Dear Bangladeshi Americans for Obama:

As Americans of international heritage, each of us embodies the promise of the American dream.  Our families arrived on the shores of this great nation in search of a better tomorrow.  They sought a land of promise and freedom, a land where hard work was rewarded and justice prevailed.  While we have made great strides in this country, much remains to be done to ensure that the promise of America is fulfilled for each member of our community.

Barack Obama’s vision for America is our vision, and his story is our story.  As the son of a foreign-born father, he has personally experienced the challenges of race and identity that affect this community.  As a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, he appreciates the value of a strong education in expanding opportunity in this country.  He also recognizes that love for America and pride in one’s heritage are not conflicting values.  And he understands that our individual salvation depends on our collective salvation.

We support Senator Obama’s candidacy because of the promise it holds for our future.  We do so not simply based on narrow self-interest or communal allegiances.  Rather, we believe that Senator Obama’s message of hope and opportunity will move our entire country in a positive new direction.  Because when our country is at its best, there is no limit to what our community can achieve.  By uniting around Barack Obama’s candidacy for President in 2008, the Bangladeshi-American community can assume a leading role in shaping the future of America.

Below, I have included some specific policy initiatives that Barack Obama will pursue as President that will directly impact the Bangladeshi American community. We look to working with your organization to make Barack Obama the next President of the United States

Unity of Democratic Party: Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton made a show of unity two weeks ago in a village named for it, their first joint public appearance since the competitive and historic Democratic primary race ended. Senator Obama has enormous respect for Senator Clinton. She has made history over the past 16 months -- not just because she has broken barriers, but because she has inspired millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to causes like universal health care that make a difference in the lives of hardworking Americans.

Improve Opportunities for English-Language Learners: One in every ten public school students is an English language learner. There is a substantial need for programs and funding to assist the many Bangledeshi students who must learn English as they learn other subjects. This student population faces significant hurdles to a quality education, and states are not adequately keeping track of their progress. Barack Obama will ensure schools monitor the progress of students learning English and will hold schools accountable for making sure these students complete school. 

Support Learning Opportunities for Immigrants: Under current law, students who were brought to the United States years ago as undocumented immigrant children and who have stayed and excelled in and out of school have no hope of attending college with affordable in-state tuition. Barack Obama has been a cosponsor and longtime supporter of

the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, which would allow states to provide in-state college tuition to undocumented students who grew up in the United States. Barack Obama wants to see the DREAM Act become law so every child can have access to a quality, affordable education.

Invest in Small Businesses: Thousands of small businesses are owned by Bangladeshi Americans. Bangladeshi Americans are more likely than most ethnic groups to own a small business. Barack Obama  will support entrepreneurship and spur job growth by creating a national network of public-private business incubators.  Business incubators facilitate the critical work of entrepreneurs in creating start-up companies by offering help designing business plans, identifying and addressing problems affecting all small businesses within a given community, and giving advice on a wide range of business practices.  Business incubators will engage the expertise and resources of local institutions of higher education and successful private sector businesses to help ensure that small businesses have both a strong plan and the resources for long-term success.  Barack Obama will also strengthen Small Business Administration programs that provide capital to minority-owned businesses and work to reduce duplicative, complicated and unnecessary regulations that adversely affect small bus
 

IMMIGRATION : Barack Obama believes the immigration issue has been exploited by politicians to divide the nation rather than find real solutions.  This divisiveness has allowed the illegal immigration problem to worsen, with borders that are less secure than ever and an economy that depends on millions of workers living in the shadows. Obama believes we must rise above divisive politics and act in the interests of our national and economic security. Obama has played a leading role in crafting comprehensive immigration reform and believes that our broken immigration system can only be fixed by putting politics aside and offering a solution that strengthens our security while reaffirming our heritage as a nation of immigrants.

Improve Legal Immigration: The overwhelming majority of immigrants, both legal and undocumented, come to this country with the hope that hard work and sacrifice will secure a better life for their children. Every year, an estimated 500,000-800,000 people enter the country illegally or illegally overstay their visa.  Another million enter legally.  Barack Obama believes we must address illegal immigration by strengthening border security and fixing the dysfunctional bureaucracy to balance the needs of American workers and the U.S. economy. That includes creating legal avenues for people to work here. Barack Obama believes immigrant workers should have legal protections to avoid abuse and downward pressure on American wages and working conditions.  

Safeguard and Streamline the Family Reunification Process: Many Bangladeshi families rely on family reunification policies to assist them build better lives in the United States. However, Bangladeshi families have some of the longest immigration backlogs. In the most recent immigration debate on the U.S. Senate floor, Obama fought to improve and pass a comprehensive bill. Obama introduced amendments to put greater emphasis on keeping immigrant families together and to revisit a controversial new points system that would dramatically alter U.S. immigration policy.

Reform H-1B Visas: Immigrants have helped create wealth in America’s economy. Barack Obama supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes improvement in our visa programs, including the H-1B program, to attract some of the world’s most talented people to America. However, Barack Obama would like to see immigrant workers less dependent on their employers for their right to stay in the country and would hold accountable employers who abuse the system and their workers.  

Bring People Out of the Shadows: America has always been a nation of immigrants. There are millions of people living in the shadows who would like to fully embrace our values and become full members of our democracy.  For the millions living here illegally but otherwise playing by the rules, we must encourage them to come out of hiding and get right with the law. Barack Obama supports a system that requires undocumented  immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, not commit crimes, and go to the back of the line for citizenship. After all those conditions are met, they would be granted the opportunity to stay in the United States.

FOREIGN POLICY 

Bring the War in Iraq to a Responsible End:  Nearly 39,000 Asian and Pacific Islander Americans have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since September 2001. Barack Obama opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning. In 2002, as the conventional thinking in Washington lined up for war, Obama had the judgment and courage to speak out against the war. He said the war would lead to “an occupation of undetermined length, with undetermined costs and undetermined consequences.” In January 2007, Obama introduced legislation to responsibly end the war in Iraq, with a phased withdrawal of troops engaged in combat operations. Today, Obama has a plan to immediately begin to pull out troops engaged in combat operations at a pace of one or two brigades every month, to be completed by the end of 2008. He would call for a new constitutional convention in Iraq, convened with the United Nations, which would not adjourn until Iraq’s leaders reach a new accord on reconciliation. He would use presidential leadership to surge our diplomacy with all of the nations of the region on behalf of a new regional security compact. And he would take immediate steps to confront the humanitarian disaster in Iraq.

Reestablish U.S. Moral Leadership: Obama will restore America’s standing, reputation, and authority in the world by respecting civil liberties, ending torture, restoring habeas corpus, making the U.S. electoral processes fair and transparent, and fighting corruption at home.

Build Framework for South Asian Cooperation:  In Asia, the emergence of an economically vibrant, more politically engaged Bangladesh offers new opportunities for prosperity and cooperation. Barack Obamawillforge a new and lasting framework for collective security in South Asia that goes beyond bilateral agreements, occasional summits, and ad-hoc arrangements like the six-party talks. As president, he would work to develop a more effective regional framework with the countries in the region to promote stability between India and Pakistan and confront transnational threats.   

South Asia is Key to America's Interests:  Barack Obama has long recognized that South Asia is critical to U.S. interests and will ensure that strong U.S. relations in the region are a top foreign policy priority.  Countries in this vital region are key partners in the war on terrorism.  We share fundamental and important values with Bangladesh.  Further, the South Asian region can be a key future trade and economic partner with the United States, which will mutually benefit all of us. Barack Obama seeks a strong South Asian region, which in turn will strengthen the U.S. and its international interests. 

Will Sweeney Graduated from NYU. He is a filmmaker and Co-Chair of Jackson Heights for Obama. He could be reach at: willsweeney@gmail.com

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