Amid Donald Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement, growing numbers of non-citizen immigrants, are seeking ways to clear or seal their past criminal records through immigration expungement.
To meet this rising demand, the Unity of Faith Global Fellowship Ministry (UOTFM) hosted a free expungement consultation event on October 7th, supported by the Asian American Drug Abuse Prevention Program (AADAP). The event was open to local residents looking to determine their eligibility for expungement and receive legal guidance.
According to UOTFM, the initiative was designed to assist individuals with minor offenses who face barriers to employment, housing, and reintegration into society. Attendees received help filing expungement requests in court, and many residents hoping to seal their records participated in the event.
Immigration attorneys explained that once a record is expunged, most California employers cannot access it during background checks—improving job prospects in office, service, and transportation industries. They added that expungement also reduces disadvantages in apartment rentals or loan reviews since landlords and financial institutions cannot view sealed records.
However, legal experts cautioned that expungement only restricts public access and does not remove the record from federal agencies such as the FBI, immigration authorities, or the judicial system. These records may still affect immigration, visa, or citizenship screenings.
Immigration attorney Jonathan Park said, “Expungement is more like concealment than complete deletion, but the effort to clear one’s record can be viewed positively during citizenship review.”
Event organizer Dara Jones, head of UOTFM, said, “We assess each applicant’s eligibility for record expungement and help them register automatically with the court. All services are provided free of charge.”
Inquiries can be made at (213) 344-9146.
BY YEONGCHAE SONG [song.yeongchae@koreadaily.com]
