Continue on page 1

Focusing on Domestic Issues
While the initial interest of Southeast Asian Americans in American politics has to do with their concerns about homeland politics and U.S. foreign policy, they have also focused on domestic issues. They have lobbied for more social services, better health care, improved schools, and fair treatment by the police. They have also supported labor unions and immigrant rights and spoke out against environmental racism and hate crimes. For example, projects organized by youth, many of them female, have progressive agendas. These include the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) working with the Laotian community in Northern California; Khmer Girls in Action (KGA) with the Cambodian community in Southern California; and CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities with Southeast Asian American communities in New York City.

In some cases, these issues have divided communities. For instance, when women and their male allies have spoken out against domestic violence in their communities, they have experienced criticism from the traditional male leadership who prefer not to discuss this topic. Each of the ethnic communities has a diversity of political perspectives, and there is often internal dissension within a group. As they gain more organizational experience, Southeast Asian Americans will continue to engage in both traditional and non-traditional political activities.

Promoting Citizenship
Crucial to becoming a political force is encouraging more individuals to become U.S. citizens. Citizenship classes are offered in local areas, but it is still difficult for some to find time to learn English and study the historical information necessary to pass the citizenship test. The Refugee Act of 1980 allows a refugee to become a permanent resident after one year and after four more years to become a U.S. citizen. Southeast Asians have a high rate of naturalization. They become U.S. citizens in order to help sponsor family members as immigrants and to feel secure if they are traveling back to their homeland. For many community members, a next step is to encourage these naturalized citizens, along with their U.S. born children who are automatically U.S. citizens, to vote and to unite as ethnic constituencies.