#378 2/26 Webinar; 2/24 Court Hearing; AAJC; Section 702; Alien Land Laws; FY26 R&D Funding

In This Issue #378

·       02/26 Webinar: Global Competition for Talent & International Students

·       02/24 Hearing: Estate of Dr. Jane Wu v. Northwestern

·       Joanna YangQing Derman: Update from Advancing Justice | AAJC

·       Section 702 of FISA Expiring

·       Alien-ating Asians in 21st-Century Land Laws

·       Advocacy Works: FY26 Federal R&D Funding

·       News and Activities for the Communities

Happy Year of the Horse!  Wishing you strength, courage, and joy in every stride this year! (credit: JadeTime)

02/26 Webinar: Global Competition for Talent & International Students

WHAT: Global Competition for Talent & International Students

WHEN: February 26, 2026, 8:00 pm ET

WHERE: Webinar

HOSTS: APA Justice, Committee of 100, US-China Education Trust

Moderator: Margaret K. Lewis 陸梅吉, Professor of Law, Seton Hall University School of Law

Speakers:

·       Fanta Aw, Executive Director and CEO of Association of International Educators (NAFSA)

·       Steven Chu 朱棣文, Professor of Stanford University and former U.S. Secretary of Energy

DESCRIPTION:  As geopolitical competition intensifies between the United States and China, the flow of talent and students across borders has become a critical flashpoint. International students – particularly those from China – have enriched American universities, driven innovation, and strengthened people-to-people ties. Yet today, visa restrictions, security concerns, and shifting immigration policies are reshaping the landscape. At the same time, China and other nations are competing aggressively to attract global talent, transforming higher education into an arena of strategic competition. Chinese American students and scholars increasingly find themselves caught in the middle – facing heightened scrutiny, profiling, and questions about their loyalty.

This webinar will examine how the U.S.-China relationship is affecting international student mobility, university partnerships, and the global competition for talent. What are the implications of competition for American universities, research ecosystems, and soft power? How are students and scholars navigating new restrictions and uncertainties? How can policies balance openness and U.S. competitiveness?

REGISTRATION:  https://bit.ly/1-15email

02/24 Hearing: Estate of Dr. Jane Wu v. Northwestern

Liz Rao, daughter of Dr. Jane Wu 吴瑛, spoke at the APA Justice monthly meeting on February 2, 2026.  Her remarks are off the record.

The Cook County Circuit Court has scheduled an open hearing of the case of Estate of Dr. Jane Wu v Northwestern University on February 24, 2026, starting at 10:00 am CT.  Location is Court Room 1906, Richard J Daley Center, 50 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602.  For those who wish to attend and show support in honor of Dr. Jane Wu, please contact Valentina Dallona (she/her), Political Director, Justice Is Global, at vdallona@justiceisglobal.org.

On February 12, 2026, The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), in partnership with the Federation of Asian Professor Associations (FAPA), announced that more than 1,000 faculty members joined a letter to Northwestern University demanding accountability in the case of Dr. Jane Ying Wu.  Read the joint letter: https://buff.ly/GJBbu1r

Joanna YangQing Derman: Update from Advancing Justice | AAJC

During the APA Justice monthly meeting on February 2, 2026, Joanna YangQing Derman, Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, reported that AAJC briefed congressional offices on the status of discriminatory land laws, specifically focusing on ongoing litigation in Texas and Florida. AAJC maintains that property restrictions based on nationality or presumed foreign affiliations (targeting individuals from countries like China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia) raise profound civil rights concerns. Joanna emphasized that any federal legislation in this area must be narrowly targeted to avoid discriminatory impacts on the AAPI community.

Joanna flagged the upcoming April 2026 expiration of Section 702 of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). She notes that Congress should not reauthorize Section 702 without sweeping reforms to ensure that it cannot be used as a domestic spying tool. As negotiations are currently underway, now is a critical window to advocate for:

·       Robust privacy protections and strengthened oversight.

·       Measures to prevent disproportionate impacts on civil liberties, particularly for AAPI individuals with international familial or professional ties.

AAJC and the Surveillance Reform Coalition are actively engaging with members of Congress to balance national security with individual rights. Joanna warned that the community should expect "rapid-fire" requests in the coming months, including sign-on letters and call campaigns as legislative action accelerates.

Section 702 of FISA Expiring

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is set to expire on April 20, 2026, giving Congress roughly two months to decide whether to renew, reform, or allow the surveillance authority to lapse.

Section 702 permits the government to target non-U.S. persons abroad for intelligence purposes, but it can incidentally collect Americans’ communications. The government may also conduct warrantless “backdoor” searches of that data for information about Americans—an authority that has long generated bipartisan privacy concerns.

During a classified Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, reported by CNN on February 9, 2026, lawmakers from both parties expressed frustration after FBI and NSA officials declined to clarify whether the Trump administration supports reauthorization.

Although successive administrations have defended Section 702 as a vital national security tool, past FBI misuse and court findings of rights violations have intensified scrutiny. Civil liberties advocates continue to press for reforms, including a warrant requirement for searches of Americans’ communications—a proposal that nearly passed in 2024 and is expected to resurface before the deadline.

Read the CNN report: https://cnn.it/3OHrzQz.  Read The Intercept report: https://bit.ly/3ZBfBuk

Alien-ating Asians in 21st-Century Land Laws

According to a Just Security report co-authored by Donna Doan Anderson, Assistant Professor   University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Joanna YangQing Derman, Director of Advancing Justice | AAJC, .the U.S. is experiencing a renewed wave of land-based nationalism that frames foreign ownership of farmland — particularly by Chinese individuals or entities — as a national security threat. Federal initiatives have promoted the narrative that foreign farmland ownership endangers American safety and prosperity.

Several states, including Florida and Texas, have enacted laws restricting property ownership based on domicile or national origin, with Chinese citizens specifically targeted in some cases. These laws face ongoing legal challenges, though courts have often dismissed cases on standing grounds. Since 2021, dozens of states have introduced similar legislation.

The article places these modern laws in historical context, arguing they echo 19th- and early 20th-century “alien land laws” that barred Asians from owning property under racialized citizenship rules. It contends that current policies similarly rely on stereotypes portraying Asians — especially Chinese people — as perpetual “aliens” or foreign “agents.”

Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that Chinese-linked entities own only a very small fraction of U.S. farmland — about 0.03 percent of total farmland and less than 1 percent of foreign-held farmland — far less than countries such as Canada, the Netherlands, or the United Kingdom. Critics argue that the focus on China is disproportionate and politically motivated.

The article further contends that federal efforts to frame farmland ownership as a national security issue, including attempts to insert restrictions into the National Defense Authorization Act, conflate legitimate cybersecurity concerns with civilian land ownership. It suggests that broad land bans do little to address genuine security threats and may conflict with existing federal investment review authorities.

The piece also argues that these laws risk reinforcing anti-Asian stereotypes, increasing discrimination, and subjecting Asian Americans — regardless of citizenship or immigration status — to suspicion and additional scrutiny. It concludes that contemporary “alien” land laws revive historical patterns of exclusion and that advocates should prepare to challenge policies that link Asian identity with national threat narratives.

Read the Just Security report: https://bit.ly/4kAOxVz

Advocacy Works: FY26 Federal R&D Funding

In a Science editorial on February 5, 2026, the past year for U.S. science was portrayed as deeply contradictory.

On one hand, the Trump administration’s actions led to funding cuts, the dismantling of workforce programs, threats to indirect cost reimbursements, and tighter immigration for international students—moves that damaged institutions and demoralized students and early-career scientists.

On the other hand, outcomes were better than feared: Congress restored science funding, courts rejected efforts to alter indirect cost rules, and NIH and NSF successfully disbursed all appropriated 2025 funds before they expired. These opposing realities, the editorial argues, must be understood together to make sense of the current moment.

On February 4, 2026, The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), parent organization to the Science Magazine, reported that President Trump has signed into law the remaining federal appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026, securing funding for U.S. research and development after a year of significant uncertainty. Although the administration initially proposed steep reductions, those cuts were ultimately rejected, reflecting strong bipartisan support for science and technology in Congress.

As a result, the final funding levels are far more favorable than expected. The National Institutes of Health received a slight increase, the National Institute of Standards and Technology saw a substantial 26.5% boost, and most other major science agencies experienced flat funding or only modest reductions. These outcomes are presented as a clear contrast to the drastic cuts outlined in the President’s original budget request and as evidence of Congress’s continued commitment to the scientific enterprise.

The report emphasizes that this outcome did not occur by chance. Advocacy by scientists, universities, professional associations, and organizations such as AAAS played a decisive role in conveying the national consequences of gutting federal R&D. Decades of sustained investment have built the U.S. scientific enterprise, and the letter warns that reversing those gains would have taken generations to undo.

Finally, the report cautions that the work is not finished. Close oversight is needed to ensure that the Office of Management and Budget implements the appropriations as enacted and does not circumvent congressional intent. Looking ahead to the FY2027 appropriations cycle, the message urges continued engagement and advocacy, arguing that flat funding is insufficient and that sustained growth in R&D investment is essential to preserving U.S. global competitiveness.

News and Activities for the Communities

1. APA Justice Community Calendar

Upcoming Events:2026/02/17 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative "Personal Marketing and Mentorship"

2026/02/19 AAUC Town Hall: Fighting the Fear

2026/02/23 Sign On Deadline - Amicus Brief Opposing the Birthright Citizenship EO 14160

2026/02/24 Hearing: Estate of Dr. Jane Wu v. Northwestern

2026/02/26 Global Competition for Talent & International Students

2026/03/02 APA Justice Monthly MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details.

2. AAUC Town Hall: Fighting the Fear

WHAT: AAUC Town Hall: Fighting the Fear

WHEN: February 19, 2026, 1:00 pm ET

WHERE: Online Town Hall

HOST: Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC)

DESCRIPTION: At this town hall meeting, we'll hear inspiring stories of how Minnesotan's have stood up to ICE's campaign of fear and intimidation. We'll demystify the the playbook that's used to justify their unchecked power and civil-rights violations. Only then can we mobilize our communities to resist the unlawful actions that have spread across the country.

We'll hear from community leaders in Minnesota. We also want to hear from you. If you’d like to speak for up to three minutes, please indicate this on the registration form.

This town hall is a chance to build momentum together ahead of the midterm elections. Democracy is under assault, but we still have to the power exercise our Constitutional rights and make a difference.

REGISTRATION:  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3UM6pB0yRMO6kWg-IfmpDA#/registration

3. 2026/02/23 Sign On Deadline - Amicus Brief Opposing the Birthright Citizenship EO 14160

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) — together with the Korematsu Center (UCI Law), the Center for Civil Rights and Critical Justice (Seattle U Law), and O’Melveny & Myers — is filing an amicus brief warning that the Executive Order 14160 could enable retroactive denaturalization, putting millions of U.S. citizens at risk.

Citing United States v. Thind and the history of stripping citizenship from Asian Americans, the brief shows how these threats are not theoretical. Citizenship determines the right to work, vote, travel, and fully belong.

Asian Americans have long been at the center of this fight. AALDEF invites you to sign on and affirm that attacks on birthright citizenship — rooted in the legacy of exclusion — have no place in our democracy.

Contact Marlena Truong, Voting Rights Advocate, AALDEF: mtruong@aaldef.org.  Deadline for sign on is February 23, 2026.

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APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community.  For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org. We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org.