Over 40 AANHPI community groups staging an historic Unity March, June 25

The AANHPI communities have been staging ad hoc marches for the last two years. 

Some of the United State's best known nonprofit organizations serving the diverse Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities are putting aside cultural, linguistic and geographic differences in a demonstration of unity. 

The first-ever Unity March will take place on June 25, 2022, at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in the shadow of the Washington Monument and in view of the White House  

“The goal is to galvanize Asian Americans and allies across multiple issues, and educate folks about the issues that our communities face — not only as Asian Americans but as people of color, as LGBTQ folks, as folks with disabilities,” Tiffany Chang, a Unity March spokesperson. told NBC.

“Asian American communities have been disproportionately plagued by widespread violence, racism and xenophobia that runs rampant across American society,” she said.  “It’s time for our nation’s leaders to stop offering band-aid solutions to longstanding systemic issues by advancing adequate, sustainable policies that drive long-term positive impact for our communities.” 

R&B/Pop artist Thuy, award-winning producer and trans rights advocate Geena Rocero, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, and NYC-based hate crime survivor Esther Lee are among the speakers who will join more than 40 nonprofits—including Asian American Advancing Justice – AAJC, Gold House, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund—in urging AAPI communities and their allies to advance the Unity March Equity Platform. 

“It’s an honor for me to be able to be a part of this momentous event. Thank you to the organizers for bringing together our community. I’m so proud to be Vietnamese American and to come from immigrant parents who have taught me to be resilient and to use my voice to advocate for what’s right and what I’m passionate about,” said Thuy, R&B/Pop artist.

“I am a very proud transgender Filipina," added said Geena Rocero, award-winning producer, trans rights activist and model. "I find my power rooted in the resilience of my ancestors and my lived experience. It is a huge honor to be in community – to be with family – for this historic Unity March.” 

The Unity March is the first call to action to fight against systemic oppression and the systems that stand in the way of full participation by all, states a press release. 

"We march because we believe every single person in the country must have a voice in our local, state, and federal governments. And, that a fair society and economy values and protects workers, asserting all workers’ rights to dignity and security regardless of industry, citizenship, and/or employment status. We exist to tell our own diverse and authentic stories and disrupt harmful narratives," the statement continued.

The Equity Platform put forth by March organizers serves as a critical stepping stone to ensuring equitable representation and rights for all. 

Unity March, and multicultural partners representing the intersection of Asian American,  LGBTQ+, Muslim, disability communities, Black, Indigenous, Pacific Islander, Latinx, and Arab communities, will be uniting to demand progress toward achieving its Equity Platform, which calls for:

• Full Participation in Democracy, meaning a pathway to citizenship for undocumented members and long-term visa holders, access to voting and civic power for traditionally disenfranchised citizens, especially people of color and historically under-resourced communities.
• ‍Racial and Economic Justice, including holding the public and private sectors accountable for investing in workers’ rights and providing equal access to financial empowerment for small businesses, entrepreneurs of color, and women.
• ‍Cultural Equity and Media Representation, that promotes more diverse, authentic narratives and fights harmful stereotypes so we can create culturally dynamic, equitable and inclusive schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. 

The United March Host Committee Members are:

• Asian American Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC)
• Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)
• Gold House
• Indian American Impact Project
• National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)
• OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates
• Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)

For more information:

WHO: For a full list of Unity March Organization Partners, visit www.UnityMarch.com.

WHAT: The Unity March will be held on June 25, 2022, 

WHEN: The March will start at 12 p.m. ET 

WHERE: The National Mall in Washington, D.C. between 4th Street and 7th Street.

Acknowledging that the event iss being held in unprecedented times, Unity March organizations have implemented Covid-19 guidelines.

“The truth is, when we are not safe, we cannot advance towards the promise of a more perfect union, where racial and economic justice, cultural equity, and full participation in democracy is possible,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director at APIAVote, “The Unity March will push for change that allows all people equitable access to these opportunities to thrive.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: In keeping with Edge guidelines of calling people what they call themselves, in this article, we use the genderless "x" in place of the gender-specific "o" or "a" in naming some communities. For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

AANHPI applaud President Biden's State of the Union

Asian Americans and Pacific Islander leaders and organizations praised President Biden's first State of the Union address even though AAPIs barely got a mention.

In his hour-long address, Biden made two things clear: ending violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and fighting for voting rights remain high priorities for this administration.

As part of his domestic priorities and achievements, in his address to the combined houses of Congress, President Biden stated:

“While it often appears that we never agree, that isn’t true. I signed 80 bipartisan bills into law last year. From preventing government shutdowns to protecting Asian Americans from still-too-common hate crimes to reforming military justice.”

Despite media tendency to focus on what Biden didn't accomplish in his first year in office, the President reminded the audience that Congress was able to pass 80 bipartisan bills including those for infrastructure funding and helped create thousands of new jobs as the economy recovers from Trump administration policies.

“Tonight, President Biden laid out his vision to build a better America for all of us," said Rep. Judy Chu D-27, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).  "This is especially important for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

READ the complete State of the Union.

"We need to help AAPI families get back to work and back on their feet and that is precisely what the President detailed tonight. For starters, the pandemic exposed the deep inequalities in these communities, especially when it comes to healthcare," said Chu. "That is why I’m so grateful to the President for his plans to keep the costs of prescription drugs down, extend the Child Tax Credit, and ensure affordable housing, all three of which are areas where AAPI families were hit the hardest over the past year."

Chu outlined the issues important tot he AAPI communities, including: a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS (temporary protective status) visa holders, farm workers and essential workers, and strengthening the US economy.

"I appreciate the President continuing to speak out about the ongoing plague of anti-Asian violence in our country which has led to over 10,000 anti-Asian hate incidents since the start of the pandemic alone," continued Chu. "Thanks to President Biden, the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is now signed into law."

“Anti-Asian hate has existed long before COVID-19, but the ongoing pandemic has exacerbated discrimination and violence towards AAPIs to dangerous levels. We were pleased when President Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law last year, and reauthorized the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders."

President Biden reasserted yesterday his commitment to protecting democracy and securing our communities’ ability to vote – no matter what," said Christine Chen,  Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote. "The fight for our voting rights is not over, and we appreciate that the President agrees.”

“The voting rights of every American, including AAPIs, must remain top of mind in 2022 and beyond; there is a lot of work to be done. We look forward to working with the President and his administration to ensure that this promise is fulfilled.”

"Despite the several challenges presented to the United States since he took office, we are pleased that our communities’ livelihood and our freedom to vote are at the forefront of his agenda.”

OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates’ Executive Director Thu Nguyen said that the Biden's brief but historic nod to AAPI communities is important 

“Since day one, the Biden-Harris administration has worked to earn the trust of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander families, and their support is especially meaningful as our communities continue to combat tragic violence and pandemic health disparities," said Nguyen. "In less than a year, the president appointed a senior White House AANHPI community liaison, expanded the White House Initiative on AANHPIs, and signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law." 

“The Biden-Harris administration has continuously put racial equity at the forefront of its policies, and we are encouraged to see the investments to ensure every community has access to the resources and tools to address our collective challenges, from COVID-19 to hate incidents to the cancer moonshot," said Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum.

“We are inspired by President Biden’s vision for a better, healthier America, and look forward to continuing progress toward equity and justice,” she concluded.

“President Biden’s vision for America is in stark contrast to the previous Administration, which actively undermined the health and wellbeing of Southeast Asian Americans," said Quyên Đinh, Executive Director of Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC).

"The President’s emphasis on parity between physical and mental health would help Southeast Asians who continue to struggle with trauma from the war, the ensuing generational trauma that lingers in our communities, and mental harm from increased anti-Asian violence," continued Dinh. 

"Holistic, well-funded health resources for Southeast Asian Americans that address the concerns of all community members – from increased access to mental health services for students, to support for older adults and those who are care for them – are essential to our community’s success in society, especially as we navigate the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and anti-Asian hate"

.

The President's SOTU started out strong out of the gate in his opening comments of the Ukraine war and introduced Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova, who received a bipartisan, strong and extended round of applause, as she held one hand over her heart and a miniature Ukraine flag in the other hand.

Biden also made history as he opened his speech with: "Madam Speaker, Madam Vice President ..." addressing the two women, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris, who sat behind him as he spoke.

“Tonight President Biden not only reaffirmed his commitment to lowering costs for families, but also to ensuring that every single Americans’ voice is heard at the ballot box," said Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono. "Meanwhile, Republicans have passed dozens of bills across the country with the clear intention of making it harder for people to vote—people of color in particular.

“Despite Republican efforts, under President Biden’s leadership, Democrats will not stop fighting to improve the lives of every person in this country, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, immigrants and undocumented people. President Biden laid out his plan tonight of building a better America."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Biden, Harris convene White House meeting with AANHPI civil rights advocates

THE WHITE HOUSE

Leaders of AANHPI civil rights advocacy organizations met with President Biden and top staff at the White House on Thursday.

Hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islanders, immigration voting rights were some of the issues aired by AAPI civil rights leaders in a meeting with President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Biden wanted to stress to the group, that his administration is doing its best to advance his campaign promises. The meeting with AAPI leaders Thursday was the third such meeting after Biden and Harris met with Black and Latino community leaders.

"Let me start by acknowledging that on this day, in 2012, I was with another friend who’s half Sikh — he’s a Sikh. And we were on — dealing with the 10 people shot in a hateful act of bigotry at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Seven people lost their lives that day," said Biden as he opened the meeting.

"Today, we honor everyone impacted by this tragedy. And we think about all the pain during this pandemic, with the rise of hate crimes, harassment, bullying, and other forms of bias against Asian Americans. It seems not to stop," he said.

He also paid recognized the role of AANHPI frontliners in combatting the coronavirus pandemic. The Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community has “been on the front lines from the beginning and is critical to helping us vaccinate America,” Biden said.

Despite the executive order condemning the attacks against Asians and signing of the Hate Crimes Act, and the appointment of AANHPI to top-level positions in his administration, the President acknowledged that there is much more to be done to address AAPI concerns. 

"The community is also critical in keeping the U.S. economy strong. In six months, we’re seeing the fastest growth at this point in any administration’s history — in no small part because of this community.," said Biden. "The fastest-growing economic growth in nearly 40 years."

The definition of what constitutes a hate crime came up for discussion after the shooting at the FedEx facility in Indianapolis earlier this year did not meet the criteria for a hate crime by the prosecuting attorney despite the victims included Sikh workers; and one of the county District Attorneys in Georgia did not seek hate crime charges against the Atlanta shooter who killed eight people, six of whom were Asian.

Satjeet Kaur, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition,  brought up the case of a shooting in Seattle where hate crime charges were also not sought.

“One thing we have to understand is that hate crimes should not require a singular motive of bias,” said Kaur. “Oftentimes with crimes you have multiple reasons as to why that happened and so we need to close the federal loophole and that was absolutely discussed.”

“We discussed the importance of protecting the right to vote and how South Asian and Asian American communities—which turned out in record numbers in 2020—are now the target of voter suppression efforts,” Indian Impact Fund executive director Neil Makhija told The Yappie. “The president acknowledges that our communities are essential to the fabric of America, but our current laws undermine these values.”

Makhija said that the topic of Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act was brought forth by those at the meeting, as well as the America’s Children Act, according to The Yappie.

“It was an honor to be able to thank President Biden for his legacy in passing the 1980 Refugee Act, which allowed my family and our refugee community to find safe haven in the United States — and to share the heartbreaking condition of those same refugees who today have final orders of removal for crimes of youth and poverty committed decades ago,” said Quyen Dinh, Executive Director of South East Asian Refugee Action Committee (SEARAC). 

"he Biden-Harris Administration expressed their commitment to protecting democracy amidst a rise in autocracy," said Christine Chen of APIAVote.

"We support the Administration’s efforts to pass the For the People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancements Act. While they may not take a straightforward path, we were reassured that it remains a high priority. We will continue to work with the Administration to ensure stories from our community are used as examples of the danger these anti-voter laws have."

Also on Thursday, Biden offered an 18-month “safe haven” to thousands of Hong Kong residents to remain living in the U.S. rather than to face repression by being deported to the Chinese-controlled territory affecting approximately 330,000 visitors, students and workers from Hong Kong who are currently in the U.s., according to a senior administration official.

“The level of engagement with our communities shown by this Administration is something we have not seen in four years, and we greatly appreciate the attention that the President, Vice President, and their teams have given this issue," said Dinh.

The AANHPI leaders in attendance Thursday included:

• Seema Agnani, Executive Director, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD)

• Christine Chen, Executive Director, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)

• Quyen Dinh, Executive Director, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

• Satjeet Kaur, Executive Director, Sikh Coalition

• Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)

• Kūhiō Lewis, President & CEO, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA)

• Neil Makhija, Executive Director, Indian American Impact

• Gregg Orton, National Director, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)

• Tavae Samuelu, Executive Director, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC)

• Chiling Tong, President & CEO, Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (National ACE)

• Alvina Yeh, Executive Director, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)

• Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)

WATCH the meeting between President Biden and AAPI leaders here.

AAPI groups decry SCOTUS decision to weaken Voting Rights Act

ACLU

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld two electoral policies in Arizona that suppress voting rights for historically-marginalized communities.

"The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold anti-democratic, discriminatory voting laws in the state of Arizona are an affront to the ideals of American democracy," said Christine Chen, Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote.

"Laws, such as these, not only attempt to solve problems that do not exist, but intentionally target voters from historically-marginalized communities, making it harder for them to vote.” 

The Supreme Court’s decision July 1 in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee occurs at a time time in our nation’s history when the Republican Party is trying to narrow the right to vote and weaken the Voting Rights Act. More than a dozen states have already enacted 22 restrictive voting laws. There are 61 restrictive voting bills still pending in 18 states, according to NBC.

“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 sought to protect and prevent discrimination at the polls like this, and did for many decades," said Chen. "These protections were weakened in 2013 in the Shelby v. Holder decision, and the Brnovich v. DNC decision has further mangled the Voting Rights of 1965 beyond recognition.

Justice Elena Kagan stressed in her dissent, the court’s decision comes “at a perilous moment for the Nation’s commitment to equal citizenship … in an era of voting-rights retrenchment — when too many states and localities are restricting access to voting in ways that will predictably deprive members of minority groups of equal access to the ballot box.”

The court rejected a lower court decision that ruled that two of Arizona's laws could violate the federal Voting Rights Act by adversely affected the voting rights of some people, especially voters of color.

SCOTUS upheld two voting practices in Arizona: the state trashes ballots that are provisional, the ones cast in the wrong precincts on Election Day; and Arizona limits who can return early ballots on behalf of voters to family and household members, caregivers, mail carriers and election officials.

Justice Samuel Alito, --one of three activist conservatives Justices appointed by Donald Trump -- writing for the conservative majority arguing that the possible impact among racial or ethnic groups isn’t enough to make voting laws illegal. “The mere fact that there is some disparity in impact does not necessarily mean that a system is not equally open or that it does not give everyone an equal opportunity to vote,” he wrote in upholding the Arizona restrictions.

"We know that, as we speak, voters who are AAPI, Black, Latino, Native American, and voters with disabilities, in particular, face barriers to making their voices heard at the polls," Chen continued.

The 2018 and 2020 elections showed the emergence of the fast-growing AAPI community in American politics, making an impact in local and national races. Voting advocates worry that the court's decision might dampen that movement.

“In the 2020 election, Asian American and Pacific Islander voters turned out in record numbers and made our voices heard, especially in states like Georgia and Texas," said Linda Ng, National President of the OCA -- Asian Pacific American Advocates. She added that the court's decision  "threatens our communities’ hard-earned progress and bolsters the coordinated assault on voting rights that we’re witnessing in state legislatures.

“Make no mistake: laws like the two Arizona provisions upheld by the Court today—which a lower court said were intentionally passed to harm voters of color—aim to erect new barriers and disenfranchise AAPIs,” Ng added.

Voting rights advocates believe the Arizona case may make it harder to halt the GOP's efforts in 17 other states to make it harder to vote.

In her dissent, Justice  Kagan wrote: “What is tragic here is that the Court has (yet again) rewritten—in order to weaken—a statute that stands as a monument to America’s greatness, and protects against its basest impulses.” she was  joined by the court’s other two liberals, Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor. 

"The need to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation at the federal level has never been more urgent," said APIAVote''s Chen. "We call on Congress to pass the For the People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act right now in order to protect and expand democracy, and ensure that those who have historically been excluded from the civic process have their voices heard. There is no more time to wait.”

Joe Biden, Trump representative to Zoom into AAPI Leadership Summit

ASAM NEWS

The campaigns of Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will address the Asian American community in a virtual town hall today, June 27,

Biden will be present at the historic event to answer questions and concerns, while former governor of Guam, Eddie Baza Calvo, will serve as a surrogate for Trump. 

Amna Nawaz, a journalist at PBS News Hour, and Vicky Nguyen, a journalist at NBC, will moderate discussions.

This is the fourth time Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote has hosted a Presidential town hall. Asian Journal reports that in 2016, former president Bill Clinton replaced former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial or ethnic voting demographic in the United States and are projected to “reach new highs” in 2020, Pew Research Center found. Despite this, a 2018 Asian American Voter Survey released by APIAVote and AAPI Data, found that 46% of respondents said they were not contacted by the Democratic Party and 56% said they were not contacted by the Republican Party.

The town hall, which starts at 3 p.m. EST, will highlight Asian issues during this 2020 presidential election cycle, a move that organizers see as an opportunity to address a growing demographic.

“This two-hour event will allow the candidates and campaigns to present their vision in how that addresses the concerns of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander folks,” APIAVote Executive Director Christine Chen said.

The virtual Presidential town hall is the marquee event of the National AAPI Leadership Summit that started June 22 through Thursday, July 2. The Summit convenes Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) elected officials, activists, and community leaders for conversations and workshops about the political and policy issues most important to the AANHPI community — the fastest-growing racial or ethnic population in the country — and how to mobilize the community during the 2020 elections. 

This year’s Summit includes workshops and sessions on civil rights, health care, and political organizing, among other topics. Notable speakers will include eight members of the United States Congress and nationally recognized advocates, academics and journalists.


"This is a historic moment because, as a collective group, this will be the largest opportunity for the presidential candidates to participate and address our communities' needs for the General Election. This will also allow our communities to unite our voices in political engagement this year and into the future," said the APIAVote website.

REGISTER for the remainder of the Summit, click here.

• For questions or further inquiries about our programming, please visit Presidential Town Hall at APIAVote or email townhall@apiavote.org.
• A full schedule of the Summit events can be found here. 

US wants to double naturalization fees, do away with waivers

The cost of becoming a US citizen is going up almost double the current fee.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently released a notice that it will raise the naturalization application fee to $1,170. This is an increase of 83% over the current fee of $640. The cost of applying for naturalization is already a barrier for many aspiring U.S. citizens.

USCIS also announced it will abolish available fee waivers for naturalization. With this change, USCIS has made clear its intent to reserve US citizenship for only the wealthiest immigrants.

“At a time where 40% of Americans cannot cover a $400 emergency expense, it’s not a stretch to see how this announced fee increase adds a greater financial burden to applicants and puts citizenship even further out of reach," John C. Yang, president and executive director of Advancing Justice | AAJC. 

"The Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation will oppose the fee increase and the elimination of naturalization-related fee waivers. We will work alongside partner immigrants’ rights advocates to ensure citizenship remains accessible and affordable to all.”

In response to the USCIS announcement, Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliate organizations are urging eligible Americans to naturalize before these new measures take effect.

"This proposal is a blatant attempt to prevent low-income immigrants from becoming U.S. citizens. High filing fees are an insurmountable obstacle for many of the individuals Advancing Justice serves," said Stephanie Cho of Advancing Justice - Atlanta. 

"Naturalization is a crucial pathway to empowerment for marginalized communities of color in the South and an important protection for Asian Americans and other immigrant families. We strongly encourage community members who might be eligible to naturalize to attend one of our free citizenship clinics before the end of the year." 

Before these announced changes take effect, Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Advancing Justice – Atlanta urge lawful permanent residents who have been considering applying for naturalization begin the process immediately while the current rules, including the fee waiver and reduced fee, are still in place. 

The administration proposal would give priority to those would-be citizens who can prove that they would not be using any government assistance and are able to financially support themselves. Preference will be given to those who work in professions that would benefit the US. 

At the same time, the administration would de-emphasize family reunification, which had been the main pool of new citizens.

Christine Chen, project director for Advancing Justice-LA, responded: “As an organization that assists thousands of naturalization applicants, of whom over 60% are low income, we recognize that this proposal will deeply hurt low-income immigrants and vulnerable communities of color. 

"The message from this administration about who they deem 'worthy' of citizenship is loud and clear--that only those with means can apply. This change does not reflect our principles and values embedded in our history and our Constitution. This administration has repeatedly attacked immigrants and is committed to making it harder for low-income immigrants to access the nation’s lawful immigration system and become citizens. 

Advancing Justice-LA and other immigration advocates encourage community members who may be eligible to apply for naturalization to contact our office to receive free legal assistance as soon as possible. 

In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court Wednesday by a coalition of communities and immigrant aid organizations seeks to delay the implementation of the proposed rule. The complaint argues that Ken Cuccinelli’s appointment as acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services violated federal law. 

If the court agrees, Cuccinelli’s actions since taking over the agency in June would be invalid, including a new rule on application fee waivers for naturalization and other benefits. The plaintiffs have also asked for an injunction to prevent the implementation of the new waiver guidelines. 

The City of Seattle and several immigrant services agencies, including Catholic Legal Immigration Network, and Immigrant Legal Resource Center, are named as plaintiffs in the complaint challenging the new rule and Cuccinelli’s appointment, which they say violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act (FVRA).

“The American promise must be open to all,” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a press release. “Wealth is not and should never be a requirement of being an American citizen. Seattle will fight for the promise of America and against a pay-to-play approach to citizenship.”

AAAJ affiliates in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. and our many partners involved in the New Americans Campaign, regularly hold citizenship workshops to provide low-cost, and in many cases free, legal assistance to guide eligible Americans through the naturalization application process. Information about upcoming workshops in the Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. metropolitan areas is available through Advancing Justice–LA’s multilingual helpline:

Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese): 800-520-2356
Korean: 800-867-3640
Tagalog: 855-300-2552
Thai: 800-914-9583
English/Other: 888-349-9695 

Download our fee waiver factsheet for more resources.