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Immigrant Rights Commission
Minutes of Regular Meeting on May
7, 2001
The Immigrant Rights Commission (IRC) regular meeting
was held on Monday, May 7, 2001 at San Francisco City Hall in Room 400, at 5:00
P.M.
Members Present Renee Saucedo, Penelope Chronis,
Vera Haile, Marie Lorraine Mallare, Philip Nguyen, Thou Ny, Richard Ow, Diana
Lau, and Phu Nguyen. Diana Lau arrived at 5:40 & Thou Ny left at 6:00.
Members Absent Samuel Assefa, Isabel Huie,
Anita Friedman, Fidel Jimeniz Emi Gusukama and Vram Kouramajian.
Guest Present Susan Alunan, Lourdes Tancinco,
Mars Estrada, Gary Aranal, Erenesto Cinco and Felimon Mordeno
Others Present Dang Pham, Executive Director
of the IRC
Winny Loi, Commission Secretary
William Chan, Deputy City Attorney
Introduction: Commissioner Renee Saucedo welcomed
& introduced
Approval of
Minutes: The minutes of April 16, 2001 meeting
was approved by the Commission. Commissioner Nguyen moved the motion & was
seconded by Commissioner Chronis.
Presentation: Susan Alunan, Chair of Advocacy
Committee, for the San Francisco Veterans Equity Center spoke to the Commission
and ask us to support the resolution towards U.S. Veterans status for Filipino
Veterans of WWII. She gave the Commission some background of what the Filipinos
Veterans did for the U.S. during WWII. After the war, the rescission Act of
1946 rescinded any benefits that Filipino Veterans of WWII could receive. They
were the only country of the 66 nations that fought with the United States during
WWII who were affected by this and it is a grave injustice. The Filipino’s have
been waiting for 55 to 56 years for benefits that were promised to them by Franklin
Roosevelt and Douglas MacArthur.
Lourdes Tancinco, President of Veterans Equity
Center gave the commissioner some background. In 1946, congress decided
not to grant them U.S. citizenship. Only in 1990 Immigration Nationality
Act that this was rectified and they were finally granted citizenship
ten years ago. They have come to the United States as new immigrants but
this did not come with the benefits. The Filipinos are still not being
treated as other U.S. Veterans. The Veterans Equity Center is still struggling
for their rights and they also have an equity bill that has been introduced
since 1993 before the U.S. Congress, but it has not been passed. She asked
the Immigrant Rights Commission to support the HR491 Equity Bill. This
is the only agency that is supported by the City of San Francisco nationwide
that is addressing the needs of veterans from housing, to case management
and to immigration and legal services. They are depleting their one time
funding from the City and now they are trying to ask, the Immigrant Rights
Commission to support the center.
Mars Estrada, Counselor at the Veterans Equity
Center wanted to thank the Immigrant Rights Commission for our support.
He spoke to the Commission about how the Veterans were not given a decent
burial they are not even given the flag that they fought for. All of the
Veterans are only receiving welfare, but they are not receiving any benefits
from Veterans affairs. He also stressed that when the Filipino Veterans
go to the Social Security office, they are treated like any other recipient
receiving welfare, but if they go to the Veterans Equity Center they are
treated as a hero. The Veterans are being treated very well at the Veterans
Equity Center, they are being saluted for what they have done and they
are given the benefits that they properly deserve.
Gary Aranal, President Filipino WWII Veterans
and Family and Friends started his organization in 1994. When they first
started there were 140 Veterans, but now there is only 40 left, because
most of them have died and some have returned to the Filipinos. When the
Filipino Veterans came to the U.S. in 1990 they thought that they were
getting all the benefits a Veteran would receive, but all they got was
Naturalization Certificate and SSI benefits. They are very happy that
the San Francisco has supported the Veterans Equity Center & it would
be a tragedy to lose this Center, because they would not know where to
turn to. The Board of Supervisors has passed a resolution to support the
funding and hopefully that this budget will be approved.
Erenesto Cinco, a WWII Veteran, talked about
demanding of getting fairness & that someone needs to be responsible
to the Veterans who has service for the U.S. Army. The Veterans just want
the government to pay for the health or other services. They have fought
for their country and they would like to get fair treatment for what they
have done for their country.
Felimon Mordeno, a WWII Veteran, has maintained
an organization just to pay for the benefits that Veterans have been looking
for many years. He also stated that due to other funding from other organizations,
the Veterans SSI check were being reduced. The Veterans believe that these
amounts should not be deducted from the amount that they were given. The Equity
Center is a place where they can go when they do have problems or just need
assistance and help.
Before closing their speech, Susan told the
Commissioners that Supervisor Gavin Newson introduced a resolution to
the Board urging the Mayor to support the Veterans Equity Center at $250,000
per year annually, it was pass by the Board of Supervisors. The Board
of Supervisor also passed a resolution urging the President and the U.S.
Congress to support the Equity Bill that was signed by the Mayor. The
Center has 850 open unduplicated cases of veterans that they are serving
this year and would like to open the doors to more than 1,200 who are
living in the South & North of Market and Tenderloin. The Veterans
Equity Center asked the Immigrant Rights Commission to support the Center.
Action Items: Consideration of Resolution
Supporting U.S. Veterans Status for Filipino Veterans of WWII
The Veterans Equity Center drafted a resolution
for the Immigrant Rights Commission. Commissioner Saucedo made a motion
to adopt the title Toward U.S. Veterans Status for Filipino Veterans of
WWII, with an amendment that the IRC also supports Supervisor Newsom legislation
to fund the Veterans Equity Center in this year’s budget.
The last three paragraphs will be amended as
follows:
"Therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Immigrant
Rights Commission supports the correction of the grievous act of institutional
injustice and discrimination leveled against Filipino WWII veterans by
amending the 1946 Rescission Act;
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Immigrant
Rights Commission supports the restoration of full United States veteran’s
status to Filipino WWII veterans by supporting the introduction of legislation
to this effect;
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Immigrant
Rights Commission supports the on-going campaign of the last twelve years
for full equity and justice for Filipino WWII veterans in a coordinated
effort among Filipino American veterans, community leaders and all who
believe in the justness of this cause, by advocating and working for equity
through a comprehensive legislative, judicial and public education campaign
and therefore be resolved that the San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission
urges the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to support Equity for Filipinos
American WWII Veterans;
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Immigrant
Rights Commission supports Supervisor Newsom’s legislation regarding this
year’s budget & support HR491 for the Veterans Equity Center."
After proposing a few changes to the resolution,
the Commission moved for a vote on the resolution, as amended and was
seconded. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the Resolution as
amended.
Director’s Report: Director Pham reported
to the Commission on the following:
On May 16, Commissioners Ow & Huie joined Director
Dang Pham & Commission Secretary Winny Loi drove to Sacramento for Immigrant
Day. The Immigrant Rights Commission joined Isabel Alegria, California Immigrant
Welfare Collaborative, to talk with Assembly women Carol Migden’s staff, Kevin
Shelley’s staff & Senator John Burton’s staff to ask for their supports
towards the AB989 & the Driver License issue regardless of immigration
status. Migden, Shelly & Burton strongly support the AB989 & the Driver
License issue. Around 1,500 people joined to support Immigrant Day.
Also reported to the Commission about status
on the membership, 7 applications were submitted to the rules committee
and the meeting is on May 17, 2001 at 10:00 a.m.
Director Dang Pham also reported that he met
with Supervisor Mark Leno to discuss the Language Access Ordinance. He
will introduce the bill and drafted up some estimated costs and he will
try to get a full time person the handle the Language Access Ordinance.
On May 10, 2001 Mr. Pham, the Director will
meet with Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) at 17 Walter Lum Place
in San Francisco.
Immigrant Pride Day might be in Mission District,
they are still discussing about the location. Edward Rodriguez will meet
with Director Dang Pham to discuss about information regarding Immigrant
Pride Day.
Commissioner Saucedo informed the Commissioner’s
about two main pieces of legislation, the Language Access Ordinance and
the Immigrant and Public Housing Committee. She strongly urged the Commissioners
to attend the Language Access Ordinance on May 17, 2001 at 1:00 and the
Immigrant and Public Housing Legislation that’s being pushed by Supervisor
Ammiano, on Thursday May 24, 2001 at 1:00. There is a rally that Commissioneer
Saucedo will be helping to organize a rally with various individuals and
other community groups. The rally will be held at 12:30 pm and the hearing
before the Housing committee will occur at 1:00 pm.
The members of the Commission and the Director
will meet with the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor to talk about the
Language Access Ordinance and the 2001 Workplan & Budget.
Consideration of the Waiver of Bylaws to
Elect a New Chair and Vice-Chair.
Due to absent members of the Commissioners,
Commissioner Ow made a motion to postpone the nomination of the Chair
& Vice-Chair until June’s monthly meeting. On June’s meeting Commissioner
Saucedo proposed to nominate & vote for Chair and Vice-Chair. The
Commission moved for a vote, which was seconded by Commissioner Philip
Nguyen.
Next Meeting: Next regular meeting will be
held in City Hall, on June 4, 2001 at 5:00 p.m.
Adjournment: The Commission meeting was adjourned
at 7:00 p.m.