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57-421: The neighborhood has a large Jamaican and Lebanese population. Cambodia Town is located in the neighborhood. East Long Beach is a large area of Long Beach , roughly comprising the eastern geographic half of the city, but usually excluding areas south of the east–west line made by Pacific Coast Highway/Atherton Street. East Long Beach is generally taken to extend north to the northern city boundary and east to

114-748: A bill to reform refugee policy in 1978 and first introduced the idea to the United States Senate in 1979. With his proposal, he hoped to address the need for a reformed policy that was not specifically designed for people from communist regimes in Eastern Europe or repressive governments in the Middle East, as it was in the past. At the time, there was an average of 200,000 refugees coming to the United States, most of which were Indochinese and Soviet Jews. The cost of resettlement

171-576: A case-by-case basis, was the first Act that consolidated U.S. immigration policy into one body of text. The creation of the Refugee Act began with hearings by the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security from 1965 to 1968, which recommended for Congress create a uniform system for refugees, but received little support. Edward Kennedy began writing to propose

228-609: A coping mechanism; 67 percent of Cambodians suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder , while 51 percent suffer from severe depression . Gang activity in Long Beach and Cambodia Town was most active from 1989 to 1995, through street fights, drive-by shootings and killings. In America by the Numbers Pass or Fail in Cambodia Town, one of the interviewees stated that "we had to protect ourselves," when talking about

285-418: A cycle to watch over the renewal in nature. The Cambodian New Year festival in Cambodia Town is a community gathering in the streets and features a cultural parade. This celebration showcases traditional garments and performances (e.g. classical dancing and drumming), flags and symbols of Cambodian cultural pride, and representatives of local organizations and businesses. Additionally, the celebration exhibits

342-519: A day in the labor camps on the countryside. Shortly after taking over the country, the Khmer Rouge clubbed individuals who showed disagreement towards their regime to a painful death. The Khmer Rouge murdered Cambodians for not working hard enough, showing any signs of grief, or being educated. As a result, the Khmer Rouge killed 300,000 to 500,000 Cambodians. The Vietnamese removed the Khmer Rouge from power in 1979. During this political turmoil,

399-516: A high rent burden. This prevalence of poverty and inability to purchase homes within the Cambodia Town community may be due to low levels of educational attainment, which can inhibit the ability to attain high-paying jobs. As a result, displacement and gentrification are becoming prevalent issues within the community. Cambodia Town is currently undergoing many beautification projects with public investment in murals, bike lanes, parks, and community gardens, among others. This method of beautification

456-481: A high school degree. Data aggregation consolidates the Cambodian experience with the general Asian population's experiences. Because rates of Asian educational attainment are so high, the low educational attainment of Cambodians is ignored. Cambodian youth are not provided the necessary resources, such as counseling or tutoring, to address specific issues that pertain to the Cambodian community. Due to resettlement,

513-441: A home in Cambodia Town, which highlights the high renter-occupied numbers and the lack of home opportunities. About 61 percent of Cambodia Town residents are renters. Most resident are low-income, which causes many to devote most of their time and income to rent. Individuals with a high rent burden are described as any renters who dedicate more than 30 percent of their income to paying rent; in Cambodia Town, 62 percent of renters have

570-526: A method of resiliency. Young Cambodians gravitated towards gangs in hopes to reconcile their conflicting American and Cambodian identities. The lack of educational support within the Long Beach school system for Cambodians also contributed towards high rates of gang participation. In addition, gang participation also correlates to mental health because unaddressed intergenerational trauma among Cambodian youth caused many to search for support from gangs as

627-473: A successful attempt to officially designate East Anaheim Street as Cambodia Town. Their attempt included the crucial step of gathering support from community and major stakeholders along East Anaheim Street. The proposal received the unanimous approval by the Housing and Neighborhoods Committee despite dissent and concerns that other minority groups had in regards of being displaced. Community members argued that

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684-552: A system to monitor the use of government funds using evaluations, auditing and data collection. To receive assistance for programs, the States must first explain how they plan to accomplish the goals of these programs, meet the director's standards, and submit a report at the end of each fiscal year. The Secretary of State was authorized to take on the role from 1980 to 1981, and the new director worked with them to develop and implement programs for existing refugees and eventually took up

741-418: A well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. This was necessary to guarantee the United States followed the definition used by the 1951 Refugee Convention . so that American law was in line with international law. The annual admission of refugees is set to a 50,000 cap per fiscal year, but in an emergency situation,

798-629: Is $ 34,000, which is lower than the $ 56,000 median income for Los Angeles County. Moreover, Asians in Cambodia Town on average earn roughly $ 14,600 less than Asians in Los Angeles County. Additionally, one-third of all residents live below the poverty line – about two times higher than that of Los Angeles County. Income and poverty are both interconnected with employment outcomes such as having labor force participation rate around 34 percent in Cambodia Town. Consequently, Cambodia Town has an unemployment rate of 15 percent. Few households own

855-490: Is a highly prevalent issue in the community due to the violence inflicted on Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge. Many Cambodians in Cambodia Town struggled emotionally by having more anxiety and fear in their daily activities because of this trauma. These individuals dealt with insomnia , nightmares, panic attacks , and headaches due to painful memories from the political turmoil between the Cambodian Civil War and

912-657: Is adjacent to the Traffic Circle, the California State University, Long Beach campus, the Los Angeles County cities of Lakewood and Hawaiian Gardens, and the Orange County cities of Cypress and Los Alamitos . 33°48′15″N 118°11′40″W  /  33.8041°N 118.1944°W  / 33.8041; -118.1944 Cambodia Town, Long Beach, California Cambodia Town (also known as Little Phnom Penh or Little Cambodia )

969-487: Is an amendment to the earlier Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 and the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, and was created to provide a permanent and systematic procedure for the admission to the United States of refugees of special humanitarian concern to the U.S., and to provide comprehensive and uniform provisions for the effective resettlement and absorption of those refugees who are admitted. The act

1026-722: Is part of an effort to increase safety within the local community. Although beautification does promote safety, it also increases property values, which imposes a new challenge for locals such as a higher cost of living. Consequently, businesses and residents are at risk of being displaced if rent becomes too high. Taken alongside gentrification, beautification creates dissent from housing community development organizations. These groups petition for policies to protect residents from continually increasing rent. 33°47′24″N 118°10′08″W  /  33.7900°N 118.1689°W  / 33.7900; -118.1689 Refugee Act The United States Refugee Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-212)

1083-447: Is partially due to low employment rates caused by language barriers and low educational attainment. In the United States, 54 percent of Asians hold a bachelor's degree, while only 10 percent of Asians in Cambodia Town hold a bachelor's degree. About 43 percent of Cambodians reported to having attended college but not earning a degree, thus implying high drop-out rates. In the United States, less than one-third of Cambodians hold less than

1140-502: Is the official name for a business corridor along Anaheim Street between Atlantic and Junipero avenues in the Eastside of Long Beach , California . The area has numerous Cambodian restaurants, clothing stores, jewelry stores, and donut shops, as well as churches, Khmer temples, and service centers for Cambodian Americans . There are many other businesses in the area, such as auto repair shops, which are Cambodian-owned. Long Beach has

1197-534: The Act into law–March 17, 1980. It is a good time to remember what this legislation has meant to our country." Between 1975 and 2023 (Sept. 30th), the United States accepted 3,552,558 refugees from every continent except Antarctica. Although there were years where the government accepted fewer than the 50,000 refugee-ceiling cap set by the 1980 Act, those often followed specific events. For example, 146,158 refugees were admitted in 1975, but certain states felt overwhelmed by

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1254-537: The Asian population increased between 1980 and 1990. By 1990, the Asian population in Cambodia Town was about 35 percent and has declined since then. According to the 2010 census, Hispanics composed the majority of all ethnic groups while Asians composed 20 percent, 70 percent of whom identified as Cambodian. Over half of the Asians of Cambodia Town are foreign born, and 60 percent of those are US citizens. This process and

1311-502: The Cambodian community is currently facing many challenges such as trauma and poverty. Poverty imposes stress on individuals, which creates individual trauma such as having financial insecurity. The complexity and interconnections of these issues contributes to the cycle of poverty and violence by hindering economic mobility. Poverty imposes a challenge for social mobility because other challenges build upon poverty such as educational attainment. The median household income in Cambodia Town

1368-573: The Office of U.S. Coordinator for Refugee Affairs and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Most importantly, it established explicit procedures on how to deal with refugees in the U.S. by creating a uniform and effective resettlement and absorption policy. The Act recognizes that it has been the historic policy of the United States to respond to the urgent needs of persons subject to persecution in their homelands and to provide assistance, asylum, and resettlement opportunities to admitted refugees. The goal of

1425-517: The President may change the number for a period of twelve months. The Attorney General is also granted power to admit additional refugees and grant asylum to current aliens, but all admissions must be reported to Congress and be limited to 5,000 people. The Act created the position of U.S. Coordinator for Refugee Affairs who was initially responsible to the president for the development of overall US refugee admission and resettlement policy. However,

1482-508: The Refugee Act was to create a uniform procedure with which to provide these opportunities to refugees. The Act amended the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 by defining a refugee as any person who is outside his or her country of residence or nationality, or without nationality, and is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or

1539-456: The act were to create a new, American definition of refugee based on the one created at the 1951 UN Convention and 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugees; raise the limitation from 17,400 to 50,000 refugees admitted each fiscal year; provide emergency procedures for when that number exceeds 50,000; require annual consultation between Congress and the President on refugee admissions; and establish

1596-942: The agency that now coordinates these issues is the Office of Refugee Resettlement , which falls within the division of Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . Title IV of the Immigration and Nationality Act was amended here when the Act created the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which is responsible for funding and administering federal programs for domestic resettlement and assistance to refugees. The office must make available resources for employment training and placement for refugees to be economically self-sufficient, provide opportunities for English language training, ensure cash assistance, and guarantee gender equality in all training and instruction. The Office must also create grants for these projects, consult with state and local governments about sponsorship and distribution of refugees, and develop

1653-461: The bombings instead instilled chaos and fear in the civilians of Southeast Asia including Cambodia. These bombings convinced many Cambodians that establishing the Khmer Rouge and a new political system would solve all of their problems. Pol Pot led the Khmer Rouge as a communist group who sought to remove all Western influence in Cambodia and create an equal, agricultural society. The Khmer Rouge

1710-404: The concept of Cambodia Town in 2007 – under the condition that it became a Business Improvement District (BID) . Many Latino community members felt intimidated and threatened by the rapid growth of the Cambodian community. Cambodians became increasingly "confronted by the ethnic racial hierarchy" that arises in low-income communities due to the lack of resources. Cambodian gangs began forming as

1767-474: The death toll is estimated to be 2 million out of 8 million people in Cambodia or a quarter of the total population. In the 1950s and 1960s, the earliest Cambodians to reside in Long Beach were Cambodian students who attended California State University, Long Beach , as part of an exchange program. These students were from wealthy and educated families in Cambodia. A few of these students permanently settled in Long Beach after graduating from college and planted

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1824-475: The designation would not displace other ethnic groups by stating that "such designations merely call attention to a neighborhood's unique characteristics". The advocates for the designation also used other established ethnic enclaves as examples of spaces where Asians, Blacks, Hispanics and Whites were able to live and work together. As a result, the Long Beach City Council unanimously approved

1881-474: The difficulties of growing up in the United States. In a survey conducted in Cambodia Town, more than half of the participants reported public safety as a major concern. Many of these respondents cited gang activity, theft, violence, and substance abuse as issues that their families continually encountered. However, rates of crime and violence have decreased in the community in recent years. Various community-based organizations such as UCC consistently reach out to

1938-569: The eastern city boundary. Areas east of the 605 Freeway and the San Gabriel River such as El Dorado Park near Orange County form the easternmost boundary. The western boundary is less well-defined, given variously as Lakewood Boulevard , and the Long Beach Municipal Airport to form part of the western boundary. The neighborhood consists of all or portions of the 90815, 90808, 90804, and 90803 ZIP codes and

1995-517: The emergency provisions of the Refugee Act to respond to an appeal on behalf of 12,000 Cubans in Havana. The United States welcomed 3,500 Cubans after partaking in international resettlement efforts. Eventually the Cuban refugee influx was significantly Controlled to the point where the United States was able to return to the practice of the Refugee Act. In 2020, HIAS commemorated the Refugee Act with

2052-531: The ethnic diversity of the enclave as the event often includes monks, Cambodian and Black Christian ministers, and paleta vendors . Another well-known local event is the annual Cambodia Town Film Festival which was founded by Cambodian American filmmaker Caylee So and hip-hop artist praCH Ly. The event features films from both established and emerging filmmakers whose works deal with the Cambodian experience. The festival includes screenings, discussions, and question-and-answer sessions with those who were involved in

2109-608: The film productions. The Cambodia Town business corridor outlines roughly the 1.2 mile stretch of East Anaheim Street just north of Downtown Long Beach and east of the 710 freeway . This location is accessible by the Long Beach Transit bus system and the Los Angeles Metro A Line . The area consists of Cambodian liquor stores, gift shops, jewelry stores, markets, and restaurants. The area also consists of many Latino-owned businesses and restaurants. One of

2166-493: The following statement: "Fortieth birthdays are opportunities to celebrate one’s hard-earned accomplishments and an opportunity to look ahead to what the future might bring. It is no different for the United States Refugee Act of 1980, the landmark piece of legislation that established the contemporary U.S. refugee resettlement program and asylum system. Nearly 40 years ago President Jimmy Carter signed

2223-479: The geographic landscape of the local Cambodian community by creating familiar food, pharmacy, and other stores for Cambodians. For example, pharmacies in Cambodia Town provided traditional herbal medicine from Cambodia. Cambodia Town's population grew with services, stores, and migration. This population growth created a local network where Cambodian residents could navigate their daily lives while still using Khmer as their dominant language. East Anaheim Street became

2280-465: The infamous Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot and Khieu Samphan in Cambodia, following the Fall of Phnom Penh in 1975. Intergenerational trauma contributes to behavioral problems during the adolescent years of Cambodian youth. These problems impact the family dynamic by widening the generation gap between parent and child. As a result, unaddressed past trauma links to various issues, which may intensify

2337-593: The largest concentration of Cambodians of any city outside of Cambodia. Prior to the rise of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, Cambodia was a highly agricultural society that endured ninety years of French colonial rule. In 1973, the United States commissioned the Arclight missions . This was a series of bombings targeting the Cambodia-Vietnam border to fight the threat of communism from Vietnam. However,

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2394-458: The main business corridor for these services, restaurants, and resources for Cambodians in Long Beach. The initial proposal of designating Cambodia Town in 2000 was rejected because many local residents did not support it. The plan was first brought up by a group of Cambodians who "don't live here," leaving the impression that Cambodians who did not live in the area were trying to claim the space as their own. Thus, some community activists preferred

2451-607: The most well-known Cambodia Town restaurants is Phnom Penh Noodle Shack, established in 1985. Phnom Penh Noodle Shack started as a modest, family-run restaurant, but over the years has garnered mass appeal from food critic reviews and social media. The markets within Cambodia Town reflect the diversity of Asian ethnicities in Long Beach and carry key ingredients for a variety of cuisines including Khmer , Vietnamese , Thai , Korean , Japanese , and Chinese food . The stores provide ethnic foods ranging from ready-made Asian meals to cooking ingredients. Cambodia Town's high poverty rate

2508-479: The name Little Phnom Penh because the name does not impose a "singular national identity" unlike how the name Cambodia Town implies. Some community members continued questioning any official designation for the area because Long Beach is ethnically diverse. Official recognition for a single ethnic group would reinforce racial tensions between Cambodian and Latino youth that stemmed from cultural differences and social isolation. The founders of Cambodia Town, Inc. led

2565-614: The position from 1982 onward. The director must submit a congressional report at the end of each fiscal year to committees on the Judiciary of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate . The reports should contain information on the geographic location, employment status, and problems of the refugees and also contain suggestions for alternative resettlement strategies. The Office

2622-635: The rate of naturalization indicates that the community is assimilating into American society. From April to November 1975, approximately 2,000 Cambodians migrated to Camp Pendleton , a military base in Southern California, for refuge. After their time in this resettlement camp, many Cambodian refugees moved to Cambodia Town, Long Beach in search of support, as well as familiar lifestyle and culture. Through this process of adjusting to American society, many struggled with various challenges including language barriers, trauma, and violence. Trauma

2679-633: The seeds for a Cambodian presence there. Consequently, the next wave of migration occurred in the mid-1970s with those who escaped when the Khmer Rouge first took over Cambodia. The last wave of Cambodian arrivals to the U.S. occurred under the Refugee Act of the 1980s, which was after the Vietnamese attacked the Khmer Rouge in 1979. These were mostly farmers from small villages with limited educational backgrounds. These refugees came to America to avoid fear and violence imposed on them as part of

2736-615: The term " refugee " from " immigrant " and began creating policy that dealt specifically with refugees while working outside of immigration policy. Early action came in the form of the Displaced Persons Act of 1948 , the Refugee Relief Act of 1953, and the Refugee-Escapee Act of 1957. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which was later amended in 1965 to include policy for refugees on

2793-675: The violence within the Cambodian community in Long Beach. Cambodians received the opportunity to rebuild their lives and community when they came to Long Beach. At the time, Long Beach had many jobs that did not require English proficiency, which granted Cambodians a higher access to work and income. Additionally, cheap and affordable property allowed a few Cambodian refugees to gather funds within their immediate and extended family to establish small businesses, cultural institutions, and homes. The United Cambodian Community (UCC) formed during this time to assist Cambodian refugees with housing, finance, and food. These structures and services helped shape

2850-536: The war and genocide. The Cambodian students who had settled in Long Beach in the 1950s and 1960s provided services, such as mental health resources, to assist refugees with adjustment to American society. Overall, these Cambodian refugees came to settle in Long Beach to build a new Cambodian community that was destroyed by violence. Long Beach became a destination that allowed many refugees to start their own businesses and establish cultural legacies due to its affordable property. As Cambodian refugees arrived in Long Beach,

2907-431: The younger generations to guide them towards academic attainment. The Cambodian New Year takes place annually from April 14 to April 16. In Cambodia, Choul Chnam Thmey traditionally signifies the shift from the height of the hot, dry season to the monsoon rains that will wash away the dust and bring nourishment to the fields. This transformation is said to be accompanied by divine beings, known as Tevoda, who migrate in

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2964-459: Was able to capture and destroy the old capital city of Oudong in March 1974. This then led to the Khmer Rouge's next action of forcing the city's 20,000 inhabitants into the countryside. The Khmer Rouge formally took control of Cambodia on April 17, 1975, around the time of Cambodian New Year. Cambodia then turned into a classless, institution-less society that forced people to work 12 to 14 hours

3021-544: Was adopted by the Senate by a unanimous vote on September 6, 1979, and it remained essentially intact until it was signed in 1980. However, not long after, the United States was hit with an influx of Cuban refugees as a result of the Cuban crisis, about 115,000 Cuban refugees arrived in Florida. This caused the administration to temporarily pause the use of the act. On April 14, 1980, President Carter signed an executive order for

3078-401: Was authorized $ 200,000,000 during 1980 and 1981, and that number is now decided at the beginning of each fiscal year based on the results received at the end of each year. However, not all states have resettlement programs; Wyoming has the distinction of being the only U.S. state that has never resettled refugees. It was only after World War II that the United States began to differentiate

3135-484: Was close to $ 4000, but most refugees eventually paid that amount in federal income taxes. The House version of the bill did not have as easy a path as Kennedy's Senate bill, but ultimately both bills achieved synchronicity through a conference committee vote of 207 to 192 on March 4, 1980. One key element of the House bill, was a legislative veto if the president requested more than 50,000 refugee admissions, but this feature

3192-435: Was completed on March 3, 1980, was signed by President Jimmy Carter on March 17, 1980, and became effective on April 1, 1980. This was the first comprehensive amendment of U.S. general immigration laws designed to face up to the realities of modern refugee situations by stating a clear-cut national policy and providing a flexible mechanism to meet the rapidly shifting developments of today's world policy. The main objectives of

3249-399: Was removed from the final version that went to the conference report. Many Americans feared a floodgate scenario with a large and sudden increase of the refugee population, but the 50,000 cap would account for only 10% of immigration flow to the U.S. and would allow one refugee for every 4000 Americans, small numbers compared to those of countries like Canada, France, and Australia. The bill

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