CA: Vargas and Bonta team up for undocumented immigrants

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Out of an estimated 11.5 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., a million of those are of Asian Pacific Islander (API) decent.

Half of these undocumented API’s are living in California.

That’s why state officials, particularly of API heritage, have formed a bipartisan caucus to help address their needs.

“Our immigrant communities both documented and undocumented are fundamental to the progress and health of our state,” said Assembly Member Rob Bonta, the first and only Filipino American elected to serve in the California legislature. ”So now is the time for the API community to be fully engaged and fully committed to the immigration discussion.”

Thanks to President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA and the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability or DAPA, millions are protected from deportation.

And recently with the passage of AB60, undocumented immigrants are eligible to test for and receive a California driver’s license.

“By ensuring that immigrants properly learn the rules of the road and allowing them to obtain auto insurance, we will make California roads safer and as drivers more responsible,” said Assembly Member Luis Alejo, who authored the AB60.

Jose Antonio Vargas, the most recognizable undocumented immigrant in the U.S., applauds the API caucus for working towards immigration reform.

“Getting my license in my adoptive state of California was one of the happiest days of my life,” said Vargas. “This real, legit government issued license, which I did not get by lying, or keeping a secret, or living in fear, I got this license — people like us, thousands of undocumented Californians are getting this license — because we are a part of this community.”

Vargas joins Bonta and other elected API officials in encouraging more undocumented Filipinos to come out of hiding and take advantage of these programs.

“I think we as a community, as a Filipino community, need to retire the phrase TNT, ‘tago ng tago’,” said Vargas. “Now is a time to make yourself known to get a driver’s license, to apply for DACA or DAPA if you qualify and really free yourself from the anxiety.”

Vargas says that hopefully other states will look at the leadership of API caucus in Sacramento and grant more undocumented immigrants the opportunity to apply for a driver’s license without fear of deportation.