>> ALL RIGHT, CATIE BECK WIT
THE LATEST, THANK YOU.
>>> NOW A CALIFORNIA
CONGRESSWOMAN IS PROPOSING A NEW
BILL AIMED AT PROTECTING
SOUTHEAST ASIAN REFUGEES FRO
DEPORTATION AFTER THEY SERVE
PRISON SENTENCES IN THE UNITED
STATES
>> THERE WAS THE LARGEST
RESETTLEMENT IN HISTORY IN THE
'60s AND '70s.
NOW SOME OF THE REFUGEES ARE
BEING UNFAIRLY PUNISHED TW
TIMES.
>> Reporter: A RALLY IN OAKLAND,
CALIFORNIA, TO PARDON A FORMER
REFUGEE TO AVOID THE GENOCIDE IN
CAMBODIA WHEN HE WAS JUST A YEAR
OLD.
>> WE NEED THEM HERE TO HELP US.
>> Reporter: HE WAS IN I.C.E
CUSTODY WHERE HE IS FACING
DEPORTATION TO CAMBODIA, A
COUNTRY HE DOESN'T REMEMBER.
HE WAS ONE OF TEN KIDS GROWING
UP IN LONG BEACH
HIS PARENTS CONSTANTLY WORKING
HE SAID BULLYING AT SCHOOL AND
FEELING LIKE AN OUTSIDER LED HIM
TO JOIN A GANG AT 13
>> I FEEL LIKE AS A CHILD, I WAS
ALREADY TRAUMATIZED IN WAR
POVERTY.
IT TOOK A TOLL ON ME
I WENT TO FRIENDS I COULD RELATE
TO
THEY HAPPENED TO BE IN GANGS
>> Reporter: WHEN HE WAS 21, H
KILLED A MAN IN A DRIVE-BY
SHOOTING
HE WAS SENTENCED TO 35 YEARS I
PRISON
WHILE SERVING HIS TIME, HE
RECEIVED NEWS THAT WOULD CHANG
HIM FOREVER.
>> I GOT NEWS FROM HOME THAT M
SISTER WAS MURDERED.
I STARTED THINKING ABOUT THIS IS
THE PAIN THAT I CAUSED
AND JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT
PAIN WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I
THINK A SEED OF EMPATHY WA
PLANTED WITHIN ME.
>> Reporter: IN SAN QUENTIN, H
EARNED AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE AND
MENTORED MANY OTHERS
>> WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
VALUE YOURSELF
VALUE YOUR LIFE.
>> Reporter: A PAROLE BOAR
DEEMED HIM NO LONGER A THREAT TO
SOCIETY.
HE WAS RELEASED AFTER SERVING 26
YEARS IN PRISON, A JOYOUS MOMENT
THAT PROVED FLEETING
>> I WENT FROM A REALLY HIGH T
A REALLY LOW, THINKING FREEDOM
IS RIGHT THERE
I CAN TASTE THAT AND THEN NO
>> Reporter: BECAUSE H
COMMITTED A SERIOUS CRIME AN
WAS NOT AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, H
WAS MARKED FOR DEPORTATION
IMMEDIATELY UPON HIS RELEASE
HE IS FAR FROM ALONE
AN ESTIMATED 15,000 SOUTHEAS
ASIAN REFUGEES FACE DEPORTATIO
DESPITE 80% OF THEM COMPLETING
THEIR PRISON SENTENCES
>> YOU TOOK SOMEONE'S LIFE AND
YOU WENT TO PRISON AND THESE ARE
THE CONSEQUENCES, DEPORTATION.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEON
WHO HAS THAT VIEW POINT?
>> I WILL HONOR THEIR VIEWS BU
THE ONE THING I KNOW I CAN DO,
IT CHANGED OTHER LIVES AS WELL
IF THERE IS ONE PERSON WHO CAN
MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THAT
PERSON TO BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO
HEAL OTHER LIVES, TO MAKE UP FOR
THE LIVES THAT WERE LOST, YO
KNOW, I'M ASKING FOR THA
CHANCE
>> Reporter: CONGRESSWOMAN JUD
KHU IS WORKING TO MAKE I
HAPPEN
SHE IS THE OTHER OF TH
DEPORTATION RELIEF ACT WHICH
WOULD PLACE LIMITATIONS ON THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY'S AUTHORITY TO DEPORT
REFUGEES FROM CAMBODIA, VIETNA
AND LAOS
>> I THINK IT IS A CRUEL FORM OF
DOUBLE PUNISHMENT FOR THESE ME
AND WOMEN WHO HAVE DEEP ROOTS IN
THEIR COMMUNITY AND DONE THEIR
TIME THE MORE THAT WE CAN GET THE
THE MORE THAT WE CAN GET THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT I
GOING ON, THE BETTER
>> Reporter: EVEN IF THE LAW
PASSES, IT WILL BE TOO LATE FO
YU
DAYS AFTER THE PORTLAND RALLY,
HE WAS DEPORTED.
>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU
TOUCHED DOWN IN CAMBODIA
>> DEFINITELY TRAUMATIZED.
I FELT LONELY.
>> Reporter: HE IS NOW A FRE
MAN BUT WITHOUT HIS FRIENDS AN
FAMILY
>> I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SA
GOODBYE TO MY PARENTS, FRIENDS
THAT HAUNTS ME A LITTLE BIT.
>> IT WILL TAKE A PARDON FRO
GOVERNOR NEWSOM TO BRING HIM
BACK
IN A STATEMENT, THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE SAYS INFORMATIO
REGARDING PARDON APPLICATION
ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND THEY AR
NOT ABLE TO DISCUSS INDIVIDUAL
CASES.
THE CONGRESSWOMAN IS WORKING
WITH TWO COLLEAGUES TO INTRODUCE
THE LEGISLATION.
AND YU IS JUST TAKING IT ONE DAY
AT A TIME.
HE IS LEARNING THE LANGUAGE AN
APPLYING FOR TEACHING JOBS
A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE THIS AND SAY YOU DO THE CRIME, DO THE TIME.
YOU DO THE CRIME, DO THE TIME.
HE WAS 13, PARENTS WORKING MULTI
MULTIPLE JOBS.
AND HE SAYS THAT THAT IS WHA
DROVE HIM TO THE GANGS
AND YOU WONDER IF HE CAN B