Preview

Media Reaction

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1645 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Media Reaction
Media Reaction
Asian American and Pacific Islander Families Descend on Washington D.C. Demanding Passage of Strong Immigration Reform Legislation
BY
ASIANWEEK STAFF – JUNE 5, 2013POSTED IN: NATIONAL, NEWS, POLITICS

Washington D.C. – As the full U.S. Senate is poised to begin the process to debate the immigration bill, S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, hundreds Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) families from 20 states rallied on the East Lawn of the Capitol calling on Congress to pass immigration reform legislation that is as inclusive of many families as possible. Their demands included the preservation of the sibling and adult children visa categories, a clear and affordable path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and putting an end to harsh enforcement policies that tear families apart.

Joining AAPI immigrant families were Reps. Judy Chu (CA) Jan Schakowsky (IL), natives from Hawaii and Alaska who announced their “First Americans for New Americans” campaign for comprehensive immigration reform, Eliseo Medina, Secretary-Treasurer of Service Employees International Union and Wade Henderson, President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Impacted community members shared their experiences highlighting why immigration reform must pass this year.

Anthony Ng, an undocumented immigrant youth leader from Southern California, has been an active leader and advocate. He came to the U.S. with his parents from the Philippines. In 2011, he graduated from the University of California-Irvine, and now hopes to earn a joint degree in Law and a master’s in Urban Planning.
“It was in the 10th grade when I found out about my undocumented status. I didn’t know what it meant and what to feel at the moment,” Anthony said. “My parents worked long tireless hours to prove that they made the right choice for our family to move to the U.S. I never doubted their decision. I am proud

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    He was a sixteen-year-old going to get his learner's permit and found out his green-card was fake. He was sent to the U.S. to live with his grandparents at age twelve. Throughout the article, he brings up a couple of times the racial remarks people make towards him on an everyday basis. The question he gets the most is: “Why do you not become legal?” He explains how people do not seem to understand…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In "My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant" by J.A. Vargas is an acknowledgement of an undocumented immigrant from Philippines to the USA. His story is an illustrative one for such a settler: every one of the 18 years of his life in the USA is a persistent battle for citizenship and acknowledgment. The writer is attempting to persuade his audience in the need of presenting more liberal laws on migration and lawful status for existing undocumented…

    • 77 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    WILMORE, Ky. — “Do you have your papers?” taunted “Mary Smith’s” middle school classmates. Mary Smith—a pseudonym given to the student to protect her identity—was aware of her undocumented status. As a result, the teasing inquiries caused Smith to become conscious of her lack of documentation. Currently, as an undocumented student at Asbury, Smith reflects on the unconventional circumstances that being undocumented had on her journey to Asbury and the lasting impact it has had on her life.…

    • 506 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Geographically Asian American make up less than 100,000 throughout the majority of the U.S. California, and New York make up the majority by having 1.3 million or more, next TX, IL, and NJ have 500-900,000, and 200-499,000 in WA, MI, PA, VA, GA, and FL. Socially they receive very little media notice like the tens of thousands that was displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Known as the model minority, because of the prejudice and discrimination they have experienced, they have succeeded, economically, socially, and educationally without resorting to political or violent confrontation with the Whites. They ceased to be the subordinate group, and no longer disadvantage. Asian Americans have been active political through collective action and recent through seeking elective office. They continue to embrace both their unique identity as well as border Pan-Asian identity. South East Asians present in the U.S. are from waves of refugees, and just disperse in to larger populations. (Richard t. Schaefer, 2012)…

    • 523 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Asian Pacific Islander Americans have long since been considered to be minorities in America, and as such, we are, at times, underrepresented in American politics and so forth. This being said, that doesn’t mean that we should allow ourselves to be underrepresented in this prospect. In order for us, as a group, to overcome this, we should be voting and participating more when it comes to politics and civic engagements. Even though we are called a minority, that doesn’t mean that we are small in number or insignificant. We should begin involving ourselves more in politics and taking part in more civic engagements so that we can improve our lives.…

    • 619 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The person I interviewed is Carlos Orellana. He is a Honduran who came to the United States crossing Mexico. Orellana came to the U.S.A in search of a better future for him and his family, without realizing how hard it was going to be; finding a path full of bitterness, sadness, desolation, despair and loneliness.…

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    They were able to achieve this through media campaigns and street demonstrations. In their struggle for the rights of immigrants, the Dreamers have moved to a full-fledged movement that has kept mobilizing several youth organizations to stand up for their equal rights despite being immigrants. Through the introduction of pro-immigrant legislations, the dreamers became a leading group in the immigrant movement. They introduced a branched strategy at local and state levels with goals such as having equal education and employment rights, and other benefits to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients (Nicholls 87).…

    • 1208 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Raúl Hinojosa-Ojeda, Ph.D. is the founding director of the North American Integration and Development Center and associate professor in the Division of Social Sciences and the César E. Chávez Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Born in Mexico and raised in Chicago, he received a B.A. in economics, an M.A. in anthropology, and a Ph.D. in political science at the University of Chicago. The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research and policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC 's mission is to shape a rational conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill. http://www.tfs.ca/images/uploads/co-ed_research.pdf…

    • 9307 Words
    • 26 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The following voice project will discuss second generation Vietnamese Americans struggling with cultural expectations. In this assignment, I will discuss an advocacy initiative for this specific population. Immigration status is one of the many issues this specific population may face. It continues to be a politically divisive issue. Lack of American citizenship brings other issues like access to health care. Many individuals are against illegal immigrants having access to health care as well other incentives that come with being a United States citizen. Undocumented immigrants and their children account for 11 percent of people with incomes below poverty level—twice their representation in the total population which is 5.5 percent. (Passel…

    • 752 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Dream Act

    • 1766 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Gabriel Santiago, age seventeen, has lived in the U.S. since he was four years old after being brought over illegally. He was raised in Phoenix by his two parents, who worked long hours and left him with the responsibility of watching over his two younger sisters. After eventually learning how to manage a part time job at Subway and care for his siblings, Gabriel became very involved in his studies at school. Faculty…

    • 1766 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    As an Asian American Student Advocacy Project youth leader who represents the Asian Pacific American community, I partook in a project in which I communicated with officials through town hall hearings to further an ethnic studies campaign in New York City public schools. This is an effort to build cross-cultural understandings to combat bullying and stereotypes, and promote engagement in school curriculums to limit immigrant alienation. In turn, this will bring forth a close-knitted community.…

    • 350 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In conclusion, when framing the Asian American experience to be a unified yet diverse experience, the emphasis should be placed on increasing education to stress the diversity of immigrant experiences. Through the past treatment and current beliefs a majority of Americans hold, it is clear that all types of Asian Americans are considered to be the same and treated according to this mentality. Whether it is the naturalization act or the model minority myth, Asians are thought of as one group with little in-group variation. What needs to be done now is to increase the flexibility of the definition of Asian American to acknowledge the existence of distinct sub-categories such as Chinese-American, Vietnamese-American and Filipino-American and to…

    • 208 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    It was during this time of political upheaval that members of the various Asian ethnic groups decided to band together and act politically. Thus, the Asian American Movement was born. The Asian American Movement along with the implementation of the 1965 Immigration Act helped the Asian Community overcome the historical and political barriers to civic participation. During the period of Asian American Movement, several acts were passed and adopted that prohibited discrimination against minorities. the Immigration Act of October 3, 1965 abolished the national quote system, removing discriminatory restrictions on Asian Immigration to the United States. The 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act prohibited discrimination in voting, education, employment, and public facilities and gave the federal government the power to enforce desegregation by denying federal funds to segregated schools and programs. Thus, as the voices and concerns of Asian Americans were being more and more articulated during the movement, legislation changed and provided for more active political participation from the growing minority. The changes in law have changed the composition of the nation’s immigration population, yet it has also started to break down the barriers to political participation for Asian…

    • 425 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    is imigration legal

    • 1669 Words
    • 7 Pages

    After months of demonstrations and heated debates on congressional immigration reform, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 died because it failed to pass the conference committee. Its death marked the birth of a number of state and municipal laws and ordinances designed to do "something" about the "immigration problem." After Congress's failed attempt to pass a comprehensive immigration reform law, local bills were passed to "get tough" on immigration and to send a message to the federal government that something needed to be done and something would be done. Unfortunately, that "something" took the form of 570 proposed pieces of legislation concerning immigrants, at least 90 bills and resolutions passed, and 84 bills signed into law in 32 states in 2006 alone. 1 In 2007, the number of state laws enacted tripled that of 2006, 240 laws compared to 84 laws. 2 Additionally, in 2007, 1,562 immigration bills were introduced and 46 states enacted local immigration laws. 3 These laws address legal and unauthorized immigration in the context of identification/licenses, employment, education, voting, housing, language and public benefits. 4…

    • 1669 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Older Adult Interview

    • 969 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Mr. E was born in a ranch in Guadalajara, Mexico. He is the youngest son of nine children. His father passed away when he was 1 - year old. He was privileged to attend elementary school from the 1st grade to the 4th grade. Mr. E had the responsibility of helping support the family as there were only two male children in the family and the remaining siblings were female. At 13 years of age he went to the neighboring state of Tepic, Nayarit to work in agriculture. He was 15- years old when he immigrated to the United States by himself. Mr. E lived with friends who helped him find a job 3 weeks after he moved to the United States. He worked as a busboy at a restaurant for 3 months. He left that job to work in the garment industry making jeans, shirts and blouses for 3 years. “I was the only man working there at that time” (E. Privacy, personal communication, October 10, 2012). Mr. E observed that years later he saw more males seeking employment in the garment factories because word spread that any undocumented individual could work making clothing regardless of gender. He financially supported two infant children on those wages. He then worked in a fabric for 7 years making electrical parts for cars. After that he worked as a gardener and left the business to his son when he retired. He was married at the age of 18 and had his first child at the age of 21. Two years later he had a daughter. He became a U.S. Citizen and has helped many family members also obtain their citizenships in the past decades. He is a grandfather of 5 and looks forward to seeing great grandchildren…

    • 969 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays