immigrants board a plane to Los Angeles, and this is where the contract with the brokers ends.
At this point in the process, all the illegal immigrants head towards separate destinations where they have their respective connections. Undocumented Koreans headed for New York receive further assistance from brokers. To settle in New York, the illegal immigrants need to acquire a social security number and drivers license. The fee payable to the broker for assisting them with these services is approximately $1,500 for the social security number and $2,000 for the drivers license. With the social security number, illegal immigrants first apply for a phone and open a checking account and ATM card. With these documents, the illegal immigrant then goes to apply for a drivers license. Even after all these issues are taken care of and the fees paid to brokers are now up to $10,000, these illegal immigrants still live in fear.
It is much more difficult for people who have entered illegally to change their immigration status than those who have entered the United States with legal visas. With the new immigration laws in place, it is no longer possible to apply for employment immigration through an employment visa. The only option still available to change to legal immigration status is to marry a U.S. citizen.
In recent months, illegal entry has sharply declined because the U.S. government has significantly strengthened border patrols after the September 11th terror attacks. In the past, when illegal entry was at its peak, Koreans crossing the border averaged about 10 people per week.
Number of Korean illegal immigrants over 180,000
During the last 10 years, the number of Korean illegal immigrants doubled, reaching over 180,000. According to the Census Bureau’s report on illegal immigrants from 1990-2000, the number of Korean illegal immigrants increased from 77,226 in 1990 to 182,621 in 2000. Men comprised a higher number, with 93,295, and women comprised 89,326 of the 2000 figure. This report was based on the Census Bureau’s population survey and the number of illegal immigrants was estimated based on the foreign-born population figure and the number of legal immigrants. The estimated 2000 number has increased approximately 30,000 from 1996 reports.
Based on the report by the 2000 Census population survey, illegal immigrants comprise 16.9 percent of the total number of Koreans (1,076,872) in the United States With the sharp increase, Korea now ranks eighth in illegal immigrants in the United States, following major contributing countries such as Mexico, El Salvador, Russia and China. Korean-American immigration organizations expressed surprise at the Census bureau’s numbers, as their estimates were only around 30,000 to a maximum of 100,000.
Since illegal immigrants are more likely to settle in and around major cities and 20 percent of the Korean-American population lives in New York and New Jersey, about 40,000 to 50,000 Korean illegal immigrants probably live in the area. Immigration lawyers see the sharp increase as a result of many Koreans, prompted by a deteriorating Korean economy, entering the United States with travel or student visas and remaining in the United States after their visas have expired.
With the recent report by the Census Bureau, the illegal immigrant issue is receiving a new-found focus by different groups. Many Korean-American immigration organizations feel that the increase in illegal immigrants causes many adverse effects on the Korean-American community. Sungkyu Yun, executive director of the National Korean American Service &Education Consortium (NAKASEC), an organization involved in advocating amnesty for illegal immigrants, said, “When there are a large number of illegal immigrants, there are many negative influences to a community such as exploitation of illegal immigrant labor and other unjust economic practices. A large illegal immigrant population also means that the Korean-American community has less political influence and not representative of the total Korean-American population. We need to fundamentally address the Korean illegal immigrant issue.”
Yun added, “It is most likely that the majority of the Korean illegal immigrants are located in the New York and Los Angeles area. When we think about the far-reaching social consequences of this situation, the illegal immigrant issues may be the most pressing problem that the New York Korean-American community faces today.”
There is growing concern that the increasing number of illegal immigrants may cause a negative image of the Korean-American community and that the issue of protecting illegal immigrant’s rights needs to receive focus.
Yu Soung Mun, executive director of Young Korean American Service and Education Center (YKASEC) said, “Discussions have been limited to the rights of legal immigrants and green card holders because we did not have a good grasp of the number of illegal immigrants in our community. Going forward, we need to organize and outline the rights and interests of illegal immigrants and build support systems and groups within our community.”
Korean-American immigration organizations concluded that the only fundamental solution to the illegal immigrant problem would be for these people to acquire a legal immigrant status. Yun said, “To deport these illegal immigrants who have made a life for themselves here in the United States is not in line with reality. The only solution is to cultivate their socioeconomic activities through amnesty.”
Is there no hope for illegal immigrants?
Mr. Lee, 50, a Flushing resident, buys and reads the newspaper everyday. He is constantly looking out for news or announcements of a possible amnesty or some type of relief effort by the government for undocumented immigrants. Lee, who currently works at a dry cleaner, found an employer willing to act as a sponsor for him. But unless Congress extends section 245(i), which allows undocumented immigrants to apply for green cards in the United States without returning to their home country, becomes extended, there is no way for Lee to apply. Lee said, “Even though I am here illegally, I have made a life here for over 10 years and worked hard. Can’t they grant me amnesty just based on a humanitarian point of view?”
Chung-Wha Hong, advocacy director for the New York Immigration Coalition said, “The illegal immigrant problem is not ‘their’ problem. So many businesses and industries rely on the illegal immigrant labor force, that if the illegal immigrants disappeared tomorrow, New York City’s economy would be in trouble. There is a responsibility of the government to provide a solution to their status problem, since they are contributors to the United States economy.”
Currently, one in every 33 is an illegal immigrant in the United States. A more realistic solution is for the government to look for a relief strategy rather than finding ways to drive them out.
Is Amnesty for illegal immigrants possible?
The U.S. government granted a large amnesty back in 1986. The amnesty offered legal status to those who had lived here continuously since 1982 and through this sweeping grant, over one million illegal immigrants obtained green cards. Can this “dream” for illegal immigrants happen again? Through the efforts of the immigration organizations and communities, this may not be impossible. As much as there is strong opposition, there are many powerful advocates of a new amnesty that make it possible. In addition to the immigrant communities, the federation of America’s unions (AFL-CIO) with over 13 million members, the American Chamber of Commerce, the hotel industry, the restaurant industry and other business and labor organizations that are experiencing a tight labor market are all behind a new amnesty. There is also an increase in “pro-immigrant” politicians with growing Hispanic and Asian constituents behind them.
Last year, bills were presented separately in the House and Senate that would grant an amnesty for illegal immigrant students. Known as the “Dream Act,” the Senate bill would grant green cards to foreign nationals who are at least 12 but less than 21 years of age at the time the law is enacted (when and if that occurs). The students would have to meet the following additional requirements: high school diploma or the equivalent (GED). The House “Student Adjustment Act” will pertain to those who are under 21 years of age, who have lived in the United States for five or more years, are enrolled at or above the seventh grade, or are actively pursuing admission or have graduated from an institution of higher learning. Both bills state that the student needs have good moral character and no criminal records.
The Senate’s “Dream Act” was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee last year but due to the September 11th attacks, the review was postponed and failed to pass into law. If this bill receives support by Congress this would be the largest amnesty since 1986. According to research by immigration organizations, there is an average of 50,000-65,000 illegal immigrant students graduating from high school. Through these bills, there would be approximately 400,000 students released from the illegal banner.
If section 245(i) were restored, the students who now have green cards would be able to petition for their parents and siblings and the permanent residency grants would total up to 1 million.
NAKASEC, YAKASEC in New York and Korean Resource Center (KRC) in Los Angeles have created a national network to support this bill and have organized a campaign that includes the participation of actual illegal immigrant students.
Last July, 30 illegal immigrant students were courageous enough to go the Washington D.C. to visit congressional representatives urging them to pass the bill. NAKASEC’s Yun said, “These bills that provide amnesty to young students who have done nothing wrong is more likely to become effective than a general amnesty. At this point it is important to persuade the House republicans to support the Student Adjustment Act.”
Yun said, “The House of Representatives shows the strongest anti-immigrant sentiments in Washington, D.C. It would be helpful if the legal immigrant communities showed more group voting power so that we could reduce the influence of the anti-amnesty members.” Last November, immigration and labor organizations participated in a campaign to send 1 million postcards to politicians urging amnesty. These groups contend that amnesty is not ineffective in dealing with the illegal immigration problems.
Last year, Yoon-Hee, 18, an undocumented Korean immigrant student living in Chicago, sent a letter of appeal to representatives attending a Washington D.C. amnesty lobby.
“My name is Yoon-Hee. It has been four years since I first arrived in the United States I came to this country dreaming that someday I would be able to study medicine and help cure patients with incurable diseases. I studied hard in high school, even remaining after school to receive additional help from the teachers. As a result, I was able to receive a 4.0 average and was a honor student. ... After graduating high school, I was accepted into college, but found out that I could only attend for one semester. Due to my immigration status, I was asked to pay $14,000, double the tuition of other students. I was not eligible for financial aid. My parents could not afford this amount and I needed to work for my tuition. ... I am realizing these days that it is very hard to live in the United States with only a dream. I really want to study and go to medical school. I believe that someday I will be able to do this, because America is supposed to be a land of opportunity. Please help me become the person I would like to be.”
This article was written as part of the Ethnic Press Fellowship of the Independent Press Association-New York.
