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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 2014)
OPINION Page 6 n THE ASIAN REPORTER July 21, 2014 Volume 24 Number 14 July 21, 2014 ISSN: 1094-9453 The Asian Reporter is published on the first and third Monday each month. Please send all correspondence to: The Asian Reporter 922 N Killingsworth Street, Portland, OR 97217 Phone: (503) 283-4440, Fax: (503) 283-4445 News Department e-mail: news@asianreporter.com Advertising Department e-mail: ads@asianreporter.com General e-mail: info@asianreporter.com Website: www.asianreporter.com Please send reader feedback, Asian-related press releases, and community interest ideas/stories to the addresses listed above. Please include a contact phone number. Advertising information available upon request. Publisher Jaime Lim Contributing Editors Ronault L.S. Catalani (Polo), Jeff Wenger Correspondents Ian Blazina, Josephine Bridges, Pamela Ellgen, Maileen Hamto, Edward J. Han, A.P. Kryza, Marie Lo, Simeon Mamaril, Julie Stegeman, Toni Tabora-Roberts, Allison Voigts Illustrator Jonathan Hill News Service Associated Press/Newsfinder Copyright 2014. Opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of this publication. Member Associated Press/Newsfinder Asian American Journalists Association Better Business Bureau Pacific Northwest Minority Publishers (PNMP) Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Oregon Correspondence: The Asian Reporter welcomes reader response and participation. 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Back issues of The Asian Reporter may be ordered by mail at the following rates: First copy: $1.50 Additional copies ordered at the same time: $1.00 each Send orders to: Asian Reporter Back Issues, 922 N. Killingsworth St., Portland, OR 97217-2220 The Asian Reporter welcomes reader response and participation. If you have a comment on a story we have printed, or have an Asian-related personal or community focus idea, please contact us. Please include a contact name, address, and phone number on all correspondence. Thank you. MY TURN n Dmae Roberts The impact of unaccompanied children crossing the border Tauch mentioned it is quite possible ORR might ithin the last few weeks, we’ve seen photos and video footage of a staggering divert $94 million from refugee services to meet the number of children — more than 57,000, needs of the children arriving from Central and mostly from Central American countries — America. He said it could possibly mean a “58 per- trying to cross the U.S. border by themselves. They cent reduction in funding” for IRCO in the next few have made the long and dangerous trip to escape the years. I also spoke with Margaret Malarkey, IRCO’s horror of their own countries, including death threats from drug lords and community relations rampant crime and vio- specialist. She said a loss in lence. Many have ended up funding could mean “al- in detention centers amid most 2,000 refugees would protests from American lose access to services.” citizens chanting “U-S-A! Malarkey explained that U-S-A!” about 1,811 refugee job As of this writing, Presi- seekers could lose dent Obama has proposed assistance finding employ- $3.7 billion of emergency ment, 43 refugee elders spending to deal with the would not receive access to crisis, with the potential Seniors exercise at the Immigrant and Refugee Commu- meals or healthcare, and 45 funds earmarked mostly nity Organization (IRCO) in Portland, Oregon. IRCO, along refugees would not benefit for policing the border, with three other area nonprofit organizations — Ecumeni- from asset-building and speeding up the court cal Ministries of Oregon, Catholic Charities, and Lutheran microenterprise programs system for deportation, and Community Services — have organized to alert the public due to the potential cuts. jailing and detaining the and lawmakers about possible cuts to their budgets be- IRCO, like the nonprofits unaccompanied children. cause of the sudden influx of unaccompanied children mentioned earlier, serves a What is unclear is where from Central American countries. (Photo/Nisa’ Haron) great many ethnicities and the proposed funds would come from. nationalities. Since 1975, when many Southeast In Portland, the Immigrant and Refugee Commu- Asian refugees arrived in the U.S., IRCO has nity Organization (IRCO), along with three other provided a pathway for immigrants and refugees to nonprofit organizations — Ecumenical Ministries of find housing, education, and employment in Oregon, Catholic Charities, and Lutheran Commu- Oregon. nity Services — have organized to alert the public Some people might not be aware of IRCO, but the and lawmakers about possible cuts to their budgets organization has had an important impact on because of the sudden influx of unaccompanied first-generation families in the Portland metro- children. These organizations offer a myriad of ser- politan area. Some folks have misconceptions about vices to help refugees become active and productive IRCO, where on any given day, one would see many citizens in America, including help with job training people of color enter and exit the building. and finding employment, healthcare, and housing. Attending an IRCO event is like entering a United A majority of the funding for these programs comes Nations of nationalities and ethnicities. When I step from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). foot into the IRCO building, I feel the same I’ve had a personal connection with one of these excitement and multiculturalism as when I travel groups, IRCO, since 2005, when I partnered with internationally. the organization to create a radio piece about the Earlier this month, The Skanner newspaper first Southeast Asian refugees in Portland. One of reported on a small group of protesters holding the people interviewed for the radio project was white supremacist signs in front of the IRCO Sokhom Tauch, IRCO’s executive director. Recent- building in northeast Portland. They were part of an ly, I’ve been visiting IRCO to interview immigrants anti-immigrant group. and refugees to explore their relationship with the Perhaps the protesters don’t realize that the arts on a new project funded by the Regional Arts & people utilizing services at IRCO have legal status Culture Council. That’s how I heard about the as refugees. Malarkey said many have “waited worries IRCO and many nonprofits across the decades to get here.” Maybe the protestors don’t country have about how ORR might deal with the care about the legal status of the refugees and only unaccompanied children. Continued on page 7 W Opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of this publication.
