Thread: Asian Americans join immigration debate

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_3948344

Asian Americans join immigration debate
Forum brings together diverse regional groups
By Sang Lee, Staff Writer
Whittier Daily News


LOS ANGELES - Asian-American and Pacific Islander leaders met this week to examine their communities' views on immigration, a debate sometimes overshadowed by Latino issues.

More than 175 people attended the panel discussion and question-and-answer session on "Asian Americans and Immigration Reform: Where Do We Stand?" at the Pico House at El Pueblo Historical Monument on Thursday night.

Karin Wang of Monterey Park, vice president of programs at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, said the meeting was the first of its kind.

"We hope to do a lot more," Wang said. "Asian-American groups have never been able to naturally work together politically due to our diversity. But this issue has united a lot of us. It's not just about Asian Americans. We've gotten involved and care about people's civil rights."

The panel included leaders from the Chinese, Indian, Korean and Filipino communities and former Stanford Law School Professor John Trasvi a.

Preeti Kulkarni, a board member of the national group Asian Pacific Americans for Progress, said all immigrant groups have common interests.

"We hope to show that the AAPI community is aligned with all communities of color," Kulkarni said. "We believe in building coalitions with immigrant communities, including Latinos, in demanding fair and humane immigration reform. This isn't just a Latino issue - it's an issue for all people."

Trasvi a and other panelists focused on H.R. 4437, legislation introduced by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wisc., that would criminalize illegal immigrants. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives on Dec. 16. The Senate passed its own immigration reform legislation last month and now the two bodies are trying to reconcile the differences between the two bills.

According to panelist Kent Wong, a professor of labor and Asian American studies at UCLA, the immigration issue should be based more on civil rights than homeland security or terrorism.

"There are 12 million undocumented immigrants in our country who are vital to our society and demanding workplace rights," Wong said. "That's 12 million workers without labor laws."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 15 million Asian American and Pacific Islanders live in the country, with 63 percent being foreign born. Pew Hispanic Center estimates that

10 percent of all Asians living in the country are undocumented.

The large number of separated families has created waiting lists, or family reunification backlogs.

Su Yon Yi spoke on behalf of National Korean American Service & Education Consortium where she serves as director of special projects. Her organization estimates that one out of every five Koreans living in this country is not a legal resident.

"It's really just about the people," Yi said.

sang.lee@sgvn.com

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"It's really just about the people," Yi said.

This is not about "people". This is about outsides breaking our nations laws, about outsiders expecting American taxpayers to foot the bill, about outsiders terrorizing the citizens with criminal atrocities, this is about the security of a nation and the rights of legal citizens, and ultimately this is about the destruction of a nation.

This is NOT a civil rights issue either. Illegals are not oppressed or treated unfairly (far from it). They are treated as criminals (or they should be) because they committed a crime.

"It's really just about the people," Yi said.

dlm1968- hey It IS about the people! It's about "We the People" and that doesn't include any Illegals or legal permanent residents.

The United States government- that Federal Corporation- that "We the People" own has NO right to listen to their appeals unless WE allow it. We are the CEO's, we the citizens are the sovereign ones and the government is our servant.

"alligned with all communities of color"

In other words, we are going to gang up on white people?

These race-based organizations are ripping this nation apart. Is this how white people are repaid for being "tolerant" and "inclusive?" No other nation gives a damn about how "fair" they are or how tolerant they are. But we do, and it seems like we are getting walked on. I thought the whole enlightenment thing was supposed to make people stop thinking in terms of skin color or ancestry.

But the wierd thing is, every Asian I've ever known thinks these identity politics are annoying and stupid. So who are these people creating these groups? They always seem to spring out of LA.

I'm a "minority" myself and find all of this disgusting. Americans had better get back to the idea that we a melting pot, not a frikkin tossed salad, because this thing seems like it's starting to unravel

When we had a huge influx of asians in the early 80's taxpayers footed the bill for free social services, home loans, car loans etc for them. I remember looking out the window across the street and saying to myself how do you come here as a refugee, yet you now own a house and are driving a brand new car? Our tax dollars paid for these people to make a new start in this country and gave them citizenship. So why would they not be for giving to the illegals now. America good, America free.