AAPI experiences are heavily shaped by U.S. immigration policy. Over half of all Asian Americans, and one in six Pacific Islanders, are foreign-born. Their immigrant stories are diverse – not only in where they come from, but also how they arrived. Many AAPI families can trace their immigrant roots back for multiple generations, while others came more recently as refugees, and others as part of the skilled workforce.
The current immigration system in the U.S. is failing AAPI immigrants. We have witnessed backlogs of hundreds of thousands of cases, discriminatory screening practices at the border, and routine, yearslong waits for asylum seekers to have their cases heard. It is essential that we create a fair system that facilitates family reunification and creates a pathway to citizenship.
NCAPA urges policymakers to take into account the AA and NHPI community’s experiences when discussing immigration policy solutions.