Jaya Padmanabhan

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Men and women who have passed their citizenship tests and become American citizens sit in the front row during a news conference for National Citizenship Day at the Portsmouth Square Club House. (Courtesy photo)

Green card holders: Become citizens and vote

The Portsmouth Square Club House, near Chinatown, was packed with Chinese immigrants…

Men and women who have passed their citizenship tests and become American citizens sit in the front row during a news conference for National Citizenship Day at the Portsmouth Square Club House. (Courtesy photo)
People gather outside the Department of Homeland Security offices in San Francisco on Aug. 22 to protest the alleged abuse of immigrant detainees and to encourage the passage of the Dignity Not Dentention Act. (Courtesy Raquel Ortega)

Where’s your pen, Gov. Brown?

On Aug. 22, one of those deceptively cold San Francisco mornings, a…

People gather outside the Department of Homeland Security offices in San Francisco on Aug. 22 to protest the alleged abuse of immigrant detainees and to encourage the passage of the Dignity Not Dentention Act. (Courtesy Raquel Ortega)
Left: J. Jha portrays the character Looney Tunes in “The Box.” Right: Jha prepares to walk the ramp for a fashion show. (Left: Courtesy Todd Sanchioni; Right: Courtesy photo)

Written in parenthesis

Late in July, I watched a disturbing and wrenching play called “The…

Left: J. Jha portrays the character Looney Tunes in “The Box.” Right: Jha prepares to walk the ramp for a fashion show. (Left: Courtesy Todd Sanchioni; Right: Courtesy photo)
Ana Morales speaks at a recent panel organized by New American Media in San Francisco. (Courtesy Shikha Singh/New American Media)

Leaving family on the other side of the border

A reader in San Francisco recently commented on how ironic it is…

Ana Morales speaks at a recent panel organized by New American Media in San Francisco. (Courtesy Shikha Singh/New American Media)
A round table event hosted by New America Media and the San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs addressed some of the pressing issues surrounding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (Courtesy Shikha Singh/New America Media)

Why aren’t more applying for deportation exemption?

The Supreme Court’s nondecision in June, which effectively blocked President Barack Obama’s…

A round table event hosted by New America Media and the San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs addressed some of the pressing issues surrounding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (Courtesy Shikha Singh/New America Media)
New citizens of the United States of America are sworn in during a ceremony at the San Mateo library in June. (Jaya Padmanabhan/Special to S.F. Examiner)

America’s culture of acceptance and our color crisis

On a clear, crisp morning in June, I gathered along with 20…

New citizens of the United States of America are sworn in during a ceremony at the San Mateo library in June. (Jaya Padmanabhan/Special to S.F. Examiner)
Being an undocumented immigrant and being homeless are about being in crisis mode, being displaced and being alienated by society — and both situations are driven by poverty. (Jessica Christian/S.F. Examiner)

Struggles shared by undocumented immigrants, homeless

On a single night in January 2015, the U.S. Department of Housing…

Being an undocumented immigrant and being homeless are about being in crisis mode, being displaced and being alienated by society — and both situations are driven by poverty. (Jessica Christian/S.F. Examiner)
The Hunters Point Shipyard project, a development with a projected 12,000 housing units, is led by Golden Gate Global — an EB-5 Immigrant Investment Regional Center. (Mike Koozmin/2015 S.F. Examiner file photo)

Green cards for the wealthy

If you have access to $500,000, it is possible to buy your…

The Hunters Point Shipyard project, a development with a projected 12,000 housing units, is led by Golden Gate Global — an EB-5 Immigrant Investment Regional Center. (Mike Koozmin/2015 S.F. Examiner file photo)
The redemption story of Eddy Zheng, a reformed convict who was arrested at 16 and spent nearly 20 years in prison, incidates that something is working in our society. (Courtesy photos)

Crime and Punishment: The Eddy Zheng story

‘A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad…

The redemption story of Eddy Zheng, a reformed convict who was arrested at 16 and spent nearly 20 years in prison, incidates that something is working in our society. (Courtesy photos)
Sheriff Vicki Hennessy, left, and Supervisor John Avalos find themselves on opposing sides of the ongoing debate about San Francisco’s status as a sanctuary city. (All: Mike Koozmin/S.F. Examiner)

Sanctuary City: Welcome victims of crime

On KQED’s “Forum” program on May 9, hosted by Michael Krasny, San…

Sheriff Vicki Hennessy, left, and Supervisor John Avalos find themselves on opposing sides of the ongoing debate about San Francisco’s status as a sanctuary city. (All: Mike Koozmin/S.F. Examiner)
Children gather outside a school tent set at a makeshift camp crowded by migrants and refugees at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, on May 2, 2016. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

Why should we care about refugees?

"As people of faith, we wish to join our voices to speak…

Children gather outside a school tent set at a makeshift camp crowded by migrants and refugees at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, on May 2, 2016. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)
Protesters hold a demonstration in San Francisco demanding recognition for refugee children entering the United States on July 21, 2014. (Eric Risberg/AP)

Undocumented unaccompanied children face deportation court hearings

Judge Rebecca Jamil walked into Courtroom 11 at the Immigration Court in…

Protesters hold a demonstration in San Francisco demanding recognition for refugee children entering the United States on July 21, 2014. (Eric Risberg/AP)
Donald Trump recently said we have a country where to assimilate, we speak English. He wasn’t wrong, as much as he wasn’t right. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Should we be willing to speak more languages?

“Good Morning, my name is Gregory. Would you like me to continue…

Donald Trump recently said we have a country where to assimilate, we speak English. He wasn’t wrong, as much as he wasn’t right. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol truck patrols the U.S.-Mexico border on March 18 in Douglas, Ariz. (Ricardo Arduengo/AP)

Border walls cause more human suffering

Haven’t we seen from European history what walls do and how they…

A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol truck patrols the U.S.-Mexico border on March 18 in Douglas, Ariz. (Ricardo Arduengo/AP)
Ali Fazal, left, and Samrat Chakrabarti star in “For Here or To Go?” (Courtesy “For Here or To Go?”)

Skilled visa holders insecure about life in the US

"You can build your life where you choose to. The question is,…

Ali Fazal, left, and Samrat Chakrabarti star in “For Here or To Go?” (Courtesy “For Here or To Go?”)
The U.S. Naturalization Test — and all of the accompanying costs, can be daunting for immigrants (Eric Gay/2007 AP)

Fear prevents green card holders from becoming citizens

The notion of a country inviting immigrants to become citizens is a…

The U.S. Naturalization Test — and all of the accompanying costs, can be daunting for immigrants (Eric Gay/2007 AP)
Many undocumented immigrants are fearful to reach out to law enforcement to report crimes because they fear the threat of being deported. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Escape from battery

How often have we heard about our immigration system being broken? President…

Many undocumented immigrants are fearful to reach out to law enforcement to report crimes because they fear the threat of being deported. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)