Immigration forum urges calm, caution

ENGLISH

Last Wednesday, November 30, YWCA Tulsa organized an immigration information forum held at the Church of the Resurrection. The meeting started at 6 p.m. and was intended to explain in English and Spanish possible changes the new federal administration might implement to the immigration system, and the outcomes these changes may have.

ENGLISH

Laura Bachman, immigration attorney at the YWCA, was one of the main speakers. She was accompanied by Jordan Mazariegos, president of Dream Act Tulsa; Robert Messerli, immigration attorney for Catholic Charities Tulsa; Devin Fletcher, Learning director at Tulsa Public Schools and Miriam Marton, director of the Tulsa Immigrant Resource Network at the University of Tulsa.

All the attendees were told not to worry just yet, considering that the new elected president, Donald Trump, wont assume his presidency until January 20th 2017, which means that his objectives remain unknown until then. Nevertheless the attorneys advised those planning to file their papers for the DACA program for the first time not to do so, because it is a long bureaucratic process that will expose them to the immigration authorities without granting any kind of relief before January 20.

Those that want to renew their DACA need to do so as soon as possible, but after consulting with a legal advisor. The process takes approximately eight weeks, which means they can stay in the US with a legal working permit for a bit longer.

The specialists begged the community to check their immigration status with proper immigration attorneys before filing any forms, in order to avoid becoming the victims of scams.

All those in need of counseling stayed a bit longer to seek legal advice. (La Semana)