WEEK OF FEBRUARY 29, 2024
VOLUME 36 | ISSUE 9
Legal rights for refugees From jobs to health care, refugee’s rights a tough discussion
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BUSINESS LOCAL
The terminology
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LOCAL OBITUARIES LEGALS CLASSIFIED
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their country because of persecution, war, or violence. Their claims have been properly vetted by the necessary channels within the federal government, according to Colorado law. In the United States, this process often takes a long time. An asylum seeker has crossed the border into another country and is claiming to be a refugee, but their refugee status has not yet been properly vetted. People who claim to be asylum seekers might be given better protection and the ability to stay in the United States while their applications for refugee status are processed. If a person is denied refugee status, they likely face deportation. This is why many folks who fear they don’t have strong enough refugee cases or the funds or resources to connect with immigration lawyers instead opt to take their chances.
Former Japanese internment camp joins national park system BY EMMA VANDENEINDE KUNC
BY LONDON LYLE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
There are often misconceptions about what legal rights and protections are available to people who live in the United States, regardless of immigration status. With the recent influx of immigrants to Colorado, primarily from South America, the question about what they can and cannot do under Colorado law and what rights they do or don’t have has heightened. The reality is that it typically depends on the case. The current immigration process in America can take years to navigate. Although undocumented immigrants are technically breaking the law, there are valid reasons why people would be undocumented in the United States, say immigration experts. They also emphasize that a person’s immigration status does not reflect their work ethic, educational background, abilities or beliefs.
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It and many iterations of that bill have all died in Congress. Green card: A green card is a permanent resident card. This is given to an immigrant formally granted permanent residency and status as a U.S. citizen. Visa: There are two types of visas given out by the U.S. Department of State: immigrant visas and nonimmigrant visas. Immigrant visas either grant immigrants full citizenship status immediately upon crossing into U.S. soil via green cards or are marriage-based, which require two years of marriage and then result in full citizenship status. Nonimmigrant visas are temporary. There are different kinds of nonimmigrant visas: visas for tourists, exchange students, businesspeople, and work visas. The length of time granted depends on a variety of factors. While under one Visa, you can apply to switch to a different Visa if your circumstances warrant it. It’s this type of visa that an immigrant may use to gain initial entry, but can get them into trouble. Suppose an undocumented immigrant does not leave the United States on or before the date their visa expires. In that case, they risk deportation or are unable to return to the United States.
Amache, a former Japanese internment camp in far southeastern Colorado, is now officially part of the national park system. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, and later named a National Historic Landmark in 2006. President Joe Biden signed the Amache National Historic Site Act in 2022, pushing the site even further to national park status. But the land still had to be transferred by the town of Granada before it could be official. Without that piece, no federal funding could be put into the site. “As a nation, we must face the wrongs of our past in order to build a more just and equitable future,” said Deb Haaland, the Secretary of the Interior, in a press release. “Today’s establishment of the Amache National Historic Site will help preserve and honor this important and painful chapter in our nation’s story for future generations.” Before becoming part of the National Park system, a local history teacher—John Hopper—recruited some of his high school students to create a museum for the site and collect heirlooms from survivors to display. “I think without them, there would not be Amache as a national park,” Carlene Tinker, an Amache survivor, said. “I really feel that way.” Many survivors like Tinker have fought for greater recognition of the site for their whole lives. She was three years old when she was forced to live at the camp. “My first reaction was finally, okay, finally,” she said. “It’s a very proud moment. I’m thinking about all the people who endured the incarceration experience, and that finally their story is being told.
SEE REFUGEES, P5
SEE PARK SYSTEM, P11
Esperanza Ferrer cries while embracing Jorge Chirnos as she prepares to move out of KEVIN J. BEATY/DENVERITE the Western Motor Inn on Feb. 18, 2024.
If you think you might qualify for refugee status but are unsure if applying as an asylum seeker is worth the risk, an excellent resource to check out would be the Rocky Mountain Immigration Advocacy Network (RMIAN). Their office is located in Westminster, and they provide free immigration legal and social services to immigrant children and adults in detention. The University of Colorado-Boulder also offers a free Immigration Clinic where law students help provide legal assistance and guidance to undocumented folks, DACA recipients, and more. An undocumented immigrant has crossed the border into the United States without the proper authorization or legal documentation as defined under the law. It can also be an immigrant who overstays their visa. DACA/DREAMer: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a policy that gives undocumented immigrants who arrive in the United States at a young age the opportunity to stay in the United States legally and opens an eventual path to citizenship if certain educational and employment requirements are met. A “dreamer” is any child who came to the United States undocumented and refers to the DREAM Act, legislation that was first proposed in 2001 to help provide a direct pathway to citizenship for people brought to the U.S. as children.
BRIEFS: PAGE 2 | OBITUARIES: PAGE 4 | CLASSIFIEDS: PAGE 8 | LEGAL: PAGE 10
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