A family split by immigration rules, and the Tanforan anniversary

Vol. 144, No. 11, June 15, 2007. 12 pages. View this issue

Immigration was the thread through this 12-page issue. Caroline Aoyagi-Stom reported on Keith Campbell and his wife Akiko, who was barred from returning to the U.S. for a decade after an error in her visa paperwork, leaving the family apart for five months. Asian Pacific American groups kept pushing for family-friendly reform after the Senate bill stalled. Marcus Wohlsen covered hundreds gathering at the Tanforan site in San Bruno for the 65th anniversary of its use as a detention center for 8,000 Japanese Americans before the World War II incarceration (often called internment). John Tateishi wrote on national security letters.

Also inside: a look at 40 years since Loving v. Virginia, a Manzanar National Historic Site call for public comment, and Harry Honda’s column on the camp language used in Tule Lake and other camps. Sports covered the sumo yokozuna Hakuho, and a film about Hachiko was profiled on page 9.

What’s in this issue

National

• Florida Family Living an Immigration Nightmare, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. Keith Campbell’s wife Akiko was barred from returning to the U.S. for a decade after an innocent error in her fiancée visa paperwork led to accusations of fraud. The family, including their two young sons, has been separated for five months as they fight for a hardship waiver while living thousands of miles apart.
• Japanese Americans Converge at Tanforan Site for Anniversary, by Marcus Wohlsen, page 1. Hundreds gathered at the Shops at Tanforan mall in San Bruno, California to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the site’s use as a detention center for 8,000 Japanese Americans before their transfer to WWII internment camps. Former internees shared memories of being forced from their homes and living in horse stalls, with some drawing parallels to post-9/11 treatment of Arab Americans.
• APA Students Launch Campaign to Dismantle ‘Asian American’ at UCs, by Lynda Lin, page 1. UCLA’s Asian Pacific Coalition launched the Count Me In! campaign to disaggregate the broad ‘Asian American’ category used by universities, aiming to highlight the struggles of smaller APA ethnic groups like Pacific Islanders. The campaign seeks inclusion of more ethnic subcategories, a separate Pacific Islander category, and financial support for outreach to disadvantaged APA students.
• Tucson Restaurant Pulls Racist Language from Menu, by Associated Press, page 1. A Tucson Chinese takeout restaurant, Eggrolls Etc., removed racially insensitive language including the term ‘Chinamen’ from its menu and ads after community groups denounced them as racist. Owner Mike Reynolds apologized for any misunderstanding but declined to issue a formal apology, saying the menu was never intended to harm the Asian American community.
• APA Groups Continue to Push for Family-Friendly Immigration Reform, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 3. After a Senate immigration bill failed to advance, Asian Pacific American advocacy groups continued pushing for reforms that preserve family-based immigration rather than shifting to a point system based on job skills. Leaders criticized proposed changes and a citizenship fee increase from $400 to $675 as additional barriers for immigrants seeking to reunite with family and become citizens.
• Bill to Establish JLA Commission Needs Support, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Civil rights groups including JACL are urging support for legislation that would establish a commission to study the WWII internment and deportation of Japanese Latin Americans from 13 countries. Sen. Daniel Inouye and Rep. Xavier Becerra introduced companion bills seeking to investigate this often-overlooked chapter of history and recommend remedies.
• National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 3. This roundup covers several national stories: the replacement of Okei Ito’s historic headstone in Coloma, California; an Oregon law granting degrees to former JA internees; a Senate study on WWII treatment of German Americans; controversy over naming a Madison school after Hmong General Vang Pao; the reopening of Virginia Tech’s Norris Hall; and a University of Michigan study on discrimination’s health effects on APAs.
• Florida Family’s Immigration Nightmare Continues, by P.C. Staff, page 12. This continuation details how Keith and Akiko Campbell were told by a U.S. embassy official to proceed with their 1998 wedding and adjust Akiko’s visa status afterward, advice that led to nine years of immigration battles. Despite spending over $10,000 on attorneys, Akiko remains barred from re-entering the U.S., and the family continues fighting for a hardship waiver while considering relocating to Japan permanently.
• Tucson Restaurant Racist Menu Controversy Continues, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Community leaders including JACL, the YWCA, and Tucson city officials denounced restaurant owner Mike Reynolds’ racist advertising and criticized him for ignoring complaints first raised months earlier by the Tucson Chinese Association. Association president Jason Wong expressed relief that the business responded but frustration that it took significant community pressure to achieve change.

Commentary

• For the Record: The Abuse of NSLs, by John Tateishi, page 1. John Tateishi examines how the USA PATRIOT Act dramatically expanded the FBI’s use of national security letters, lowering the standard for issuance and turning them into tools for mass data mining rather than targeted investigations. He argues the resulting secrecy and privacy violations threaten American civil liberties and calls for Congress to re-examine and repeal the broadened NSL authority.
• 40 Years After Loving v. Virginia, How Far Have We Come?, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 1. The article marks the 40th anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia decision that struck down anti-miscegenation laws, highlighting interracial couples including Norman Mineta and Deni, Connie Chung and Maury Povich, and Kristi Yamaguchi and Bret Hedican. It also recounts historical interracial marriage struggles faced by Japanese Americans like Dick Miyagawa, Gunjiro Aoki, and Janice Mirikitani.
• NCWNP District Council Recognizes and Gives Support to Muslim American Advocate, Basim El-Karra, by Barbara Takei, page 5. The NCWNP JACL district council passed a resolution supporting Basim El-Karra, executive director of CAIR-Sacramento Valley, after Sen. Barbara Boxer rescinded a certificate of appreciation to him following an anti-CAIR campaign. El-Karra praised JACL for standing with the Muslim American community since 9/11, drawing parallels between the experiences of JAs after Pearl Harbor and Muslims today.
• Nikkei Expressions, Flourishing or Forgotten, by Harry Honda, page 8. Harry Honda revisits a column from 25 years earlier cataloging the unique ‘camp language’ that blended English and Japanese words used by internees during WWII. The piece lists numerous examples of Issei pidgin English and Nisei slang terms coined in camps like Tule Lake, reflecting the distinct culture that developed in this abnormal community.
• Golf Orphans, by Cheryl Watamura Martinez, page 8. Cheryl Watamura Martinez humorously recounts her experience learning to play golf in Germany, where strict licensing requirements and club memberships made the process arduous. She describes her comedic struggles as a beginner golfer, including losing her golf club cover companions during her first round of play.

Community

• In the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. This community briefs roundup covers Norman Mineta and Daniel Okimoto receiving Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, San Jose JACL awarding scholarships to 14 students, Judge Vincent Okamoto’s induction into the Ranger Hall of Fame, Boise Valley JACL scholarship awards, and Judge Robert Takasugi receiving a Public Service Award from UCLA.
• Honolulu’s Chinatown Drops Dark Past, Provides Home for Arts, by Associated Press, page 4. Once notorious for gambling, prostitution and drug dealing, Honolulu’s Chinatown has transformed into a bohemian arts district with galleries, bars, and stylish restaurants. The neighborhood now attracts young locals and tourists alike while still maintaining its traditional ethnic markets and historic lei shops.
• Manzanar NHS Seeks Public Comment, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The National Park Service is inviting public comment on the Draft Scope of Collections Statement and Draft Cemetery Management Plan for Manzanar National Historic Site. These documents outline guidelines for the park’s museum collections and address issues specific to cemetery and memorial offerings left by visitors.
• Event Highlights Presidio’s MIS Service History, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The National Japanese American Historical Society, Presidio Trust, and National Park Service sponsored an event featuring U.S. Army historian James McNaughton to support development of a Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center at the Presidio’s Building 640. The building was the site of the top-secret MIS Japanese language training school during WWII.
• New UC AAPI Policy Research Program Established, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The University of California approved a new multi-campus research program focused on policy issues affecting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, set to launch July 1. The program will bring together 50 faculty affiliates across all 10 UC campuses to conduct and disseminate policy research to legislators and community leaders.
• Twin Cities JACL Curriculum Guide on the MIS Now Available Online, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Twin Cities JACL Education Committee developed a downloadable curriculum guide on the Military Intelligence Service featuring biographies of Minnesota MIS veterans like Harry Umeda and Toshio William Abe. The guide, approved by Minnesota’s Department of Education, teaches students about Nisei soldiers’ contributions during and after WWII.
• WWII JA Vets’ Legacy Engraved in Stone, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The names of 114 Japanese American World War II veterans with ties to Pocatello, Idaho were added to the Southeast Idaho Veterans Memorial. The Pocatello-Blackfoot JACL and veteran Jun Shiosaki worked together to place bricks honoring these veterans, though some declined the honor citing they had not served in active combat duty.

Sports

• Newest Yokozuna Makes a Grand Hawaiian Debut, page 7. Mongolian sumo wrestler Hakuho made his debut as sumo’s newest yokozuna by defeating fellow Mongolian yokozuna Asashoryu at the Grand Sumo Tournament in Hawaii. At 22, Hakuho is only the fourth non-Japanese wrestler to reach sumo’s highest rank, part of a growing wave of foreign wrestlers changing the sport’s landscape.
• Once Filled with Unlimited Potential, Wie Now Surrounded by Controversy, page 7. Teen golfer Michelle Wie faced criticism from LPGA star Annika Sorenstam after withdrawing from a tournament citing a wrist injury, then being seen practicing at the driving range days later. Wie defended her actions, saying she is only human and going through a difficult time as her once-promising career has been marked by struggles both on and off the course.
• Major League Baseball Officials Hope to Decide on Asia Trips Soon, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 7. MLB officials are considering playing exhibition games in Beijing and regular-season games in Tokyo in early 2008, with a decision expected by late July. Officials inspected the Beijing ballpark being built for the Olympics, and teams like the Red Sox, Yankees, and Dodgers expressed interest in participating given their Asian ties and fan bases.

Arts & Entertainment

• Hachiko Love, page 9. Vicki Shigekuni Wong is co-producing a $15 million film titled ‘Hachiko: A Dog’s Story’ starring Richard Gere, based on the true story of Japan’s famously loyal Akita dog. Wong’s personal connection to the story stems from her own beloved Shiba Inu named Hachiko, and the American adaptation will be set in present-day Connecticut.

Obituaries

• Tom Kitayama, the First JA to Hold Office in Calif., Dies at 83, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 11. Tom Kitayama, known as ‘Mr. Union City’ and the first Japanese American elected to public office in California, died June 5 of heart failure at age 83. He served over 33 years in Union City government, becoming the city’s first appointed and later first elected mayor, overseeing its growth from a small town to a suburb of 50,000.

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