Asian Americans have a huge stake in the immigration debate, reports KPCC,
In the last decade, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center said more Asian Pacific Americans became permanent resident in California than any other ethnic group, including Mexican Americans.
“We have huge stakes in this debate,” Betty Hung, APALC’s policy director, says. “Millions of our families are affected and that’s why the Asian American and Pacific Islander community is mobilizing to lift up our voices and ensure that our family’s concerns and needs are also reflected in an immigration reform bill.”
Among the biggest issues for Asian Americans is the backlog of family members waiting for visas so they can be reunited with loved ones in the United States. Almost 2 million Asians are waiting in line.
“These backlogs can last as long as 23 years for countries such as the Philippines. And actually four of the five countries with the longest backlogs are in Asia. That’s China, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, in addition to Mexico.”
We can learn more about issues impacting Asian Pacific Americans in the immigration debate on KPCC,