For Immediate Release
December 15, 2009
Contacts:
NAKASEC, Olivia Park, 323-937-3707 x 209 (English)
KRC, Junghee Lee, 323-937-3718 (Korean)
KRCC, Youngsun Song, 773-588-9158 x 203 (Kor, Eng)
The House bill is a first step for realizing comprehensive immigration reform in 2010.
(Washington, D.C.) 88 members of Congress, including representatives of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Progressive Caucus, joined Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), to introduce the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009” (CIR-A.S.A.P.) in the House of Representatives. The bill is a sign of progress and momentum for action on real, just, and common sense immigration reform. The legislation will protect workers, keep families together, and create a path to citizenship for millions while ensuring that we stay true to our values of just and fair nation.
“Every day our immigration system remains broken is another day when Americans are separated from their loved ones, when children wonder if they will have the chance to best that they can be, and when undocumented immigrants work long hours at poverty wages and out of sight from our society. It’s time that America takes care of all who make this country prosperous and vibrant. America is desperate need of change and Rep. Gutierrez’s bill is an important step towards realizing it,” said EunSook Lee, Executive Director of National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC).
“Nearly 60% of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are immigrants. Many came in search of a better life in America, but the American dream remains detached from waking reality. While we owe it to our community to revive this dream, this effort will ultimately be for the benefit of all people in America,” said Dae Yoon, Executive Director of Korean Resource Center (KRC) in Los Angeles.
“One out of five Korean Americans is undocumented. 77,000 are caught in backlogs, waiting years to reunite with their families. This problem spans across diverse communities, and we also feel it personally in the Korean American community, when some of our brightest students cannot get a college education they deserve or a driver’s license due to their status. We are excited to join together with other communities today for legislation and change that will benefit all people,” concluded Sik Sohn, Executive Director of Korean American Resource & Cultural Center (KRCC) in Chicago.
We commend Congressman Gutierrez and the 88 original co-sponsors of this meaningful bill for their leadership and for beginning to deliver on the promise made by the President and many congressional candidates to move immigration reform forward. At first glance, the bill contains all major components that our communities have been seeking. In the days to come, we will continue to share our additional analysis of the bill.
You can find summaries of CIR ASAP in English and Korean here.
For interviews of staff working on immigration reform, please contact NAKASEC, KRC, and KRCC.
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NAKASEC is a national organization founded in 1994 by local Korean American community organizations to project a national progressive voice and promote the full civic participation of Korean Americans as part of a greater goal of building a national movement for social change. Based in Los Angeles, NAKASEC maintains a D.C. office in fall 2008 and has affiliates in L.A. (KRC) and Chicago (KRCC).
