Thursday, May. 7, 2020 – Thursday, May. 7, 2020

07:30 PM – 08:30 PM
US/Central

The coronavirus pandemic has closed borders, shut down businesses and schools, and paused court hearings and processes — all of which has had a disproportionate impact on immigrants. A quarter of the Houston region was born in another country. Non-citizen immigrants, including DACA recipients, make up 6.8 percent of the U.S. workforce, with three of four of those immigrants working in jobs deemed essential for fighting the virus, such as healthcare, education, and food-related industries. Immigrants or undocumented individuals are more likely to make up the seasonal workforce on farms as well, a figure not included in monthly unemployment figures.

Meanwhile, international students have been forced to return to their home countries or are stuck in the U.S. after schools and borders closed, and are facing questions about their visas and whether they will be able to resume their education. Additionally, the closure and restriction of immigration and consular services have left pending the status of thousands of migrants on work and business visas in the midst of the immigration process. Join Asia Society Texas Center for a discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on immigrants.

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Schedule

Thursday, May 7, 2020
7:30 p.m. Moderated Discussion
8 p.m. Audience Q&A — Questions welcome via YouTube

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About the Speaker

Charles C. Foster, who served as Chairman of Asia Society Texas Center for 20+ years, is Chairman of Foster LLP, one of the largest global immigration law firms. He received his Bachelors from the University of Texas and his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.Charles is a Board member and the founding Chairman of the State Bar of Texas Immigration and Nationality Law Section, the past national President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Chairman of the American Bar Association Coordinating Committee on Immigration Law. Charles served as the principal advisor to President Bush on U.S. immigration policy during the 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns and was an advisor on immigration policy issues to President Barack Obama in the 2008 campaign. He is also Chairman of US China Partnerships, Americans for Immigration Reform, a 501(c)(3) affiliate of the Greater Houston Partnership and the GHP’s Immigration Task Force. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the GHP as well as its Executive Committee and on the Board of the Houston Ballet. He was designated a “Texas Super Lawyer” from 2003 to 2014 by Texas Monthly, the “Top Notch Lawyer in Immigration” in the Texas Lawyer “Go To Lawyers Guide,” the #1 Ranked Immigration Lawyer in Texas by Chambers USA, and he was listed as one of the nation’s “20 most powerful employment attorneys” in immigration by Human Resource Executive in June 2011. He was the 2013 recipient of the Houston Bar Association’s prestigious Leon Jaworski Award and was featured in the critically acclaimed movie Mao’s Last Dancer.

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About the Moderator

State Representative Gene Wu proudly serves the people of District 137 in the Texas House. Prior to being elected in 2012, he served as a prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney's Office, where he sought justice for thousands of crime victims. He is currently an attorney in private practice. He served his third term in office in the 85th Legislative Session where he was appointed to the House Committees on Appropriations and Human Services, and passed key legislation addressing Department of Family Services reform, as well as criminal justice reform. During his first term in office, he authored many important pieces of legislation, including strengthening pipeline safety, modernizing investigations in child abuse and neglect cases, cracking down on organized criminal activity, and improving college readiness. He passed legislation that modernized the criminal justice system, decriminalized truancy, enhanced Pre-K standards, and offered increased protection for victims of human trafficking. He also worked on legislation addressing juvenile justice reform, including raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction.

Outside his legislative work, he remains active and involved in the Houston community. For the past nine years, he has worked with Neighborhood Centers Inc. and serves on community advocacy boards, such as the OCA-Greater Houston Advisory Board, the Chinese Community Center Advisory Board, and the Baker-Ripley Neighborhood Centers Advisory Committee. He is the past President of the Houston 80-20 Political Action Committee. He has also served as a mentor and teacher for adults in the Skills for Living program, and tutored at-risk youth at Sharpstown High School. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from Texas A&M University, a Master's Degree from the LBJ School for Public Affairs at the University of Texas in Austin, and a Law Degree from the South Texas College of Law in Houston.

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Asia Society hosts today's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect Asia Society views.

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Business and Policy programs are endowed by Huffington Foundation. We give special thanks to Bank of America, Muffet Blake, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Nancy Pollok Guinee, United Airlines, and Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsors of Business and Policy programs; Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher, Presenting Sponsors of Exhibitions; Dr. Ellen R. Gritz and Milton D. Rosenau and Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsors of Performing Arts and Culture; and Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Presenting Sponsor of the Japan Series. General support of programs and exhibitions is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Hearts Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, McKinsey & Company, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Vinson & Elkins LLP, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as Friends of Asia Society.

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About Asia Society at Home

Though Asia Society is temporarily closed, we are dedicated to continuing our mission of building cross-cultural understanding and uplifting human connectivity. Using digital tools, we bring you content for all ages and conversations that matter, in order to spark curiosity about Asia and to foster empathy.

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About Asia Society Texas Center

With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.