SEAAs and other immigrant and refugee communities want a fair chance to thrive, but we cannot do so while we are subject to a dehumanizing, unjust immigration system.
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The New Way Forward’s Impact on Southeast Asian Americans
There are 15,000 Southeast Asian Americans with a final order of removal. About 80% of removable Southeast Asian Americans have a criminal conviction. Many of these individuals were refugees who have never lived in their countries of origin and no longer have any family ties to Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam.
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“It felt like I was being double punished. A terrible crime that I committed when I was a youth would eventually lead to my deportation to a country that I had no ties to. I felt like I was unworthy, not valued, that all that I’d done to change my life, to build community while I was inside, doesn’t matter.”
featured in our anti-deportation PSAs
“If I can change back the hands of time, education and knowledge would be the best for any young person trying to figure themself out. Please be aware that I am still human even though I made a mistake in the past. I do have family that loves me, and I love them, too.
featured in our anti-deportation PSAs
“If we were deported, our family wouldn’t be as happy as they are now. We draw them together and the positive mindset we bring—that heals them and heals our community. I believe deportation is really double punishment for our family, for us, and for our community.”
featured together with impacted community member Tith Ton in our anti-deportation PSAs
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Earlier this month, rising leaders from across the country joined SEARAC for our 2025 Leadership and Advocacy Training program and made their mark on Capitol Hill. Over three days, our participants came together to build community, strengthen their advocacy skills, and celebrate the Southeast Asian American legacy.
SEARAC is deeply grateful to our lead funder, @statefarm, whose generous support has made LAT possible for more than two decades. We also thank our additional sponsors for investing in our rising leaders and honoring the 50th commemoration of Southeast Asian refugee resettlement in the United States. Your support uplifts a legacy of resilience, advocacy, and community power: @taaforg, @apaics_org, @gatesfoundation, @napawf, @neatoday, @thekresgefoundation, @weingartfoundation, @kelloggfoundation, District Capital Management, and Wallace H. Coulter Foundation.
There is still time for your organization to sponsor SEARAC`s 50th anniversary commemorations this year and beyond! With your sponsorship dollars, Southeast Asian Americans nationwide will not just survive, but thrive, over the next 50 years. Click the link in our bio to learn more and pledge your support for our communities.
Jul 15
Last week, SEARAC’s Leadership & Advocacy Training 2025 came to a powerful close as a new generation of Southeast Asian American leaders took to Capitol Hill to advocate for their communities. In this year`s 50th commemoration of Southeast Asian refugee resettlement to the United States, our #LAT2025 participants embodied Southeast Asian American joy, resilience, and love.
Our participants made their mark on Capitol Hill and met with congressional offices to uplift key issues like data disaggregation in education, access to quality healthcare, and the protection of family immigration—and called on lawmakers to oppose the harmful budget reconciliation bill.
We’re deeply grateful to our partners, sponsors, and the congressional offices who welcomed our participants. And to our inspiring cohort: thank you for carrying forward the legacy of SEAA advocacy for the next 50 years and beyond.
✨ Read our highlights at the link in bio.
#SEAA #Advocacy #SEARAC #Leadership #CommunityPower
Jul 9
Last week, SEARAC and our partners at @asianhealthservices celebrated AB 1242 (Nguyen), passing out of the Senate Health Committee and now moving to the Senate Governmental Organization Committee. AB 1242 creates a Language Access Director in the CA Health & Human Services Agency and reforms the Dymally Alatorre Bilingual Services Act.
Jul 8
Today, the House passed the budget reconciliation bill by a 218-214 vote, with two Republicans joining Democrats to vote against its passage. The bill drastically increases funding for deportations while slashing funding for Medicaid, SNAP, and other critical programs that provide for peoples’ basic needs.
Quyen Dinh, SEARAC Executive Director, shared, “Despite this outcome, we stand proud of the Southeast Asian American leaders who joined us in-person during SEARAC’s Leadership and Advocacy Training to meet with congressional offices as well as those who took action by sending hundreds of emails to their elected officials urging them to vote no on this dehumanizing bill. We know that while we may have lost today, we will remember the results of these votes as we mobilize ourselves to defend the progress our communities have made over the last 50 years."
Jul 3
Nearly 1 in 5 Southeast Asian Americans live at or near poverty—and for many, federally funded education programs are the difference between falling behind or moving forward.
Many SEAA students rely on school support systems built for low-income families.
Cutting these funds means SEAA students will lose the resources they need to thrive.Our children deserve equal chances—not underresourced classrooms. Tell your Representative to vote NO at bit.ly/seaatakeaction and/or call (202) 224-3121 #OurRootsOurPower
Jul 3
