What kind of job would you imagine as ideal in one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the state? Jay Stratton has that kind of job. He has just hung his shingle out as an immigration attorney in White Center in an office on Roxbury Street. Over 60 percent of the immigrants in White Center and Boulevard Park came to this country within the last ten years according to the census of 2000 and 20% of those are hispanic speaking people.

Stratton whose roots are in Utah chose White Center because the highest concentration of immigration attorneys is in downtown Seattle near the court. He chose to be closer to the clients themselves. This is consistent with the way he approaches the work. But he also likes White Center because it is "very similar to the area I grew up in, in Salt Lake City. I like the Tiendas (grocery stores) and little taco stands (…) there was a little Mexican store around the corner."

"White Center is a lot of small businesses, a lot of them minority owned. Everybody seems really excited about making positive changes in the community and I was really impressed by that. I think the future of White Center is really bright and that it holds a lot of opportunity."

The cases that come through the court are "usually defensive cases," according to Stratton. "If a guy, usually a guy, gets caught in say a traffic violation such as a low level DUI or some other criminal issue, they get first sent to Tacoma, because there's a detention center there." Many of those are also labeled as EWI (Entered Without Inspection) meaning they didn't pass through an immigration checkpoint to get into the United States. "Either they pay a human smuggler or they personally enter illegally." Most commonly these people are arrested by agents with a particularly chilling acronym, I.C.E. (Immigration Customs Enforcement).

The focus of his practice is on the hispanic community, though he's open to assisting other ethnic groups. In fact in Salt Lake City one of the largest ethnic groups is from Tonga. Stratton related an immigration incident saying, "A lot of my really good friends in high school were from Tonga (…) and actually since I've been an immigration attorney, the older brother of a friend came here as a two year old (he had been married to a U.S. citizen for 13 years) and one day, I.C.E. came to his door and tried to deport him."

In high school, Stratton became interested in hispanic culture. After his senior year he spent two years in Ecuador in the nation's most populated city, Guayaquil, about 5 hours away from the capital city of Quito. He did a lot of volunteer work. "We would basically help in neighborhoods with whatever they needed. If they needed a fence fixed," or other household needs he was there to help. In Ecuador he explained he saw how prejudice and class differences led to conflict. "They have three regions in the country. The coast, the mountains and the jungle (referred to there as 'The Orient' ). It's almost like three different countries within a country. I noticed that when they spoke differently they were treated differently and it kind of awoke the 'Atticus Finch, To Kill A Mockingbird' aspect in me and so I've been conscious of social justice."

Upon his return he went on to the University of Utah graduating with a degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish and Latin American Studies, and got an International Certificate. During his college years he also worked in construction and because he spoke Spanish he was the liaison between the hispanic workers and the boss. "I got very integrated into the life that they lived (…) I got invited to the quinceañeras (a girls fifteenth birthday party) and other parties (…) and these guys, they work so many hours. They are very talented craftsmen and they would talk about their families." As his relationships grew with his hispanic friends so did a sense of obligation. It's been a motivating factor in deciding to go into immigration law and to help those who want to live here.

He attended William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, graduating in 2009.

Stratton didn't come to White Center fresh out of law school however. He spent time working as a contract attorney for other immigration law firms in Seattle first.

While he can and will assist people just arriving in White Center "People who have been here awhile have invested by working. If they own a home, they usually own vehicles and I understand that it's a lot to lose if somebody is forced to leave the country," he said. "Part of that is that a person is removed from their family structure, from their community structure, their church structure and that can be devastating. Immigration law is very tough and I try to do my very best, that if there is a legal way for them to stay in the country I will definitely fight for that."

Immigration Law is very complex and as headlines in the past few years make clear it's controversial and subject to change.

The law passed in Arizona that results in immigrants being asked to show identification has resulted in what many regard as racial profiling. "I've joked with my friends that Canadians down there aren't being asked for their papers," Stratton chuckled. "Arizona is kind of like a flag waving out there saying 'The immigration system needs help and if the federal government isn't going to do it, the state is. The law itself isn't very good but it's a way to draw attention to the situation because immigration is federal law."

There are various ways to get status within the United States. "Canadians can come in under the Visa Waiver program for 90 days. They are non-immigrants so they have to go back. Another one is an Immigrant Visa meaning you are coming to stay permanently. This might include marriage to a U.S. Citizen. People can enter and be employed here under a Work Visa (done through an employer) and then they could apply for a Green Card which means they have "lawful, legal permanent residence in the United States." After five years of having a Green Card immigrants can apply for U.S. Citizenship. Having a Green Card or working under a Visa however still means you have tax obligations, you get a social security number. Illegal aliens of course don't. Some people coming here are regarded as "refugees or asylees" and he estimated that more than 90% of those from Somalia in White Center have that status.

Stratton normally works on a flat fee basis for certain legal duties such as posting a bond for a client.

Stratton points out that a federal program existed over the past two decades called the Special Agricutural Worker program that allowed hispanic agricultural workers to become Legal Permanent Residents without being U.S. citizens. "It's kind of an in-between status. Basically they have a Green Card. They have legal residency here but if they commit certain kinds of crimes they could be deported." Since much of the agricultural work in Washington State is performed by hispanic people this proved be very beneficial for them.

Occasionally, immigration law can be both legally complex and emotionally difficult. If a U.S. Citizen for example meets an illegal alien and chooses to marry, "It's a difficult process," Stratton explained, " Not everybody can do it. You have to leave the country. It's called a consular process. If you are illegal and have lived here over a year, you are barred for ten years. It's harsh. I hope this is where reform comes because there are lots of U.S. citizens married to illegal aliens and they can never get status because once they try they are barred." While waivers do exist, they are hard to acquire.

Immigration law has been in the headlines frequently in the last few years. Recently the so called DREAM Act, was blocked by Republicans in congress. The bill was backed by the Obama administration and congressional Democrats. It would give some illegal immigrants who arrived in the United States as children a pathway to legal status provided they attend college or join the military. Supporters argued it gives immigrants invested in this country a chance at coming out of hiding, releasing them from blame for the decision of their parents to enter the United States illegally. It would encourage education and would build the Armed Forces according to backers. The Congressional Budget Office estimates between 300,000 and 500,000 presently illegal aliens could benefit from the DREAM Act.

Opponents say the bill rewards criminal behavior and could cost taxpayers millions of dollars while doing virtually nothing to address the ailing U.S. economy.

Stratton estimates that there are 2.5 to 3 million illegal aliens in the U.S. today. He's reluctant to put a number on them locally but said, "It seems that in the White Center and Burien area there's a large number of them."

Part of becoming immersed in hispanic culture has affected his lifestyle too. Today Stratton loves to cook and said he makes salsa, employing a lot of cilantro. "Sometimes they come out good, other times not so much. It's quite the art form. Now, every time I come home my mom makes me go to the store to get some meat to make Carne Asada."

You can contact Jay Stratton by phone at 206-999-6684 or email at Jay@strattonimmigration.com.

"I'm here to guide people, educate them, and help them fight to stay here and live here legally," he said.