Asians have been slower to sign up for President Barack Obama’s reprieve for young immigrants in the country illegally, and community advocates are ramping up efforts to reach thousands more who are eligible for his expanded immigration plan.
Many advocates have blamed the paltry turnout among young Asian immigrants for the administration’s 2012 program on the stigma of being in the country illegally in their communities, where many feel lacking proper immigration papers is culturally shunned.
Now, advocates worry Obama’s new program for the parents of American citizens and legal residents will be an even tougher sell as older generations of Asian immigrants are already working and supporting their families and may be even more reluctant to reveal their immigration status to friends and neighbors, let alone the federal government.
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Seth Ronquillo, a 22-year-old community health advocate in California, said he felt he had nothing to lose when he applied since he had virtually no hope of putting his college degree to use upon graduation because of his immigration status.
His mother, however, was another story. Ronquillo said she sometimes still questions whether he could be at greater risk for deportation since outing himself to the government, especially if Obama’s successor takes a tougher stance on illegal immigration.
“I can only imagine other immigrant parents have the same mentality,” Ronquillo said.
