WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 15, 2017) — Over the past week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has targeted immigrants in at least six states, including California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and North Carolina, for detention and deportation.
Though the majority of families targeted were undocumented, at least one Cambodian American green card holder was also swept up in the raids due to a 30-year-old conviction he attained as a minor. The raids have been causing chaos and panic across the country, as communities are terrorized and families are torn apart.
We need to protect each other by sharing resources and learning our basic rights. Please share the following resources with those who could be potential targets for removal.
- Getting Pro-Bono Legal Help – SEARAC directory of individuals and organizations with expertise in criminal deportation and Southeast Asian Americans
- Know Your Rights: Everyone has certain basic rights, no matter who is president (National Immigration Law Center)
- President Trump’s Raids on Immigrant Communities: What do we know? What can you do? (National Immigration Law Center)
- Resource Guide for Southeast Asian Americans Facing Criminal Deportation (SEARAC)
If you witness ICE activity in your community, you can let us know at [email protected] or call one of the following organizations to report it and seek assistance:
- National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC): 1-844-500-DACA or 1-844-500-3222
- United We Dream: 1-844-363-1423
For in-language resources, see:
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles (AAAJ-LA) – intake lines
- English: (888) 349-9695
- Vietnamese: (800) 267-7395
- Khmer: (800) 867-3126
AAAJ-LA also has in-language know your rights resources. The resources include “know your rights” cards (made by AAAJ- Atlanta) in the following languages:
The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) is a national organization that advances the interests of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans by empowering communities through advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building to create a socially just and equitable society. Find out more at www.searac.org.
