Aug. 8--WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Grace Meng (NY-06) and Representative Dave Min (CA-47) led 14 AAPI Members of Congress in a new letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) demanding answers into the Trump administration’s treatment of lawful permanent residents (LPR) and immigrants with lawful status who are of Asian descent.
Over the past several months, multiple reports have emerged of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders being detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and denied their constitutional rights, including access to legal counsel and due process.
The letter notes the concerning treatment of Mr. Tae Heung “Will” Kim, an academic researcher who was held at the airport for more than a week and denied his due process rights, Ms. Yeonsoo Go, a 20-year-old Purdue University student detained at a routine visa hearing, and Mrs. Lewelyn Dixon, who was detained after living lawfully in the U.S for 50 years, among others.
“These cases suggest potential violations of constitutional protections. The U.S. Constitution provides important due process protections to all persons within the United States, regardless of immigration status. For example, the Fifth Amendment guarantees due process protections against actions taken by the federal government, while the Sixth Amendment ensures the right to legal counsel in criminal prosecutions. The U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that LPRs are entitled to these same protections,” wrote the lawmakers.
The lawmakers demanded answers regarding the denial of legal counsel and constitutional rights to those in CBP custody, as well as the number of U.S. citizens and lawful residents detained since President Trump took office.
### Founded in 1994, the bicameral Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus is composed of 82 members of Congress who advocate on behalf of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. The Caucus is led by Congresswoman Grace Meng, who was elected CAPAC Chair in 2024.
