PRESIDENT Barack Obama made two promises when he took office – overhauling the nations health care and comprehensive immigration reform.
One year into his presidency, the health care legislation may still be in the forefront of President Obama’s agenda but comprehensive immigration reform is creeping right behind.
On December 15, members of Congress kick started the immigration debate when they recently introduced their comprehensive immigration reform legislation to the House of Representatives.
Called the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP), the bill would create a path toward legalization of nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants in the US (of which more than 500,000 are Filipinos) and includes a provision that would benefit the sons and daughters of Filipino World War II Veterans.
"The time for waiting is over," said Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), the congressman who introduced the bill. "We have waited patiently for a workable solution to our immigration crisis to be taken up by this Congress and our president. This bill says ‘enough,’ and presents a solution to our broken system that we as a nation of immigrants can be proud of."
Among those supporting the immigration legislation Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Mike Honda (D-CA), and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).
"This comprehensive bill takes the steps needed to repair our broken system, strengthen border security and put an end to the policies that tear families apart," said Velázquez.
Honda, the Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), strongly supported the introduction of comprehensive immigration reform legislation.
He said the CIR ASAP includes CAPAC’S top immigration priorities, including: a family reunification system, earned legalization for undocumented workers and the DREAM Act for undocumented students.
"I am proud to represent the 1.5 million undocumented Asian immigrants living in the shadows and the millions of Asian and Pacific Islander family members caught in endless backlogs waiting to reunite with loved ones," said Honda. "Immigrants built this country and their contributions should be recognized with a fair and humane immigration system. Asian and Pacific Islander voices must be heard in this debate, and today, CAPAC members stood alongside a diverse coalition that is excited and ready to advance immigration legislation."
Some of the other major provisions of the new immigration legislation include the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act, which would exempt the children of certain WWII Filipino veterans from numerical limitations on immigrant visas.
It would reunite naturalized Filipino veterans with their sons and daughters, many of them have been on the immigration waiting lists for years.
The US Senate shot down comprehensive immigration reform the last time immigration reform legislation was introduced in 2007.
( Published December 19, 2009 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. A1 )
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
