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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Thank you for joining us during this Week of Commemoration. We remain committed to honoring and uplifting the voices of Southeast Asian American communities across the United States.
Our fight for visibility, equity, and justice does not end with this 50th commemoration. It is a milestone in a much longer journey. We invite you to join us in reimagining a more just future for all — during these next 50 years and beyond.
Today, we honor the story of Lao Americans. From demanding the cleanup of unexploded ordnance to advocating for the protection of SEAAs from unjust detention and deportation, Lao American leadership embodies the power and persistence of the Southeast Asian American diaspora — the will to survive, resist, and thrive against all odds.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
May 2
Thank you for joining us during this Week of Commemoration. We remain committed to honoring and uplifting the voices of Southeast Asian American communities across the United States.
Our fight for visibility, equity, and justice does not end with this 50th commemoration. It is a milestone in a much longer journey. We invite you to join us in reimagining a more just future for all — during these next 50 years and beyond.
Today, we honor the story of Lao Americans. From demanding the cleanup of unexploded ordnance to advocating for the protection of SEAAs from unjust detention and deportation, Lao American leadership embodies the power and persistence of the Southeast Asian American diaspora — the will to survive, resist, and thrive against all odds.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
Today, SEARAC honors the 50th commemoration of Hmong American refugee resettlement and the incredible legacy the Hmong community has built over five decades.
As we mark this 50-year milestone, we reflect on a history shaped by loss, resilience, and hard-won progress. The Hmong community continues to navigate the challenges of displacement and systemic barriers, even as it builds power across generations. SEARAC remains committed to amplifying Hmong voices and ensuring that their contributions continue to be recognized and valued.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio.
May 1
Today, SEARAC honors the 50th commemoration of Hmong American refugee resettlement and the incredible legacy the Hmong community has built over five decades.
As we mark this 50-year milestone, we reflect on a history shaped by loss, resilience, and hard-won progress. The Hmong community continues to navigate the challenges of displacement and systemic barriers, even as it builds power across generations. SEARAC remains committed to amplifying Hmong voices and ensuring that their contributions continue to be recognized and valued.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio.
On this day 50 years ago, Saigon fell and the lives of millions of people who called Vietnam home were forever changed. April 1975 marked a chapter of profound loss and mass displacement for Vietnamese families, many of whom were forced to flee their homeland in search of safety and a new future. Against all odds, communities from Vietnam have survived the trauma of war; and five decades later continue to fight for a vision of abundance, not just survival. But this is not just the story of the Vietnamese, it is also the story for the Mien, Tai Dam, Montagnard, and other Southeast Asian refugees who fled.
As the largest Southeast Asian community, Vietnamese Americans carry our responsibility to stand together with all communities living under threat. We must protect each other, our dreams, and our democracy. And we must remind this Congress, this administration, and this country that we not only belong here but are woven into the American fabric. Our story is not one just of escape, it is also a story of resilience, of love, and of hope. For 50 years, we have transformed trauma into power.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
Apr 30
On this day 50 years ago, Saigon fell and the lives of millions of people who called Vietnam home were forever changed. April 1975 marked a chapter of profound loss and mass displacement for Vietnamese families, many of whom were forced to flee their homeland in search of safety and a new future. Against all odds, communities from Vietnam have survived the trauma of war; and five decades later continue to fight for a vision of abundance, not just survival. But this is not just the story of the Vietnamese, it is also the story for the Mien, Tai Dam, Montagnard, and other Southeast Asian refugees who fled.
As the largest Southeast Asian community, Vietnamese Americans carry our responsibility to stand together with all communities living under threat. We must protect each other, our dreams, and our democracy. And we must remind this Congress, this administration, and this country that we not only belong here but are woven into the American fabric. Our story is not one just of escape, it is also a story of resilience, of love, and of hope. For 50 years, we have transformed trauma into power.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
This month, Cambodian American communities across the country observed days of remembrance as a time of solemn reflection for victims and survivors of the Cambodian Genocide, which claimed the lives of about a quarter of the country’s population (an estimated two million people) between 1975 and 1979 under Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime.
For loved ones lost in Cambodia, we mourn and hold their spirits close to our hearts. In their memory, we uphold our commitment to confront injustice wherever it emerges.
Today, we also celebrate the incredible will of the Cambodian American people, many of whom continue to heal from the trauma and have rebuilt their communities with courage and grace. Their stories are a testament to human strength and the enduring spirit of survival.
Let this day serve as a reminder of our shared humanity, as inspiration to speak out against hatred and violence in all their forms.
Learn more at the link in our bio!
Apr 29
This month, Cambodian American communities across the country observed days of remembrance as a time of solemn reflection for victims and survivors of the Cambodian Genocide, which claimed the lives of about a quarter of the country’s population (an estimated two million people) between 1975 and 1979 under Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime.
For loved ones lost in Cambodia, we mourn and hold their spirits close to our hearts. In their memory, we uphold our commitment to confront injustice wherever it emerges.
Today, we also celebrate the incredible will of the Cambodian American people, many of whom continue to heal from the trauma and have rebuilt their communities with courage and grace. Their stories are a testament to human strength and the enduring spirit of survival.
Let this day serve as a reminder of our shared humanity, as inspiration to speak out against hatred and violence in all their forms.
Learn more at the link in our bio!
Congress is pushing a budget plan that would slash food and healthcare programs for children and families — just to fund tax cuts for billionaires and ramp up immigration enforcement that will harm immigrant and refugee communities, including Southeast Asian Americans.
The stakes couldn’t be higher and we need your help. Join us in urging Congress to keep families together, protect access to lifesaving care, and support education opportunities. Take action today!
👉 Go to the link in our bio or visit bit.ly/CareOverCuts (case sensitive) and tell Congress to vote NO on the reconciliation bill.
Apr 28
Congress is pushing a budget plan that would slash food and healthcare programs for children and families — just to fund tax cuts for billionaires and ramp up immigration enforcement that will harm immigrant and refugee communities, including Southeast Asian Americans.
The stakes couldn’t be higher and we need your help. Join us in urging Congress to keep families together, protect access to lifesaving care, and support education opportunities. Take action today!
👉 Go to the link in our bio or visit bit.ly/CareOverCuts (case sensitive) and tell Congress to vote NO on the reconciliation bill.