ASSEMBLYMEMBER DAVID CHIU, CALIFORNIA APILC AND ONE NATION HOST WEST COAST RELEASE OF REPORT ON IMMIGRANTS’ BENEFIT TO AMERICAN ECONOMY AND SOCIETY
/From California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus:
EMBARGOED UNTIL: NOON, Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Contact: Sara Ying Rounsaville: 415/300-5121, srounsaville@ahschc.org
Cat Nou, 209-606-4736; cat.nou@asm.ca.gov
N E W S R E L E A S E
ASSEMBLYMEMBER DAVID CHIU, CALIFORNIA APILC AND ONE NATION
HOST WEST COAST RELEASE OF REPORT ON
IMMIGRANTS’ BENEFIT TO AMERICAN ECONOMY AND SOCIETY
SAN FRANCISCO, CA ––Wednesday, December 11, 2019, Assemblymember David Chiu (AD-17) along with the One Nation Commission hosted the West Coast release of the One Nation Commission Report: One Nation Built on the Strength of Immigrants. The report, edited by author and journalist Helen Zia, provides the facts, data, research, and curated stories that prove and illustrate that immigrants are a benefit to the American economy and society. “The One Nation Commission report serves as a repudiation to the false premise upon which Public Charge lies,” said One Nation Commission Co-Chair Sherry Hirota. “We look forward to the report being widely used as a substantive and convincing tool to shift the narrative and show that immigrants make America stronger.” Through the eyes and expertise of the One Nation Commissioners, Advisors, and their constituencies, the report is a handbook for policy makers, journalists, candidates, and millions of immigrants, relatives of immigrants, and all who welcome and stand with immigrants.
Key excerpts of the One Nation Commission Report are now translated and available for the media in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and soon, Tagalog, Khmer, and Mongolian.
Dr. Tung Nguyen, Professor of Medicine, UCSF, and Chair of AAPI Progressive Action as well as PIVOT (Progressive Vietnamese American Organization), asserted that Asians Americans and Pacific Islanders will not sit quietly about Public Charge and other un-American assaults on immigrants. “As a physician, researcher, and immigrant, I know that anti-immigrant policies such as Public Charge, will undermine the health of individuals, families, and communities. Innocent people will be harmed.” Dr. Nguyen cited studies of immigrant voters including AAPIs showing they have the power to sway public opinion and swing elections. “The AAPI vote will be the margin of victory in the 2020 elections. We will be actively fighting against an Administration that is against us, and we will make a difference.”
The One Nation Commission and the One Nation Coalition were forged in 2018 to galvanize the Asian and Pacific Islander American movement against the proposed new Public Charge rule.
Recent news of the legal battle against Public Charge has intensified public engagement against the Rule. This month the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted preliminary injunctions in California and Washington and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Maryland lifted their nationwide preliminary injunction. Currently there is only one nationwide preliminary injunction, granted by the New York District Court that is blocking the implementation of Public Charge. A ruling on that judgment by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals is expected any day.
Although the new Public Charge rule will not be implemented while the one nationwide preliminary injunction is in place, advocates and policy makers are intensifying their efforts to fight the rule. Former Congressman Mike Honda, co-chair of the One Nation Commission, spoke out at the media briefing, “The dangerous recent rulings emphasize the need for us to keep the pressure on and the visibility up. Our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is standing up and speaking out. This cruel and un-American rule goes after legal immigrants and AAPIs are in the crosshairs.”
Assemblymember and Chair of the APILC David Chiu spoke about the growing movement of AAPIs standing up for immigrant rights. “The One Nation Report intentionally lifts up the AAPI voice and visibility. It is our stake in the ground. Not just for this one fight against Public Charge. Not just to fight for any one specific group. We have been here before in the midst of anti-immigrant fervor. We will continue to fight, as AAPIs, as immigrants, and with all who stand with immigrants.”
One Nation continues to mobilize broad community sectors to keep the visibility up and the pressure on to ensure that the new Public Charge rule is permanently blocked.
Key findings and features in the One Nation Commission Report, include:
• Fact-based responses to the proposed expansion and alterations to the Public Charge rule that imposes draconian restrictions on immigrants, and provide the proof points and moral argument that our United States of America is one nation built on the strength of immigrants.
• Research showing that immigrants make our workforce viable, enrich our economy, contribute taxes, create a thriving society, forge cultural richness, stimulate innovation and creativity, strengthen healthy family bonds and supports, and make America stronger.
• Data and studies drawing on the voices and influence of immigrants, including AAPIs, and offer particularly clear evidence of the un-American and cruel impact of the proposed Public Charge rule within the 2019 context of the startling barrage of anti-immigrant assaults.
• Numerous facts and the human stories that dispel the mistruths and mischaracterizations that abound about immigrants. Contrary to the commonly held view that immigrants are a threat to American workers, immigrant workers complement the American workforce, contributing greatly to the economy.
• Studies of voters that show that immigrants, such as AAPIs, have the power to swing elections, move public opinion, and making the case to count on immigrants to influence decisions of consequence.
• Studies on health care and benefits reveal the significant contribution that immigrants make to health coverage and insurance pools. Immigrants use fewer public benefits than U.S. born residents, are essential to the tax system and other public infrastructures, and are critical to our nation’s public health, safety, and social well being.
• The compelling narrative reflecting that a movement is growing. That the AAPI community and those who stand with immigrants are prepared to fight the battle in the courts, in the halls of Congress, in the streets, and at the polls; offering hope, inspiration, and the facts that prove that Immigrants Maker America Stronger.
One Nation Commissioners
Co-Chair Sherry Hirota | CEO, Asian Health Services
Co-Chair Mike Honda | Former Congressman (California CD17)
Luisa Blue, RN | Executive Vice President, SEIU
Rob Bonta, Esq. | Assistant Majority Leader, California State Assembly (AD 18)
Daniel Chao, MA, MALD, PhD | Business leader, Former President and CEO, Bechtel China
David Chiu, MPP, Esq. | Chair, California API Legislative Caucus, California State Assembly (AD 17)
Marielena Hincapié, Esq. | Executive Director, National Immigration Law Center
Kathreen Khavari, MSc | Actress, Immigrant Rights Activist and Writer
Tung Nguyen, MD | Chair, AAPI Progressive Action, Professor of Medicine, UCSF* listed for affiliation only
Ninez Ponce, MPP, PhD | Professor, UC Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health
Karthick Ramakrishnan, PhD | Professor, UC Riverside School of Public Policy
Kyu Rhee, MPP, MD | VP/Chief Health Officer, IBM * listed for affiliation only
Paul Song, MD | COO/CMO, NKMax America, Inc.
Helen Zia | Author, Last Boat Out of Shanghai and Asian American Dreams
One Nation Commission, 14 members, co-chaired by Former Congressman Mike Honda and Sherry Hirota. One Nation Coalition, comprised of 104, and counting, partner organizations throughout the United States. One Nation Movement -- millions of immigrants, relatives of immigrants, and allies who know that America is one nation built on the strength of immigrants.
onenationcommission.org
onenationaapi.com
Founded in 2001, the Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus is comprised of the eleven API Democrats who currently serve in the California State Legislature. The Caucus represents the interests of our diverse API communities who have transformed California’s politics, economy and culture.
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