'Dreamers' offered assistance renewing DACA status

SEATTLE — The immigrants filling this room at St. Andrew Kim Korean Catholic Church in North Seattle all have legal permanent status. So they are taking the first steps toward becoming U.S. citizens.

Twenty-three-year-old Sebok Jang arrived with his family five years ago.

"Why do you want to be a citizen of the U.S.?" he was asked.

"First of all, I want to live here," he said. "And if I want to live here, I have to be part of the U.S."

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The city of Seattle is holding workshops to provide legal help for immigrants interested in full citizenship. But when the Trump Administration announced plans to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, former Mayor Ed Murray directed that so-called "Dreamers" be included, too.

"So we're trying to get as many people as possible know and understand the rules for DACA as well as the fact that they can renew," said Joaquin Uy, communications director of the city's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.  "And so we decided to add some lawyers and paralegals to this event specifically just to help with DACA renewals."

Seattle Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim immigrated as a five and a half year old with her two sisters and widowed mother.

"It's an issue that touches pretty close to home for me," Kim said.

She says the Trump administration's mixed messages about DACA are unsettling.

"We know that raids are taking place," said Kim. "We know that agents are going after undocumented immigrants in a way that they haven't before."

The next immigrant workshop is planned for Sept. 24th.   It will be at South Seattle College.   And that session will be just for "Dreamers."

Cox Media Group