| |  | MinKwon staff and community members stand with hundreds of organizations across the nation in the Congress lobby to tell Congress to pass the Dream Act |
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On February 7th, MinKwon mobilized community members to travel to Washington D.C. to participate in a national action to demand Congress resist the xenophobic agenda of the White House and pass the DREAM Act. Despite their brave show of resistance, Congress failed once more to do their job and pass a legislative solution that would protect 800,000 young undocumented Americans.
As the White House and Congress continue to ignore the plight of our undocumented communities and immigrant families, we cannot rely on court injunctions or the hope that the judicial system will stand by our community's side. On March 5th, the date Trump originally set to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the MinKwon Center, the Asian American Dreamers Collective, New York Immigration Coalition, and over 25 community organizations, are rising up in Queens to show the strength of our local immigrant communites.
With each passing day, hundreds of DACA recipients are at risk of losing their status, along with their ability to work, access healthcare, and attain higher education. Thousands of refugees have already lost their Temporary Protected Status, and there are many who could not afford or were not eligible to apply for DACA. Take a stand with us if you believe the futures and dreams of immigrant lives matter. We demand the White House and Congress pass the DREAM Act and fair immigration reform now! Join us in Flushing for our March 5th rally to show that our community is HERE TO STAY.
WHAT: Queens March & Rally for Immigrants & Dreamers
WHEN: Monday, March 5. Gathering at 4:30 PM - Kick Off 5:00 PM (subject to change)
WHERE: Flushing, NY (Location TBD. Please visit bit.ly/QNSMar5 for updates on final location)
If you are representing a community based organization and would like to sponsor the rally, please fill out this form. |
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COMMUNITY MEMBERS EQUIPPED FOR ENCOUNTERS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT |
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This month, the MinKwon Center held a Know Your Rights clinic at the YWCA of Queens in Flushing to discuss the latest policy updates to DACA and the DREAM Act. Our community members learned how to stay protected during encounters with law enforcement at home or in the workplace, and our immigration attorney provided consultation for clinic attendees.
If you missed this clinic, we will be hosting another one on March 3 in New Jersey at the Mee Joo Catholic Inc. We will also have bilingual (Korean/ English) attorneys on site to provide DACA renewal assistance and immigration legal consultation. Please share widely to ensure that our community stays protected!
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 | Minkwon joins rally to call for an end to deportations and against the Muslim ban on January 26, 2018. |
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| The Asian American and immigrant community is historically undercounted in the Census and thus, barred from access to vital resources. MinKwon joined a press conference to push for the 2020 Complete Count Commission which would identify the issues that led to undercounting in 2010 and fund the state's prep for the 2020 Census to ensure that every New Yorker is counted. Our co-director, John Park, spoke on the necessity of our communities being counted accurately in the Census: "We can't afford to leave billions on the table because of undercounting. Beyond funding, an accurate count is used to determine school districts, hospitals, public services, housing developments, redistricting, and the sacred equality of each vote--it ensures our state and democracy are working the way they should."
The Department of Justice requested that the Census Bureau add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. The MinKwon Center is opposed to this plan, because it would negatively impact response rates among immigrants. APA VOICE, a coalition of 18 Asian American based organizations MinKwon helps lead, recently sent a letter to the Secretary of Commerce to ask that they reject a citizenship question.
Read the APA VOICE letter by clicking here. |
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| The MinKwon Center joined allies in a rally against Major Capital Improvement (MCI), an unscrupulous policy that allows landlords to renovate their buildings and pass on the cost of construction to the tenants’ rent. Over $2 million dollars for MCI rent increases this year were approved without any clear investigation of the expenses. We need stronger rent laws to keep New York livable for immigrants.
If you are having housing issues, the MinKwon Center has a housing attorney on staff. Call 718-460-5600 to make an appointment today. |
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| Happy Lunar New Year! This year, we celebrated by reviving our tradition of Jishin Balbgi, which is rooted in the Korean folk tradition of a community poongmul (drumming, dancing, and singing) troupe that travels around the village to drive out negative energy and bless village residents with good fortune, hope, peace, and prosperity in the New Year. This year we played Poongmul in Manhattan's Koreatown for small business owners and their customers to wish them good fortune and peace for the New Year. |
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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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