With hopes of offering solace to Washington’s non-citizen community preceding the second Trump administration, Rep. Oye Owolewa (D-D.C.), the District’s shadow congressman, co-hosted the 2025 Inaugural Immigration Town Hall at Columbia Heights Education Campus on Jan. 17. Understanding the looming concerns many immigrants have, attorneys, elected officials and policy experts provided the audience with legal resources and reminded them of their constitutional rights.
Following his inauguration, President Donald Trump has promised to attempt to restrict undocumented immigrants’ entry into the United States via its southern border, conduct the largest mass deportation operation in the nation’s history and end birthright citizenship. Considering the risk of the potential increased raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, fueling the District’s immigrant community with knowledge and support is crucial.
As the child of immigrants, Owolewa is deeply committed to ensuring the city’s residents are well-informed and thoroughly equipped for whatever may occur during Trump’s second term.
“I’m proud to be involved with this initiative as it prepares some of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters in D.C. to live safer,” said Owolewa. “Our goal is to ensure Washingtonians know their rights and are best prepared as we move forward.”
Navigating ICE Encounters
Immigration attorney Akua Aboagye of AK Poku Law PLLC traveled over an hour from Manassas, Virginia to speak with the community, adamant about educating the audience on the necessary procedures if confronted by ICE. Having relocated from Ghana to the U.S. in 2016 to build her family with her husband, Aboagye is devoted to serving the area’s foreign-born community to the best of her ability.
During her presentation at the town hall, Aboagye highlighted the importance of having access to legal representation and understanding that everyone in the U.S., regardless of their citizenship status, has the right to due process under the Due Process Protections Act.
She continuously stressed that those approached by ICE are not obligated to answer any questions. Many avoid speaking with ICE by utilizing the Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s Red Cards. These double-sided cards outline an individual’s rights on one side and text stating the card’s owner does not wish to speak with ICE and refusing officers permission to enter their home or search their belongings.
“You just have to make sure you’re not part of the easy targets,” Aboagye told The Informer. “And how do you do that? You empower yourself with knowledge.”
Visa Opportunities Beyond Familial Sponsorship
Two primary visa categories exist in the U.S.: nonimmigrant visas acquired for temporary travel and immigrant visas for travel to reside in the U.S. permanently. Attorney Chike Ogbuehi of Ogbuehi Omena Onwezi LLC provided information about the visas allowing for permanent U.S. residence.
While he spoke briefly of family-based green cards, acquired through the sponsorship of an immediate family member who is a U.S. citizen, he urged attendees to seek alternative methods of gaining documentation if possible.
“I think a lot of people come into the United States and are focused on the family-based and the family-sponsored side of things,” Ogbuehi told the audience. “If you have your education, there are other options that are available to you.”
The employment-based visa system is another path toward citizenship and requires a U.S.-based employer to represent the applicant and file an Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, Form I-140. This system has five preference categories: priority workers and persons of extraordinary ability; professionals holding advanced degrees and persons of exceptional ability; skilled workers, professionals and unskilled workers; certain special workers such as translators, religious ministers and more; and immigrant investors.
Although various opportunities for potential residency and citizenship exist, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is plagued by a mountain of pending cases, also known as backlogs. According to the Executive Office for Immigration Review, the USCIS had 3.5 million pending cases at the end of the 2024 Fiscal Year.
“You sometimes have to start all over again or go back to the end of the line,” Ogbuehi said. “I just want a future where things can progress more easily and some of these decisions by consular offices will not have such devastating consequences on people.”
While such circumstances are discouraging, immigrant and non-citizen communities must remain valiant and hopeful that they will reach the citizenship status they deserve and continue to live freely in the U.S.
“I want you all… to know that people care about you,” said Owolewa. “I know it’s scary watching the news and hearing… what the incoming president is saying. Know your rights and that there are people here to support you.”
