ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER GROUPS
FILE AMICUS BRIEF IN U.S. SUPREME COURT IN SUPPORT OF ROE V. WADE
WASHINGTON,
D.C. - Today, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
(NAPAWF) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice –
AAJC), with Duane Morris LLP, filed an amicus brief urging the nation’s highest
court to reject a call by the state of Mississippi to overturn Roe v. Wade
and allow individual states to ban or end the legal right to abortion.
The
amicus, or the “friend of the court” brief, represents 29 community and civil rights
organizations, as well as bar associations, representing the interests of Asian
American and Pacific Islander women in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s
Health Organization. The Dobbs case
is a challenge, brought by the independent and sole abortion care in
Mississippi, represented by the Center for Reproductive Rights, to the state’s
2018 ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
“Our brief focuses solely on the experiences of Asian American and
Pacific Islander women in the United States,” said Sung Yeon
Choimorrow, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum
(NAPAWF).
“We know that abortion access is already difficult for AAPI women.
The cultural stigma and shame that comes with talking about abortion, let alone
getting one, is compounded with significant language and economic barriers that
can make accessing abortion care a harrowing and terrifying experience,” said Choimorrow. “This is especially true for
AAPI women who are over-represented in
low-paying, service jobs and are more likely to not have health care coverage
to begin with.”
In 2020, AAPI women experienced the highest
rates of long-term unemployment among minority women since
the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Given that AAPIs are among the fastest-growing populations
nationwide with nearly two-thirds of the population being foreign-born, we have
grave concerns about the impact of this case on our community,” said
Niyati Shah, Advancing Justice – AAJC's Director of Litigation. “The
anti-immigrant sentiment will only further stoke the fear of AAPI women that
they will face adverse consequences regardless of their immigration status.”
Overturning Roe v. Wade will effectively end
legal abortion in at least 22 states, of which several are home to large and
growing AAPI communities. For instance, the AAPI population in Georgia, Texas,
and North Carolina, has grown 138%, 128%, and 154%, respectively, since 2000.
The rolling back of reproductive rights by banning access to abortion care will
jeopardize the well-being and financial stability for millions of AAPI women
and families.
“This
amicus brief emphasizes the unconstitutionality imposed by pre-viability
abortion bans and the need to protect the constitutional right for continued
access to abortion care for millions of AAPI women, especially in those states
with a rapidly growing AAPI population that face pre-existing abortion
barriers,” said Cyndie M. Chang, Managing Partner of the Duane Morris
Los Angeles office. “Duane Morris’ participation in this amicus brief
reflects our firm’s commitment to assisting the under-represented, which are
often those who are in dire need of support and services. In this case, the
barriers to safe reproductive care will become even more profound if
Mississippi’s pre-viability abortion ban is upheld due to laws that unfairly
target pregnant AAPI women for criminal prosecution. Reproductive justice
and the Fifth Circuit ruling should be upheld.”
A full
copy of the amicus brief is available here.
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