WASHINGTON, March 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), a leading national civil and human rights organization, is encouraged by today's bipartisan introduction of the STRIVE (Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy) Act of 2007 by Representatives Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ). This comprehensive immigration reform bill contains provisions that provide regularized legal channels for new immigrants to help strengthen the American economy, reforms the employment and family-based immigration system, and adjusts the status of eligible undocumented immigrants.
"We applaud Congressmen Gutierrez and Flake for working together to create a truly comprehensive piece of legislation. While we will be working to address some of our concerns about certain provisions in the bill, it is a strong start toward the passage of comprehensive immigration reform legislation in 2007," said Karen Narasaki, President and Executive Director of the AAJC. "It is imperative that Congress passes legislation this year to fix our broken system with workable solutions that live up to our nation's values."
Based on an initial examination of the proposed legislation, there are several measures that will especially benefit the 13.9 million-strong Asian American community:
First, it includes provisions that would eliminate the backlog for family- based immigrants in approximately six years. The backlog for some Asian American families is currently more than 20 years. In addition, this bill would finally help reunite the sons and daughters of the Filipino World War II veterans with their aging parents after years of separation and waiting.
Second, it would provide an earned legalization program. There are an estimated 1.5 million undocumented Asian immigrants that it could potentially help. However, among many organizations, there is concern that the provision requiring an exit and re-entry will be unworkable.
Third, it provides for a more realistic flow of workers in both the high- and low-skilled categories. It also builds in strong labor and civil rights protections and allows workers who want to stay and are needed for our economy to become legal permanent residents Asian immigrants are substantial users of the employment-based immigration system.
Fourth, through the inclusion of the Dream Act, this bill provides a path to legal permanent residence for undocumented immigrant students who currently are unable to attend college, no matter how long the U.S. has been their home. The Dream Act has been strongly supported by the Korean American community.
"While the bill does have the right architecture and rejects the most excessive so-called enforcement provisions that were contained in last year's House bill, we believe this debate is an opportunity to address the policies that place too much unchecked power in the hands of agency officials," said Narasaki. "We want to make sure that any reform of the immigration laws fully incorporates the American tradition of respecting and protecting the rights of individuals to fair proceedings, government accountability, and due process."
Although the House of Representatives passed the anti-immigrant H.R. 4437 in 2005 and the Senate passed a more comprehensive but deeply flawed S. 2611 last year, neither bill became law. The STRIVE Act launches a renewed effort to achieve immigration reform that is truly comprehensive, effective and fair.
"We would like to see improvements to current law regarding detention and deportation. Currently, in many cases, people are deported without full consideration of an individual's circumstances. Current laws against immigrants go too far and deny basic due process to millions of people who live in the U.S.," said George C. Wu, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Partners Community Law Fellow at the AAJC.
"Denying due process to people in America is unconstitutional, unnecessary, and demeans all of us who are proud to live in America."
Asian Americans can join thousands of other concerned Americans in contacting their Congressional Representatives and Senators on March 28 and 29, by calling 1(800) 417-7666.
Asian American Justice Center
