1. First Ever Asian Pacific American Presidential Town Hall 2. SALDEF Meets with USCIS Director Gonzalez 3. SALDEF Trains Maryland Police Chiefs 4. A Dream in Doubt to Screen Nationally on May 20, 2008 5. NASABA Convention to be held in Chicago 6. SALDEF honored by Virginia Sikh Community 7. Legal Updates 8. Community Announcements 9. Upcoming Events First Ever Asian Pacific American Presidential Town Hall SALDEF is proud to be a supporting organization of APIA Vote’s Saturday, May 17, Presidential Town Hall to be held on the campus of the University of California, Irvine, in Orange County, California. The Town Hall will, for the first time, allow the larger Asian Pacific American community address the Presidential Candidates on the issues. The forum expects over 2,000 community leaders, elected officials, voters, and students representing this diverse community from across the country to participate. The Sikh American community is especially encouraged to attend this powerful forum. Our community has the ability to make a visual impact in this forum which is being covered by hundreds of media outlets. Registration is Required (if you would like to sit with other members of the community to make the greatest impact – write “SALDEF” under organization) SALDEF Meets with USCIS Director Gonzalez On April 11, 2008 representatives of SALDEF met with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Emilio Gonzalez. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss concerns over the delays in naturalization and green cards. As a result of the meeting, SALDEF received assurances from Director Gonzalez in regards to the following: * Name Checks pending more than 3 years will be completed by May 31, 2008 * Name Checks pending more than 2 years will be completed by June 30, 2008 * Name Checks pending more than 1 years will be completed by July 31, 2008 * By Summer 2009, 98% of name checks will be completed within 30 days * Green Card holders will now be issued their documents regardless of if the background check was completed. However, the green card can be revoked if a security concern arises. * Naturalization cases pending more the 4 years were resolved in March 2008 * Naturalization cases pending more the 2 years were resolved by May 31, 2008 If you have any questions about the immigration delays or any of the information above, please contact our immigration department at immigration@saldef.org. SALDEF Trains Maryland Police Chiefs On April 17, SALDEF’s team was invited to present information on Sikhism, and cultural practices of South Asians to over 65 Municipal Chiefs from the State of Maryland. The training was an opportunity for the Sikh American community to effectively train senior law enforcement officials throughout Maryland about Sikh religious practices and how to respect their members of the community. Click here for more information on SALDEF’s training efforts. A Dream in Doubt to Screen Nationally on May 20, 2008 SALDEF presents A Dream In DoubtThroughout April and May, SALDEF was proud to be one of the national partners of the ITVS screening of A Dream in Doubt. The film was co-produced by former SALDEF National Director Preetmohan Singh and directed by Tami Yeager. A Dream in Doubt is the story of Rana Singh Sodhi, the brother of Balbir Singh Sodhi, the first causality of post-9/11 backlash and his journey to reclaim the American Dream and fight the hate which threatens his community. The film has been screened in over 30 cities across the United States to date, many with SALDEF or Sikh American panelists discussing the issues the Sikh American community has faced since 9/11. A Dream in Doubt is scheduled to air nationally on PBS on May 20, 2008. Please encourage your friends and family to watch this engaging and important film. Please check your local listings for timings. NASABA Convention to be held in Chicago The Indian American Bar Association of Chicago and the Pakistani American Bar Association of North America are hosting the Annual North American South Asian Bar Association (NASABA) 2008 Convention in Chicago, IL, between June 26-June 28, 2008, at the Westin-Michigan Avenue and the Navy Pier Grand Ballroom. All are invited to attend this Convention, which provides excellent networking opportunities as well a chance to hear from successful professionals on topical issues. The NASABA Chicago Convention team has been working hard to make this Convention great but that can only be assured by your attendance. Registration is currently available at www.nasabaconvention.org. SALDEF is proud to co-sponsor this Convention. SALDEF honored by Virginia Sikh Community On Sunday, April 13, SALDEF was honored by the Virginia Sikh community at the Sikh Foundation of Virginia. Community members commended the efforts of local SALDEF volunteers to assist the Sikh community throughout the Washington, DC, area. Additionally, they expressed their gratitude for SALDEF’s national educational, legislative, and advocacy efforts to defend the rights of the Sikh American community. Legal Updates Since January, SALDEF has received 65 requests for legal assistance of which SALDEF has had to engage in 28 extended redress efforts. These cases involve broad issues from immigration and naturalization, DMV concerns about wearing a dastaar, violations involving the right wear a kirpan, and the denial of entry of a Sikh simply due to his daastar to a public testing facility. To continue our efforts defending Sikh Americans, we need your support to ensure all members of the Sikh community receive the support they need when our faith is under attack. Click here to support SALDEF’s efforts by making a recurring monthly or one-time donation to further our mission of protecting and advocating for the Sikh American community. Community Announcements Narika Legal Internship Narika seeks a legal intern entering either the second or third year of law school to assist in addressing family and immigration law issues affecting our clients. The internship is a full time 10-week program. The intern will split time between the law firm located in Oakland and Narika in the East Bay. Narika has secured a fellowship grant from the South Asian Bar Association Foundation that will allow the intern to be paid a stipend of $3,000. For further compensation, students are encouraged to inquire into their school’s work-study programs. To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to the Executive Director of Narika at atashi@narika.org. Due to the nature of our work, the intern must be female. The application deadline is May 14, 2008. R2W Summer Youth Leadership Institute The R2W Summer Youth Leadership Institute is a 15-day residential summer program for high school youth rooted in API culture and consciousness. Over the past five years, more than 150 young people have participated. They meet youth from other places and other cultures, experience life on a college and seminary campus, visit different communities, try new things, and gain valuable leadership skills. In the process they become more aware of their culture and history, more in tune with their faith and spirituality, more confident and articulate, and more outgoing and involved in their churches and communities. R2W will cover travel to and from Berkeley, room, board and the cost of all program activities for the full two weeks for youth who are selected to participate. We ask that each selected participant contribute a $150 registration fee. Limited scholarships are available for the registration fee. Young people who are interested in the R2W Summer Youth Leadership Institute should check out the R2W website (www.represent2witness.org) and complete the application form. Upcoming Events * Law Enforcement Training – Savannah, GA May 15, 2008 * APA Presidential Town Hall – University of California, Irvine – Irvine, CA May 17, 2008 * “Civil Rights in a Post-9/11 America” – University of California, Washington Program – Washington, DC May 19, 2008 * APIA Democratic Summit – Washington, DC May 21, 2008 * Seattle Sikh Retreat – Seattle, WA May 23-26, 2008 * Johns Hopkins University Presentation on Sikhism – Columbia, MD May 30, 2008
