Photo Courtesy of Shirley L. Ng

OCA-New Jersey Chapter is a state organization dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

OCA NATIONAL CENTER PRESS RELEASE:

AAJC and WLC File Lawsuit on Behalf of OCA Over Executive Order Ending Birthright Citizenship 

For Immediate Release

January 31, 2025

Media Contact:
Aleisha Flores, AAJC
aflores@advancingjustice-aajc.org

Linda Paris, WLC
lparisbello1@outlook.com

Socheata Sun, OCA
socheata.sun@ocanational.org

Washington, D.C. — Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC) Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC), and OCA -Asian Pacific American Advocates (OCA) announced today a new lawsuit challenging President Trump’s authority to unilaterally strip citizenship from babies born in the U.S. to parents who are here on temporary visas or are undocumented. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Within the OCA community there are parents who will be adversely impacted if this executive order goes into effect. The complaint asserts that President Trump’s executive order revoking birthright citizenship violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act. The lawsuit maintains that the president lacks the authority to override the U.S. Constitution and define who should or should not be granted U.S. citizenship at birth – a guarantee enshrined in the Constitution since 1868. The lawsuit also highlights the history of the legal fight to affirm birthright citizenship, most notably by members of the Asian American community and in the landmark case of U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark. 

The simple bright-line rule of birthright citizenship clearly provides that all infants born on U.S. soil are citizens entitled to equal protection under law. It was codified and affirmed again with the passage of the Nationality Act of 1940.

Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates stated, “It is a stunning fact that in 2025, OCA needs to go to court to prove what the Supreme Court already made clear over a century ago – children born on U.S. soil are U.S. citizens, regardless of race or ancestry. The principle of birthright citizenship is an ultimate expression of the American principle that our ancestry is part of who we are, but it does not determine our destiny.”

“An attack on birthright citizenship is an attack on everyone born in the U.S., not just our immigrant communities,” said John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC. “This is not the first time that Trump has shown complete disrespect for the U.S. Constitution and rule of law, but the idea that any President believes he can dictate who is and is not an American by the flick of a pen, is not only wrong, it is dangerous.”

“At its core, this executive order is not about immigration or border security,” said Joanne Lin, executive director of Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. “Rather, it is a frontal assault on the Constitution, an attempted rewrite of our national multi-ethnic identity, and a retreat backward in America’s promise of equality under law.”

A copy of the complaint can be found here.

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About OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates

Founded in 1973, OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national, member-driven social justice organization of community advocates dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs). Learn more about our work at ocanational.org/about.

CULTURAL & EDUCATION

OCA New Jersey Chapter is pleased to announce our Scholarship Program for 2025!
(The application deadline has ended)

We continue to offer 2 different scholarship programs. The first is our traditional Essay Scholarship with awards ranging from $3.500 to $300, and the second is for those who better express themselves in a more creative and artistic endeavor which is dedicated to the Spirit of Corky Lee in the amount of $1,500. The application requirements are the same for both awards; however, the submission requirements are different.

Please note that these scholarships are available to all high school seniors of Asian American descent who are full time students and residents of the state of New Jersey who will be attending an accredited institution of higher learning (College, University, Jr./Community College or Trade School). We encourage all eligible students to apply, especially those with greatest financial need.

Click HERE to download & print 2025 Scholarship Packet
Deadline to apply is now ended.

24th Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Celebration Luncheon
Honoring the 2025 OCA-NJ Scholarships Recipients
Scholarship recipients must attend luncheon to receive awards!

 

May 18, 2025
1PM - 3PM
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Campus Center Atrium
150 Bleeker Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102

* More Details to Follow *
Click
HERE to Register and pay for event.
General Admission: $25 Per Person
OCA-NJ Scholarship Alumni: $15 Per Person
Awardees & Presenters attend free of charge.
Registration is required for all.

 

 

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