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.
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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.