#387 4/6 Meeting; CHR: 50 Years of Support; Ohioans Opposed HB1; C100 Survey; No Kings; +
In This Issue #387
· 04/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting
· NASEM/CHR: 50 Years of Support for Colleagues under Threat
· Ohioans Overwhelmingly Opposed the State’s Alien Land Bill at March 17 Hearing
· C100: The Perpetual Foreigner Stereotype
· 03/28 No Kings Day
· News and Activities for the Communities
04/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting
The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, April 6, 2026, starting at 1:55 pm ET.
In addition to updates from:
· Judith Teruya, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)
· Joanna YangQing Derman, Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC
· Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF)
We are honored to welcome the following distinguished speakers:
· Eric Zheng, President, American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai
· Susan A. Thornton, Vice Chair, U.S. Heartland China Association
· Susan Shirk, Research Professor; Director Emeritus, 21st Century China Center, University of California, San Diego
Although the Trump-Xi summit has been postponed to May 14-15, 2026, U.S.-China relations remain the most consequential global issue of our time — with profound implications for trade, education, international exchange, and the well-being of Chinese Americans, Asian Americans, and immigrant communities nationwide. This meeting will bring together some of the most informed voices on these issues for a timely and wide-ranging conversation.
The virtual monthly meeting is by invitation only. It is closed to the press. If you wish to join, either one time or for future meetings, please contact one of the co-organizers of APA Justice - Vincent Wang 王文奎 and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org.
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Eric Zheng is President of AmCham Shanghai, the largest American chamber of commerce in Asia Pacific. Prior to his current role with AmCham Shanghai, Eric had a successful career with AIG including serving as President & CEO of AIG China. Eric has been active in several non-profit and charity organizations. He is a member of Committee of 100 and currently serves as Chair of Committee of 100 Greater China Region. Eric will focus on “Opportunities and Challenges in China: An On-the-Ground Perspective of American Companies.”
Susan A. Thornton is a retired senior U.S. diplomat with almost three decades of experience with the U.S. State Department in Eurasia and East Asia. She is currently Vice Chair of the U.S. Heartland China Association and a Senior Fellow and Visiting Lecturer in Law at the Yale Law School Paul Tsai China Center. She is also the director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Susan will offer observations about subnational and citizen diplomacy including education and other people-to-people exchanges.
Susan Shirk is a research professor at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy and director emeritus of its 21st Century China Center. She is one of the most influential experts working on U.S.-China relations and Chinese politics. She is also director emeritus of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC). Susan will speak about the current state of US-China relations, focusing on the now-delayed leaders’ meeting.
NASEM/CHR: 50 Years of Support for Colleagues under Threat
In the early 1970s, leaders and members of the National Academy of Sciences mobilized to support Andrei Sakharov, who faced persecution in the USSR for his pro-democracy and human rights advocacy. This effort to defend Sakharov and other at-risk scientists led to the establishment of the Committee on Human Rights (CHR) in 1976.
On December 15, 2025, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) produced a video featuring Helen Zia 謝漢蘭, author and human rights activist, and Gang Chen 陈刚, Professor of Power Engineering at MIT.
The video highlights how wrongful targeting of scientists—especially Asian American researchers— repeatedly undermines both human rights and the integrity of science. Helen Zia recounts the case of Wen Ho Lee 李文和, Taiwanese American nuclear scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory who was falsely accused of espionage, held in harsh solitary confinement, and later released with a judicial apology—an episode she argues reflects treatment that “would be called torture” elsewhere.
Similar patterns persisted decades later. Professor Chen describes his 2021 arrest under the China Initiative for routine academic collaborations, calling it “a year of living in hell” before charges were dropped. He warns the initiative created a “tremendous chilling effect,” with surveys showing widespread fear among Asian American scientists and many reconsidering research careers or leaving the U.S.
These cases offer a broader historical context of suspicion toward Chinese Americans, while emphasizing the critical role of scientific solidarity. Support from the scientific community helped challenge false accusations and defend affected researchers. The central message is clear: silence enables injustice, while speaking out is essential. As Professor Chen concludes, collective advocacy is vital because “if we do not speak out, it could happen to any of us.”
In recognition of its 50th anniversary, CHR hosted a virtual event on March 24, 2026. It was moderated by CHR Chair Martin Chalfie, Nobel Laureate and University Professor at Columbia University.
The CHR also launched a short film highlighting the story of colleagues who have themselves come under threat and the importance of responding to rights abuses.
Scientists pursue truth, yet their work can challenge powerful interests—creating risks not only for individuals but for the integrity of science itself. Dr. Chalfie said, when researchers are targeted, it discourages bold ideas and open inquiry. Defending threatened scholars is therefore part of the profession’s core responsibility.
Since 1976, CHR has bridged the human rights and scientific communities, advocating globally for scientists facing abuses ranging from harassment to imprisonment.
Andreas Georgiou, who worked to produce “reliable, credible and trustworthy official statistics” for Greece, faced intense political backlash and multiple prosecutions, reflecting how even technical truth-telling can provoke retaliation. His experience underscores the broader risks faced by professionals committed to integrity.
CHR’s work—supported by thousands of academy members—demonstrates the power of solidarity. As CHR Vice Chair Dr. Andrea J. Liu noted, “The value of voicing support is immeasurable…to know that your community is behind you is incredibly important.” Protecting human rights ultimately safeguards the conditions necessary for science to thrive: freedom of thought, open collaboration, and the courage to pursue truth.
Visit https://nap.nationalacademies.org/chr-50/our-work.html to learn more about the work of CHR. Watch the video on Helen Zia and Gang Chen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83iQBnAS5mA (9:23). Watch the 50 Years of the Committee on Human Rights film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iITtDXiECk (7:43)
Ohioans Overwhelmingly Opposed the State’s Alien Land Bill at March 17 Hearing
The Ohio House Public Safety Committee held its fourth hearing on March 17, 2026, on House Bill 1 (H.B. 1), titled “Ohio Property Protection Act.” This is one of the alien land bills or laws tracked by the Committee of 100 that would restrict land or property ownership based on national origin, potentially violating federal and state laws, especially the U.S. Constitution and the Fair Housing Act.
The hearing once again drew a full room and highlighted the overwhelming and consistent public opposition to the bill. Testimony breakdown is as follows:
· 102 in opposition
· 7 in support
· 3 as interested party
Not a single Ohio resident testified in support of H.B. 1 - only seven (7) testimonies were submitted in support of the legislation, five (5) of which came from out‑of‑state special‑interest groups. In contrast, opposition testimony came from 95 Ohio residents, one member of the legislature, and six community and civil‑rights organizations. Details of the testimonies can be found here.
Proponents Fail to Demonstrate Security Rationale
Supporters of H.B. 1 failed to show how the bill protects Ohioans or addresses national security risks. Their testimony:
· Relied on unsubstantiated claims and anecdotes against lawful residents and visa holders.
· Cited isolated incidents in other states with no relation to home ownership.
· Offered no evidence linking immigrants in Ohio to national security threats.
· Did not explain with evidence how the legislation would address any real security concerns.
· Linked illegal immigration and border concerns to individual home buyers and businesses owners who are here legally in the United States.
Broad Legal, Economic, and Civil Rights Concerns
Opponents of H.B. 1 emphasized that the bill:
· Discriminates on the basis of national origin.
· Wrongfully punishes those that follow the law.
· Conflicts with the U.S. Constitution and the Fair Housing Act.
· Damages Ohio’s reputation as a fair, welcoming, and business‑friendly state, and the most innovative and entrepreneurial state in the Midwest.
· Defines “critical infrastructure” so broadly that it would effectively restrict property ownership by lawful residents across the state — see attached the critical infrastructure zone map. This is a complete ban on home ownership in the state and a level of government overreach unprecedented in Ohio.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine vetoed a measure similar to H.B. 1 in the state budget in 2023.
· Ohio Capital Journal: Critics, supporters spar over bill restricting foreign land ownership in Ohio
· The Blade: Ohio bill banning 'foreign adversaries' from buying land nearing House vote
C100: The Perpetual Foreigner Stereotype
On March 25, 2026, the Committee of 100 hosted a webinar on “The Perpetual Foreigner Stereotype” and released the second of four reports in this year’s State of Chinese American Survey (SOCA). The webinar was moderated by Katie Soo, Trustee of the Asia Society Global Board of Trustees and Board Chair of Asia Society Southern California, and joined by Dr. Teresa Hsu, Founder and Executive Director of SPEAK (Supportive Place for Empowering Asian Americans & Kins) and Dr. Vivien Leung, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Santa Clara.
The March 2026 report outlines the pervasive impact of the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype, or the perception of a racial or ethnic group as outsiders.
According to the South China Morning Post and AsAmNews, the SOCA survey finds that more than half of Asian Americans experience “assumed foreignness” on a regular basis, including being asked where they are “really from” or complimented for speaking English well. The study also shows that this experience occurs at similar rates among both U.S.-born and foreign-born individuals, indicating that such perceptions are driven largely by race and appearance rather than immigration status.
The findings underscore that Asian Americans are more likely than any other racial group to be viewed as outsiders, with 55% reporting regular experiences of being treated as foreign—far higher than other groups surveyed. In addition, a majority report experiencing some form of everyday discrimination on at least a monthly basis.
In terms of consequences of these experiences. The “perpetual foreigner” stereotype is associated with increased psychological distress, anxiety, and a diminished sense of belonging. Researchers also note that such experiences can discourage civic and political participation, contributing to broader concerns about representation and inclusion.
These findings reinforce a central concern for the Asian American community: despite long-standing contributions and deep roots in the United States, many continue to be perceived as outsiders. Addressing this challenge remains critical to advancing full inclusion and equal participation in American society.
03/28 No Kings Day
According to AP News, Fox, New York Times, NPR, Washington Post, and multiple media reports, the third "No Kings" nationwide protests on March 28, 2026, drew massive crowds across all 50 U.S. states, with more than 3,000 events organized to oppose the Trump administration’s executive overreach, immigration policies, and military actions. Demonstrators broadly expressed concerns about the state of American democracy, citing immigration crackdowns, rising costs, and expanding foreign conflicts.
The movement has also expanded globally, with demonstrations reported in at least 15 countries, including Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, and Japan, amid international concern that U.S. military actions could escalate into a broader conflict.
The flagship event was held in St. Paul, state capital of Minnesota, with over 100,000 protesters. Protesters held up a massive sign on the Capitol steps that read, "We had whistles, they had guns. The revolution starts in Minneapolis."
Prominent Political Leaders included Senator Bernie Sanders, Governor Tim Walz, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, Attorney General Keith Ellison, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her.
Bruce Springsteen performed his protest anthem "Streets of Minneapolis," written in response to the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, along with performances and appearances by Joan Baez, Robert de Niro, Jane Fonda, Tom Morello, and Maggie Rogers.
Labor and advocacy leaders were also present in droves.
Watch the No Kings video of the St. Paul flagship event at https://www.nokings.org/ (4:09:05). Mayor Her’s speech starts at around 2:08:20.
News and Activities for the Communities
1. APA Justice Community Calendar
Upcoming Events:
2026/04/03 The China Debate We’re Not Having: Politics, Technology, and the Road Ahead
2026/04/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting
2026/04/08 Perspectives on Careers in Arts and Entertainment
2026/04/14 Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Anla Cheng
2026/05/04 APA Justice Monthly MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details.
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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.
March 30, 2026