RELEASE: USCIS Chief of Staff Juliet K. Choi Joins NAKASEC and Korean Civic Leaders to Educate the Korean and Asian American Community about DACA and Fraud Prevention

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2015
Contact: Emily Kessel, eakessel@nakasec.org

USCIS Chief of Staff Juliet K. Choi Joins NAKASEC and Korean Civic Leaders to Educate the Korean and Asian American Community about DACA and Fraud Prevention

WASHINGTON D.C.— Yesterday, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Chief of Staff Juliet K. Choi spoke to the Korean American and Asian American community members about the guidelines for existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and how to avoid scams. She also shared information about the number of Korean American and Asian American DACA recipients and encouraged all eligible community members to apply, as well as reminded current recipients to renew their DACA status 120 to 150 days before the expiration date of their work permit. Ms. Choi delivered the message with the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) and the following Korean civic leaders: David Han, First Vice President of Korean American Association of Greater Washington D.C.; Young-Key Kim-Renaud, President of Korean Women’s International Network – DC Chapter (KOWIN); Grace Han Wolf, Herndon Town Council Member; and Sam Yoon, President of Council of Korean Americans; along with Monica Sarmiento with the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, in the NAKASEC office in Annandale, Virginia. NAKASEC’s affiliates in Chicago (Korean American Resource & Cultural Center) and Los Angeles and Orange County (Korean Resource Center) also hosted press conferences to ensure that Ms. Choi’s powerful words reached the Korean American and Asian American community nationwide.

Ms. Choi also provided updates on the current executive actions on immigration that President Obama announced in November 2014, including the Task Force on New Americans, visa modernization efforts, and expansion of the Provisional Waivers.

Dae Joong Yoon (DJ), executive director of NAKASEC, said: “NAKASEC, KRC, and KRCC remain committed to helping eligible Korean Americans and Asian Americans enroll in the DACA program, a huge win for our community. Our community rejoiced when President Obama made the announcement in 2012 about DACA, a program that help many millions of aspiring new Americans to achieve their dreams and hopes. Over two years, we provided information and consultation to over 10,000 community members and processed more than 1,300 DACA applications. We are proud to say that as of March 2014, South Korea had the 6th highest acceptance rate for DACA, but still more than half of Korean American potential beneficiaries and Asian American young people eligible for DACA have yet to apply. We remain committed to serving these community members, who deserve to realize the American dream.”

Inhe Choi, executive director of KRCC said: “Despite the evil-spirited threats against our families, the pro-immigrant voice remains strong and will continue to gain support. Programs like DACA providing immigrants with the tools to live meaningful, successful lives are absolutely necessary in the absence of a permanent solution to the broken system. KRCC will continue to keep its doors open to those hardworking young people ready to hold their head high and come out of the shadows. Not only do we support programs that protect our hardworking families from deportation, but we are confident that in the end we will win. We will fight to protect our victory.”

Jenny Seon, immigrant rights project director of KRC said: “To meet the high demand for DACA, we expanded our services to accommodate renewing DACA recipients and continue to serve first-time applicants. KRC receives regular inquiries about DACA and assist community members with the initial application and throughout the renewal process in both our Los Angels and Orange Count offices. In 2015, we will continue to outreach to eligible young people who have not yet applied for DACA and work to further empower those who have received many opportunities such as the right to work legally, and in many cases the right to drive and obtain in-state tuition.”

For more information or application forms, please visit: iamerica.org/ko (Korean) or uscis.gov.DACA (English).

For telephone inquiries, please call NAKASEC, KRC, and KRCC’s DACA Hotline in Korean and English at: (844) 500-3222.

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The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) was founded in 1994 by local community centers to project a progressive voice and promote the full participation of Korean Americans on major social justice issues. NAKASEC maintains offices in Annandale, Virginia and Los Angeles, California. NAKASEC has affiliates in Chicago (Korean American Resource & Cultural Center) and Los Angeles and Orange County (Korean Resource Center).