​Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) released an opinion that partially lifts the injunction on the Muslim Ban, which would now bar entry to individuals without any connection to a person or entity in the United States. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) condemns this decision that poorly reflects our nation’s history and legacy of welcoming immigrants and refugees.
 
Johanna Puno Hester, APALA National President and Assistant Executive Director of the United Domestic Workers, AFSCME Local 3930, commented: “As an immigrant to this country myself, I am extremely upset by a SCOTUS ruling so offensive to all immigrants and refugees. The religious intolerance and racial discrimination that the administration continues to unabashedly display in its rhetoric and policy is not only disgusting but is a direct attack on our nation’s core values.”
 
“With Gorsuch rounding out the Supreme Court, these rulings will have a tremendous, far-reaching impact on millions of people both nationwide and abroad,” added APALA Executive Director Alvina Yeh. “That’s why our fight for immigrant and refugee communities continues despite whatever decision the Supreme Court rules in the fall. Our fight goes beyond holding elected officials accountable; it extends to protecting the very people in our families, friends, and communities from hate and discrimination.”
 
Hester concluded: “We will not give into fear-mongering at the highest levels of government. Rather, we will defend our democracy with everything we’ve got and show the administration that our resistance will be stronger than ever.”

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​Washington, DC – Today, on June 27, 2016, the United States Supreme Court voted 5-3 in Whole Women’s Health v Hellerstedt, effectively striking down a restrictive Texas law that would have placed unnecessary regulations on women seeking abortion services. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) commends the decision to protect women’s access to healthcare and calls this a significant victory for women’s rights.

“Today, we celebrate a huge win for women everywhere. What this means for all women – including women of color, low-income women, and immigrant women – is monumental: to make our own health decisions with dignity and respect,” stated APALA National President Johanna Hester. 

The Texas bill HB2 threatened to close all but 10 abortion clinics throughout the state, which makes access to care nearly impossible. Texas houses the third largest Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population in the country. With today’s positive ruling, AAPI women of reproductive age will have better access to abortion and healthcare services. The decision also paves the way for additional clinics to open in Texas and sets a strong legal precedent to protect women’s access to abortion services beyond Texas. 
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“The fight for guaranteed access to safe, affordable health care doesn’t end here. We need to strengthen our efforts to put a stop to similar state restrictions that make it difficult for women to exercise their rights,” Hester added. “APALA stand firms to reject any sort of legislation that criminalizes the choices and bodies of women of color and continues to advocate for broader reproductive, health and economic justice for all women.”

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Washington, DC – On June 23, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 4-3 in Fisher v. University of Texas in favor of the use of affirmative action policies in university admissions. The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) commends the Supreme Court’s decision that considers and values racial diversity as a factor for a well-rounded student body on college campuses.

“Today’s decision is so important to help level the disparities in our higher education institutions. Expanding the opportunities for education for all students and valuing what diverse people bring to the table undoubtedly benefit our country as a whole,” stated APALA National President Johanna Hester. “We need to prioritize inclusivity and promoting cross-racial and cross-cultural understanding in an increasingly globalized society.”

The case arose from claims by Abigail Fisher, a white student who alleged that she was denied admission to University of Texas based on her race. Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, with support from APALA and more than 160+ Asian American Pacific Islander organizations, filed three separate amicus briefs in support of affirmative actions in higher education.  

Many institutions of education have a long history of structural racism and overt policies that continue to harm people of color within our society. In the K-12 public education system, people of color still face substandard, underfunded schools with alarmingly high drop-out rates. Standardized tests, which are largely used by higher education institutions for admissions decisions, have also been proven to have racially discriminatory impact.

“Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are not a monolithic group. Many groups within the AAPI community, such as Southeast Asian Americans, don’t have the same access to higher education as other AAPIs. When we look beyond the model minority, we see that affirmative action does indeed benefit AAPIs students and all students,” added Monica Thammarath, APALA National 1st Vice President and Co-Chair for the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) Education Committee. “The AAPI community should not be used as a model minority to further wedge and divide communities of colors.”
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APALA continues to advocate for racial justice and stands in solidarity with African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans in defending and expanding affirmative action.  

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