For the first time in history, over a dozen Asian Pacific Islander (API) organizations in the United States have united to call for comprehensive immigration reform, stating that economic conditions are the biggest barrier. On October 29, several API organizations held a conference in Los Angeles to promote Asian American democratic rights, with comprehensive immigration reform being a key topic of discussion. Speakers at the conference generally reached a consensus that the economic downturn is the greatest obstacle to immigration reform.
Bill Ong Hing, a professor of immigration law at the University of California, Davis, believes that the current economic situation in the United States is indeed not favorable for immigration reform. However, this does not mean that we should sit idly by; he calls for experts and scholars to invest more in research on Asian immigration, as these research findings will be beneficial in promoting immigration reform. He cited that due to the overwhelming backlog of immigration cases, Asian immigrants often face a long and unbearable waiting period, with some studies indicating that Asian family-sponsored immigrants may wait an average of 12 years. If more accurate research data is available, it would be more persuasive to decision-makers.
Hing, who practiced as an immigration attorney in the 1970s, shared from his own experience: “The media often portrays Asian family-sponsored immigration as terrifying, as if one person comes out and has to bring a whole family of dozens along. In reality, not that many Asian immigrants come to the United States; many decide not to come during the long waiting process. Another phenomenon is that since 2000, the number of Asian immigrants coming to the United States has been steadily declining. However, we need to study the data to confirm this in order to be persuasive.”
When discussing the impact of healthcare reform on immigration reform, Karen Narasaki, head of the Asian American Justice Center, candidly stated that if healthcare reform cannot pass, immigration reform will not even be on the agenda. She mentioned that the U.S. economy has not yet improved, President Obama’s approval ratings have plummeted, and the healthcare reform bill, which is ahead of the immigration bill, is struggling to pass, leading to diminishing hopes for immigration reform legislation.
