Local Community Members to Discuss Issues of Amerasian Rights, Human Trafficking
HOUSTON, TX - Boat People SOS-Houston will host a town hall meeting for local Vietnamese community members to voice their growing concerns to Congressman Nick Lampson. Issues to be discussed include the citizenship of Amerasians, the prevalence of human trafficking, and other local matters pertaining to the Beaumont and Port Arthur communities. The intended purpose of the meeting is to draw Congressman Lampson's attention to these key issues, which in turn will result in the necessary policy changes.
The meeting will take place Sunday, September 14, 2003 from 11am to 1pm. The event will be held at the Ramada Inn of Port Arthur, 3801 Highway 73.
The term "Amerasian" was coined as a result of the Amerasian Homecoming Act of 1987, which provided for admission of children born in Vietnam between specified dates to Vietnamese mothers and American fathers, together with their immediate relatives. It is more commonly used to describe those children born of Asian mothers (primarily Southeast Asian) and American fathers (usually servicemen). Despite its popularity, the Act ignored the problems of Amerasians' citizenship status. In the absence of their fathers, they are unable to obtain recognition of dual citizenship under the current provisions of the Immigration and Naturalization Act. Throughout their search for identity, Amerasians have endured poverty, a sense of non-belonging, illiteracy, and mistreatment from the Vietnamese government.
In collaboration with the YMCA of Houston and Catholic Charities, BPSOS is assisting over 20 human trafficking victims who have relocated to Houston from American Samoa. Between February 1999 to June 2000, these women, along with 200 other contract workers of Daewoosa Ltd, were duped into leaving their homelands and forced to work 12-hour workdays in sweatshop conditions for minimal wages. The president of Daewoosa was convicted February 21, 2003 on numerous federal charges, including involuntary servitude, extortion and money laundering.
"Human trafficking is more than just a serious violation of the law; it is an affront to human dignity," said Attorney General Ashcroft. "The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the victims of trafficking and to bringing to justice all those who violate the civil rights of trafficking victims."