Maniolas

DACA Los Angeles Media Roundtable held at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA’s Community Room. HIYASMIN QUIJANO LOS ANGELES — Several Asian American advocacy groups urged undocumented immigrants to immediately take advantage of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA and other existing policies that provide relief from deportation The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA, and Ready California expressed this urgent message during a media roundtable hosted by New America Media on July 28. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is an immigration policy that provides relief from deportation and a work permit for eligible undocumented youth. Over 130,000 individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States may be eligible to request DACA, yet requests for DACA remain disproportionately low in the Asian and Pacific Islander community, according to a report by New America Media. WATCH: DACA recipient Anthony Ng explains the impact of program. HIYASMIN QUIJANO White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Senior Policy Advisor Reva Gupta said that opportunities that are available to DACA recipients allow them to come out of the shadows and become a part of mainstream society and the economy. Gupta said, “At this point we see very low rates; only about 14.6 percent of Asian Americans who are eligible for DACA have actually requested DACA.” ‘Go to trusted organizations’ Los Angeles District United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Chief of Staff Martha Flores, announced that her agency has a list of reputable Read More …

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente has ordered an investigation of the possible involvement of some immigration officers in human trafficking. Morente on Monday ordered the investigation after five Filipino women were deported from South Korea last July 23. The Bureau of Immigration, however, refused to identify the immigration officers but said that a show-cause order was already issued by Morente requiring them to explain why they should not be administratively charged for allowing the women to leave the country. The immigration officers have 72 hours to give their side. “We will not hesitate to punish any of our employees who connived with human traffickers in preying on our women. That is unforgivable,” Morente said. “They were immediately relieved from their immigration airport counter duties and their immigration stamps confiscated,” Morente further disclosed. The women left the country posing as tourists, their Korean entertainers’ visas were placed on their passports only during their stop-over in Hongkong. They worked as nightclub singers in Korea and were eventually deported for overstaying. Their promoter in Korea was likewise arrested. Their identities were not revealed pursuant to the provisions of the anti-human trafficking law. Initial reports found that the women separately left the country two years ago for various destinations before proceeding to Korea. They were allegedly cleared for departure by immigration officers despite their doubtful purpose of travel and presentation of questionable documents. Morente, however, assured that the immigration officers will be given a fair hearing and that due process will be observed in the Read More …

More than three years after the Kg Tanduo intrusion which killed 11 security personnel, nine Filipinos have been found guilty of having waged war against the Malaysian king. Datu Amirbahar Hushin Kiram, 53, the nephew of the late self-proclaimed Sultan Jamallul Kiram III who ordered the attack in Kampung Tanduo, was convicted under Section 121 of the Penal Code along with Filipinos Atik Hussin Abu Bakar, 45, Basad Manuel, 41, Ismail Yasin, 76, Virgelio Nemar Patuluda Mohammad, 52, Al Wazir Osman, 61, Salib Akhmad Emali, 63, Tani Lahad Dahi, 63, and Julham Rashid, 69. READ: Sabah court to try Filipinos in standoff The offense carries the death penalty. Amirbahar, Salib, Al Wazir, Tani and Julham – as well as Timhar Hadir, 39, and Habil Suhaili, 68 – were also convicted of being members of a terrorist group under Section 130KA of the Penal Code. Habil died in April during trial due to health problems. Prior to the hearing yesterday, Atik, Basad and Ismail had admitted to the charge, which carries a jail term of up to 30 years. Others who had pleaded guilty earlier to the same charge were Lin Mad Salleh, Holland Kalbi and Aiman Radie. High Court Justice Stephen Chung similarly convicted Nor­haida Ibnahi, 49, the only woman on trial, of harboring persons committing terror acts under Section 130K. He, however, acquitted Basil Samiul, 35, of knowingly soliciting support for a terrorist group under Section 130J but ordered for him to be deported. The only Malaysian to stand Read More …

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, left, talks to Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, center, and Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) –China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Vientiane, Laos, Monday, July 25, 2016. A highly anticipated meeting between Southeast Asian foreign ministers and their Chinese counterpart Wang Yi has begun in what is expected to be tense discussions on China’s territorial expansion in the South China Sea. AP Asean foreign ministers meeting in Vientiane reached a hard-fought consensus on the South China Sea issue and were able to “reset” ties with China, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said yesterday, as Asean put out a joint communique that referenced the maritime dispute. Speaking to the Singapore media on the sidelines of an annual series of meetings between the Asean ministers and their counterparts from regional dialogue partners, Balakrishnan said the event “gave us the opportunity to press the reset button and to set Asean-China relations back onto a more positive trajectory.” Contention among Asean member states over how to manage the South China Sea issue had threatened to derail the traditional joint communique issued at the end of each year’s Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. READ: Asean urges self-restraint in South China Sea activities China had pressured its Asean allies to stop the bloc from taking a common stand on the issue, following a July 12 Arbitral Tribunal ruling that invalidated its claims. The communique does not specifically mention the tribunal’s ruling. But it states, in Read More …

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, left, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, center, and Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr., pose for a photo during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Vientiane, Laos, Monday, July 25, 2016. AP VIENTIANE, Laos — Asean foreign ministers on Monday reaffirmed the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and the importance of non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities, but made no mention of a recent ruling by an arbitration tribunal on the disputed waters. READ: ASEAN split on how to deal with China in South China Sea row “We…took note of the concerns expressed by some Ministers on the land reclamations and escalation of activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region,’’ the foreign ministers said in a joint communique issued after their discussions in Vientiane. “We reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation in and over – flight above the South China Sea. We further reaffirmed the need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation, and pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the ministers said. They also stressed “the importance of non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities, including land reclamation that could further Read More …