{"id":98,"date":"2020-07-17T17:22:04","date_gmt":"2020-07-17T17:22:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/?p=98"},"modified":"2020-07-17T17:23:48","modified_gmt":"2020-07-17T17:23:48","slug":"salt-lake-city-attorney-sees-her-own-immigration-story-in-her-clients-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/salt-lake-city-attorney-sees-her-own-immigration-story-in-her-clients-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"Salt Lake City attorney sees her own immigration story in her clients\u2019 experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/megan_gif_yunyi_illust_1500.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-93\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio alignleft\"><audio controls src=\"http:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/MeganFinal.mp3\" preload=\"auto\"><\/audio><figcaption>Linh Tran-Layton is an immigration attorney in Salt Lake City who advocates for people hoping to find their American dream. But since COVID-19 hit, many of those dreams have been put on hold.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Constant change is the new normal for Americans today, with COVID-19 causing even more upheaval to routines and schedules. Salt Lake City immigration attorney Linh Tran-Layton says those changes have impacted not only her work but the way she connects to her clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"249\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_01-249x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_01-249x300.jpg 249w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_01-849x1024.jpg 849w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_01-768x927.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_01-1273x1536.jpg 1273w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_01-1200x1448.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_01.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 249px) 100vw, 249px\" \/><figcaption>Linh Tran-Layton is an immigration attorney practicing in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City. (Photo courtesy of Linh Tran-Layton) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She says the pandemic has been hard on a lot of her clients, but one particular case really sticks with her.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSo this case was a case where a U.S. citizen spouse was petitioning for her husband to get a green card and her husband had entered undocumented,\u201d she explained. \u201cSo there is a process that they have to go through where the husband eventually had to go back to Mexico, to the U.S. consulate.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"674\" src=\"http:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_02-1024x674.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_02-1024x674.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_02-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_02-768x505.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_02-1200x790.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_02.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>The office view of Tran-Layton\u2019s office in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she continues to see clients by abiding by CDC guidelines to help advise and guide along their immigration journey. (Photo by Megan Neff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>COVID-19 led to the shutdown of U.S. consulates across the globe, including in Mexico, leaving Tran-Layton\u2019s client\u2019s husband stranded in the country with a family back in the U.S. A process that typically takes two weeks turned into two months.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe really didn\u2019t know when he was going to come back,\u201d said Tran-Layton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She adds that, as an immigrant herself, she can relate to the stress this is causing the couple because her family also faced the prospect of an uncertain future in their own journey to Salt Lake City.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"713\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_07-713x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_07-713x1024.jpg 713w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_07-209x300.jpg 209w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_07-768x1102.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_07.jpg 1045w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><figcaption>Tran-Layton\u2019s family when they first came to the States in 1984.  Tran-Layton, one years old, and her brother, Chau, with their mother Phuong and father Phong for one of their first photos on U.S. soil. (Photo Courtesy of Linh Tran-Layton)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_05-724x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_05-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_05-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_05-768x1087.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_05.jpg 1060w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 724px) 100vw, 724px\" \/><figcaption>Linh Tran-Layton around 6 months old, right before her family left Vietnam for the United States. (Photo Courtesy of Linh Tran-Layton)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>As a 1-year old, Tran-Layton and her family came to the U.S. as refugees from Vietnam shortly after the Vietnam War.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy parents didn&#8217;t know English, had one hundred dollars, their clothes and my brother and I,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tran-Layton says her family\u2019s experience is a reminder to her that immigration law is more than just a set of rules.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cThere\u2019s very much a human element to it.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p><cite>Linh Tran-Layton<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"955\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_04-955x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_04-955x1024.jpg 955w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_04-280x300.jpg 280w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_04-768x823.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_04-1200x1287.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_04.jpg 1399w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 955px) 100vw, 955px\" \/><figcaption>Approximately four years later after immigrating to the U.S, Linh and her family pose for a photo in the late 80\u2019s. (Photo Courtesy of Linh Tran-Layton)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>She sees the sacrifices her parents made in many of her clients. The many hardships her parents endured created a stricter environment for herself and her brother. Succeeding in school and working hard were always the top priorities in Tran-Layton\u2019s family.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey would never let me sleep over at friends\u2019 houses,\u201d she said. \u201cThey would always say, \u2018don\u2019t have a boyfriend until you\u2019re done with school.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey felt like getting an education was the key to success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tran-Layton has been working for decades to achieve what her parents had sacrificed to give her: the American dream. She recalls her parents\u2019 support during her pursuit of her law degree.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"749\" src=\"http:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_03-1024x749.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_03-1024x749.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_03-300x219.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_03-768x562.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_03-1200x878.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/07\/Megan_03.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Linh Tran-Layton is a graduate from the University of Utah\u2019s S.J. Quinney College of Law.&nbsp; After graduating in 2009, Tran-Layton says she has practiced immigration ever since. Next to the gavel is a gift of a jade horse statue. (Photo by Megan Neff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI know that my parents are very proud of us because even though they came from, really, nothing and did not have any formal education really at all,\u201d she said. \u201cTheir kids were at least able to achieve things that they had only wished for.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tran-Layton believes that there are more things she can continue to accomplish. Today she is more committed than ever to helping individuals find their way through the complexities of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, especially in the midst of COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She fears the coronavirus pandemic has brought changes to immigration that the U.S., those emigrating here, and those helping immigrants navigate the process will feel for generations to come. One of these policy changes refers to refugee admissions; this policy was how Tran-Layton\u2019s family came to the U.S. The White House has temporarily suspended refugee admissions to the U.S., which, for her, hits close to home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat could have been my family, and people who are like my family may never be able to come here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, she\u2019s hopeful that current events will improve and that families will soon be able to experience the same opportunities she has.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s been especially difficult helping clients navigate this uncertain time, and Linh Tran-Layton\u2019s experience has made her reflect on her own journey to the U.S. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":368,"featured_media":114,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"coauthors":[5],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/368"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kuer2020.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=98"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}