Although the media narrative about illegal immigration in the US has most often focused on the Latino community, 1.3 million of the country's 11.5 million undocumented immigrants are from Asia, according to the US Department of Homeland Security.

When the Pulitzer Prize-winning Filipino reporter Jose Antonio Vargas revealed his own undocumented status in The New York Times Magazine in 2011, he inspired a wave of "coming out" revelations from other undocumented immigrants in a movement that is now being driven by youth activists. Most of these perspectives have been Latino, but other communities are beginning to add their voices to the discussion.

In New York, an activist group called Revolutionizing Asian American Immigrant Stories on the East Coast (RAISE) recently produced a theater project, a short film and an ongoing blog showcasing the stories of undocumented Asian American youth.

"Coming out [as undocumented] led me to realize the irony: that making myself vulnerable actually made me safer," writes Tony Choi, 24, on Raise Our Story, the group's blog.

Sponsored by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund in New York, the group includes members from various Asian countries including China, Korea and Bangladesh.

"We want people to know how the issue of immigration impacts real people in real, substantial ways," said filmmaker Brian Redondo, who worked with Corinne Manabat on Why We Rise, a short film featuring three undocumented Asian Americans. "Our goal is to humanize the issue of illegal immigration in the US, and show that it's something that affects a broad and diverse swath of people, including Asian Americans."

Although President Barack Obama's 2012 memorandum Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals has provided temporary relief for undocumented youth who arrived in the US before the age of 16 and were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund believes that the immigration bill currently being debated in congress includes several negative changes. Family visas would be more severely limited, and employers would wield greater power over workers as a result of the bill, said Bethany Li, a staff attorney at AALDEF who helped initiate RAISE.

In response, the group's activities have ramped up to include education workshops in high schools, colleges and churches; leadership development projects, coalition building and several advocacy trips to Washington.

Henry Qin, a Fuzhou, China-born RAISE member who performed in the theater piece UndocuAsians last month, joined the group for emotional support.

"Before I joined, I didn't know who to turn to or what my rights were," Qin said. "Now that I know more, I want to reach out to kids in high school or college facing the same situation, and let them know that they're not alone out there. There's a trend of people coming out of the shadows now, and we can contribute. Maybe if people will see how many of us there are, it'll change their opinions of our situation."

Undocumented youth often face fewer stigmas in the US because their parents are viewed as the ones who brought them into the country illegally, Li said.

"However, coming out as undocumented is still extremely brave," Li told China Daily. "There is a certain amount of risk, both for them and their families. But because there is more sympathy toward their situation, undocumented youth are now leading this movement."

Rendondo also spoke about the risk that RAISE's young members are taking.

"For them to come out of the shadows in such a public way is very bold," he said. "It is incumbent for the rest of us to acknowledge the risk of what they're doing, because they're putting their lives on the line. That's how important an issue it is."

Immigration from Asia has risen rapidly in recent years, and immigrants from Asia now comprise almost 40 percent of all immigrants to the US. For most Americans, the issue of immigration remains an abstract concept, Li said.

"One of the things we've found most helpful in connecting is to tell each other's stories, because it's a powerful tool in trying to convey more complicated policy issues," she said. "All over this country we are surrounded by immigrants all the time. It's important that we take the time to understand that the person standing next to you on the bus or walking next to you on the sidewalk is in this country and has as much of a life as you or I do."

Qin, who is in the process of applying for a social security card through DACA, hopes to be a doctor someday.

"There's no fear anymore," he said. "After all those years, it's a good feeling."

kdawson@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 06/21/2013 page11)