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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TODAY IS THE DAY! Join SEARAC, CAAM, and community partners from across the country for our special virtual screening of our docuseries, Southeast Asian American Journeys. We will be sharing our five part docuseries, including our episode "Between Us" which follows LGBTQIA+ Khmer and Vietnamese cultural workers in southern California as they contemplate the in-betweenness of belonging, healing, and carving out spaces of their own.
How to attend the virtual screening:
Visit SEARAC`s Facebook or Youtube channels (@SEARAC) at 4 pm ET/1pm PT. The full five part docuseries will be livestreamed and includes a Q&A and panel discussion!
Dec 13
Our special virtual screening is 1 day away and we can`t wait to share our award-winning documentary series with you. Southeast Asian American Journeys shines a powerful light on Southeast Asian American stories that are too often ignored in mainstream media. We hope that you join us in celebrating the remarkable experiences of our communities across the country, such as Hmong refugee farmers transforming local foodways in a diversified Minnesota.
Join us tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 13 from 4-6 pm ET (1-3 pm PT) for this special event. RSVP at bit.ly/journeysrsvp and tune in live on Facebook and YouTube from anywhere in the country.
Dec 12
SEARAC celebrates the introduction of a House and Senate resolution recognizing 2025 as the 50th anniversary of Southeast Asian refugee resettlement in the United States. From surviving war, genocide, and perilous journeys to reshaping the cultural and economic fabric of this country, SEAA communities have built legacies rooted in courage and possibility. We thank @repderektran and @maziehirono for their leadership in introducing this resolution. Read the full statement at the link in our bio.
As we mark 50 years, SEARAC calls on Congress to advance policies that ensure opportunity for all refugee and immigrant communities. Join us as we commemorate this milestone on Tuesday, Dec. 16 from 1–2pm ET / 10–11am PT. Register at bit.ly/seaa50celebration or at the link in our bio.
Dec 11
Get these SEARAC gifts before they’re gone!
This is your last chance to get beautiful commemorative merchandise for the 50th anniversary of Southeast Asian refugee resettlement in the United States. These designs will be leaving the SEARAC store at the end of this year. Order now to receive your shipment by December 25th!
Browse the SEARAC store at searac.org/shop-searac-merch/
Dec 11
We are just 4 DAYS AWAY from the national screening of our award-winning documentary series, @seaajourneys_doc. The docuseries bridges coasts and communities with the power of storytelling. With 2025 marking the 50th year of Southeast Asian refugee resettlement in the United States, SEARAC is proud to share these intergenerational stories, including the Montagnard community in North Carolina.
This series was produced alongside award-winning filmmaker Quyên Nguyen-Le, and @caamedia. Register for the event here: seaapower.com/journeyslivestream
Dec 9
