The following is collected and archived by CND-US. If you have any questions regarding the following information/message, please contact the original sender(s) listed below. Thank You. China News Digest - US Regional Services (Bo Xiong) --------------- Date: Fri, 28 Jul 95 12:37:55 CDT From: my@math.luc.edu (Miao Ye) Message-Id: <9507281737.AA20343@math.luc.edu> To: cnd-us@cnd.org Subject: Committee on Immigration News Release #9503 Status: R >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Committee * on * Immigration <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< News Release #9503 Friday, July 28, 1995 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Committee on Immigration is a working body of Chinese Students, Scholars and Professionals Union (CSSPU). It works for the interests of Chinese community. +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Table of Contents # of Lines ============================================================================ 1. Call for Action From Committee Chairs ................................ 70 2. Groups Urge Protest Against Anti-Asian Immigration Bill .............. 39 3. Community Wide Responses (4 Items) .................................. 127 4. Title V of The Immigration in The National Interest Act of 1995 ...... 43 ============================================================================ ============================================================================ 1. Call for Action From Committee Chairs ................................ 71 ============================================================================ By He Tao Dear CSS nationwide, This is the time we must act. During the past year, we have witnessed the noise generated by California Prop 187, and Personal Responsibility Act. California Prop 187 was designed to curtail illegal immigrants. Who are we? One may ask. We CSS are all law abiding people. We came here on valid visas. What's in hell should we concern? Illegal immigration was too remote a case which we had no time to think about it. Oops. There came the Personal Responsibility Act. Understandably, it was to deny benefits to some legal residents. It was closer, yes, but was not close enough. Many of us were not legal residents yet. Even some of us were, most of us did not enjoy benefits anyway. We had the confidence in our ability and competence. We were "skilled" professionals. We came here to "give", not to "take". We were the people who were in short supply here. All in all, we were in a safe heaven. Not anymore. Anti-immigration resentment has no boundaries. It has no reasons. To turn the economically frustrated voters into political supporters, the Congress is getting ready to cut YOUR CHANCE to immigrate. Congress is planning to deny your rights to bring your family here. Uncle Sam is slamming the immigration doors upon you. Uncle Sam is alternating the great spirit once inscribed on the Statue of Liberty. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door." What an irony. Once the economy was good, everyone was welcomed. When economy goes sour, then there must be some sort of scapegoats. Immigrants, be it illegal or legal, are the easy targets all the time. There is a fresh reminder of our past. After the U.S. acquisition (1848) of California, there arose a need for cheap labor, and Chinese flocked there to work on the railroads. By 1867 they numbered 50,000; their number increased after the Burlingame Treaty of 1868, which permitted Chinese immigration but not naturalization. Anti-Asian prejudice and the competition with American workers led to anti-Chinese riots (1877) in San Francisco, then to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which banned Chinese immigration for 10 years. Congress continued until the 1924 immigration law that excluded all Asians. In 1943 a new law extended citizenship rights, and permitted an annual immigration of 105(!!!) Chinese. The quota was abolished in 1965(!!!). 100 years ago ..... it sounds too remote a past to Americans. Since this nation is only some 200 years old. However, 100 years is too fresh for a culture of 5,000 years old. 100 years is too long for a nation which is only 200 years old! Now, it IS repeating again just before our eyes! What can we do? We have no votes yet, one might say. What had happened to our forebears might happen again to us. We simply have no say here. Just get ready to go home! What a fatalism point of view! However, we have something different this time. As mere foreign students, we had led to the successful passage of CSPA. We had extracted an apology on the air from CBS. It was you and me, we Chinese students and professionals. United, we stand; divided, we fall. Let us join hands to voice our concerns once again. Let each of us pick up the phone and call the Congress. If we do not care, who cares? In the upcoming days, you will receive instructions on how to make calls and send letters to the Congress. We welcome each and everyone of you to join this holy crusade to uphold the great spirit of America, the spirit which has made the the Statue of Liberty so unique and inspiring. We are also to protect ourselves. We are making a difference. We will! Regards Lin Huang Haipei Xue Sen Hu ============================================================================ 2. Groups Urge Protest Against Anti-Asian Immigration Bill .............. 39 ============================================================================ By Hua Dan The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (NAPALC), the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO and the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) urged the Asian Pacific American (APA) community to rally against HR 1915 which would severely restrict immigration from Asian countries. "If this bill passes, it will bring an end to most family-based immigra- tion for the Asian Pacific American community," said Ms Vicki Shu, OCA's Immigration Project Coordinator. HR 1915, also known as the Immigration in the National Interest Act of 1995 and introduced by Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) on June 21, calls for drastic cuts in legal immigration in part by eliminating three of four family reunification preference categories. If passed, over 1.5 million Asians will be unable to reunite with their family members in the United States. The bill was approved by the House Immigration Subcommittee on July 19. Representative Henry Hyde (R-IL), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has expressed his intention to vote on the bill immediately after Congress returns from its August recess. The national APA organizations are urging Asian Pacific Americans to contact their representatives and protest the proposed drastic cuts in legal immigrantion. According to Ms Karen Narasaki, Executive Director of NAPALC, "[t]he anti- immigrant proponents are hoping to rush the bill through without the other members of Congress fully understanding the provisions and the danger of the bill." "The August recess is an opportune time for the Asian Pacific American community to voice their concerns to their Representatives," said Mr. Matthew Finucane, Executive Director for APALA. "We urge everyone to visit his or her representative's district office and attend town hall meetings to protest immigrant-bashing." Ms Leigh-Ann Miyasato, Washington Representative for JACL, emphasizing the urgency for grassroots action, "HR 1915 takes us back to a time when it was popular to exclude immigrants from Asia. It is disturbing to be confronted with the xenophobia that we thought we had left behind." ============================================================================ 3. Community Wide Responses (4 Items) .................................. 127 ============================================================================ By Qin Yi There are eight local organizations endorse actions taken by the Committee on Immigration since its first news release, they are University of Delaware CSSA, West Georgia College CSSA, University of Arizona at Tuscon ACSS , University of Georgia CSSA, California State University at Los Angeles CSSA, California State University at Fullerton CSSA, University of Oregon CSSA and University of Florida CSSA. Also, the Committee on Immigration welcome four more regional coordinators Li Hua-shu, Midwest, hsli@socwork.wustl.edu Chen Wei, Iowa, bama@iastate.edu Lui Rong, liurong@utkvx.utk.edu Richard Liu, CA, richliu@ntmtv.com ____ ____ ____ Incredible emerging CSS leaders!!! Congratulations to everyone who devotes their time against the HR1915 Bill!!! As one of yours, especially in the local level, I will suggest the following: 1. KEEP writing/faxing/emailing letters to Congressmen/women from your state; 2. CONTACT other local enthnic groups, starting from your school to co-work; 3. PERSUADE local AMERICAN people to at least sign your petition; 4. WRITE good articles to your local newspaper, especially Chinese Newspaper; 5, CONTACT your school officials/international office to at least sign petition letter; 6. START to create stronger, mutual-helpful CSS group; 7. KEEP encouraging each other and making REAL friends in this network. These are the things I am going to try at U of IL, Chicago and Greater Chicago area. Please keep trying and good luck to you! John Lin. ____ ____ ____ As a Chinese student, I thank you for what you've done. This is a great start. In view the sample letter incloded with the News Release #9501, I think we should strongly suggest, in our letter to the Congress persons, that the US should seperate those illegal immigrants from the US-institution trained legal immigrants, like we Chinese. We should make very specific and powerful point ouut of this--because this is what we really are and this will be to our advantages. The bill is going to pass anyhow, regard- less our effort. What we can really do is to try to persuit them to amend it, to our favour. I've found the following letter made a very good point concerning this matter. Hope my message and the following letter will be a plus to your sample letter, may be even our focus later. Thank you for what you are doing, and let's do it together! Please keep in touch. Best regards, Xin Gong ____ ____ ____ It is natural when there are social problems people will go and find someone or something to blame to. It is also easy to blame immigrants simply because a lot of them can't vote. It is difficult though to truly be objective and rational in analyzing the actual social problem. What I read so far from the discussions can be summed up as below: 1. Unskilled immigrants take away American welfares. 2. Skilled immigrants take away American jobs. While the former is probably true the latter is completely wrong. Skilled immigrant workers provide better than average economical activities and therefore directly or indirectly create more jobs. They comprise a small but important contribution to the national economical and technological advantage in a competitive world. Typically, a skilled worker comes to this country to first pursue an advanced degree. S/he usually already has finished undergraduate or even some graduate education in the home country and is selected by American universities from a large pool, often hundreds and thousands, of interna- tional applicants. United States does not need to invest anything, not even one penny into the pre-college and college education, yet enjoys the privilege of selecting the best candidates. Once obtaining an advanced degree, those who want to stay will need to locate a job that can support the permanent residency. Under the current law, he or she must occupy a relavent position with a salary of at least the prevailing wage. It is not true that those skilled immigrants take half the salary the employer pays others in this country. On the other hand, this might be true if the jobs are exported to other countries. These skilled immigrants work hard, because they appreciate the freedom and opportunities offered by this country. They pay taxes as fellow citizens. The rarely complain, just keep working. They have strong family value and save a lot and invest a lot in the education of their children rather than borrow and spend excessively for personal pleasures. Their career paths are in general technical-oriented. In a society where people worship MBAs and lawyers, this is such an important plus to the the true underlying economical productivity. Of course, there are difficulties for these immigrants to adapt to the new environment. They must speak English well. Initially they have fewer friends to talk to. They have to work very hard to be not only technically but also socially accepted. Unfortunately the current anti-immigration movement has made the situation even harder. America doesn't make many shoes anymore. America doesn't make TVs anymore. The industry is going after higher and higher level of sophisticated technology. The existence of skilled immigrant workers strengthens the strong holding of the technology advantage this country relies on. Why should they be blamed? It seems to me that this country does have a surplus of unskilled workers. But skilled, highly-educated workers are in well demand. The problems and the frustrations that come with are caused by decades of the declining of education. Teenagers are taught too much guns, games, drugs, and (alterna- tive) sexes, and too less dicipline, dilligence and devotion. The future of a country lies in the future of its workforce. History has proved it many times. The human civilization has evolved from the exchange of land and exchange of weapon to the exchange of goods and exchange of people. It is a good thing for any nation to be able to attract talented, skilled and hard working people. After all, it is the human resource that is the most important resource, for a company as well as for a country. Zeqing Xia ============================================================================ 4. Title V of The Immigration in The National Interest Act of 1995 ...... 43 ============================================================================ By Sen Hu (Editor's Note: Representative Lamar Smith sponsored The Immigration in The National Interest Act of 1995, i.e., HR 1915. It aimed to impose a set of strict provisions limiting legal immigration or even eliminating some of the immigration categories. The following is a summary obtained from Representative Lamar Smith's office.) The immigration in the National Interest Act of 1995 reforms the legel immigration systems of the United States. Title V creates 3 categories of immigrants to the United States: family- sponsored immigrants; employment-based immigrants; and humanitarian immigrants. Any alien who seeks to immigrate to the U.S. must be admitted under one of these 3 categories. This Title defines familiy-sponsored immigrants as follows: (1) spouses and unmarried children under 21 of U.S. citizens; (2) spouses and unmarried children under 21 of lawful permanent residents; and (3) parents of U.S. citizens. An approximate annual ceiling for family- sponsored immigrants is set at 330,000, allocated as follows: for nuclear family of U.S. citizens, no annual limitation; for nuclear family of lawful permanent residents, 85,000; and for parents of U.S. citizens, 50,000. The current backlog of spouses and children of permanent resident aliens is reduced by 50,000 per year over a 5 year period. Title V defines employment-based immigrants as follows: (1) aliens with extrodinary ability; (2) very highly skilled immigrants, who are pro- fessionals with advanced degrees, aliens of exceptional ability, and multinational executives and managers; (3) professionals and skilled immigrants, who are either professionals with a baccalareate degree and experience or skilled workers with training and work experience; (4) investor immigrants, who invest at least $1 million in a U.S. company that employs at least 10 workers (with a pilot program through 1998 allowing for a $500,000 investment and the hiring of 5 workers); and (5) special immigrants (current law categories). An annual limit of 135,000 is set for employment-based immigrants. This Title defines humanitarian immigrants as follows: (1) refugees; (2) asylees; and (3) other humanitarian immigrants. An annual target ceiling for humanitarian immigrants is set at 70,000, allocated as follows: for refugees, 50,000, unless Congress sets a higher number by law, or the President declares an emergency; for asylee adjustments, 10,000; and for other humanitarian immigrants, 10,000. Finally, Title V requires Congressional review and reauthorization of the levels of legel immigrants every 5 years. Retired Federal employees may be used for adjudicating backlogged asylum cases. The basis for which the Attorney General may use parole authority is limited to specified urgent humanitarian reasons or reasons deemed to be strictly in the public interest. +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ + Executive Editor: Qinyang Feng + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + To join the discussion, please send request to hr1915@math.luc.edu + + To donate money supporting the Committee's activities, please send + + your check or money order (payable to Committee on Immigration) to + + + + Committee on Immigration + + 4401-A Connecticut Ave., NW + + Suite 283 + + Washington, DC 20008 + + Fax: (202)363-2104 + + + + United, we will overcome! + + Chinese Students, Scholars & Professionals Union (CSSPU) + +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+