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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 2014)
U.S.A. Page 8 n THE ASIAN REPORTER January 6, 2014 Fewer deportations a big issue for Asians, Hispanics By Hope Yen The Associated Press ASHINGTON — With immigration legislation stalled in congress, Hispanics and Asian Americans say getting relief from deportations is more important for many of the 11 million immigrants here illegally than creating a pathway to U.S. citizenship, a new study finds. Two polls released last month by the Pew Research Center expose a potential conflict for two minority groups that voted overwhelmingly last year for President Barack Obama, a Democrat. Obama is under pressure from immigration sup- porters to use his executive power to stop deportations. Strong majorities of both Hispanics and Asian Americans continue to back a pathway to citizenship, 89 percent and 72 percent, respectively. Still, by 55 percent to 35 percent, Hispanics said being able to live and work in the U.S. legally without the threat of deportation was more important. Among Asian Americans, the ratio was 49 to 44 percent. Among both groups, non-citizens are more apt than citizens to consider it important to remove the threat of deportation. Not all Latino immigrants in the U.S. seek to become American citizens, according to the Pew study. Of Hispanic immigrants who came to the U.S. legally, just 44 percent have become citizens, due in part to the cost of applying as well as worries about passing the English part of the citizenship test. Among immigrants from Mexico, the largest country of origin, the share is even lower, at 36 percent. “There’s no question that these groups W want a pathway to citizenship for the unauthorized, but the surveys also show that, especially for Latinos, it’s the threat of deportation that casts the longest shadow on their communities,” said Mark Hugo Lopez, Pew’s director of Hispanic research and author of the report. Last year, the senate passed far-reaching immigration legislation that would strengthen border enforcement and allow a 13-year pathway to citizenship. But activity has stalled in the GOP- controlled House of Representatives, with the citizenship provision a major sticking point. The delay has put pressure on Obama to act, as he did last year in halting deportations for some young immigrants. Under his administration, deportations of immigrants in the country illegally have hovered near 400,000 annually, with more than nine in 10 of the deportees from Latin America. That level continues a trend of rising deportations that began during the George W. Bush administration. Any action by Obama to halt deporta- tions would mean that immigrants here illegally would in effect get interim legal relief; however, only action by congress could give the immigrants legal status. In recent weeks, 29 House Democrats urged Obama in a letter to suspend deportations; “executive order” was the rallying cry of hecklers at a November Obama Democratic fundraiser in San Francisco. According to the Pew study, if significant immigration legislation does not pass this year, a plurality of Hispanics (43 percent) and Asian Americans (48 percent) would lay most of the blame on Republicans in congress. Still, sizable portions of each group — 34 percent of Hispanics and 29 percent of Asian Americans — say either Democrats in congress or Obama would be most IMMIGRATION ISSUE. Immigrants hold minia- ture U.S. flags while listening to a video broadcast from President Barack Obama during a naturalization ceremony attended by former mayor Michael Bloom- berg on December 18, 2013 in New York. A new study reveals that Hispanics and Asian Americans say get- ting relief from deportations is more important for many of the 11 million immigrants here illegally than creating a pathway to U.S. citizenship. (AP Photo/ Bebeto Matthews) responsible. In the 2012 election, 73 percent of Asian Americans voted for Obama, below the 93 percent of African Americans and about the same as Latinos at 71 percent, according to exit polling. The lopsided margins prompted many Republicans to express initial support for an immigration overhaul as a way of winning back Hispanic and Asian-American voters, some of whom expressed concern about the GOP’s anti-immigration rhetoric. The Pew surveys show that the two minority groups continue to view Obama more favorably than the overall U.S. public. About 54 percent of Hispanics and 62 percent of Asian Americans said they approved of Obama’s job performance. Just 41 percent of the general public said the same. The Pew study was based on two multilingual surveys. One interviewed a nationally representative sample of 701 Hispanic adults by cellphone or landline from October 16 to November 3; it has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. The second survey interviewed a sample of 802 Asian- American adults from October 16 to 31; it has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. Associated Press writer Donna Cassata contributed to this report. George Ichiro Azumano Experienced Business and Family Attorney Since 1985 (503) 226-4644 Business Setup Buy-Sell Leases Real Estate Foreclosures Real Estate - Sales and Disputes Family Law and Guardianship www.woodworthlaw.com www.portlanddivorcelawyer.com OPEN HOUSE Meet our experienced Chinese, Japanese & Spanish teachers, tour the school, explore language immersion & inquiry-based learning for your child. Tu Phan Call for: Refinances Purchases Offering: FHA/VA/Conventional Mortgages NMLS # 81395 MLO # 7916 12550 S.E. 93rd Avenue Suite 350 Clackamas, OR 97015 (503) 496-0531 <tphan@alpinemc.com> <www. alpinemc.com > Thurs Jan 23, presentations with tours begin at 5:30 & 6:30pm More info: intlschool.org/tours-ar Indoor Soccer and Futsal Field Rentals (2 Turf Fields & 1 “Street” Field) Open Play Group Training Session s Leagues and Tournaments (503) 840-9941 3UH.WKLQWOVFKRRORUJ www.hillsborofutsal.com training@ hillsborofutsal.com 346 S.W. Walnut Hillsboro, OR 97124 George Ichiro Azumano, a stoic, dignified, and dedicated community leader, passed away on December 9, 2013 at the age of 95. George was the eldest child of Hatsutaro and Satsuki Azumano, who emigrated from Tokushima, Japan to find new beginnings in Portland. George did well in school, graduating from Jefferson High School, attending Multnomah College where he played on the basketball team, and earning his B.A. in business from the University of Oregon. From an early age George took on many responsibilities at the family’s Fujii Grocery on North Russell and Williams because of his father’s health issues. That became the overall theme of his life — one of responsibility for family, church, civic duty, equality, and justice for all. After being forcibly interned at the Portland Assembly Center (now the Expo Center) and in Minidoka, Idaho during World War II, he married his college sweetheart, Ise Inuzuka. Together they raised a family of four — Loen, Jim, Jane, and Bette. Jane passed away in 1968 and Ise followed in 1974. In 1976, he married Nobuko “Nobi” Tsuboi who had three children — Cliff, Robbie, and Annie. George was always busy, always serious. After all, he had grown up during the depression, and had served a short time in the military before being discharged because of his race. He built a life for his family amid the post-war atmosphere in Portland, committed to being American, and an upstanding and trustworthy example of his community. He was successful in his businesses, Azumano Insurance and Azumano Travel, because he worked so hard at them. As his success grew, he became acquainted with Gov. Mark Hatfield who asked him to be part of the first Oregon trade mission to Japan in 1962. Mayor Terry Shrunk sought him out to help form the Portland-Sapporo Sister City Association. Gov. Victor Atiyeh appointed him to the Oregon Tourism Commission. He treated his employees like family, hosting them along with family and friends at annual Rose Festival parties. His activities at First United Methodist Church led to him being appointed to various national Methodist boards and to the Board of Trustees at Willamette University. Committed to his Nikkei (Japanese American) heritage, he was on the first Board of Governors of the Japanese American National Museum. In 1982 the Japanese Government awarded him the Emperor’s Medal of the 4th Order of the Rising Sun for his work in improving U.S.-Japan relations. He faithfully served numerous other organizations, including the Japanese American Citizens League, Oregon Nissei Veterans, Rotary International, Japan-America Society of Oregon, the Portland Chamber of Commerce, and the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center. Even with his devotion to duty, he enjoyed spending time with his expanded family. The children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and all their children enjoyed seeing the informal, light side of him at family events through the years. He and Nobi travelled to every corner of the world from Antarctica to Alaska, before Nobi’s death last year. He loved sports and golfed well into his 80s. George remained true to himself until the end ... always taking responsibility, always keeping his dignity. We will miss his quiet way of showing us all how much he loved us. He is survived by Loen Dozono (Sho), Jim Azumano (Lois), Bet Orazio (Gary), Cliff Tsuboi, Annie Migaki (Gerry), 12 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren. His sister Rae Yasui, daughters Jane and Robbie, and wives Ise and Nobi all predeceased him. A funeral service was held December 28 at First United Methodist Church, S.W. 18th and Jefferson. Burial was for family only. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent to Epworth United Methodist Church, the Oregon Nikkei Endowment, or the charity of your choice.