What's up, 2019?: Trump's immigration proposal strikes at the heart of Asian American families

NO OTHER ISSUE strikes at the heart of Asian values more than immigration. The proposals offered by the Trump administration attacks families by separating children from their parents and grandparents from grandchildren. 

In most Asian countries, there is no distinction between "immediate" family and  "extended" family. There is just family. For Asians, the traditional family unit includes parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and older siblings. Often, all the relatives  live in a compound or occupy apartments in the same building.

The immigration policies put forth by the Republican administration -- especially placing a limit on what Republicans call "chain migration" -- may be the key factors in Asian Americans moving towards the Democrats and away from the GOP's apparent xenophobia, exemplified in the extreme, by the white nationalists movement, which has embraced Trump's policies.

EDITOR'S NOTE: What's Up, 2019: is part of series of posts about issues facing the AAPI community in the coming year. 

• Trump wants to deport public benefit recipients
• Immigration reform strikes at heart of Asian America

The administration's treatment of asylum seekers from Central America hits a chord with Asian Americans who sought refuge in the U.S. after fleeing authoritarian regimes or religious persecution in Asia. In the case of thousands of Vietnamese and Cambodians who fled their war-torn countries at the height of the Vietnam War, they can sympathize with the Latin refugees flocking to the U.S. southern border to ask for asylum.

H-1B visas that has brought over thousands of Asian workers is become more difficult to obtain. Through a series of initiatives, the Department of Homeland Security has increased the number of denials for this sought after "golden ticket." In addition, the requirements for obtaining the visa has slowed down the processing.

From the perspective of both foreigners and international students, the uncertainty of such U.S. policies and denials, can be overwhelming," reports Forbes.

"These U.S. restrictions impact Indian and Chinese nationals most because they account for the vast majority of these visas. For example, they accounted for 82 per cent of H-1B visas in 2016. Indian workers specifically are known to specialize in IT-related jobs, helping fill the gaps in the tech industry," according to Forbes.

In addition, the administration is looking to forbid the spouses of H-1B visa holders from working in the U.S., which could be an additional burden for famlies living in high-cost areas such as the San Francisco Bay Area, home of Silicon Valley.

The fate of hundreds of thousands of young people whose parents brought them into this country illegally when they were children is still up in the air. In 2017, Trump called for the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program  which allowed DACA recipients to stay in this country legally.

Of the 1.2 million immigrants who were eligible for DACA, 120,000 were Asian. These immigrants are from all parts of Asia, with significant numbers from Korea, China, and India.

For these reasons, Asian American civil rights organizations have focused on urging Congress to pass the DREAM Act as soon as possible.

Of great concern to the AAPI community is Trump's immigration reform plan to reduce legal immigration by 50%. It would impact would-be immigrants from countries like the Philippines, which has a waiting period of up to 20 years just to obtain a visa to the U.S.

Several of issues are winding their way through the courts in suits brought forth by civil rights advocates. Some of them will likely be resolved this year in the U.S. Supreme Court.

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