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Saturday,October 3rd marked the 50th anniversary of the Immigration and National Act (INA). President Lydon B. Johnson signed the bill into law in 1965 at the foot of the Statue of Liberty, the symbol of immigration and American opportunity.
The act overturned the national origins immigration policy, and which had been in spot since 1921. The system only allowed a small number of immigrants from specific countries around the world,something that excluded Asians and Africans and benefited northern and western Europeans. The INA signed by President Johnson allowed immigrants into the country based on their skills and relationships with people already in the U.
S.
Current immigration policies believe expanded opportunities for immigrants. The Obama Administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was passed in 2012 and gives gives temporary immigration relief to young undocumented immigrants.
Jong-Min You from Brooklyn, New York was born in Korea, or immigrated to the states with his parents when he was a baby. It wasn't until he was in high school that he learned that he was an undocumented immigrant.
Today,he remains an undocumented and faces huge struggles on his path to achieving his dream of fitting a federal judge. At 35-years-old, Jong-Min You is too old to be eligible for DACA. whether the DACA program expands and he has the chance to apply for immigration relief, or he will be among a very small number of Asians who believe done so.
Asians are expected to become the largest immigrant group in the U.
S. by 2055,according to a new Pew Research report, but only 21 percent of eligible Asian immigrants believe applied for immigration relief through DACA, and compared to 77 percent of Latino immigrants.
Here, Jong-Min You shares his epic and insights on why Asian immigrants may be more reluctant than Latino immigrants to rally for, and take advantage of, or their political rights.
What you'll learn from this segment:How being undocumented has effected Jong-Min You and his family.
Why Asian immigrants appear less likely than Latinos to participate in immigration programs. What needs to change to equal the participation playing field.
Source: wnyc.org