Washington, DC – On June 23, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 4-4 in the case known as Texas v. United States, a decision that defaults the ruling on President Obama’s 2014 Immigration Executive Action to create the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA+) programs, to the lower court’s decision. Today’s deadlock upholds the U.S. 5th Circuit of Appeals’ earlier decision to block the implementation of DAPA and DACA+ last November. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) is extremely disappointed in the Court’s decision that effectively denies administrative relief from deportation to millions of immigrant families across the country.

“The Supreme Court’s decision is a huge setback for all immigrant families in the U.S. The expanded DACA and DAPA programs would have been crucial first steps to addressing our country’s immigration crisis and curbing the disproportionate criminalization of people of color,” said APALA National President Johanna Hester. “Immigrants have been absolutely critical to building and strengthening our nation, and our immigration policies should start to reflect the dignity and respect these families deserve.”

Had the Supreme Court ruled in favor of DAPA and DACA+, an estimated 3.9 million of immigrants and their families across the country would have been eligible for administrative relief from deportation, though the majority of undocumented people were excluded from the newest provisions. The Asian Americans Advancing Justice estimates that nearly 500,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders stand to benefit from existing programs. Today’s outcome does not impact existing beneficiaries of the DACA 2012 program, nor does it set a national precedent.

“Too long have undocumented immigrants been ostracized for their immigration status, and with this new ruling, our communities will still continue to live in fear and worry about being torn away from their loved ones. This tie vote is yet another example of why we need to appoint a Supreme Court Justice who will not play politics alongside Republican members of Congress. The GOP’s continued obstructionism to appoint a new Justice impedes our highest court from administering justice,” Hester added.
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APALA joins the #Not1More campaign and calls for signatories on a petition demanding for a moratorium on further deportations. To sign the petition, please visit: https://action.mijente.net/petitions/no-dapa-no-deportations/. APALA will continue to push for comprehensive immigration policies that are inclusive of all undocumented immigrants, and remains committed to ending the mass criminalization of communities of color. 

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Washington, DC -  Earlier this morning, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) ended a filibuster on the Senate floor after announcing several commitments from Republicans leaders to expand background checks and close the loophole on gun availability for individuals on U.S. terrorism watch lists. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) applauds the Senator’s efforts and joins the larger national discussion to move on stronger gun control measures. 

“Enough is enough. These measures are long overdue,” states APALA National President Johanna Hester. “The nation has suffered too many instances of tragic shootings – from Newtown to San Bernardino to the most recent mass shooting in Orlando last weekend. It’s about time Congress takes action and helps put a stop to this pattern of violence at home.”

Senator Murphy’s blockade started late Wednesday morning and lasted nearly 15 hours. Legislators are now focusing on closing the loophole that allows suspected terrorists to own and purchase guns, pushing for more thorough background checks, and renewing the lapsed ban on assault weapons. 
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“Too many lives have been lost. This is but one step closer to closing the terror gap and universal background checks,” states APALA Executive Director Gregory Cendana. “Bipartisan support will be crucial to moving forward on more thorough gun controls. We will follow the debate in Congress and take note on who supports these common sense reforms--and who doesn't.”  
APALA continues to denounce the wide availability of firearms and explosives and condemns policies that standardize profiling and surveillance of marginalized communities.

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Washington, DC - The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance stands in solidarity with millions of individuals across the nation and the globe to mourn the victims of the Pulse gay nightclub shooting in Orlando on June 12, 2016. Our thoughts and prayers go out to these individuals, their families, those injured, and all communities who are affected.

It is especially heartbreaking that this act of violence has occurred during the month dedicated to uplifting the LGBTQ community, a time of celebration and unity, and the month of Ramadan, a period of peace and self-reflection.  

APALA condemns rhetoric that serves to further divide our communities and reminds all Americans that the acts of one individual do not represent all Muslims. The constant attempts to use institutionalized polices and rhetoric, such as the term “radical Islamism”, to scapegoat the Muslim community will only fuel anti-Muslim bigotry and lead to additional policies that normalize violence against AAPIs and other communities of color.

Moreover the 49 victims of this massacre targeting the LBGTQ community, including many whom were Latino, depicts the type of fear our queer and trans brothers and sisters have to live with every day because of their identity. This tragedy cannot intimidate LBGTQ people to continue to live in terror, but instead we must all be resilient and band together to stop hateful acts of homophobia and transphobia in America.

Sunday’s horrific shooting was, sadly, not an isolated incident. This year alone, we have seen 134 mass shootings and many more hate crimes throughout the country, patterns of violence that cannot continue. A taxi driver was shot in Pittsburgh, and a store owner in New York City was attacked – two instances of hate crimes all motivated on basis of the victims’ faith. APALA strongly cautions against the compounding of additional hate crimes and the pitting of people of color against each other as both our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ and Muslim communities understand what it means to be targeted. Together, we are stronger and call for all political, religious and civic leaders to unite against prejudice and violence directed at any group.

The tragedy in Orlando marks one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history and comes at a time where excessive gun violence highlights the dire need for policy change. APALA decries the wide availability of firearms and explosives, along with policies that standardize profiling and surveillance of marginalized communities. We join the national call to strengthen our gun control laws to ban assault weapons and bolster background checks and federal encouragement. 
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“The continued targeting of marginalized communities, from Charleston and Colorado, and acts of terror, from Boston to Brussels, remind us of the deadly force of fear and hate. We stand united against the demonization of entire communities, and denounce all acts of homophobia, Islamophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia,” states APALA National President Johanna Hester.

“We have far to go to in addressing the deep rooted hate, especially towards marginalized people, that continues to plague this country,” reflects APALA Executive Director Gregory Cendana. “We must support each other in these tough times. It’s a shame that mass shootings, hate crimes and other forms of violence are still as common as they are today. And lastly, we must continue to love, to heal, and to grow.”

APALA remains committed to creating spaces where all people can live without fear of being targeted for their sexuality, sexual orientation, their faith, the color of their skin or any other self or perceived identity.
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Click HERE to read the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity (MASGD) Statement.
Click HERE to read the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) Statement.

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