APHR Calls for the Safety and Rights of Southeast Asian Immigrants Amid ICE crackdown in the US

JAKARTA, 22 JULY 2025—ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) denounces the escalating crackdown by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that is unjustly targeting Southeast Asian immigrant communities, among others, in California and other parts of the country.

Mercy Chriesty Barends, APHR Chairperson and Member of the House of Representatives of Indonesia vehemently expressed that, “these actions of detaining individuals during routine check-ins and enforcing decades-old deportation orders violate basic principles of due process and human dignity.”

According to reports by immigration lawyers and community groups, ‘a growing number of Southeast Asian immigrants in Los Angeles and Orange counties whose deportation orders have been on indefinite hold for years are being detained…after showing up for routine check-ins in the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices’ including dozens of Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese community members who arrived as refugees and have lived peacefully in the US for decades.

It is alarming to witness these actions that run counter to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which sets out the rights to freedom from arbitrary detention (Article 9), equal protection before the law (Article 7) and the right to a nationality and family life (Articles 15 and 16).

“No one should be detained simply for complying with immigration procedures. These raids retraumatize refugees, tear apart families and violate international human rights standards,” remarked Maria Angelina Sarmento, APHR Board Member and Member of Parliament of Timor-Leste.

As lawmakers representing Southeast Asian communities here and abroad, APHR calls on the US government to immediately cease these discriminatory actions and uphold its commitment to human rights for all communities.

APHR also urges ASEAN governments to take immediate diplomatic steps to ensure the safety and protection of their nationals residing abroad. Foreign ministries must proactively seek information on those detained, extend consular support and advocate for fair and transparent immigration proceedings in line with international law.

Charles Santiago, APHR Co-Chairperson and former Malaysian Member of Parliament emphasized that, “ASEAN cannot afford to remain silent when the citizens of its member states are subjected to injustice abroad. Furthermore, ASEAN should use its regional platform to express concerns and stand up for the people of Southeast Asia wherever they are.”

Santiago added, “governments across the region have a responsibility to protect the rights and dignity of their nationals, including by firmly opposing forced deportations that could expose individuals to danger, persecution or statelessness.”

APHR reaffirms its unwavering support for immigrant communities whose rights and voices are too often overlooked or dismissed. It vows to continue working alongside civil society and international partners to ensure that Southeast Asian voices are heard, protected and empowered at home and abroad. #