Immigration Reform

Immigration reform today is a controversial subject. Many may want to avoid discussing these complicated issues entirely, especially when there has been so little coverage of how this specifically impacts us as Asian Americans.

Nearly 30 percent of the total Bay Area population was born somewhere outside the United States. In fact, 70 percent of Asians in the Bay Area are foreign-born, so immigration law has a powerful impact on Asian American families and communities.

Although there are many aspects of the immigration debate, we chose to focus on family reunification and economic impact. To learn why your colleague has not seen his wife and children in five years or how the small Asian businesses in your neighborhood fit into the larger economic picture, read the full report.

Please click here to view the full report.

For more information on immigration reform as it affects Asians, please follow the links below.

Undocumented Immigrants

Undocumented immigrant children encounter barriers to college that their citizen siblings do not. If they manage to earn degrees, these students are unable to capitalize on the opportunities afforded other graduates. To learn more about these young people, read the Winter/Spring 2006 newsletter issued by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR). Two relevant articles of interest are "Undocumented Students: An Investment in Our Country's Future" (page 8) and "Amy's Story" (page 21).

One in nine Asian Americans is an undocumented immigrant, according to expert estimates. The lives of undocumented Asian families may appear normal, as they often shield their status to protect their livelihood in the U.S. Many families have some members who are citizens and legal residents, and other members who work hard as undocumented immigrants. The San Jose Mercury News told the story of such a mixed-status family in "Eager to Make It in America," by K. Oanh Ha, published on August 8, 2006.

Other

"Legal Immigrants: A Voice of Reason in the Immigration Debate," New America Media, March 28, 2006

Recommended Online Resources

If you would like to learn more, visit these web sites: 
Asian American Justice Center 
Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees 
National Immigration Forum