U .S .A . Page 8 TH E A S IAN R EPOR T ER Feb rua r y 16 , 2015 Ma ke -A -W i sh bu i ld s p layg round fo r s i x -yea r -o ld boy B y Ma r ia H e rnand e z Pa c i f i c Da i l y N ew s H AGATNA , Guam (AP ) — S ix - yea r -o ld Joe rom e Agu on wa s a l l sm i le s a s he p lay ed w i th h i s s ib l ing s and cou s in on a n ew p layg r ound s e t e r e c ted in the f ron t ya rd o f h i s h om e . “W e ’ r e p re t ty ex c i ted , ” sa id J e s s e Agu on , th e b oy ’ s fa the r . “Now w e d on ’ t hav e t o g o t o th e pa rk anymo re . W e hav e on e in ou r own ya rd . ” Th e p layg round wa s bu i l t th r ough th e Mak e -A -W i sh Founda t i on o f Guam , a g r oup tha t he lp s g ran t w i sh e s f o r y oung ch i ld r en and teen s w i th l i f e - th r ea t en ing m ed i ca l cond i t ion s . T o an ou t s ide r , Joe r om e Agu on l o ok s l ik e any o the r young boy — rambun c t i ou s and fu l l o f l i fe . Howeve r , s in c e h e wa s b o rn , h e ha s s t rugg led w i th l iv e r i s su e s . Th e s ix -yea r -o ld ha s sh own p r og r e s s in th e la s t yea r a f te r re ce iv ing th r oa t su rg e ry in th e Ph i l ipp ine s , wh i ch k e ep s h im f r om v om i t ing b lood . The boy i s s t i l l wa i t ing f o r a l iv e r t ran sp lan t , bu t d o c t o r s r e c omm end th e t ran sp lan t su rge ry n o t tak e p la c e un t i l h e ’ s o ld e r — a round age 15 . B y Am y Ta x in J o e r om e Agu on and h i s fam i ly f ound ou t la s t y ea r tha t h e qua l i f i ed f o r a w i sh th r ough th e Mak e -A -W i sh o rgan i za t i on . “W e k ep t a sk ing h im wha t h e wan t ed , bu t i t wa s ma in ly Sp id e rman th ing s , ” th e b oy ’ s m o th e r , L e i lan i T ov e s , sa id . “W e t o ld PERSONAL PLAYGROUND .S i x - y e a r - o l d J o e r om e A g u o n p l a y s w i t h h i s s i b l i n g s a n d c o u s i n o n n ew p l a y g r o u n d e q u i pm e n t i n t h e f r o n t y a r d o f h i s h om e i n G u am . T h e p l a y g r o u n d w a s b u i l t t h r o u g h t h e M a k e - A -W i s h F o u n d a t i o n o f G u am , a g r o u p t h a t h e l p s g r a n t w i s h e s f o r y o u t h w i t h l i f e - t h r e a t e n i n g m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n s . ( A P P h o t o / P a c i f i c D a i l y N ew s , M a s a k o W a t a n a b e ) “ I t r ep r e s en t s Sp id e rman — th e c o l o r o f i t , ” T ov e s sa id . “H e ’ s r ea l ly ex c i t ed h e g o t th i s . H e l ik e s th e sw ing . Wh en h e saw ( th e p layg r ound ) , (h e saw ) th e r e a r e d i f f e r en t s l id e s t o c l imb on t o . ” B la ck C on s t ru c t i on hand l ed th e in s ta l la t i on o f th e p layg r ound and Ma cy ’ s sp on s o r ed th e p r o j e c t . “Ou r d on o r s cam e th r ough in a b ig way , by c ov e r ing th e c o s t o f th e equ ipm en t and sh ipp ing , ” Mak e -A -W i sh b oa rd cha i rman M ik e Nah o l owaa sa id in a r e l ea s e . “Th e in -k ind d ona t i on o f c on s t ru c t i on s e rv i c e s a l l ow ed u s t o sav e m on ey t owa rd o th e r r og ram exp en s e s . ” h im h e c ou ld p i ck s om e th ing b igg e r , and p Mak e -A -W i sh Guam ex e cu t iv e d i r e c t o r h e sa id h e wan t ed a p layg r ound . ” i c t o r Cama ch o sa id a w i sh s ta r t s w i th a On Janua ry 30 , th e r ed and b lu e V e f e r ra l . Cama ch o sa id i f any on e kn ow s o f p layg r ound J o e r om e Agu on had b e en r i ld w i th a s e r i ou s i l ln e s s , th ey can eag e r ly awa i t ing t o en j oy f o r m on th s wa s a ch -ma i l o r ca l l th e o rgan i za t i on . f ina l ly unv e i l ed by Mak e -A -W i sh Guam . e A s ian s s lowe r to see k imm ig ra t ion p ro tec t ion RAMP ING UP OUTREACH .S e t h R o n q u i l l o , a n u n d o c um e n t e d imm i g r a n t f r om t h e P h i l i p p i n e s , p a r t i c i p a t e s i n a p a n e l d i s c u s s i o n i n L o s A n g e l e s a b o u t u n d o c um e n t e d c o l l e g e s t u d e n t s . A s i a n s h a v e b e e n s l ow e r t o s i g n u p f o r P r e s i d e n t B a r a c k O b am a ’ s r e p r i e v e f o r y o u n g imm i g r a n t s i n t h e U .S . i l l e g a l l y , a n d c omm u n i t y a d v o c a t e s a r e r am p i n g u p e f f o r t s t o r e a c h t h o u s a n d s m o r e w h o a r e e l i g i b l e f o r t h e e x p a n d e d imm i g r a t i o n p l a n . R o n q u i l l o , a 2 2 - y e a r - o l d c omm u n i t y h e a l t h a d v o c a t e , s a i d h e f e l t h e h a d n o t h i n g t o l o s e w h e n h e a p p l i e d s i n c e h e h a d v i r t u a l l y n o h o p e o f p u t t i n g h i s c o l l e g e d e g r e e t o u s e u p o n g r a d u a t i o n b e c a u s e o f h i s imm i g r a t i o n s t a t u s . ( A P P h o t o /N i c k U t ) Th e A s s o c ia t ed P r e s s L OS ANGELES — A s ian s hav e b e en s l ow e r t o s ign up fo r P re s iden t Ba ra ck Obama ’ s r ep r i ev e f o r young imm ig ran t s in th e U .S . i l l ega l ly , and c ommun i ty advo ca te s a r e ramp ing up e f f o r t s t o r ea ch th ou sand s mo re who a r e e l ig ib l e f o r h i s expand ed imm ig ra t ion p lan . Many advo ca te s have b lam ed th e pa l t ry tu rn ou t am ong y oung A s ian imm ig ran t s f o r th e adm in i s t ra t i on ’ s 2012 p r og ram on the s t igma o f b e ing in th e c oun t ry i l l ega l ly in th e i r c ommun i t ie s , wh e r e many f e e l la ck ing p r op e r imm ig ra t ion pape r s i s cu l tu ra l ly shunn ed . N ow , advo ca te s wo r ry Obama ’ s n ew p r og ram f o r th e pa r en t s o f Ame r i can c i t i z en s and l ega l r e s id en t s w i l l b e an ev en t oughe r se l l a s o ld e r g en e ra t i on s o f A s ian imm ig ran t s a re a l ready w o rk ing and supp o r t ing th e i r fam i l i e s and may be ev en m o r e r e lu c tan t t o r ev ea l th e i r imm ig ra t ion s ta tu s to f r i end s and n e ighb o r s , l e t a l on e th e f ed e ra l gove rnmen t . “Th e re i s th i s mode l m in o r i ty my th tha t A s ian s a r e supp o s ed to be su c ce s s fu l imm ig ran t s , ” sa id An o op P ra sad , sen io r s ta f f a t to rn ey a t th e A s ian Law Cau cu s in San F ran c i s co . “Wha t d o e s i t say ab ou t y ou i f y ou say : 5 3 14 9 8 67 9 3 8 43 9 7 3 9 75 4 3 5 37 6 4 6 15 3 E A S Y D i f f i c u l t y l e v e l : E a s y # 7 # 5 1 4 9 3 In s truc t ion s : F i l l in th e g r id s o tha t th e d ig i t s 1 - th r ough 9 app ea r on e t im e ea ch in ev e ry r ow , c o l umn , and 3x3 b ox . So lu t ion to la s t wee k ’ s pu z z le P u z z l e # 1 9 9 1 4 (H a r d ) A l l s o l u t i o n s a v a i l a b l e a t <www . s u d o k u . c om> . 8 6 4 3 9 1 5 7 2 5 7 3 8 2 4 6 9 1 1 9 2 5 6 7 8 4 3 9 1 5 6 8 2 4 3 7 7 4 6 1 3 5 2 8 9 3 2 8 7 4 9 1 5 6 6 8 9 4 1 3 7 2 5 2 5 1 9 7 8 3 6 4 4 3 7 2 5 6 9 1 8 ‘A c tua l ly , I am hav ing a l o t o f p r ob l em s . I am n o t mak ing i t l ik e ev e ry on e e l s e in Am e r i ca th ink s w e sh ou ld b e ? ” ’ R ough ly 5 m i l l i on imm ig ran t s a r e exp e c t ed t o qua l i fy f o r Obama ’ s p lan s t o g iv e w o rk p e rm i t s and t emp o ra ry p r o t e c t i on f r om d ep o r ta t i on t o th e pa r en t s o f U .S . c i t i z en s and l ega l r e s id en t s and many imm ig ran t s b r ough t t o th e c oun t ry i l l ega l ly a s ch i ld r en . Wh i l e m o s t app l i can t s a r e exp e c t ed t o b e H i span i c , n ea r ly ha l f a m i l l i on o f th o s e wh o qua l i fy a r e A s ian , a c c o rd ing t o th e Wa sh ing t on -ba s ed P ew R e s ea r ch C en t e r . Bu t A s ian imm ig ran t s hav e b e en l e s s ap t t o app ly f o r th e g ov e rnm en t ’ s 2012 imm ig ra t i on p r og ram than th e i r La t in -Am e r i can c oun t e rpa r t s . A s o f la s t y ea r , m o r e than 60 p e r c en t o f e l ig ib l e M ex i can s and H ondu ran s had s ign ed up f o r th e p r og ram , bu t on ly ab ou t a qua r t e r o f e l ig ib l e K o r ean s and F i l ip in o s had d on e s o , a c c o rd ing t o th e M ig ra t i on P o l i cy In s t i tu t e in Wa sh ing t on . Kn ow ing th e cha l l eng e s , A s ian c ommun i ty adv o ca t e s hav e ramp ed up e f f o r t s t o r ea ch imm ig ran t s and t o d o s o in a p r iva t e , m o r e p e r s ona l way . On a Ch in e s e - languag e f ly e r f o r a r e c en t w o rk sh op , adv o ca t e s s t r e s s ed on e - on - on e c on su l ta t i on s w ou ld b e o f f e r ed in a b id t o d raw imm ig ran t s wh o may n o t wan t t o d i s c l o s e th e i r imm ig ra t i on s ta tu s in a r o om fu l l o f s t rang e r s . T ran s la t i on i s b e ing o f f e r ed in a spa t e o f languag e s t o ca t e r t o e ld e r s wh o p r obab ly sp eak l e s s Eng l i sh than th e i r Am e r i can - ra i s ed ch i ld r en . And in s t ead o f u s ing th e in t e rn e t t o r ea ch app l i can t s , c ommun i ty o rgan i za t i on s a r e tu rn ing t o e thn i c n ew spap e r s . “A s ian y ou th t end t o g o m o r e t owa rd s o c ia l m ed ia and Fa c eb o ok . W e ’ r e a c tua l ly t ry ing t o s e e i f w e can g e t m o r e ad s in th e pap e r , ” sa id T i f fany Pan l i l i o , a l ega l adv o ca t e a t A s ian Am e r i can s Advan c ing Ju s t i c e in L o s Ang e l e s . Bu t ev en w i th th e s e e f f o r t s , s om e exp e r t s qu e s t i on wh e th e r m o r e A s ian s w i l l c om e f o rwa rd and app ly . T om W ong , a p r o f e s s o r o f p o l i t i ca l s c i en c e a t th e Un iv e r - s i ty o f Ca l i f o rn ia , San D i eg o , sa id A s ian imm ig ran t s may n o t f ea r a s a cu t e ly th e th r ea t o f d ep o r ta t i on s in c e m o s t o f th e p e op l e wh o a r e d ep o r t ed a r e H i span i c . “ I t may b e th e ca s e th e in c en t iv e s t ru c tu r e d o e s n o t fav o r A s ian und o cum en t ed imm ig ran t s wh en i t c om e s t o app ly ing f o r th e s e t emp o ra ry p r og ram s , ” h e sa id . W ong a l s o sa id o ld e r imm ig ran t s wh o a l r eady hav e j ob s may b e l e s s l ik e ly t o s e ek t emp o ra ry w o rk au th o r i za t i on , e sp e c ia l ly i f th ey a r e a l r eady w o rk ing und e r a fa l s e nam e o r S o c ia l S e cu r i ty numb e r , f ea r ing th ey c ou ld g e t in t r oub l e w i th th e i r emp l oy e r . Y oung A s ian s wh o app l i ed f o r Obama ’ s 2012 r ep r i ev e sa id th ey w e r e w e l l awa r e o f th e g en e ra t i ona l d iv id e . D o H e e L e e , a 21 -y ea r - o ld c o l l eg e s tud en t in Ma ry land , sa id h e r K o r ean pa r en t s w e r e n e rv ou s ab ou t h e r s ign ing up f o r th e p r og ram , bu t th e a l t e rna t iv e wa s w o r s e : g o ing t o c o l l eg e in K o r ea and b e ing s epa ra t ed f r om h e r fam i ly f o r y ea r s . S e th R onqu i l l o , a 22 -y ea r - o ld c ommun i ty h ea l th adv o ca t e in Ca l i f o rn ia , sa id h e f e l t h e had n o th ing t o l o s e wh en h e app l i ed s in c e h e had v i r tua l ly n o h op e o f pu t t ing h i s c o l l eg e d eg r e e t o u s e up on g radua t i on b e cau s e o f h i s imm ig ra t i on s ta tu s . H i s m o th e r , h ow ev e r , wa s an o th e r s t o ry . R onqu i l l o sa id sh e s om e t im e s s t i l l qu e s t i on s wh e th e r h e c ou ld b e a t g r ea t e r r i sk f o r d ep o r ta t i on s in c e ou t ing h im s e l f t o th e g ov e rnm en t , e sp e c ia l ly i f Obama ’ s su c c e s s o r tak e s a t ough e r s tan c e on i l l ega l imm ig ra t i on . “ I can on ly imag in e o th e r imm ig ran t pa r en t s hav e th e sam e m en ta l i ty , ” R onqu i l l o sa id .