Kulen Provides His Clients With A Smooth Landing

Can you see any solution in terms of immigration reform in the near future?
Everybody accepts that we have a broken immigration system but an immediate solution does not seem close. We will probably see a temporary fix in the near future such as DACA for children, with the hope that a comprehensive immigration reform will follow.
 
What are the most common problems Turkish immigrants face?
Professionals who were educated in the U.S. can fit in more easily. Investors who come to U.S. at a later stage in their lives need some time to get used to U.S. business customs, but their ability to adjust to new settings is unparalleled in any other community. We provide a smooth landing to our clients with our legal services. One issue I see is the desire to get a quick result in everything we do.

Hardliners say Obama is soft on immigration, but advocates call him the "deporter in chief." Which is it?
Both comments have some truth in them. The removal of illegal immigrants while they are in the U.S. has increased substantially, but on the other hand, the return of immigrants who are apprehended at the US. Border has declined. One reason for that is the decreased illegal immigration after the 2008 recession. The U.S. Government has fewer illegal immigrants to deport. The second reason is the government’s shift from returns to removals. This administration has become tougher, using summary removal processes to by-pass the immigration court. This means more people are being deported quickly without due process.

Do you think Turkish-American communities are aware of their rights?
Mostly yes, because our community is so hungry for information. They read, talk, ask and obtain this information one way or another. However, there is a lot of misinformation as well. People pay so much attention to what their friends say or experienced and get confused along the way. I think this is inevitable to some degree since immigration is such a big part of our lives.

Can you say more Turkish immigrants move to the US or return home?
I would say the numbers are more or less the same, with a huge difference in who is coming and who is going. We have witnessed a huge decrease in illegal immigration. People are more concerned about their status in the U.S. now. On the other hand, there is a huge increase in business people who either invested in or established a business in the U.S. I have been speaking on panels in Turkey, U.S., and most recently in Azerbaijan, about investment made in the U.S. Every year we see that the Turkish business world is more interested in doing business in the U.S. I think the interest is warranted since we have better companies and brilliant business people who can compete in the U.S. In return, the U.S. is opening the doors for foreign investors with programs such as SelectUSA.