Chinese Nationals WorryAbout Immigration Reform
Published in Huanqiu
(China) on 5 July 2010
by China News (link to original)
(China) on 5 July 2010
by China News (link to original)
Translated from
by Meghan McGrath.
Edited by Alex Brewer.
Reported on July 5 by Xinhua Comprehensive News, the immigration reforms laid out by President Obama in his July 1 speech at an American University has the support of immigration rights organizations. The Chinese community would like to remind the president to not be “all talk, no action.” He must carry out substantial actions and push for immigration reform as soon as possible.
Immigration Legal Resource Center, a San Francisco based immigrant rights group, and other agencies have also shown their support of Obama's July 1 speech. America's World News reported that the director of the Immigration Law Resource Center, Mark Silverman, "thinks Obama spoke eloquently about why the United States needs comprehensive immigration reform,” but is doubtful anything comprehensive will occur in time for November elections.
It is reported that about 30 minutes of Obama's speech were dedicated to emphasizing the contribution of migrants to the United States and the necessity of immigration reform, saying, “Despite the courageous leadership in the past shown by many Democrats and some Republicans — including, by the way, my predecessor, President Bush — this has been the custom. That is why a broken and dangerous system that offends our most basic American values is still in place.”
In connection with Barack Obama's comprehensive immigration reform, also on July 1, the Lin Foundation and Sino-U.S. Research Center held a conference based on the comprehensive immigration reform issue. China Press stated that while supportive of Obama's push for reform, China Press hopes the Obama administration will take action as soon as possible, and reminds Obama not to be "all talk and no action."
Lin Foundation Chairman, Huang Keqiang, expressed his support for immigration reform and thinks that Obama's reform and border security go hand in hand with strengthening confidence in the success of the reform. Huang Keqiang also reminded overseas Chinese to abide by the law and to avoid petty crimes that could change one's identity/status. He also advised those with the intention of entering the United States through illegal channels not to take chances, and join fellow countrymen in America. Even though U.S. immigration law is being reformed, the new immigrants into the United States may not have the opportunity to become permanent residents.
World News reported that the Lin Foundation Chairman Huang Keqiang and Zheng Zhengxiang, plan to reveal a letter Obama wrote last year in reply to a letter sent by the Sino-U.S. Research Center. The original letter urged the president to act on his words and make immigration reform his primary goal. Zheng Zhengxiang thinks that immigration reform will significantly affect the U.S. economy's recovery, and if illegal immigrants are given the opportunity to work legally and live peacefully and happily, the immigration application fee will inevitably supplement individuals' income taxes, small business operations and so on. And so, the government will increase fiscal revenue.
The New York Immigration Coalition issued a statement in support of Barack Obama's plan of comprehensive immigration reform and against the Arizona anti-immigration laws. They said, “We urge him to follow through on the unspoken promise of his speech today by announcing concrete action steps he will take in the coming days—for instance, repeal the current policy that turns police officers into immigration agents and divides them from the communities they serve; stop the implementation of the Arizona law...”
A large number of immigrants in New York’s Chinatown did not appreciate Obama's July 1 speech however, as he spoke time and time again about health care reform, financial regulation and even the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, before finally addressing the issue of immigration reform. That is absolutely not a sincere way to deal with immigration.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Sing Tao Daily reported that in light of Obama's July 1 speech, an ethnic Chinese immigration lawyer in Los Angeles pointed out that one can see in Obama's speech that he attached great importance to the issue of immigration reform and he will work to implement it with determination. But the immigration reform bill includes many different aspects and getting support to pass a final bill will not be easy.
Immigration Legal Resource Center, a San Francisco based immigrant rights group, and other agencies have also shown their support of Obama's July 1 speech. America's World News reported that the director of the Immigration Law Resource Center, Mark Silverman, "thinks Obama spoke eloquently about why the United States needs comprehensive immigration reform,” but is doubtful anything comprehensive will occur in time for November elections.
It is reported that about 30 minutes of Obama's speech were dedicated to emphasizing the contribution of migrants to the United States and the necessity of immigration reform, saying, “Despite the courageous leadership in the past shown by many Democrats and some Republicans — including, by the way, my predecessor, President Bush — this has been the custom. That is why a broken and dangerous system that offends our most basic American values is still in place.”
In connection with Barack Obama's comprehensive immigration reform, also on July 1, the Lin Foundation and Sino-U.S. Research Center held a conference based on the comprehensive immigration reform issue. China Press stated that while supportive of Obama's push for reform, China Press hopes the Obama administration will take action as soon as possible, and reminds Obama not to be "all talk and no action."
Lin Foundation Chairman, Huang Keqiang, expressed his support for immigration reform and thinks that Obama's reform and border security go hand in hand with strengthening confidence in the success of the reform. Huang Keqiang also reminded overseas Chinese to abide by the law and to avoid petty crimes that could change one's identity/status. He also advised those with the intention of entering the United States through illegal channels not to take chances, and join fellow countrymen in America. Even though U.S. immigration law is being reformed, the new immigrants into the United States may not have the opportunity to become permanent residents.
World News reported that the Lin Foundation Chairman Huang Keqiang and Zheng Zhengxiang, plan to reveal a letter Obama wrote last year in reply to a letter sent by the Sino-U.S. Research Center. The original letter urged the president to act on his words and make immigration reform his primary goal. Zheng Zhengxiang thinks that immigration reform will significantly affect the U.S. economy's recovery, and if illegal immigrants are given the opportunity to work legally and live peacefully and happily, the immigration application fee will inevitably supplement individuals' income taxes, small business operations and so on. And so, the government will increase fiscal revenue.
The New York Immigration Coalition issued a statement in support of Barack Obama's plan of comprehensive immigration reform and against the Arizona anti-immigration laws. They said, “We urge him to follow through on the unspoken promise of his speech today by announcing concrete action steps he will take in the coming days—for instance, repeal the current policy that turns police officers into immigration agents and divides them from the communities they serve; stop the implementation of the Arizona law...”
A large number of immigrants in New York’s Chinatown did not appreciate Obama's July 1 speech however, as he spoke time and time again about health care reform, financial regulation and even the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, before finally addressing the issue of immigration reform. That is absolutely not a sincere way to deal with immigration.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Sing Tao Daily reported that in light of Obama's July 1 speech, an ethnic Chinese immigration lawyer in Los Angeles pointed out that one can see in Obama's speech that he attached great importance to the issue of immigration reform and he will work to implement it with determination. But the immigration reform bill includes many different aspects and getting support to pass a final bill will not be easy.
The bottom line is that unless Chinese Americans who have worked endlessly to obtain their greencards here in the US also obtain their US citizenship and vote in large enough numbers to change things not even the support of the likes of Bill Gates can help them. It literally makes me sick when I personally see dozens of talented Chinese Post Docs unwillingly return to China and compete with my US based company after being trained by the best US universities. We talk about comprehensive immigration reform, how about talking about “common sense” immigration reform before the lack of it kills our economic engine? We are outnumbered 3 to 1. What better way to equalize than by procuring the absolute best talent from each country in the world. Isn’t that what made us great in the first place?