MESSAGE FROM DIANE NARASAKI AND TONY LEE KING COUNTY ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COALITION (APIC) CO-CHAIRS
Hello everyone. We are writing to warmly invite you to the February 8, Wednesday evening community briefing at ACRS. We will begin with a reception with some light food and beverages at 5:30pm. The program will follow, 6pm – 8pm, though we may begin earlier than 6pm, if enough people have arrived.
There will be two important topics covered. The first is Asian Pacific American Legislative Day and the issues in our legislative agenda. We will reserve 30 minutes to cover our proposed agenda to bring to our Governor and state legislators and hear your feedback.
Most of the time will be reserved for the second topic, President Trump’s Executive Orders and actions that attack the rights of immigrants, refugees, and Muslims. Jorge Baron, Executive Director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP), an attorney with legal expertise and insights on these, will share information and analyses of how community members will be affected and steps people should take to keep as safe as possible. Jorge and NWIRP rushed to SeaTac airport this weekend when the recent Muslim ban went into effect, and played a key role in preventing Muslims who would have been sent back immediately to the countries from which they came without NWIRP and colleagues’ intervention.
As you know, our very diverse community includes both documented and undocumented immigrants, as well as refugees and citizens. Immigrants, as well as refugees, will be affected by recent Executive Orders. The entire refugee program is currently affected. Undocumented immigrants are now in greater danger. We may also soon hear an Executive Order relating to access to publicly funded services for immigrants and refugees as well as an expansion of the list of countries which will be affected by the Executive Orders.
We encourage you to come, and if you have staff or community leaders or members who are concerned about these issues, to bring them too. Please be sure to RSVP to Stephanie Riedl at stephanier@acrs.org by 2/7, the day before, if possible, if you plan to come and how many people you will bring so she can arrange for proper seating and enough food.
Thanks and hope to see you on February 8 evening!
