Press Release

Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Media Contact: Advancing Justice | Chicago
Communications Manager
Arjumand Khan email: akhan@advancingjustice-chicago.org

Hundreds Gather for 12th Annual Asian American Action Day in Springfield to Demand “Sanctuary for All”

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois– More than 500 community members from across Illinois converged at the State Capitol today for the 12th annual Asian American Action Day, organized by the Pan Asian Voter Empowerment (PAVE) Coalition and led by Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago.
This year’s powerful gathering marked the 50th anniversary of the end of the wars in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos and served as a moment of remembrance, resistance, and renewed calls for immigrant justice under the rallying cry: “Sanctuary for All.”

“I felt really empowered by the day and felt connected to my community. We do not need anyone to speak for us; we can speak for our needs. Our voices belong in the Capitol and our voices deserve to be heard,” said Nebula Li, Advancing Justice | Chicago volunteer leader.

Dozens of lobby teams made up of concerned community members spent the day advocating for policies that uplift and protect Asian American communities.

This year’s legislative priorities include increasing funding for the Immigrant Services Line Item and Access to Justice program, as well as legislation that promotes inclusive school calendars, protections for undocumented immigrants, and affordable housing.

These face-to-face meetings with lawmakers demonstrated the power of grassroots civic engagement and the impact of community-led advocacy in shaping statewide policy.

The PAVE Coalition was honored and acknowledged on the House floor during the legislative session by state Representative Kevin Olickal. State Representative Theresa Mah also highlighted Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago for their leadership within the Coalition.

The day culminated with a rally that began with a heartfelt tribute to Tuyet Le, the former Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago and the visionary founder of both Asian American Action Day and the Asian American Caucus in the Illinois Legislature. The tribute was delivered by Deputy Governor Grace Hou.

Emceed by Stella Wang of Advancing Justice | Chicago and Philana Quan of the Vietnamese Association of Illinois, the rally program included powerful reflections from Southeast Asian American community leaders and personal testimonies highlighting the ongoing challenges facing immigrants and refugees.

Chants of “What do we want? Sanctuary for all! When do we want it? Now!” echoed throughout the Capitol rotunda.

Speakers from the Cambodian Association of Illinois, Lao American Organization of Elgin, and Vietnamese Association of Illinois shared moving reflections on intergenerational trauma and resilience.
Community testimonies from Norasing Kethdy, Jong Hee Yoon (with interpretation by Sunyoung Pierce), and 16-year-old Adam Kattom of the Muslim Civic Coalition underscored the urgent need for increased investment in immigrant services, legal protections, and inclusive school policies.
Illinois’ Asian American elected officials also took the stage in support of the day’s demands. Representative Hoan Huynh, Representative Theresa Mah, and Senator Ram Villivalam expressed solidarity with the community and reaffirmed their commitment to immigrant justice and legislative change.

The event brought together all 19 organizations in the PAVE Coalition and ended with a group photo, final chants, and a unified call to continue the work toward sanctuary and justice for all.

This year’s Asian American Action Day served not only as a commemoration of history, but as a mobilizing force for policy change and a future rooted in solidarity, safety, and dignity for all communities.

###
Media note: Please see the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12jD01_gsvXgO-CQn0_eKzTC5ci2PNRh3?usp=sharing_eil&ts=68129ade for pictures from AAA Day 2025. Photo credit: Advancing Justice | Chicago

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity. Learn more at www.advancingjustice-chicago.org.  

     PRESS STATEMENT: Friday, April 11th, 2025

     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Denounces House Passage of SAVE Act  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a dangerous piece of legislation that creates barriers to voting for millions of Americans. The act requires individuals to show documentary proof of citizenship such as a passport or birth certificate to register or re-register to vote with the goal of preventing noncitizen voting in federal elections – something that is exceedingly rare. The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration. 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a network of four affiliated independent civil rights organizations issues the following statement: 

“We are dismayed by the House’s decision to advance the misnamed SAVE Act, which is an unwarranted attack on voting rights for all who are eligible. In reality, the SAVE Act exploits divisive claims about voter fraud to undermine the democratic process and villainize immigrant communities. And while it aims to target noncitizens, it will make registering to vote significantly more difficult for the over 21 million Americans who were born here or are naturalized citizens, who do not have ready access to the required forms of identification only due to the nature of accessing or maintaining such documents. 

“Additionally, the SAVE Act’s mandate for states to purge voter rolls of noncitizens is an error-prone process due to outdated information in many state and federal databases. It will disproportionately harm communities of color, including Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), especially the nearly 50% who are naturalized. Let’s call the SAVE Act what it actually is: fraudulent fearmongering designed to exclude qualified voters. 

“We already know that requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote creates barriers for eligible voters. Past attempts to require proof of citizenship to vote and remove suspected noncitizens from voter rolls at the state level erroneously blocked thousands of eligible voters from exercising their right to vote. While this outcome is disappointing, we will continue working to defend the right of all eligible Americans to show up at the ballot box.” 

PRESS CONTACT: 

Aleisha Flores (771) 233-8202 aflores@advancingjustice-aajc.org

Liana Liang (213) 977‑7500 x237 lliang@ajsocal.org

Rachael Ramchand (404) 585-8446 x990 rramchand@advancingjustice-atlanta.org 

Arjumand Khan (773) 616-0755 akhan@advancingjustice-chicago.org

### 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity. Learn more at www.advancingjustice-chicago.org.  

Read More

PRESS STATEMENT: Monday, March 18th, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Calls Out Detention of Green Card Holder and Raises Concerns Over Lack of Due Process 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a network of four independent Asian American civil rights organizations, releases the following statement:   

Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil will remain in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Louisiana, a New York federal judge held Wednesday. Khalil is a lawful permanent resident who was arrested by federal officials at his Columbia University residence on Saturday, March 8, 2025, in an attempt by the Trump administration to deport him in retaliation for his advocacy in support of Palestinian rights.  

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of four Asian American civil rights organizations across the country, responds to the unfolding situation of the detention and potential deportation of Khalil, and the current threats to legal protections in this country. 

The Trump administration’s ongoing actions raise serious concerns about the disregard for the rule of law, exemplified by the recent detention and attempted deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder. The president’s unconscionably broad interpretation of his administration’s authority to deport lawful permanent residents undermines principles of due process and chills First Amendment expression, highlighting a troubling trend of prioritizing political agendas over legal protections and individual freedoms. Such actions threaten the foundational values of justice and fairness that underpin our democracy. 

We stand in solidarity with those speaking out during this critical time as the Trump administration seeks to instill fear and suppress the right to speak out against U.S. foreign policies. Everyone is entitled to exercise their First Amendment rights. 

### 

About Asian Americans Advancing Justice 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of four leading Asian American civil rights organizations committed to advancing the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and building a more just society for all. 

 About Asian Americans Advancing Justice 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of four leading Asian American civil rights organizations committed to advancing the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and building a more just society for all. 

Contact: 

Aleisha Flores, aflores@advancingjustice-aajc.org 

Liza Ameen, lameen@ajsocal.org 

Marylin Tom, mtom@advancingjustice-atlanta.org 

Arjumand Khan, akhan@advancingjustice-chicago.org 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity. Learn more at www.advancingjustice-chicago.org.  

Read More

PRESS STATEMENT: Monday, March 17th, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Denounces President Trump’s Attempt to Invoke the Archaic Alien Enemies Act of 1798

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a network of four independent Asian American civil rights organizations, applauds the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for temporarily blocking President Trump’s attempt to invoke the Alien Enemies Act (AEA), an archaic and discriminatory law incompatible with our nation’s foundational principles of liberty, equality, and justice for all. 

Trump’s recent efforts to revive this abuse-prone wartime law under the false pretense of a “migrant invasion” represents a dangerous escalation in an ongoing anti-immigrant agenda. We commend the judiciary’s swift and decisive intervention to halt this misuse of power. 

Originally enacted in 1798, the AEA grants sweeping authority to detain or deport noncitizens from nations labeled as “enemy” states during war or “invasion.” The AEA was last used during World War II to incarcerate 120,000 Japanese Americans based on false claims of military necessity. The internment of Japanese Americans represents a severe injustice and a dark chapter in American history that should not be repeated. This injustice is now echoed in the labeling of migrants fleeing violence and hardship as invaders, and it is factually incorrect, legally unfounded, and morally reprehensible. Furthermore, the AEA provides no safeguards for lawful permanent residents, refugees, or even children. The court’s decision properly recognizes that migration, driven by humanitarian crises, is not an act of war. We commend the court for recognizing this historical misuse and acting decisively to ensure it is not repeated today. 

Invoking the AEA is not about national security—it is about the politics of fear and xenophobia, racial profiling, and authoritarianism, which we firmly reject. 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice urges continued vigilance and calls on Congress to repeal the Alien Enemies Act once and for all. Its history and current misuse prove that it’s not compatible with our laws and values. To repeal this act entirely will prevent this administration and others from challenging the courts. No administration should be permitted to weaponize such outdated laws against immigrants and communities of color ever again.  

### 

About Asian Americans Advancing Justice 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of four leading Asian American civil rights organizations committed to advancing the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and building a more just society for all. 

Contact: 

Aleisha Flores, aflores@advancingjustice-aajc.org 

Liza Ameen, lameen@ajsocal.org 

Marylin Tom, mtom@advancingjustice-atlanta.org 

Arjumand Khan, akhan@advancingjustice-chicago.org 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity. Learn more at www.advancingjustice-chicago.org.  

Read More

PRESS STATEMENT: Monday, March 12th, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Condemns Gutting of the Department of Education
Organizations Say Trump Move Puts Equal Education at Risk

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Trump moved forward with one of his most troubling campaigns promises to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) by beginning sweeping staffing cuts. Like many of his actions and directives over the last six weeks, this is a blatant act of disregard for the rule of law and is also an attack on our nation’s children.

Since its creation in 1980, the Department of Education has provided robust support for the 90% of K-12 students who attend public schools in the United States. Critical funding, civil rights enforcement, school environment guidance, and research have allowed generations of students to learn, grow, and become active participants in what should be a multiracial democracy. This overreach of the President’s power would hurt students and families nationwide, especially those from marginalized and low-income backgrounds by diminishing essential resources.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a network of four independent Asian American civil rights organizations, released the following statement condemning the action:

“We are troubled by the President’s threats to abolish the Department of Education. The loss of the Department’s crucial staff raises key concerns for the over 2.7 million Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students that we serve, 20% of whom are students with disabilities and 10% of whom are English Learners who face social and systemic stigma. AANHPI students have long suffered the harm of the ‘model minority’ myth, which has caused them to be overlooked for both educational support and protection from discrimination. The ED has also provided guidance on language access for families navigating the school systems to support their children.

“The ED’s distribution of funding, guidelines for inclusive learning climates, and civil rights enforcement has provided AANHPI and other marginalized students with access to opportunities to thrive. Indeed, one of our own affiliates filed a complaint with the ED’s Office for Civil Rights just two weeks ago, outlining systemic failures of the Fulton County School District in Georgia to protect students from pervasive discrimination. The Department has also played a vital role in collecting disaggregated data about students and schools, providing critical insight into our communities, whose diversity is often overlooked or ignored.

“The President and his administration’s gutting of the ED is not only an abuse of power but shows that they are willing to put students and their futures on the chopping block to silence ideas they disagree with and encourage division. We won’t stand down in our fight to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students.”

### 

About Asian Americans Advancing Justice 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of four leading Asian American civil rights organizations committed to advancing the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and building a more just society for all. 

Contact: 

Aleisha Flores, aflores@advancingjustice-aajc.org 

Liza Ameen, lameen@ajsocal.org 

Marylin Tom, mtom@advancingjustice-atlanta.org 

Arjumand Khan, akhan@advancingjustice-chicago.org 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity. Learn more at www.advancingjustice-chicago.org.  

Read More