National AAPI Leaders Discuss Upcoming Immigration Senate Bill Vote

Asian American leaders convened today via teleconference to discuss the passage of the upcoming immigration senate bill, expected to come up for a final vote by Friday, June 28.

AAPI Leaders Deepa Iyer, Kathy Ko Chin, Mari Quenemoen, Jacinta Ma and Jenny Seon addressed all aspects of the Border, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 with callers. Leaders took issue with aspects of the current bill that are both pertinent and may prove detrimental to the AAPI community, such as sections of the mandate that would limit the AAPI community’s ability to reunite with their families, and the ability for some immigrants to access affordable health care. In its current state, bill s.744 will prevent immigrant parents from sponsoring children over the age of 31 and will eliminate the F4 category on visas, thereby preventing siblings from sponsoring siblings. The bill also proposes to create a new visa merit system, under which immigrants are awarded points based on such qualities as length of residence and level of education, effectively limiting the ability of many women from countries where they are denied an education from entering the U.S. The bill does offer some benefits to the AAPI community, for instance allowing Filipino WWII veterans to sponsor their adult children.

Experts also discussed immigrants’ lack of access to healthcare reform. Under s.744, aspiring citizens won’t have the opportunity to subsidize insurance or receive tax cuts

Racial profiling and deportation in the AAPI community were also touched upon. While there are provisions in the current bill that would ban profiling based on ethnicity, the bill also mandates that the government can collect data on immigrants from countries the U.S. is currently in conflict with. The profiling prohibition does not include religion, national origin, or a loophole based on national security.

Discussion leaders surmised the recent landmark DOMA rulings may open the door for same sex binational couples as well. Leaders urged the AAPI community to continue to advocate for the passage of a more inclusive and comprehensive bill suited to the needs of the AAPI community.

The bill is expected to be passed by September 2013.