#334 6/2 Monthly Meeting; Influence of Hate & Extremism; CAPAC Concerns in U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students; Wu Chien-Shiung

In This Issue #334

·        2025/06/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting

·        Influence of Hate and Extremism Grow; Attacked Asian Professor Speaks Out

·        CAPAC Expressed Concerns in the U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students

·        Chinese Students at Harvard Cancel Flights, Scramble for Legal Help After Trump Ban 

·        U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Plans for Expanded Social Media Screening

·        Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Harvard Foreign Student Ban Amid Escalating Clash 

·        Wu Chien-Shiung: The Chinese-American Physicist Who Changed Science But Was Denied the Nobel

·        News and Activities for the Communities

2025/06/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 

The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, June 2, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET.

In addition to updates by Judith Teruya, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Joanna YangQing Derman, Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), invited speakers are: 

·        Judy Chu, Member, U.S. House of Representative

·        Aki Maehara, Professor, Historian, East Los Angeles College

·        Ya Liu, Member, North Carolina House of Representatives

·        Juanita Brent, Member, Ohio House of Representative

·        Christina Ku and Gerald Ohn, Co-Founders, Asian American Civil Rights League

·        Brian Sun, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

·        Edgar Chen, Special Policy Advisor, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)

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.

Influence of Hate and Extremism Grow Despite Numbers Decline; Attacked Asian Professor Speaks Out

The Associated Press recently reported that the number of hate and extremist groups in the United States slightly declined in 2024, but not because their influence is waning—in fact, the opposite may be true. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), whose annual Year in Hate and Extremism report was released Thursday, many white nationalist, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti-government ideologies have become increasingly mainstream, infiltrating politics, education, and public discourse.

The SPLC counted 1,371 hate and extremist groups in 2024, down 5% from the previous year. Of these, 533 were active hate groups, a continued decline from the 1,021 peak in 2018. But researchers cautioned against reading this as progress. “The trends have slightly sort of gone up and down but let’s just say generally, since our tracking, have increased,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “And that’s not just on a total numbers level but also on a per capita.”

One reason for the drop, the SPLC says, is that extremist views are being adopted more widely, reducing the need for formal group structures. These include calls for bans on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, opposition to LGBTQ+ visibility, and the rise in book bans. Anti-government groups rose to 838, with many believing the federal government is “tyrannical.”

The SPLC also noted a rise in male supremacist hate groups, growing from nine to 16 in 2024. These groups promote strict gender roles and misogyny. Their emergence coincides with Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the first woman of color to win a major party’s presidential nomination. “We saw intense vilification, the claiming of demonization of Harris,” Rivas said, adding that far-right online spaces falsely portrayed women as unqualified to lead.

The report’s release coincided with the public appearance of Aki Maehara, a 71-year-old Japanese American professor at East Los Angeles College who survived a violent hate crime in April. Maehara held a press conference on May 22 at the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles to speak publicly about this violent incident he experienced, which is being investigated as a possible hate crime. 

On April 29, while riding his electric bicycle home in Montebello, Maehara was struck from behind by a car. The driver reportedly shouted anti-Asian slurs, including “Go back to Ch—k-land,” before fleeing the scene. Maehara sustained multiple injuries, including a concussion, fractured cheekbone, neck injury, and extensive bruising. 

 “I am wanting to add my voice to efforts to address fascist, racist violence,” Maehara said during this press conference. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to assist with Maehara's medical expenses and recovery, raising over $82,000 as of May 27. A change.org page was also set up with the title “Demand Justice for Professor Aki Maehara: Fully Investigate This Hate Crime.” 

Despite being injured, Maehara has returned to teaching his course on racism in the U.S. and is considering donating part of the nearly money raised for his recovery to other victims of hate violence. “All of your support, concern and care has helped to speed up my healing,” he told supporters.

Watch the full YouTube interview with Professor Maehara: Decolonizing Academia: An interview with Professor Aki Maehara, Historian, Activist In this interview, Maehara shared his experiences growing up in East LA, intergenerational trauma, Vietnam and more.

CAPAC Expressed Concerns in the U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students

In response to Secretary Rubio saying that the U.S. will “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese students, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) issued a statement pressing concerns: 

“The wholesale revocation of student visas based on national origin — and without an investigation — is xenophobic and wrong.

 “Turning these students away —many of whom simply wish to learn in a free and democratic society — is not just shortsighted but a betrayal of our values.”

According to New York Times, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the students who will have their visas canceled include people with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and those studying in “critical fields.” He added that the State Department was revising visa criteria to “enhance scrutiny” of all future applications from China, including Hong Kong.

The move was certain to send ripples of anxiety across university campuses in the United States. China is the country of origin for the second-largest group of international students in the United States. 

Chinese Students at Harvard Cancel Trips, Scramble for Legal Help After Trump Ban

According to Reuters, Chinese students at Harvard University were left reeling on Friday after the Trump administration blocked the school from enrolling international students, triggering panic, canceled flights, and widespread legal uncertainty. The administration’s order—citing allegations that Harvard had coordinated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), among other claims—would force current foreign students to transfer to other institutions or risk losing their legal status. The policy could potentially be expanded to include other universities as well.

Zhang, a 24-year-old PhD student in physics, said the Chinese student community felt particularly vulnerable. “I think the Chinese community definitely feels like a more targeted entity compared to other groups,” he said. Fearing escalation, friends even advised him to avoid staying at his apartment in case of immigration enforcement action. “They think it’s possible that an ICE agent can take you from your apartment,” he said, requesting anonymity for safety reasons.

The uncertainty caused immediate disruptions. Zhang Kaiqi, a 21-year-old master’s student in public health, had packed his bags for a flight back to China when the order hit. “I was sad and irritated. For a moment I thought it was fake news,” he said. He canceled the flight—losing both money and a summer internship with a U.S. NGO in China.

Many students were especially concerned about losing visa-linked internships vital for future graduate school applications. Others scrambled for legal advice. Two Chinese students said they were added to WhatsApp groups where panicked peers shared updates and legal tips. One transcript showed a lawyer advising students not to travel domestically or leave the country until official school guidance was issued.

A federal judge issued a two-week restraining order, temporarily freezing the ban.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned the action, warning it would damage the U.S.’s international credibility and pledging to protect the rights of Chinese students abroad. “It will only damage the image and international credibility of the United States,” the ministry said.

Some Chinese families are now reconsidering the U.S. as an education destination. “It’s likely to be a final nudge toward other destinations,” said Pippa Ebel, an education consultant based in Guangzhou.

Incoming Harvard master’s student Zhao, 23, said she may defer or transfer if the situation doesn’t improve. “It’s really disturbed my life plans. I had planned to apply for my U.S. visa in early June, and now I’m not sure what to do,” she said.

U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Plans for Expanded Social Media Screening

According to Politico, Associated Press, NPR, and others, the U.S. State Department has temporarily halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students, signaling a further tightening of the Trump administration’s approach toward international students. The pause, which does not affect applicants with already scheduled interviews, comes as the government prepares to implement more stringent screening of applicants' social media activity.

According to a diplomatic cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by The Associated Press, consular sections have been instructed not to add "any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity" until new guidance on expanded vetting is issued.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce defended the move during a Tuesday briefing, saying, “We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that’s coming here, whether they are students or otherwise.”

The suspension, first reported by Politico, adds to a growing list of measures targeting foreign students. Just last week, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, a decision that was swiftly challenged in court and is now temporarily blocked. Earlier this year, the administration also revoked the legal status of thousands of international students, prompting legal battles and widespread concern.

Critics argue these measures risk disrupting academic plans and damaging U.S. higher education institutions that rely heavily on international students for both diversity and revenue. Many foreign students pay full tuition, helping universities offset declining federal funding.

An anonymous U.S. official told the Associated Press that the current halt is temporary, but uncertainty looms. “This kind of broad suspension without clarity creates a chilling effect on applicants and institutions alike,” the official noted.

With the summer and fall terms approaching, the prolonged visa delays could significantly impact enrollment and campus life across the country.

Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Harvard Foreign Student Ban Amid Escalating Clash 

According to Associated Press, CNN, Reuters, New York Times, and others, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from barring Harvard University from enrolling international students—a move the university called unconstitutional retaliation for resisting federal demands. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs temporarily halted the policy, which threatened to strip Harvard of its ability to host international students, who make up roughly a quarter of its student body.

In its lawsuit, Harvard argued that the administration’s actions violated the First Amendment and would have an “immediate and devastating effect,” warning that the measure could force thousands of students to transfer or lose legal immigration status while damaging the university’s global standing. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the school said in its filing.

A New York Times report sheds light on the escalating conflict between Harvard and the Trump administration. According to the report, the conflict escalated after the Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, demanded extensive data on international students, including coursework, disciplinary records, and even video footage of student protests. While Harvard provided data it was legally required to share, it pushed back on the broader demands, calling them vague, politically motivated, and beyond the scope of federal law.

The administration accused Harvard of fostering an unsafe campus environment and alleged links to the Chinese Communist Party—claims the university firmly denied. Former Harvard President Lawrence Summers condemned the government’s actions on X (formerly Twitter), calling them “madness” that risks alienating future global leaders.

This confrontation reflects a broader campaign by the Trump administration to reshape the U.S. higher education, with elite universities accused of promoting "woke" ideologies, tolerating antisemitism, and resisting conservative values. Multiple federal agencies—including the Departments of Justice, Education, Health and Human Services, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission—have launched investigations into Harvard, focusing on admissions practices, compliance with the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling, and foreign funding disclosures.

Harvard’s legal team contends that universities have a constitutionally protected right to manage their academic communities free from government interference, citing case law that protects not just students and faculty, but institutions themselves.

Wu Chien-Shiung: The Chinese-American Physicist Who Changed Science But Was Denied the Nobel

In May, during AAPI Heritage Month, the South China Morning Post published a feature story on Wu Chien-Shiung, the legendary Chinese American physicist whose groundbreaking work helped shape modern science—despite a lifetime of discrimination and under-recognition.

Born in 1912 in a small village near Shanghai, Wu rose to become one of the most influential experimental physicists of the 20th century. Known as the "Queen of Physics," she played a critical role in the Manhattan Project, helping solve complex problems in uranium enrichment. Her expertise was so well regarded that when Enrico Fermi encountered a technical obstacle, the advice he received was simply: “Ask Miss Wu.”

Yet, despite her pivotal contributions, Wu was excluded from the 1957 Nobel Prize awarded to Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen-Ning Yang for their theory of parity violation—an idea her meticulous experiments had confirmed. Many scientists and historians have since argued that Wu deserved a share of that honor, if not a Nobel Prize of her own.

As an Asian woman in a white male-dominated field, Wu endured systemic discrimination throughout her career. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover even referred to her as “he” in vetting documents, reflecting both racial and gender bias. She was routinely paid less than her male counterparts and had to fight for basic professional respect. Still, she persisted.

Later in her life, Wu became a fierce advocate for women in science. “The traditional role of wife and mother and dedicated scientist are compatible,” she once declared, challenging both cultural and institutional barriers. She urged young girls to pursue science and questioned the belief that physics was only for men.

Beyond her scientific achievements, Wu also played a quiet diplomatic role. She advised against Taiwan’s nuclear weapons ambitions and helped foster China’s scientific development during a time of strained U.S.-China relations.

Though she was omitted from the recent film Oppenheimer and denied the Nobel recognition she deserved, Wu Chien-Shiung’s legacy has only grown. She has been honored with a U.S. postage stamp and a towering statue in her hometown. Wu passed away in 1997, but today she is remembered as one of the greatest experimental physicists of her era—a pioneer whose brilliance and resilience continue to inspire new generations.

News and Activities for the Communities

APA Justice Community Calendar

 Upcoming Events:2025/05/29 U.S. v. Wen Ho Lee - 25 Years Later2025/06/01 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/06/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/06/03 The Second Annual State of the Science Address2025/06/15 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/06/15-18 2025 Applied Statistics Symposium2025/06/16-24 Discover China 2025: Summer Youth Exchange to the Greater Bay Area2025/06/29-30 2025 ICSA China ConferenceVisit 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.