Tony Choi

Tony Choi

Tony Choi is an advocate for illegal immigration.

Fighting for Illegal Immigration Rally January 16 2018

Pramila Jayapal with DACA activists

On January 17 2018, Pramila Jayapal protested with DACA activists from NAKASEC (Dae Joong Yoon Co-Director, Sam Yu Communications Coordinator), Tony Choi, Rob Bonta, Kevin de Leon, UndocuBlack Network, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), African Communities Together leader and Local 23 President Bert Bayou and others.

From the Facebook Live Video:

"Community members from the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), the UndocuBlack Network (UBN), Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC, The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), African Communities Together and UNITE HERE Local 23 will host a timely press conference denouncing President Trump’s racist statements in his meeting with U.S. Senators last week and call for a DREAM Act that leaves family sponsorship and diversity visa programs intact by January 19th, the deadline for the upcoming Continuing Resolution (CR). In addition to impacted community members and community leaders, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Congresswoman Judy Chu, CAPAC Immigration Subcommittee Chair Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, California State Senate President pro tempore Kevin de Leon and California Assemblymember and Chair of the California Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus Rob Bonta will participate."

SPEAKERS

NAKASEC Facebook Live Video January 16 2018

The speakers in the order in which they appeared:

• Kevin de Leon
• Pramila Jayapal
• Rob Bonta
• Tony Choi, 18 Million Rising, Former organizer with the Women’s March
• Guerline Jozef, UndocuBlack Network
• Bert Bayou New York Immigration Coalition
• Judy Chu (absent)
• John Yang, President, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC

I Am An Immigrant: The Story Of Our Nation

Tony Choi performed at 'I Am An Immigrant: The Story Of Our Nation,' "a live performance celebrating immigrants and the immigrant heritage of the United States at Holman United Methodist Church on June 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California."

Featured at China Daily

Tony Choi was featured in an article by Kelly Chung Dawson at China Daily about his illegal immigration activism in 2013.

This is an excerpt:

"In New York, an activist group called Revolutionizing Asian American Immigrant Stories on the East Coast (RAISE) recently produced a theater project, a short film and an ongoing blog showcasing the stories of undocumented Asian American youth.

""Coming out [as undocumented] led me to realize the irony: that making myself vulnerable actually made me safer," writes Tony Choi, 24, on Raise Our Story, the group's blog.

"Sponsored by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund in New York, the group includes members from various Asian countries including China, Korea and Bangladesh.

""We want people to know how the issue of immigration impacts real people in real, substantial ways," said filmmaker Brian Redondo, who worked with Corinne Manabat on Why We Rise, a short film featuring three undocumented Asian Americans. "Our goal is to humanize the issue of illegal immigration in the US, and show that it's something that affects a broad and diverse swath of people, including Asian Americans."

"Although President Barack Obama's 2012 memorandum Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals has provided temporary relief for undocumented youth who arrived in the US before the age of 16 and were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund believes that the immigration bill currently being debated in congress includes several negative changes. Family visas would be more severely limited, and employers would wield greater power over workers as a result of the bill, said Bethany Li, a staff attorney at AALDEF who helped initiate RAISE.

"In response, the group's activities have ramped up to include education workshops in high schools, colleges and churches; leadership development projects, coalition building and several advocacy trips to Washington.

"Henry Qin, a Fuzhou, China-born RAISE member who performed in the theater piece UndocuAsians last month, joined the group for emotional support.

"Before I joined, I didn't know who to turn to or what my rights were," Qin said. "Now that I know more, I want to reach out to kids in high school or college facing the same situation, and let them know that they're not alone out there. There's a trend of people coming out of the shadows now, and we can contribute. Maybe if people will see how many of us there are, it'll change their opinions of our situation."

"Undocumented youth often face fewer stigmas in the US because their parents are viewed as the ones who brought them into the country illegally, Li said.

""However, coming out as undocumented is still extremely brave," Li told China Daily. "There is a certain amount of risk, both for them and their families. But because there is more sympathy toward their situation, undocumented youth are now leading this movement."

"Rendondo also spoke about the risk that RAISE's young members are taking.

"For them to come out of the shadows in such a public way is very bold," he said. "It is incumbent for the rest of us to acknowledge the risk of what they're doing, because they're putting their lives on the line. That's how important an issue it is."

"Immigration from Asia has risen rapidly in recent years, and immigrants from Asia now comprise almost 40 percent of all immigrants to the US. For most Americans, the issue of immigration remains an abstract concept, Li said.

"One of the things we've found most helpful in connecting is to tell each other's stories, because it's a powerful tool in trying to convey more complicated policy issues," she said. "All over this country we are surrounded by immigrants all the time. It's important that we take the time to understand that the person standing next to you on the bus or walking next to you on the sidewalk is in this country and has as much of a life as you or I do."

References

Template:Reflist