For Immediate Release
August 1, 2014
Contact:
Diana Bui,dbui@nakasec.org
NAKASEC Weighs in on the Importance of Protecting Immigrant Families
House Leadership not addressing our broken immigration system
WASHINGTON DC – WASHINGTON DC –On Friday, as Congress postponed its five-week hiatus to push for mean-spirited legislation, Dae Joong (DJ) Yoon, executive director of the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC), an organization that had been fighting for immigration rights since 1994, issued the following statement:
“It is a moral imperative that our House leadership lifts up the American value of family and puts an end to the suffering of millions of hard-working families and innocent children. We were disappointed that the House failed to give us a vote on immigration reform before the release of the immigration score card, but the House leadership’s decision to allow the “No New DREAMers” bill to be brought to the floor sinks this disappointment to a whole new level. Now, more than ever, we need the President to take bold action to expand DACA and clear the extensive family backlogs. The do-nothing, dysfunctional House leadership has long neglected its responsibility to stop people’s suffering and fixing the broken immigration system. And very very sadly, the House leadership keeps attacking hard working immigrant families and our youth. It is time for President Obama to show true leadership that strengthens our American values and respect hard working immigrant families.”
Instead of offering a solution, the House leadership introduced a supplemental bill, rolling back protections for refugee children fleeing violence in Central America and seeking refuge in the United States, and a “No New DREAMers” (HR5272) bill that would prohibit the President from expanding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
We need a Congress that will not attack beneficial programs such as DACA and support hard-working families and vulnerable children. The House has failed the immigrant community by not bringing immigration reform to the floor for vote before the release of the 2014 National Immigration Score Card by NAKASEC and other Asian American and Pacific Islander and Latino groups. Hats off to Congress, leaders that will truly represent the American people.
For more information on the 2014 National Immigration Score Card, visit www.immigrationscores.com – Twitter: #CIRScores”
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The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) was founded in 1994 by local community centers to project a progressive voice and promote the full participation of Korean Americans on major social justice issues. NAKASEC maintains offices in Annandale, Virginia and Los Angeles, California. NAKASEC has affiliates in Chicago (Korean American Resource & Cultural Center) and Los Angeles (Korean Resource Center).
