The Illinois DREAM Act has the power to make a real difference in the lives of undocumented young people throughout Illinois
and moves the immigration debate forward.

ACT NOW!!

Speak up for accurate information, access to education and a voice for all undocumented youth! There are too many stories of young people being caught in a broken immigration system.

The Illinois DREAM Act (SB 2185) is scheduled to be voted on in the Illinois Senate on Wednesday, May 3rd, and this is your opportunity to right a wrong.

Click here to get your legislator’s contact information and take a few minutes to call or email your legislator and make sure that she or he is supporting Illinois DREAM Act (SB 2185). Every little bit counts!

South Asians for Immigration Reform

Children of our undocumented community grow up in the U.S, and become like other “American kids.” But they cannot work or pursue their dreams because they don’t have legal status. Every year, roughly 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school, but many don’t apply for college. HOW CAN YOU CHANGE THIS ?

Some of the SAPACers got to meet Prerna Lal in D.C. last month when she received the Changemakers award from South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow (SAALT). Prerna is a Co-Founder and Online Coordinator of DreamActivist , a online immigrant youth community  that has mobilized thousands to action. Last month, Prerna received notice to appear in court for removal proceedings and could face deportation to her native Fiji despite having parents who are legal permanent residents. Prerna is an example of how our immigration system is broken.

What is the Illinois DREAM Act? Here are the 3 things you need to know about the proposed bill!

ACCURATE INFORMATION: DREAM youth too often get incorrect information from high school counselors and college admissions officers regarding their college options. This bill will encourage these counselors and officers receive regular training regarding educational opportunities for immigrant youths. Having accurate information would give DREAM youths the hope they need to continue their educations and help reduce the rates of high school dropouts.

ACCESS TO EDUCATION: Many qualified DREAM students do not have the financial resources to pursue college.  The Illinois DREAM Act would establish a privately-funded Illinois DREAM Fund, administered by a volunteer state commission, to make scholarships available to undocumented students at no cost to taxpayers. The bill would also open up college savings programs and prepaid tuition programs to all Illinois residents, so that the families of DREAM students will be better able to pay for tuition. Not one penny comes from tax dollars.

A VOICE: In addition to administering and fundraising for the Illinois DREAM Fund, an Illinois DREAM Commission could monitor implementation of other parts of this law and research the needs of DREAM youth as they make their way through college.

MAKE THE CALL, PEOPLE, &

HELP ILLINOIS

DREAM BIG!!!

BEING BROWN IS NOT A CRIME!

Photo courtesy of ICIRR

Today hundreds of immigrant students and community leaders are in Springfield meeting with elected officials to encourage them to pass the IL DREAM Act (SB 2185).  The IL DREAM Act would provide thousands of undocumented students across the state a chance to pursue their dreams.  The bill, if passed into law, would allow undocumented students to access higher education and get driver’s certificates, and establish a privately funded scholarship fund to help with the financial burdens of college.   The general presentation in the media is that Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) and the DREAM Act are Latino/Hispanic issues.  From my personal experience, I can tell you this is false.  In fact, during my time as an organizer in Chicago’s 50^th Ward, I ran into many promising students from South Asia and other parts of the world who would directly benefit from the passage of this bill.  South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a South Asian civil rights organization, has collected hundreds of stories of South Asian immigrants that would directly benefit from the DREAM Act and from comprehensive immigration reform (CIR); you can read some of the stories on SAALT’s website.

I will be the first to acknowledge that the IL DREAM Act is not the perfect policy fix for our broken immigration system.  After all, it still doesn’t address the biggest fear of many undocumented immigrant students–the threat of deportation to a foreign country where they have no family members and whose language they don’t speak–but it is a step in the right direction.  On the national stage, we have been fighting for the DREAM Act for over 10 years, with the most recent attempt last December failing due to a partisan logjam and bickering.  The passage of the IL DREAM Act will give us fresh momentum and energy to push for the DREAM Act at the national level.  Most importantly, it will distinguish us from other states that are engaged in political grandstanding and scapegoating when it comes to immigrants rather than coming up with practical solutions to deal with our broken immigration system.

I would like to leave you with words from an IL DREAM Act advocate that is directly affected by the broken immigration system.  Carla, who was brought here at the age of five from the Philippines and has been in the country for over seventeen years, said this when asked why she is lobbying for the IL DREAM Act: “We don’t ask for much. Other than a chance. A chance to pursue our dreams.”

I hope you will join me along with Carla and hundreds of other supporters and ask our elected officials to pass the IL DREAM Act (SB 2185).

You can send an automated e-mail and fax through ICIRR’s action center.

Thank you!

A great weekly show for all of you interested in Asian American politics to check out…

Asia Pacific Forum
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
8:00-9:00 pm EST

WBAI 99.5 FM, New York City
Podcasting and streaming live at Asia Pacific Forum

*********************************************************

NYC Solidarity with Immigrants in Arizona: On July 29th, the State of Arizona is expected to implement the controversial immigration law SB 1070. To stand in solidarity with those fighting the law, groups in New York have organized a march across the Brooklyn Bridge and protest on Thursday, July 29th. We speak with the event organizers, MONAMI MAULIK of Desis Rising Up and Moving and MICHELLE FEI of Immigrant Defense Project, about the solidarity action and how laws like SB 1070 are relevant to immigrant communities here in New York City.

Experimental Prison Units for Muslims and Environmental Activists: The Federal Bureau of Prisons operates two “Communications Management Units”–experimental prison units in Illinois and Indiana designed to isolate prisoners from the general population.  Two-thirds of the prisoners housed there are Muslims who have been banned without explanation from interacting with other prisoners and regular phone calls and visitation. Environmental rights activists are housed there too. RACHEL MEEROPOL, Staff Attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, joins us to talk about the recent federal lawsuit she filed against the Federal Bureau of Prisons challenging the CMUs, and the government’s recent attempt to have the suit dismissed.

MI21:  Mother India–the 21st Century Remix: MI21 reimagines and reworks Mother India, the epic Bollywood film that captures the post-colonial Indian psyche, into a performance piece–60 minutes of visual images accompanied live by a DJ and musicians. We’ll talk about the relevance of the film for contemporary audiences and the creative process behind adapting such an iconic film with JOYOJEET PAL and INDY HUNJAN of Kala Phool in advance of the U.S. premiere of MI21 at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park on Thursday, July 29th.

*********************************************************

This program is brought to you by Silky Shah, Chitra Aiyar, Naureen Shah, and Amna Akbar of the APF Collective.

For last week’s show on Chenoan and US militarism, gentrification in Chinatown, and a “non”Asian-American arts exhibition, click here.

Every Tuesday from 8-9 PM EST, Asia Pacific Forum brings you coverage of Asian American and Asian news, politics, and culture. For more information see Asia Pacific Forum or contact them via info@asiapacificforum.org.

Racial politics at a baseball game? Oh fun! Nothing signals the start to a great evening like the guy sitting next to me and my friend leaning over to say, “Wow, I got back from Baghdad a month ago and haven’t seen anyone who looks like you in a month.” Um, thanks?

Amidst Joel Stein’s very useful analysis of those damn Indians ruining his hometown and Arizona immigration laws targeting anyone who might be an immigrant, I guess it’s at least nice to have someone that changes up the generic “Where are you from?” with something new.  It’s also another reminder that even though I’m supposed to be proud to be an American this weekend, I (still) am not seen as one.

There are numerous organizations, Asian and otherwise, that consider comprehensive immigration reform to be of utmost importance.  Very legitimate issues such as family reunification, protections for immigrant labor, and straightforward pathways to legal status drive their advocacy.

On a more macro level, it’s much less clear (in my mind at least) what the goals of immigration reform should be.  That is, what does the ideal immigration policy look like? Totally open borders? Quotas based on labor skills? No immigration at all?

The reality of whatever policy or policies we choose is that they have direct effects on the function of our economy and, perhaps a major consideration, our ability to finance basic social services including education, health care, and welfare.

Recent trends in the labor skills of immigrants indicate an increasing concentration in low-skilled manual labor and thus low pay.  Moreover, those with low levels of skill tend to utilize a significantly greater share of public assistance than they pay in taxes, creating a net fiscal burden.  Particularly in states with high levels of immigration (not even accounting for undocumented workers) such as California, New York, and Illinois, the strain on the budget for social services is not insignificant.

The point is not to suggest that we should have an immigration policy that disqualifies people based on their earning potential–but we also cannot expect to have a functioning social safety net and make it available to anyone around the world that wants it.

Thoughts?

I’m an American citizen. I was born here and, despite occasional instances of racism, I’ve felt secure and confident doing anything I please. Living in Japan for a year was a bit of a sociological experiment. I’d recommend it to any of my fellow citizens who have never “walked a mile in someone else’s shoes.” I was essentially on a skilled guest worker visa in one of the safest, developed, and most polite countries in the world with universal healthcare. But I still got stopped in the street by a young punk of a cop and had my purse searched. I still got stopped every time I boarded the airplane for a second pat-down, while my husband breezed by. Um, and they all thought I was good at math. Joke’s on them!

My point is that although I’m not an immigrant in this country, my parents were. And I’ve had my own brief immigrant experience. So I’m certainly interested in hearing what the issues are and how I can help.
I participated in an immigration townhall, hosted by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), at the Indo-American Center last Wednesday along with 80 community members (and some fellow SAPACers) and wanted to share some thoughts from the event…

1. Those of you who don’t think there’s a significant undocumented community of South Asians in the U.S. right now might want to check this out (PDF).
2. There were men, women, young and old who attended the townhall–signifying that this issue matters to everyone.
3. The discussion was grounded in the U.N.’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights–a list of rights that everyone is entitled to, including the right to education, the freedom from torture and slavery, the right to work in humane conditions, and the right to move across national borders freely. (It’s super-short and has been translated into a bunch of languages. Check it out here.)
4. We saw 3 short video clips of people who were affected by the current immigration system: a single mom who hasn’t seen her daughter in years because she hasn’t been allowed a visitor’s visa; a highly educated wife who isn’t allowed to work because of her H-4 visa; and a group of H2-B guest workers who were recruited to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, but were exploited and abused instead.
5. What I got from seeing the videos and hearing people’s stories from the audience was that the current system doesn’t protect the most vulnerable. It doesn’t protect women and men who are being abused by their spouses. It doesn’t protect people who want to work but aren’t allowed, and are then forced into a dangerous and exploitive cash-based market. It doesn’t protect those who are trafficked into this country.

Too often South Asian citizens are silent about this topic. And I’m including myself! We get our golden ticket and then it ceases to be a problem for us. But if we’ve read our history, we should know that nobody’s status is secure. African American citizens were denied equality and justice for a century after slavery was banned. Japanese American citizens were interned during WWII. Their property and liberty were taken away. And for the last decade after 9/11, citizens have been detained and harassed. It’s time we engage in this debate and speak up for those who can’t.

SAPAC is co-sponsoring this town hall in the 50th Ward, our Devon Ave. neighborhood–a port of entry for so many South Asian immigrants and refugees.

One Community United: A Town Hall for the South Asian Community on Immigration and Human Rights

Join community members for an interactive town hall to discuss immigration reform and human rights in the South Asian community. With immigration reform proposals being circulated in Congress, an opportunity to speak out about our community’s experiences and identify ways to take action together is both urgent and important.

When: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 6:30 PM

Where: Indo-American Center
6328 N. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60659

Why:

• Discuss immigration and human rights
• Exchange ideas and information
• Hear from local and national organizations
• Get involved and make change

Refreshments will be served!

RSVP by May 24 by emailing info@saalt.org or calling 301-270-1855.

The One Community United Town Hall is coordinated by SAALT and Chicago members of the National Coalition of South Asian Organizations (NCSO):

• Apna Ghar
• Indo-American Center
• South Asian American Policy and Research Institute (SAAPRI)
• South Asian Progressive Action Collective (SAPAC)
• The Hamdard Center

The Town Hall is also co-sponsored by:

• Albany Park Neighborhood Council
• Asian American Institute
• Coalition of African, Arab, Asian, European, and Latino Immigrants of Illinois (CAAAELII)
• Community Builders Chicago (CBC)
• Indo American Coalition for Immigration (IACI)
• North American Association of Indian IT Professionals (NAAIIP)

One Community United is a campaign on immigrant and civil rights coordinated by the NCSO. The campaign seeks to promote community dialogue and elevate the call for humane immigration laws and strong civil rights protections. For more information on the NCSO and the campaign, please contact SAALT at info@saalt.org or visit us at www.saalt.org.

SAPACers – Join the MAY DAY MARCH!

SATURDAY, MAY 1ST

Indo American Center Seniors Rally for their Rights (Photo Credit: Elianne Farhat)

March with SAPAC members — email us at info@sapac.org or we’ll see you at the march!

StAnd uP and tAke aCtion

[SAPAC is a member of the National Coalition of South Asian Organizations, led by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT).]

National South Asian Organization Condemns Anti-Immigrant Arizona Law Resulting in Profiling

April 26, 2010 - South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national organization whose mission is to elevate the voices and perspectives of South Asian individuals and organizations to build a more just and inclusive society, condemns the enactment of SB 1070 in Arizona. Signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer on April 23, this measure allows state authorities to question individuals based upon the mere suspicion that they may be undocumented and requires immigrants to carry proof of their immigration status or else face criminal penalties.

“SAALT opposes this policy as it will undoubtedly lead to profiling of communities of color, regardless of immigration status. Anyone who appears to be an immigrant can be questioned by police and have to prove their immigration status,” said Deepa Iyer, Executive Director of SAALT.”South Asian community members are all too familiar with the pernicious effects of profiling resulting from ineffective national security policies instituted following September 11th.” Profiling results in community members being viewed with suspicion by not only law enforcement but also the general public and does little but fuel discrimination.

The new Arizona law also underscores the need for immigration reform and anti-profiling policies. In the absence of federal measures, state and local governments are implementing their own immigration enforcement policies that result in profiling, undermine trust between communities and police, and diminish public safety. SAALT calls upon policymakers to oppose the Arizona law, and to enact policies that respect fundamental civil rights.

What can South Asian community members do?

There are a few simple steps that community members can take to oppose Arizona’s new law and to support policies that respect civil rights:

• Contact Arizona Governor Jan Brewer with the following message: “I am deeply disappointed that you have signed SB 1070. This law promotes discrimination and profiling by legitimizing suspicion based upon appearance. I ask that this law be rescinded immediately.” Her office can be reached at (602) 542-4331 or azgov@az.gov.

• Email President Obama and Congress and ask them to support just and humane immigration reform and to strengthen anti-profiling policies.

• Join rallies occurring across the country on May 1 in support of immigration reform. Click here to find a rally in your area.

• Learn more about the impact of profiling and immigration on the South Asian community by checking out SAALT’s resources.

For more information, contact SAALT at info@saalt.org.

TAKING ON POSTRACIALISM: RACIAL JUSTICE AND ASIAN AMERICANS TODAY

Cosponsored by SAPAC and presented by the Program in Asian American Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Monday, March 15, 2010
4:00 p.m.
University of Illinois at Chicago
Student Center East, 3rd floor, Cardinal Room
750 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60607

Free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For questions or more information, please contact Bill Gallaga in the Program in Asian American Studies at (312) 355-3448 or gallaga@uic.edu.

About the Program
SAPAC invites you to “Taking on Postracialism: Racial Justice and Asian Americans Today,” a talk by Rinku Sen, executive director of the Applied Research Center and publisher of ColorLines magazine.

What does it mean to study Asian American politics and identity when colorblindness is dogmatically pushed in the media and in policymaking? Postracialism undermines our ability to promote API empowerment, equity and inclusion, as well as alliances with other communities, but there are promising alternatives. Ms. Sen will talk about the nexus of racial justice, immigration, and Asian American identity, and historicize seemingly race-neutral policies that affect Asian Americans today. Using video, research studies and story-telling, she will explore the ways in which institutional racism and colorblindness foster resistance to racial justice standards for APAs and people of color communities.

This event is also cosponsored by the UIC Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy (IRRPP), the UIC Asian American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC), Chicago Foundation for Women, and DesiLit. It is a Women’s History Month event.

Accessibility
UIC’s Student Center East is wheelchair accessible. The elevator is located inside the Halsted Street entrance. If you have accessibility questions, please contact Bill Gallaga in the Program in Asian American Studies at (312) 355-3448 or gallaga@uic.edu.