#353 10/6 Meeting; Tariffs/AAPI; AASF Update; Detention Target Millions; Julia Chang Bloch+

In This Issue #353

·       2025/10/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting

·       Asian American Businesses Hit Hard by Trump Tariffs

·       Update from Asian American Scholar Forum

·       Mass Detention and Deportation Target Millions

·       The Honorable Julia Chang Bloch 張之香

·       News and Activities for the Communities

2025/10/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting

The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, October 6, 2025, 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 by and welcome the following distinguished speakers:

·       Mike German, Retired Fellow, Liberty & National Security, Brennan Center for Justice

·       Margaret Lewis, Professor, Seton Hall University School of Law

·       Pat Eddington, Senior Fellow, Homeland Security and Civil Liberties, Cato Institute

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 - Steven Pei 白先慎, Vincent Wang 王文奎, and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org.  

Asian American Businesses Hit Hard by Trump Tariffs

On September 19, 2025, AsAmNews and South China Morning Post reported that Asian American businesses nationwide are bearing disproportionate costs from President Trump’s newly imposed tariffs. Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) warned that many small businesses—already operating on thin margins—now face steep cost increases that force them to raise prices, cut staff, or risk closure.

Asian Americans own about 11 percent of U.S. small businesses, according to Pew Research. Yet many rely on imported goods not produced domestically, leaving them little choice but to absorb tariff hikes. As of August 6, the Yale Budget Lab estimated average U.S. tariffs at 27.9 percent on Chinese goods and 15.6 percent on imports from the rest of the world (excluding Canada and Mexico).

Real-World Impacts

·       Chinatown Restaurants: A New York establishment reported that spice and seasoning costs have doubled since tariffs began.

·       Family Importers: A small business importing medicinal oils saw shipping fees spike from US$500 to US$13,000 per shipment.

“At this point, Asian American businesses and communities are being treated as collateral damage,” said Rep. Grace Meng (NY), CAPAC chair, at a Capitol Hill event. Rep. Judy Chu (CA), CAPAC chair emerita, called the tariffs a “cruel betrayal” that inflicted “needless pain and uncertainty” on her constituents.

Legal and Political BattlesCAPAC members are pressing the administration to reverse course, warning that the tariffs threaten cultural and economic lifelines in communities like Chinatown and beyond. Meanwhile, the courts are weighing the legality of Trump’s policies: on August 29, a federal appeals court ruled that most of the tariffs were illegal, yet allowed them to remain in place while appeals proceed. The Supreme Court has agreed to consider the case on an expedited timeline in early November. Until then, the uncertainty continues to weigh heavily on small businesses and consumers alike.

Impact NationwideUnder the banner “We Pay the Tariffs”, more than 100 small-business owners held a concurrent rally on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, joined by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA). Speakers warned that ballooning import costs jeopardize long-standing family enterprises and force layoffs, deepening strain on vulnerable communities.  Tiffany Williams, a third-generation owner of the Luggage Shop of Lubbock, Texas, questioned Trump’s promises of long-term benefits: “What exactly does that mean? And is it worth risking the survival of small local businesses like ours?”  Travis McMaster of Cocoon USA, an outdoor goods retailer in Washington state, said he shifted production from China to India—only to face new 50 percent tariffs on Indian imports: “We need to put a stop to this whiplash. Our business isn’t run on a whim, and our country shouldn’t be either.”

Update from Asian American Scholar Forum

During the APA Justice Monthly Meeting on September 8, 2025, Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director of Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), commended the Civil Society Letter that AASF—alongside Advancing Justice | AAJC, Stop AAPI Hate, and Chinese for Affirmative Action—has been leading. She urged everyone, in their personal capacities, to contact their Congressional representatives to oppose the revival of the China Initiative.

AASF fellows, led by Professors Peter Michelson and Steven Kivelson, circulated a faculty letter to over 1,400 colleagues, urging them to reach out to Congress and educate lawmakers on the harms of the China Initiative. Gisela noted that the scientific community is both directly impacted by its return and uniquely qualified to explain why it undermines U.S. competitiveness in science and technology. A template letter from an academic perspective has been shared, and more than 70 individuals have already confirmed they contacted their representatives.

Legislative and Advocacy Work: AASF is reviewing legislation at the intersection of national security, immigration, and academic freedom, with a focus on how scientists, scholars, and researchers are being unfairly targeted.

Annual Symposium: AASF recently hosted its annual symposium at Stanford University with over 2,000 registrants, including three former Secretaries of State, industry leaders such as Jensen Huang, multiple Nobel laureates, and pioneers in science and technology. The symposium highlighted not only the need to protect civil rights but also to celebrate the vast contributions of Asian Americans and immigrants—whose innovations span from cell phones to platforms like Zoom.

Celebrating Contributions: Gisela emphasized that defending a community is not enough—we must also uplift and spotlight its members as pioneers of the nation. To that end, AASF announced a forthcoming documentary, produced in collaboration with NBC’s Richard Lui and Alex Lo, featuring Dr. David Ho, whose groundbreaking work has saved over 25 million lives. The film will also profile other AASF medalists across diverse fields. A private screening of the trailer was shared at the symposium, with public release to come.

Looking Ahead: Gisela stressed the importance of telling these stories so future generations understand how Asian Americans and immigrants have shaped American life. Countering scapegoating, misinformation, and fear-mongering requires knowledge of our shared history and recognition of contributions that strengthen the nation.Summary of the September 8 meeting has been posted at https://bit.ly/42MYKGy.  We sincerely thank the following speakers for sharing their updates and thoughts at the meeting:

·       Judith Teruya, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)

·       Joanna YangQing Derman, Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC

·       Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF)

·       Cindy Tsai, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Committee of 100 (C100)

·       Rosie Levine, Executive Director, U.S.-China Education Trust (USCET)

·       Bob Sakaniwa, Director of Policy and Advocacy, APIAVote

·       Thu Nguyen, Executive Director, OCA National Center

The coalition of AASF, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Stop AAPI Hate continues to oppose the revival of the China Initiative and urges supporters to call their senators and track the responses.

Mass Detention and Deportation Target Millions 

According to Politico (September 20, 2025), the Trump administration has launched a sweeping detention policy requiring nearly all undocumented immigrants—regardless of how long they have lived in the U.S. or their criminal history—to be held in custody during deportation proceedings. Since July 8, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reclassified long-time residents as “applicants for admission,” eliminating their ability to seek bond. Judges nationwide have overwhelmingly struck down the policy as unlawful, arbitrary, and unconstitutional, ordering many detainees released.The administration defends the policy as central to Trump’s mass deportation strategy, framing detention as both a deterrent and a mechanism to encourage “self-deportation.” Federal courts, however, have described it as a radical misinterpretation of immigration law and a violation of due process. The administration has also relied heavily on “automatic stays” to block release orders—tactics sharply criticized by judges as an abuse of power.This approach has swept up long-settled immigrants with deep U.S. roots, including parents of American-born children and individuals with no criminal records. With lawsuits mounting, a pivotal ACLU case in California could determine whether the policy is blocked nationwide. The administration, however, is betting on a favorable Supreme Court ruling to preserve its strategy.On September 13, 2026, The Guardian drew a direct line between ICE’s militarized raids and earlier chapters of American xenophobia, showing how generations of immigrants have been subjected to systemic exclusion. It profiled four Californians—Christine Valenciana, Felicia Lowe, Satsuki Ina, and Eliseo Medina—whose lives and family histories span forced Mexican repatriation in the 1930s, the discriminatory interrogations of Chinese “paper sons” at Angel Island, Japanese American internment during World War II, and labor struggles in immigrant communities.Their stories illustrate how today’s raids echo the past: mass roundups, fear-based tactics, racial profiling, and detention without due process. Yet the interviewees also voice cautious optimism. In an era of digital media and public accountability, they believe visibility, memory, and activism can help communities resist repetition of these cycles—and push the nation toward a more just and inclusive path.

NIAC Deportation Defense Training and Tracker

 On September 17, 2025, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), along with Asian Law Caucus and the New York Civil Liberties Union, hosted a special training on building community power to equip the communities for successful defense against unjust detentions and deportations.  Visit https://bit.ly/47Vdtmo to view the training video and presentation package.  NIAC has also started a regularly updated tracker on Iranian nationals detained by ICE in 2025.

The Honorable Julia Chang Bloch 張之香

The Honorable Julia Chang Bloch 張之香 is a featured speaker in the inaugural webinar titled "Bridging Nations: People-to-People Exchange in U.S. China Relations" on Thursday, October 16, 2025, starting at 8:00 PM ET.Register to attend the webinar by scanning the QR code above or clicking this link: https://bit.ly/20251016WebinarAmbassador Julia Chang Bloch was the first Asian American to serve as a U.S. Ambassador and the first Asian American Peace Corps Volunteer. She began her distinguished career in 1964 as a Volunteer in Malaysia and rose to become U.S. Ambassador to Nepal in 1989. Her public service included presidential appointments at the U.S. Agency for International Development, leadership roles in the U.S. Senate and U.S. Information Agency, and fellowships at Harvard University. She is recognized among 147 notable women in U.S. history in A to Z of American Women Leaders and Activists.After 25 years in government, Ambassador Bloch entered the private sector in 1993 as Group Executive Vice President at Bank of America, where she led Public Relations, Government Affairs, and Public Policy. She later served as President and CEO of the United States-Japan Foundation and, beginning in 1998, shifted her focus to China as a visiting professor and academic leader at institutions including Peking University, Fudan University, and the University of Maryland. She is the Founding President and Executive Chair of the US-China Education Trust (USCET) and co-founder of both the Organization of Chinese American Women and the Women’s Foreign Policy Group.A more personal story: Julia's family immigrated to the United States when she was nine, settling in San Francisco. Her father, Chang Fuyun 張福運, a Boxer Indemnity Scholarship 庚子賠款獎學金 recipient, was the first Chinese national to graduate from Harvard Law School. 

News and Activities for the Communities

1. APA Justice Community Calendar

Upcoming Events:2025/10/01 C100: Obstacles and Opportunities in Media and Entertainment2025/10/03 Covering China—Journalism, Scholarship, and the Global Conversation2025/10/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/10/07 Conversations, Recollections, Pioneers and Heros: David Henry Hwang2025/10/16 Bridging Nations: The Power of People-to-People Exchange in U.S.-China Relations2025/10/23 C100 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative: Asian American Women in the LawVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details.

2. C100: Obstacles and Opportunities in Media and Entertainment

WHAT: Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative: Obstacles and Opportunities in Media and EntertainmentWHEN: October 1, 2025, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm ETWHERE: WebinarHOST: Committee of 100Moderator: Peter Young, Chairman of the Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative and Committee of 100 memberSpeakers:

·       Albert Cheng, Vice President, Head of Prime Video

·       Richard Lui, NBC/MSNBC News Anchor

·       Nicole Dungca, Reporter, The Washington Post and President, Asian American Journalists Association

DESCRIPTION:  This is the 49th Committee of 100 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative event on "Obstacles and Opportunities in Media and Entertainment". There will be a one hour virtual panel with Q&A, followed by a 30 minute virtual networking event.  This event will feature insights from accomplished panelists who have expertise on this topic from their current professional responsibilities as well as their own personal careers.REGISTRATION: https://c100-10-1-2025.eventbrite.com 

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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.