capac urges obama for comprehensive immigration reform

This week, Congressman Mike Honda, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, sent a letter on behalf of CAPAC to President Obama urging for comprehensive immigration reform this year. Here's the full text of the letter:

March 17, 2009

President Barack Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

On behalf of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), we urge you to enact just and humane comprehensive immigration reform this year that will reunite and prevent the separation of families, secure our nation, and restore our economy.

An estimated 1.5 million Asians constitute over 10 percent of the undocumented population in the United States, and 2 million, or approximately half, of those waiting in family immigration backlogs are Asian. Immigration raids tear families apart, dreams of undocumented students are suspended indefinitely, and growing immigration backlogs keep close family members separated for years, sometimes decades.

CAPAC is also committed to working with you to address concerns regarding past actions of the Department of Homeland Security. In particular, we are concerned about the treatment of detainees, due process rights, federal-local immigration enforcement agreements, and raids in worksites and immigrant communities.

Members of CAPAC are encouraged by your leadership and statements on this issue during your campaign and in the early weeks of your Administration. We particularly appreciate the immigration proposals you presented in the Blueprint for the Change We Need for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during your campaign.

Immigration reform must remain an early priority in your Administration. We commend your commitment to this issue, and look forward to working with you in the coming weeks. Our nation urgently needs an effective and working immigration system that reflects the best of America's values.

Sincerely,

Michael M. Honda
Chair
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

For a minute, it seemed like immigration was the burning issue that was on everyone's mind. But when it became obvious that the economy had taken a turn for the worse, immigration reform suddenly seemed to get shelved in the public consciousness. We need this back on the table, Mr. President.