Immigration Administrative Action Matters to Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities and All Communities

Immigration Administrative Action Matters to Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities and All Communities

WASHINGTON— President Obama will address the nation Thursday night to announce administrative action on immigration to keep families together. It’s good news and it’s the right step for our nation as the fight forward continues for a lasting immigration solution. It is a win for millions of families, mothers and fathers, children, hard-working people and students who will be able to walk a new path into the light of our democracy and economy.

SEIU Local 521 Chief Elected Officer Luisa Blue is available for interviews about the president’s decision in the context of Asian American and Pacific Islander families and all working families. To arrange an interview with Long, call or email Beau Boughamer (202/765-9143, beau.boughamer@seiu.org).

Prior to becoming the CEO of SEIU 521, Blue was the first President of SEIU Local 121 RN in Southern California. Blue was also the Organizing Director for SEIU Local 790, a large public sector union in Northern California.  At SEIU Local 790, Blue organized over 10,000 workers in five years.  She was responsible for the successful organizing campaign of airport screeners – predominantly Asian immigrants – at the San Francisco airport.

She began her trade union work in 1977 when she was a member of SEIU Local 400 in San Francisco.  She was a registered nurse at San Francisco General Hospital and started her union activity as a shop steward for the Registered Nurse Chapter.

In August 2001, Blue became the first woman and the first Filipina to be elected National President for the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance. She was re-elected in 2003.