Dear Community Leader:
I write you because the Korean Resource Center has found a grave problem in education in Orange County, and we wish to inform you and discuss possible solutions to it.
As an immigrant community, one of our biggest concerns is education. Everyone should that right to get quality education. In California, in addition to the basic right to receiving equal education regardless of immigration status, the right to pay in-state tuition is specified by law.
However, some Orange County community colleges have been denying admissions to students, questioning their immigration status, despite the students' legal protections.
Most of the students who asked for help at KRC because of this have not given up on their parents' wishes, and are studying hard to make their dreams a reality in their chosen career fields.
Even without retorting to legal backings, the act of denying our talented students just in relation to their immigration status is the wrong kind of decision, that could affect countless individuals and families, communities, and our society at large.
One in five Korean American is undocumented. We imagine there must be many other families in similar troubles, but do not know where to ask for help.
These are members of our community. I would like to ask you to do them a favor:
If you know of any students or parents who have been wrongly denied admissions, please contact the Korean Resource Center. We are seeking a response to this problem through various means, including cooperating with legal assistance organizations.
Also, I ask you to keep an eye out for this problem and give students the support they need. Every time our community was under attack, such as the Welfare Reform of 1996, we came together to overcome those issues as we worked for a better future for America. I have no doubt we will be able to fix this problem through our community's involvement.
For more information, or to seek help, please call KRC at 323-937-3718.
We are looking forward to hold a gathering of community organization leaders, to seek your opinion and share our discussion, and we will let you know of the date and time as confirmed - please consider joining the meeting!
Thank you,
Dae J. Yoon
Executive Director
Korean Resource Center
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