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Issue: 875 Date: 5/31/2007
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華裔美國人 百年滄桑 移民門檻再度設限
請向國會參議員反應 反對「取消親屬移民」提案
Joint Statement-Stop eliminating family reunion immigration categories
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| 華裔美國人 百年滄桑 |
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【時報訊】自19 世紀開始華人移民來美，充當鐵路工人、金山掘礦、飽受各項移民岐視不平等對待，百年滄桑之後，21世紀的今天，美國國會又醞釀取消親屬移民法案，剝奪美國公民擔保自己21歲以上外籍成年子女來美國團聚之權利，剝奪美國公民擔保自己的兄弟姊妹來美之權利，這是一項違反美國人民重視家庭價值，違反移民權益之法案，全美各地維護移民權益團體紛紛仗義直言，大聲疾呼反對這項議案，時報本期特別刊出美國80-20促進會所準備之致美國參議員，反對這項法案之公開信中英文版，呼籲華裔移民打電話或寫信給您選區所選出之參議員，表達反對抗議之聲。
不但親屬移民權益遭到剝奪，據密蘇里州律師協會表示，移民歸化公民得經過移民局的面試，而面試的題目愈來愈難，密州律師協會甚至準備了三套，每套各10題的移民歸化問題模擬試卷，來試試看美國人能否通過這樣的考試，時報取得這三套試卷題庫，將自本期起分三週將三套試題刊登在英文版上並附上答案，讀者可以試試自己的公民知識，以為應付日益困難的公民入籍考試。
事實上，自1965年起，美國體認到公民海外家庭團聚的重要性而准許公民擔保家庭成員移民來美，但是最近移民門檻愈來愈嚴，今年三月一項由一小部份民主黨和共和黨參議員連署之反親屬移民法案，不但親屬移民遭剝奪，自2005年5月1日以後申請並已繳費之親屬移民擔保更將會被取消，將來擔保父母親來美之等候期也會延長。
親屬移民類別在移民法中已存在42年，現在卻面臨被取消的命運，影響移民權益甚巨，移民同胞應挺身而出，發出強烈反對聲音，以保障移民權益和尊重家庭價值。
80-20促進會所準備之致參議員英文信及中文翻譯如下：
致各位參議員﹕
鑒于當前參議院提出的移民法案內容欠妥，我們簽署這份請願書。此項法案違背了美國人民珍視家庭的核心價值觀，並將直接導致﹕
1）剝奪美國公民擔保自己21歲以上外籍成年子女的權利；2）禁止美國公民擔保自己的兄弟姐妹；3）即使是父母，每年的名額減為半數；4）近兩年內提交的擔保申請即將作廢
請問以參議院的高見，如果要被迫與親人永久的分離，那些社會發展所需要的高級人才還會欣然移民美國嗎？ 設身處地想一想，尊敬的參議員，如果你目前不是一位美國公民或永久居民，你還會考慮移民美國嗎？
在此，我們懇請參議院保留那些讓移民家庭團聚的政策。 2008年總統選舉在即，我們在投票時將會慎重考慮各位在這項新移民法案的立場。
To: Members of the U.S. Senate
We, the Undersigned, feel that the current Senate ImmigrationBill has serious defects. The American core value of family is violated.This bill will
1) strip American citizens of their ability to sponsor any childwho has reached the age of 21,2) bar citizens from ever sponsoring their siblings,3) cut the quota for parents by half, and4) cancel sponsorship applications that American citizens havealready filed and paid for over the past two years.
Is the Senate of the wisdom that highly talented and skilledpeople will come to a USA that forces them to be separated fromtheir families permanently? Will you, Senators, come to Americaunder such conditions, if you were not US residents and citizenscurrently?
Please DO NOT eliminate family reunion categories. In the 2008 election, we will weigh your stands on this issue heavily when casting our ballots.
Respectfully,
Joint Statement-Stop eliminating family reunion immigration categories
By 80-20 Initiative, Inc., Asian Law Caucus, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Chinese Progressive Association, Organization for Justice & Equality, Traditional Family Coalition
The U.S. Senate is in the midst of an unprecedented attack on the basic rights of American citizens with close family members overseas. Since 1965, the law has recognized the importance and integrity of families and has given citizens the right to sponsor a limited number of family members' immigration, in most cases after a lengthy waiting period. But the Senate is now discussing whether to strip American citizens of their ability to sponsor any child who has reached age 21, and whether to bar citizens from ever sponsoring their siblings.
This proposal, which originated in the White House in March and was fleshed out in secretive negotiations by a small group of Republican and Democratic senators, would sacrifice the rights of millions of American citizens in order to reach an unprincipled political compromise on a deeply flawed immigration bill.
Not only does the proposal seek to eliminate most of the existing categories of family reunification, it would unfairly do so retroactively by canceling sponsorship applications that American citizens have already filed and paid for over the past two years, since May 1, 2005. It would also introduce a lengthy waiting period for citizens sponsoring their own parents.
As Americans who remember and respect our immigrant roots, we strenuously protest this ill-conceived proposal that utterly disregards the contributions that immigrant families have made to this country throughout its history. It makes a mockery of the family values that we cherish and uphold.
Under the Senate proposal, the family-based categories in place for the last 42 years would largely be replaced by a point system that would award points for English fluency, education, and advanced technical skills. Its authors insist that this will allow America to attract top talent from around the world. But instead of attracting talent, the new system will cause our country to lose its unique advantage in the global market for highly skilled workers. Many countries, such as Canada, already have a point system. If we abandon America's enduring focus on family, fewer talented and educated people will want to come to or stay in a country that forces them to be separated from their family permanently.
The point system has other major flaws: its focus on English fluency disproportionately rewards citizens of former British colonies, while penalizing those born in countries that avoided colonization. It represents a return to the racist national-origin quota system established in the 1920s, which sought to restrict immigration to citizens of a few select countries in Western Europe.
The point system's intense focus on highly trained workers is also strongly reminiscent of the Chinese Exclusion Act's 1882 ban on immigration by anyone born in China other than 𢘫erchants,?a barrier that lasted almost six decades and wasn't fully dismantled until the civil rights era. Now the modern immigration system established in 1965, which finally put immigrants from all countries on an equal footing, is under attack.
It is the modern immigration system of the last four decades that has built the foundation of our Asian American community, a community that pays billions of dollars in taxes every year, founds and operates hundreds of thousands of businesses large and small, and employs millions of people across the country. Many of these businesses were started by pooling family financial resources and labor, and would not have been possible without the joint effort of several family members working together.
Opponents of family sponsorship disingenuously argue that these immigrants are a drain on government resources. In fact, for over a decade the law has required that American citizens sponsoring a family member's immigration must sign a binding legal agreement to provide long-term financial support to their relative, and must prove that they have enough income and assets to uphold this obligation. Current law thus already carefully regulates and limits family immigration and ensures that there is adequate support available before a person can immigrate.
American citizens deserve better than backroom deals that betray decades of pro-family policy. Asian Americans and other proud naturalized citizens have worked hard to make America a better place. We strongly urge legislators to abandon this effort to eliminate family immigration categories, and we will not forget those in Congress of either party who vote to deny Americans our cherished right to reunite with our families. We urge all Americans to voice your strong objections to this inhumane, unjust, and anti-family proposal and its devastating consequences, and to act for the betterment of American families and our country itself by immediately contacting the Senators.
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| 移民本身要為爭取移民權益而發聲 |
移民本身要為爭取移民權益而發聲 |
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| 排華法案1882年通過實施，這是美國首次以族裔或國籍為由排除移民 |
華裔移民在天使島接受詢問 |
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| 華裔移民自天使島登陸後首先得接受體檢 |
華裔婦女和兒童在天使島移民站等候 |
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| 19世紀早期華工移民到美國，修築貫穿東西兩岸之鐵路 |
19世紀早期華工移民到美國，修築貫穿東西兩岸之鐵路 |
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| 1965年詹森總統簽署移民法案，准許亞裔移民配額制度 |
1965年詹森總統簽署移民法案，准許亞裔移民配額制度 |
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| THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT HANDBILL |
The Chinese Exclusion Act passed in 1882 marks the first time that the United States banned any group of people based on race or nationality. This handbill for a public rally celebrates with the words "Hip! Hoorah! The White Man Is On Top!" |
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| Credit: British Columbia Archives |
ANGEL ISLAND MEDICAL INSPECTIONS |
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| Chinese immigrants arrived at Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco hoping to enter the United States, but had to go through a gauntlet of processing. The first step was a medical exam. |
Credit: California State Department of Parks and Recreations |
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| ANGEL ISLAND INTERROGATION |
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