NCAPA Strongly Opposes Attacks on Legal Immigration

Today, President Trump announced a measure with Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) to expand a bill (The RAISE Act) that drastically cuts legal immigration and separates families. The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) vehemently opposes this xenophobic bill that scapegoats immigrants instead of honoring our American values to welcome them.

The legislation would institute a “merit-based” system for obtaining a green card, which discriminates against immigrants who do not have access to high quality education or English language skills. The majority of immigrants from Asian countries come to the U.S. through the family immigration system, and with some families already waiting decades to be reunited, this measure would cause even more pain to immigrant communities.

We urge Congress to reject this alarming and exclusionary bill and instead focus on true comprehensive immigration reform that acknowledges the contributions immigrants have made to our nation.

The following NCAPA member organizations issued statements in response:

• Asian Americans Advancing Justice

• Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)

• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)

• National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF)

• OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates

• South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)

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Based in Washington, D.C., the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans is a coalition of 34 national Asian Pacific American organizations that serves to represent the interests of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities and to provide a national voice for our communities’ concerns. Our communities are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States, currently making up approximately six percent of the population.