Celebrating AAPI Stories
Dear Friends,
In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month, we uplift the voices of our Asian American Pacific Island (AAPI) immigrant clients. AAPI immigrants are in distress. ICE arrests, detention, and deportations involving AAPI individuals have increased five to seven-fold as compared to the Biden Administration. Vulnerable AAPI immigrants must navigate language and cultural barriers when trying to access immigration legal services (most Bay Area nonprofits primarily have Spanish-speaking staff), in addition to battling the shame and stigma associated with being undocumented in many AAPI communities. Dehumanization, exclusion, incarceration, and suspicion of the “perpetual foreigner” are not only part of our shared AAPI immigrant history, but also mirror the cruelty and injustice inflicted against ALL immigrant communities today. We are grateful for the resilience and courage of our AAPI communities, both past and present, who refuse to be silenced by injustice.
Our Annual Impact on AAPI Immigrant Communities
Jubilee is one of very few nonprofits in the Bay Area with not only Spanish-speaking staff, but also immigration attorneys who speak AAPI languages (Cantonese, Mandarin and Tagalog). This Administration’s extensive “immigration bans” have crippled the immigration options for many of our AAPI clients. These bans limit entry to the U.S. and halt the final adjudication of USCIS applications for many countries, the majority of which are in Africa and Southeast Asia. Our Jubilee team stands with all our immigrant neighbors who are vulnerable to this Administration’s relentless anti-immigrant attacks. Please join us in honoring a couple of recent collective wins for our AAPI clients:
The approval of a family petition and legal permanent residency application for two Burmese clients shortly before this Administration stopped the final adjudication of all immigration applications for Burmese nationals, in addition to 38 other banned countries.
Our Indonesian client with a U visa was finally able to apply for legal permanent residency. She has lived in the U.S. for over 25 years and is an active pillar in her local community, providing food, shelter and friendship to her neighbors, even as she contends with her long-term disability.
Richmond AAPI Community Celebration Recap
Justin Talbott with his toddler, Elenora
Jubilee co-sponsored the Asian American Pacific Islander Community Celebration in the City of Richmond on Saturday, May 2nd, in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month. In collaboration with the Contra Costa Immigrant Action Network and other community partners, Jubilee participated in an afternoon of cultural performances, art exhibits, and resource sharing.
Jubilee in the Media
Thanks to InterVarsity World Changers for uplifting the story of Jubilee in their most recent podcast interview with our Executive Director Amy Lee. Listen now to learn how Amy's experiences with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and faith communities led her to dedicate her life and career to serving those living on the margins.
By Amy Lee
Executive Director & Immigration Attorney
