In the aftermath of war and genocide in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, many SEAAs were separated in their escape to safety. Our immigration system must ensure the timely and humane reunification of families.
Key resource:
How family-based immigration benefits Southeast Asian Americans: Standing up for our families and our rights — A memo that discusses the current backlog for immigration visas and the ramifications of ending family-based sponsorship.
Featured story
Keep Our Families Whole – SEARAC Applauds Reintroduction of the Reuniting Families Act
The RFA would streamline the United States’ family immigration system – which has not been updated in over 20 years – to ensure the timely and humane reunification of immigrant and refugee families. The bill would eliminate bureaucratic red tape: clearing visa backlogs in the family and employment immigration systems, as well as providing an opportunity for relief for immigrants in deportation proceedings to remain with their families.
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“She’s all I think about. I just want my companion to be with me here, not just to help as a caregiver to my elderly father, but so we can also finally save some money and start a family, which is all I ever wanted. The emotional stress, the financial hardship, the physical toll it’s taken on both of us — it’s all really hard to manage.”
Solar installer, Minnesota
“The Reuniting Families Act would make our family reunification system more humane by ensuring that our families do not have to wait decades to be together and by providing greater opportunities for relief for those currently in deportation proceedings.”
Executive Director, SEARAC
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Latest related posts
Southeast Asian American stories deserve space to be explored, uplifted, and celebrated. "Southeast Asian American Journeys," a powerful docuseries produced in association with the @caamedia, offers a look into the unique experiences of Southeast Asian communities across the United States. SEARAC celebrates @joualeelens, the director of one of the episodes called "Teb Chaw (Land)," for their recent screening at Walker Art Center`s Hmong Filmmaker Showcase and TCFF MNmicro Film Fest.
Stay tuned for updates on future screenings of "Southeast Asian American Journeys" and if you are interested in partner screenings, learn more at the link in our bio.
Jul 30
Recent reporting from @cnn spotlights the impact of the Trump Administration`s cruel immigration policies on Southeast Asian Americans, many of whom arrived in the United States as refugees fleeing war, violence, and persecution. Ma Yang, a Hmong American woman, has been torn apart from her loved ones, displaced from her home in Milwaukee, and sent to a country she has never even been to. Quyen Dinh, SEARAC Executive Director, shared, “Our communities lost our entire homelands and livelihoods because of the destruction of our home countries, because of US decisions and US hands and US forces. When you accept a refugee, it is for the duration and the lifetime of the harm that you have done and have created.”
Read the full article at the link in our bio.
Jul 28
“Communities should never have to choose between being visible and being safe.” – Quyên Đinh, SEARAC Executive Director
Health care is a human right, and handing over personal data to ICE puts everyone’s access to care at risk. All communities, including Southeast Asian American communities, must be able to seek and receive health care free from fear of potential detention and deportation—and with the confidence that their private data is protected.
Jul 23
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
