Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA), and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) joined together at a news conference as part of a day of action for Dreamers and TPS
About 150 Asian Americans and Blacks marched in solidarity on Capitol Hill Tuesday to demand passage of protection on dreamers and a permanent solution for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders.
“DACA changed my life,” said Jung Woo Kim speaking on behalf of the Korean Resource Center and the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC). “It allowed me to go to and finish school, get a good job and support my family. A clean DREAM Act must pass before Christmas. We, young immigrant Americans, are an important part of the future of this nation. What kind of government would throw away its young people?”
The protest was sponsored by the AAPI Immigrant Rights Organizing Table and UndocuBlack. The day of action by the two groups highlighted the exclusion of both Blacks and Asian Americans from the immigration debate.
“Black and AAPI Immigrant are joining hands on this historic day of action to reject the lie that our people are disposable and that we are each other’s enemies. We are centering and uplifting our own voices, hold elected officials accountable and demand a clean Dream Act and a permanent solution for TPS holders together. The time is now and congress needs to act on both before the end of the year.“
The protestors presented a petition of 400,000 signatures in support of DREAMers and TPS holders to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY), Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-WI), Senator Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY), and Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) Capitol Hill offices.
Trump’s decision to end TPS will impact 420,000 immigrants from over 10 countries, the majority of which have populations that are majority Black including Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti, Somalia, Yemen, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua. Ending DACA will impact 800,000 youth and young adults across the U.S.
The groups ended the day at a reception where they joined hands while singing We Shall Overcome.
Yesterday, over 120 Black & AAPI Immigrants came to DC for our joint action day. We struggled, we learned, we demanded, we laughed and we sang.
Deep in our hearts, we do believe we shall overcome. #BlackAAPIAction @nakasec pic.twitter.com/EpIo7E6Ovx
— UndocuBlack Network (@UndocuBlack) December 6, 2017
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