"Man without a
country" wins asylum after being tortured and living transient life for 30
years; in immediate need of
employment and shelter
San Francisco - This week, Wang Da Lu, a stateless
individual for the past 40 years, received news that he has won political
asylum and will not be deported to China. Represented by the Asian Law
Caucus, Lu had been without legal status since birth and, after having lived
illegally throughout Asia, was detained by ICE authorities upon arrival at the Port of Oakland.
Lu's
parents, former Kuomintang soldiers, fled China
during the Chinese Civil War to the "Golden Triangle," an ungoverned area
bordering Burma, Thailand, China,
and Laos,
where Lu was born. After the Chinese Civil War, Lu's parents tried to return to
China,
but Chinese authorities prevented their entry. After he was orphaned at the age of 10, Lu spent the past three decades
living illegally in Thailand,
South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia
and Japan,
staying underground out of fear of reprisal from local authorities. Lu also
tried to enter China
on three occasions, and was detained and tortured by Chinese authorities as a
result. It was during Lu's third denied attempt to enter China that he stayed aboard a
vessel that later docked in the Port of Oakland, California, on March 9, 2010.
In Oakland, Lu was detained
by ICE, where he remained until this month. The Asian Law Caucus represented Lu
and was able to successfully secure his freedom. As a result, Lu was released
on August 10, 2010 by ICE and awarded asylum. "The Caucus is thrilled that Lu
has been granted legal status," says his pro bono attorney Alvina Wong.
"Despite having survived exceptionally excruciating circumstances, our client
has been extremely positive in the face of adversity. With only the clothes on
his back and twenty dollars to his name, Lu's immediate priority is to build
for himself the life that he has finally been afforded the opportunity to begin."
However,
Lu's struggle is far from over. He is in immediate need of employment, shelter
and basic necessities. Lu has temporary shelter until August 17, but his future
remains to be seen. Lu is scheduled to obtain his social security card in late
August, but having newly arrived in the U.S., he faces insurmountable
obstacles to finding work. In this urgent time, Asian Law Caucus is appealing
to the local community to rally their support in helping Lu's transitional
phase.
The nature
of this unique legal case underscores the critical need for community support. "The
judge was so moved by Lu's life that he compared Lu to The Man Without a Country, the nineteenth century fictional story
of a man with no place to call home," says Asian Law Caucus staff attorney Sin Yen Ling. "Lu is the real-life 'Man Without a
Country.'"
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ASIAN
LAW CAUCUS (ALC) - The mission of the Asian Law Caucus is to promote,
advance, and represent the legal and civil rights of the Asian and
Pacific Islander communities. Recognizing that social, economic,
political and racial inequalities continue to exist in the United
States, the Asian Law Caucus is committed to the pursuit of equality
and justice for all sectors of our society with a specific focus
directed toward addressing the needs of low-income and Asian and
Pacific Islanders. Visit: asianlawcaucus.org
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