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Did you know that undocumented Asian immigrants are the fastest-growing undocumented population in the United States? Yet, mainstream immigration discussions almost exclusively focus on the U.S.-Mexico border and the Latine community.
As of 2017, approximately 1.7 million undocumented Asian immigrants live in the U.S., meaning 1 in 6 undocumented immigrants is Asian, and 1 in 7 Asian immigrants lacks legal status. According to Pew, “Some 54% of the 24 million Asian Americans living in the U.S. are immigrants; among Asian adults, that share rises to 67%.” In other words, Asian people in this country are actually more immigrant than any other racial group in America. Despite these numbers, Asian immigration remains largely absent from national conversations.
In this episode, Jose Antonio Vargas speaks with Bethany Li, Executive Director of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), and Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director of the Asian American Federation (AAF), to unpack:
The rising number of undocumented Asian immigrants and why they’re overlooked
The U.S. government’s history of targeting Asian immigrant communities
Trump’s latest focus on deporting Chinese immigrants, particularly “military-age” men
How advocacy groups are fighting for immigrant rights and providing resources
🎥 Watch or listen to the full episode to learn about the realities of undocumented Asian immigrants and what’s at stake.
📌 Resources & Advocacy:
Asian American Federation: www.aafederation.org
AALDEF Resources & FOIA Requests: www.aaldef.org/resources
📌 Subscribe for more videos on #Immigration and the American identity: bit.ly/subscribedefineamerican
💌 Join the Movement: www.defineamerican.com/subscribe
🖥️ Learn More: www.defineamerican.com
💬 Follow Define American:
Instagram/Twitter/Threads: @defineamerican
Jose Antonio Vargas: bsky.app/joseiswriting
By Define AmericanDid you know that undocumented Asian immigrants are the fastest-growing undocumented population in the United States? Yet, mainstream immigration discussions almost exclusively focus on the U.S.-Mexico border and the Latine community.
As of 2017, approximately 1.7 million undocumented Asian immigrants live in the U.S., meaning 1 in 6 undocumented immigrants is Asian, and 1 in 7 Asian immigrants lacks legal status. According to Pew, “Some 54% of the 24 million Asian Americans living in the U.S. are immigrants; among Asian adults, that share rises to 67%.” In other words, Asian people in this country are actually more immigrant than any other racial group in America. Despite these numbers, Asian immigration remains largely absent from national conversations.
In this episode, Jose Antonio Vargas speaks with Bethany Li, Executive Director of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), and Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director of the Asian American Federation (AAF), to unpack:
The rising number of undocumented Asian immigrants and why they’re overlooked
The U.S. government’s history of targeting Asian immigrant communities
Trump’s latest focus on deporting Chinese immigrants, particularly “military-age” men
How advocacy groups are fighting for immigrant rights and providing resources
🎥 Watch or listen to the full episode to learn about the realities of undocumented Asian immigrants and what’s at stake.
📌 Resources & Advocacy:
Asian American Federation: www.aafederation.org
AALDEF Resources & FOIA Requests: www.aaldef.org/resources
📌 Subscribe for more videos on #Immigration and the American identity: bit.ly/subscribedefineamerican
💌 Join the Movement: www.defineamerican.com/subscribe
🖥️ Learn More: www.defineamerican.com
💬 Follow Define American:
Instagram/Twitter/Threads: @defineamerican
Jose Antonio Vargas: bsky.app/joseiswriting