00:00It just felt like such a shocking loophole.
00:03It was very heartbreaking.
00:13An infant or a child is brought from another country by a U.S. citizen,
00:16money's exchanged, and then, you know, you're going to wait like 20, 30 years
00:23and, you know, suddenly decide that they're not American because of, like, loopholes
00:29and mishaps in paperwork.
00:42Come on.
00:43It's just inhumane, you know.
00:45But, you know, and even if they've committed a crime or whatever, I don't think it matters.
00:52There must be a way for them to stay, you know.
00:55Like, they're adopted by U.S. citizens.
00:59But, you know, you know, I found out that, no, they're being deported and very little
01:04chance of coming back and the legal process, of course, can be expensive.
01:20The U.S. government should be responsible for a child that comes
01:24and claim them.
01:26And then extends to now the refugee community.
01:28Refugees are getting deported as well.
01:30And it's a big issue.
01:32My biggest thing is, let's have a discussion.
01:35I'm not trying to make this into, like, a bipartisan issue.
01:38It's very neutral.
01:40And I'd really love if the right people see this film.
01:54He has two kids.
02:02I mean, listen to him.
02:04Look at him.
02:04He's American.
02:05It doesn't matter what he look like.
02:07It's immigration policy.
02:09I was brought here when I was three.
02:11I've been here for over 30 years.
02:13Sometimes with these international adoptions in the 80s, the proper paperwork.
02:18But like I said, I've been here for over 30 years.
02:21OK, can't you just tell them that I was adopted by white people?
02:26Are you American only if you're born in America?
02:29I know I'm an American because, you know, I love my country.
02:34And I think what makes it beautiful is that the coexistence of so many different, you know,
02:40and all the people who came before me, too, who were at first not accepted.
02:45But now, you know, whether it's the Irish or Italians,
02:51now they've become assimilated and accepted.
02:54And it's an afterthought.
03:00The adoptee experience is very underrepresented.
03:05It's such a complex issue for me to say that I have the answer to, like, what's causing
03:10exactly, you know, what's causing all that stuff.
03:13Of course, it's happening.
03:15And it's, you know, obviously, it's not right.
03:17To speak to, like, what is the root cause is very difficult.
03:24I can only focus on what I can do to help the situation,
03:28which is to make films and films that are inclusive.
03:30But across the board, not just Asian-Americans, but like,
03:34you know, wide representation of who we are, especially as Americans.
03:39I got this baby on the way and I'm just looking for another job.
03:45Where you work at now?
03:48Tattoo parlor.
03:51I think you better off there.
03:52We need a lot of different perspectives in filmmaking and storytelling.
03:58I think it's the fastest way for people to build empathy and understand,
04:02like, who we are as a collective.
04:04Our experience as Asians, you know, that live in foreign countries,
04:08whether it's Australia or the UK or Canada, you know, it's...
04:12There's so many aspects to it.
04:14You know, it's not just an Asian-American thing.
04:17I want to tell stories that normalize us,
04:20but also shows how we're all alike, more alike than different.
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