On January 15, 2004, KRC and NAKASEC with other immigrant rights advocates sponsored a press conference and rally in front of Governor Schwarzenegger’s district office in downtown Los Angeles.The event focused on the proposed cuts on health and human services for immigrants.The press conference featured community members who would be future recipients of the various programs that are slated to be eliminated or placed on caps should the proposals pass.250 people attended the event with HanNuRi-Korean American Cultural Troupe drumming in solidarity with the participants.
KRC’s executive director Dae Joong Yoon also testified at a Town Hall meeting sponsored by Assemblymember Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-48) on January 17.In his testimony, Yoon gave a profile of affected Korean American community members and questioned the governor’s unjust discrimination policy between legal permanent residents and U.S. citizens.For example, according to the governor’s proposed budget cuts, only new immigrant applicants of MediCal would be put on a waiting list.
To close out the action-filled month of January around the budget crisis, KRC and NAKASEC joined forces again with other immigrant rights advocates for the Immigrant Day Call-In action on January 20.Calls were made to Governor Schwarzenegger and House Speaker Nunez’s offices.Korean Americans made calls on this day with KRC and NAKASEC staffers providing assistance to those who were limited English proficient and to low-income residents who had difficulty making the long distance calls.
