Hawaiʻi congressional delegation urges immigration support to those impacted by wildfires

The Hawaiʻi Congressional Delegation urged the US Citizenship and Immigration Services to assist members of the immigrant community in replacing important legal and identification documents, as well as alleviating other challenges they might face during the recovery process.

US Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Representatives Ed Case (D-HI) and Jill Tokuda (D-HI) urged US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director, Ur M. Jaddou, to continue and expand efforts to assist members of the immigrant community who have been impacted by the wildfires on Maui.

In their letter, the Hawaiʻi Congressional Delegation urged the organization to assist members of the immigrant community in replacing important legal and identification documents, as well as alleviating other challenges they might face during the recovery process. Specifically, the letter requests:

• Fee waivers and exemptions for vulnerable populations
• Translation resources for non-native English speakers
• Flexibilities, extensions, and expedited processing of legal and identification documents
• Additional guidance and support for all survivors regardless of where they reside

“As you know, Lahaina had a large foreign-born population. When the wildfires destroyed their homes and possessions, in many cases, it also destroyed their legal documents,” the lawmakers wrote. “Survivors of the wildfire need assistance in alleviating any additional challenges they might face, and this encompasses tasks such as replacing immigration documents.”

The lawmakers concluded, “As Maui recovers and rebuilds, the full force of the federal government is needed. We ask that your agency continue working constructively to maximize assistance to impacted individuals.”