Tuesday, January 31, 2017

NAPABA and KABA-DC Denounce Visa Ban on Seven Muslim Countries

I am proud to say that the two bar associations to which I belong, namely National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and Korean American Bar Association of Washington D.C. (KABA-DC) denounced Donald Trump's executive order banning visa issuance for refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries.

The statement from NAPABA is available here. The statement from KABA-DC is available here

I wrote the first draft of KABA-DC's statement, and my opinion as an attorney and first generation immigrant is reflected in the statement. The executive order is in violation of the treaty obligations of the United States, and represents a deliberate, targeted attack against legal immigrants--giving lie to the persistent claim that this administration was only concerned with illegal immigrants. 

Although the courts have readily recognized the illegality of the executive order and issued a number of injunctions to stop its implementation, the Customs and Border Patrol agents in the airports around the country are refusing to follow the court's directives. This flagrant disregard for the rule of law should not be allowed to stand.

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