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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (April 6, 2020)
OPINION Page 6 n THE ASIAN REPORTER April 6, 2020 Volume 30 Number 5 April 6, 2020 ISSN: 1094-9453 The Asian Reporter is published on the first Monday each month. Please send all correspondence to: The Asian Reporter 922 N Killingsworth Street, Suite 2D, Portland, OR 97217 Phone: (503) 283-4440, Fax: (503) 283-4445 News Department e-mail: news@asianreporter.com Advertising Department e-mail: ads@asianreporter.com Website: www.asianreporter.com Please send reader feedback, Asian-related press releases, and community interest ideas/stories to the addresses listed above. Please include a contact phone number. Advertising information available upon request. Publisher Jaime Lim Contributing Editors Ronault L.S. Catalani (Polo), Jeff Wenger Correspondents Ian Blazina, Josephine Bridges, Pamela Ellgen, Maileen Hamto, Edward J. Han, A.P. Kryza, Marie Lo, Simeon Mamaril, Julie Stegeman, Toni Tabora-Roberts, Allison Voigts Illustrator Jonathan Hill News Service Associated Press/Newsfinder Copyright 2020. Opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of this publication. 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W hile the majority of Americans are consult with an immigration attorney “to review the practicing social distancing and dealing facts of their case,” especially if they are fighting with the economic anxiety caused by the any kind of criminal conviction or reviewing current COVID-19 health crisis, a lot of Asian post-conviction relief. Chanpone is urging people to learn how to protect Americans are also experiencing verbal and themselves by reaching out to nonprofit physical assaults stemming from bias organizations that offer free or low-cost and bigotry. The Asian Pacific Policy & consultations. She mentioned resources Planning Council even set up an online like the American Immigration Lawyers form, “Stop AAPI Hate,” to collect Association (AILA), which partners with incident reports. local nonprofits such as SOAR Immigra- Chanpone Sinlapasai, a respected tion Legal Services at Ecumenical Portland attorney, recently urged peo- Ministries of Oregon, Lutheran Commu- ple in Oregon to report such acts and nity Services Northwest, Immigra- offered to help. Chanpone is someone Chanpone Sinlapasai. many people, especially immigrants and refugees, tion Counseling Services (ICS), Catholic Charities of Oregon, and the Immigrant and Refugee turn to for aid — often in a direct and personal way. Chanpone and her family fled Laos when she was Community Organization (IRCO), noting that they four years old to escape the communist takeover. all provide “pro bono and low bono citizenship Like many political refugees, they endured hard- clinics.” Unlike criminal court, in which one is appointed a ship and danger to reach a refugee camp in Thai- land. After entry into the U.S., her family lived in lawyer, immigration lawyers are not provided for the Bay Area until she moved to Oregon to study law free under immigration law. Chanpone advises at Lewis & Clark College. Alongside her law people in need find an immigration attorney. If an partners, they opened Marandas Sinlapasai Garcia, immigrant is accused of a crime, the immigration lawyer and the criminal attorney may work LLC, a firm specializing in immigration cases. Well before the Trump administration’s travel together in tandem to find solutions. Chanpone says there are more than 15,000 AILA bans began in 2017, Chanpone joined friends at Catholic Charities of Oregon to form teams to greet attorneys nationwide and she warns against newly arrived refugees. The greetings became even taking legal advice from a “notary or someone who is more important and emotional when the numbers of claiming to be a lawyer,” as this can sometimes refugees allowed to enter the United States were happen in the immigrant and refugee community. dramatically reduced. Chanpone said refugee “In the state of Oregon, this is a crime,” Chanpone admission is at an all-time low because of the travel says. “A lawyer is a person who has taken and bans. In 2017, she said the refugee resettlement passed the bar in the state and has a license to help ceiling was 100,000 but the U.S. resettled only evaluate your case.” She says people should confirm 53,691, according to a Department of Homeland that the individual they are hiring has a license and Security annual flow report. In 2018, the ceiling was is in good standing with the Oregon State Bar or 45,000 with only 22,491 resettled. Chanpone said any other state’s bar. Unlike state or local laws, immigration law is under federal jurisdiction, so the ceiling in 2020 dropped to 18,000 refugees. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, an attorney licensed in another state can practice anyone who is not a U.S. citizen can be deported and immigration law in Oregon. Without a doubt, Sinlapasai is a friend to removed from the United States. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Immigration and Portland’s immigrant and refugee community. She Customs Enforcement (ICE) has continued efforts remains passionate about welcoming new arrivals to detain people, while immigrant rights advocates even though “the opportunity to greet new refugees are calling for the release of detainees in detention has diminished drastically.” Recent greetings have centers because of the potential spread of the virus not taken place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. and other health risks. Chanpone says she still wants to go to the airport According to Sinlapasai, Southeast Asian com- “whenever the opportunity arises.” Greetings for munity members are afraid of being targeted and new immigrants and refugees had become a special deported. After looking at ICE’s national data, she event for the family members, nonprofit agencies, noticed an increase in actions against nationals and the community at large. “We all came together, from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in 2018 and from all walks of life, to show love, compassion, and 2019. She is alerting Green Card holders who are kindness to our newest Oregonians,” said Chanpone renewing them or pursuing U.S. citizenship to — words she lives by. Opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of this publication.