Bangalore: The South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) organised a meeting on July 11 to focus attention on some pressing problems faced by the immigrant communities especially in the wake of the September 11 tragedy, according to an official press release.

The meeting was conceived by SACCS president Sudha Acharaya, primarily to highlight these difficulties to Sayu Bhojwani, who was recently appointed by new York Mayor Bloomberg as commissioner of immigrant affairs, the release said.

Actively participating in the meeting were representatives from several community organisations such as the Asian American Legal Defence and Education Fund (AALDEF), Sakhi for South Asian Women (SAKHI), New York Taxi Workers Alliance, American Association of Indian Social Workers (AAISW), Chhaya CDC, Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Shandana Resource Centre, The Indian American Kerala Centre and the United Hindu Cultural Council Senior Centre (UHCCSC).

"The meeting provided an ideal opportunity for identifying urgent issues that confronted the community and to move forward to their resolution," Acharaya said.

Among the concerns expressed at the meeting, the following were particularly emphasised: Status of spouses and children where the sole earning member of the family had an H1 or L1 visa status and died in the September tragedy. A bill designed to assure citizenship to such spouses and families was introduced by Senator Corzine and cosponsored by Senators Clinton and Torricelli.

However it has since become stagnant. Other issues raised included access to health insurance for low income workers, the need for portable health funds, men using immigration as control over the spouse in cases of domestic violence, unjustified interrogation of South Asians ostensibly for security purposes and instances of landlords cautioned to check South Asian tenants.

Responding to these concerns commissioner Bhojwani said that she had three principal goals which she intended to pursue in her new assignment - Increasing the capacity of immigrants affairs to contribute more effectively to the welfare of the community through their own linguistically and culturally competent services; creating greater access for immigrants to city government and agencies; and serving as a general resource on immigrant affairs to the Mayor and the public.

On the citizenship status of those spouses and children left without support by the 9/11 tragedy, commissioner Bhojwani said, "Mayor Bloomberg would support legislation granting residency to these families but would not be able to influence the actual course of the legislation."

At the reception following the meeting, Helen Marshall, Queen's Borough president, welcomed the newly appointed commissioner and the South Asian representatives and remarked how the immigrant community was crucial in taking on the gaps in the business economy and the way they had typically "made a way over no way". A child of immigrant herself, she was committed to protect immigrant rights.

SACSS is a not for profit organisation whose mission is to plan, provide, support and advocate for a continuum of programs addressing the social service needs of the under-served South Asian and other immigrant communities in New York City.

SACSS has been providing counselling and other support to the victims of the 9/11 disaster. It is in the process of implementing a comprehensive Needs Assessment Survey in the five boroughs of New York City that includes the impact of 9/11 on the community, the release added.