OCA STATEMENT ON THE STATE OF THE UNION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
31 January 2018
Contact: Thu Nguyen | Communications Associate
tnguyen@ocanational.org | 202.223.5500
Washington, DC – OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates released the following statement in response to President Trump’s State of the Union Address:
In a moment when the topic of immigration is paramount, we are disappointed that the President used the State of the Union address as a platform to use families as a bargaining chip for immigration negotiations.
We strongly disagree with the White House’s proposed immigration platform that restricts family-based visas, including completely eliminating the parent, sibling, and adult children categories that have allowed countless AAPI families to reunite and prosper in the United States. This is simply a policy that runs contrary not only to the family values of AAPIs, but also the country. The President’s statement that families can bring in virtually unlimited number of distant relatives is simply irresponsible and untrue – with many families waiting several decades to reunite with their loved ones.
We appreciate the President’s call for unity, but unity does not start with attempts to keep our families separated. We hope the President and Congress will work together by moving a clean DREAM Act rather than his current immigration proposal.
OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national organization of community advocates dedicated to improving the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).
