| | GOV'T MUST REMOVE CITIZENSHIP QUESTION FROM CENSUS |
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 | MinKwon convened a press conference with our partners at APA VOICE, to categorically oppose the addition of a citizenship question on the 2020 Census. |
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| On March 26, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross ignored the advice of career Census Bureau officials and agreed to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. The MinKwon Center is firmly opposed to a citizenship question and believes it is an unnecessary, politically motivated barrier to participation for our immigrant communities. Our Asian Americans and immigrant communities have historically been undercounted, and this question will only lead to fear and dampen response rates. An accurate census is critical for our community members to be provided fair resources for services and representation in government. To add a citizenship question to the Census as an anti-immigrant administration sits in the White House will only increase the fear in our communities. The Muslim registry, years of surveillance, and the increase in ICE raids in the past year remains fresh in public memory. Having federal employees asking immigrants if they are citizens in this climate will only lead to fear and depressed response rates. On Wednesday, March 28, MinKwon convened a press conference with APA VOICE coalition members, organizations that serve a diversity of ethnic groups within the Asian American immigrant umbrella, to denounce the citizenship question. APA VOICE had previously written to Secretary Ross to reject the citizenship question in February (read the letter here). The 2020 Census with the citizenship question will lead to a decade of inequality for our communities.
The MinKwon Center is also proud to be a part of the New York Immigration Coalition's New York Counts 2020, which will work to ensure that the 2020 Census is conducted fairly and accurately for the communities we serve. Read the APA VOICE press release against the citizenship question. |
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THANK YOU FOR MARCHING FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS |
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On March 5, MinKwon Center, Asian American DREAMers' Collective (AADC), and the The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) led a march and rally to demand a clean Dream Act and to stand with immigrant communities everywhere. DACA has given work permits and other protections to nearly 50,000 New Yorkers and 800,000 young immigrants nationwide. Because Congress has failed to act, hundreds of DACA recipients are at risk of losing their DACA status and being deported each day.
More than 300 people flooded the streets of Flushing to stand with DACA recipients, TPS holders, and all our immigrant communities under attack. Thank you for coming out to show your support and letting New York know that our community will continue to fight for immigrants even as Congress refuses to act. MinKwon and AADC would also like to thank our 33 organizational co-sponsors and all the speakers at the event:
Adhikaar, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), Asian Americans for Equality, Caribbean Equality Project, Chinese Progressive Association New York, Chhaya Community Development Corporation, Chinese-American Planning Council, Council of Peoples Organization - COPO, DRUM - Desis Rising Up & Moving, El Centro del Inmigrante, Faith in New York, Gay Asian Pacific Islander Men of New York (GAPIMNY), Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition, Indo-Caribbean Alliance, Korean American Civic Empowerment (KACE), Korean American Family Service Center - KAFSC, Korean Americans for Political Advancement (KAPA), Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (KCS), Korean Sanctuary Church Network, Korea Taekwondo, La Jornada, New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City, OCA-New York Chapter, Pilipino American Unity for Progress (UniPro), Planned Parenthood of New York City Action Fund, Raise: Revolutionizing Asian American Immigrant Stories on the East Coast, Sunnyside Community Services, Violence Intervention Program, Wonkwang Community Service Center, YWCA of Queens
See more pictures of the rally on our Facebook page |
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| | MINKWON PARTNERS WITH KOREAN ORGS TO PROVIDE IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES |
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The MinKwon Center participated in a collaborative Immigration Community Forum on Saturday, March 24, with numerous other Korean organizations.
Attendees received legal consultations and were advised on their rights and their immigration options. Our staff attorney was on hand to answer any questions from community members. Thank you Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (KCS), Korean American Civic Empowerment (KACE), Her Justice, Korean American Family Service Center, and Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York, for empowering Asian American and immigrant communities and providing access to vital resources!
If you have an immigration related legal question, please call MinKwon at 718-460-5600. |
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PHONE BANKING FOR THE GREEN LIGHT CAMPAIGN: DRIVERS LICENSES FOR ALL! |
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On March 15, MinKwon staff joined a statewide phone banking effort for the Green Light Campaign.
Green Light New York is a pending bill that calls for drivers licences to be accessible to all New Yorkers regardless of immigration status. This bill will help immigrants get to work and children to school without the fear of being deported, increase safety on our roads, and make our communities safer for all.
If this bill were in effect, it would have saved a family from being split apart. One family driving in upstate NY was stopped and turned over to Border Patrol. The officer said, “If they only had a licence I would have never called Border Patrol.” We need drivers licenses for all, regardless of immigration status, so that immigrants can get to work, go grocery shopping, and commute without fear of being deported. |
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| Your generous support allows MinKwon to continue our work supporting Dreamers, organizing rallies, and providing key legal and social services to our community members. |
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