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NAKASEC Statement On The White House Announcement On Comprehensive Immigration Reform January 9, 2004 [Los Angeles] The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), and its affiliates the Korean Resource Center (Los Angeles), the Young Korean American Service & Education Center (New York) and the Korean American Resource & Cultural Center (Chicago) welcome President Bush’s interest in addressing immigration reform. Unfortunately, his much anticipated announcement on Wednesday, January 7, 2004 fails to address the legitimate concerns and views of immigrant communities. EunSook Lee, executive director of NAKASEC stated: We all recognize that the immigration system is broken and Korean Americans and our fellow immigrant communities have been consistently organizing for comprehensive immigration reform. Unfortunately, President Bush's proposal does not respond to these sincere community efforts." Dae Joong Yoon, executive director of the Korean Resource Center said: Already, we are receiving calls from community members confused about whether President Bush's proposal will provide undocumented workers with a meaningful access to legalization. This is not the case. Rather it will legalize a system of cheap and exploitable labor." Yu Soung Mun, executive director of the Young Korean American Service & Education Center added: ”A tremendous movement to enable undocumented students to legalize their immigration status has involved the participation of Korean American and other immigrant communities. Unfortunately, President Bush’ s proposal ignores this broad and national community call for the passage of the DREAM/Student Adjustment Act, a bi-partisan bill. Kent Chaegu Lee, executive director of the Korean American Resource & Cultural Center concluded: "Just as importantly, the Bush proposal fails to address the visa and processing backlogs. For example, families must now wait one year to naturalize and two or more years to have their application for adjustment of status processed. Immigration reform must include significant measures to clear the bureaucratic obstacles towards citizenship, adjustment of status, and family reunification." For Immediate Release Contacts: EunSook
Lee, 323. 937. 3703 Los |
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