트럼프 행정부는 5월 16일 가족 이민을 절반으로 줄이고, 고학력, 고숙련자 중심의 점수제 이민 제도를 제안했습니다. 이 안은 하원의 민주당 반대 때문에 법으로 만들어져 시행에 들어가지는 않을 것으로 예상되나, 다시 한차례 반 이민 여론을 들끓게 할 것으로 보입니다. 이에 대해 민족학교를 비롯한 자매 단체들은 다음과 같은 비판 성명서를 냈습니다:
HANA Center, National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), Korean Resource Center of Southern California, and NAKASEC VA, denounce Trump’s proposed immigration plan to reduce family-based immigration and limit asylum seekers in this country in favor of a so called “merit-based” immigration system. President Trump, Stephen Miller, and their colleagues simply do not believe that family bonds have any “merit."
82% of Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants come to the United States through family-based immigration so that they can support their loved ones and stay together with their families. The proposed reductions to this sensible and effective system are a direct attack to our communities and will increase the separation of families across the country. We also cannot separate the racist, xenophobic motives behind Trump’s immigration proposal, considering the derogatory comments that he has made in the past about family immigration.
We emphatically reject Trump's plan. We must uphold family-based immigration and provide refuge for asylum seekers. To judge admittance into the U.S. on arbitrary characteristics of “merit” is unethical and denies the humanity of immigrants families and asylum seekers. We call on our members of Congress to denounce Trump’s immigration plan and demand that the White House protect and strengthen family-based immigration and resources for asylum seekers.
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