#292 Statement; 11/18 Meeting; Alien Land Bills - CACA, Activism, What Counts? Civil Rights

In This Issue #292

·       APA Justice Statement on Election Outcome

·       2024/11/18 APA Justice Monthly Meeting

·       CACA Calls for Equal Land Ownership 

·       Texas' Threat Prompts Surge of Chinese American Activism

·       What Counts as "Chinese-Owned" Farmland?

·       Chinese American Scientists Call for Fight Against Racial Discrimination

·       News and Activities for the Communities

APA Justice Statement on Election Outcome

As a nation built by immigrants, the United States has thrived for 250 years due to the contributions of new arrivals and their descendants. However, this year’s presidential election revealed a stark contrast in how we perceive that legacy of immigration.With Donald Trump’s election as president, America will face new challenges. In the coming years, APA Justice is resolutely committed to continue addressing issues impacting Asian Pacific American communities. Through coalition-building, education, and civic engagement, we will continue to advocate against the profiling of scientists and any group based on race, ethnicity, or national origin. We will continue to oppose discriminatory alien land laws and legislation that violate constitutional rights, combat harmful stereotypes that question our loyalty, and engage in dialogues that promote fair and accountable government policies and practices.The fight for a more equitable, inclusive future does not end with a single election. Let this moment serve as a powerful call to action. Every individual, regardless of their origin, has the potential to contribute to the future of our nation. Together, we can reaffirm our commitment to diversity and ensure that the promise of America is fulfilled for all.

2024/11/18 APA Justice Monthly Meeting

The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, November 18, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET.  The meeting was moved to avoid conflicts with Election Day.  In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Joanna YangQing Derman, Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Dr. Kai Li, Vice President, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are:

·       Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch, Founder and Executive Chair, US-China Education Trust

·       Michael Wong, Board Member and Former National Vice President, Veterans for Peace

·       Peter Michelson, Luke Blossom Professor in the School of Humanities & Sciences and Professor of Physics, Stanford University; Steven Kivelson, Prabhu Goel Family Professor and Professor of Physics

Senator-Elect Andy Kim is invited to give remarks.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 APAJustice - Steven Pei 白先慎, Vincent Wang 王文奎, and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org.

CACA Calls for Equal Land Ownership

The Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) is one of the oldest Asian American civil rights organizations.  It was established in 1895 to advocate for the civil rights of Chinese Americans and to promote citizenship, education, and community engagement. On November 1, 2024, CACA issued a public statement with a position paper, advocating for fair land ownership laws with national security safeguards. "The right to own land is a core American value tied to the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution protects this right through due process and equal protection, covering both U.S. citizens and legal residents," the statement said.  "Historically, Chinese Americans faced severe discrimination in land ownership — laws like the 1913 California Alien Land Law barred Asian immigrants from owning land, and these restrictions created lasting economic impacts."According to the position paper, in today’s divisive political environment, systemic discrimination is gaining popularity, particularly in real estate markets. Discriminatory alien land laws, stipulating race or ethnicity, are being revisited in over twenty states, and Chinese Americans often face bias from real estate sellers and government officials. A significant consequence of this discrimination is the inability or unwillingness to differentiate between Chinese Americans and nationals from the People’s Republic of China, fueling xenophobia and unfair treatment of our citizens and residents under misguided security concerns.Read the CACA statement: https://bit.ly/3UA9RyC.  Read the position paper: https://bit.ly/3Yx8nGA

Texas' Threat Prompts Surge of Chinese American Activism

According to the South China Morning Post on October 18, 2024, in response to Texas Senate Bill 147, which sought to restrict property purchases by citizens of “adversarial” nations like China, Chinese Americans in Texas have become increasingly politically active. The bill, though ultimately amended and then dropped, would have affected residents like Lan Wang, who has since joined others in protesting similar proposals. Advocacy groups report unprecedented involvement, with community members rallying, fundraising, and learning the legislative process. SB 147 was later watered down and ultimately died, However, Texas state lawmakers are threatening to bring a version of it back, in addition to other legislation that targets Chinese influence. In July, Republican State Senator Lois Kolkhorst vowed to introduce an anti-foreign land ownership bill in the next legislative session, which begins in January 2025.“The anti-alien land law issue in Texas has ignited a lot of debate and led to a lot of Asian Americans participating in politics and in government in a way that I’ve certainly never seen before,” said Lily Trieu, executive director of Asian Texans for Justice, a non-profit group based in Austin.  Trieu, whose organization provides advocacy training, described seeing “unprecedented” numbers of Chinese Americans not only displaying political awareness, but also donating money, hosting rallies and actively participating in the legislative process.In July, the Committee of 100, a non-partisan Chinese American civic group, reported that 151 bills restricting property ownership by foreign entities have been considered in 2024 at the state and national levels, with 71 specifically targeting Chinese citizens.

For Gene Wu, a Democratic representative in the Texas House, the battle extends far beyond state politics. Citing proposed land bans and visa restrictions for Chinese nationals in Project 2025, a blueprint by the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank for a second Donald Trump administration, Wu called the fight “existential” for Chinese Americans.  “It doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter that you’re a citizen … everybody is a spy, and that’s what we’re fighting against,” he said.Over the past few months, Wu has travelled across the country sharing lessons from Texas’ recent experience with other states.In Florida, legislation against property ownership by Chinese citizens has also ignited unprecedented mobilization among local Chinese Americans.  The Orlando-based Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAAJA), for instance, was formed in the wake of SB 264, a Republican-sponsored bill targeting citizens of China and six other countries that became state law in May 2023.  FAAJA is one of several groups supporting a suit against the law in court.Read the South China Morning Post report: https://bit.ly/4ehE4d1

What Counts as "Chinese-Owned" Farmland?

According to the Wall Street Journal on October 31, 2024, Walton Global, a major landholding company identified by the USDA as having Chinese investments, successfully petitioned to reclassify much of its U.S. farmland as non-Chinese-owned, arguing USDA data misattributed Chinese ownership. While the company has some Chinese investors, Walton's CEO Bill Doherty emphasized that his family owns the company, not Chinese entities.“We do business in China. We’re proud to do business in China,” Doherty said in an interview. But he said, “The company is owned by me and my family. And I’m most definitely not Chinese.”Opposition to Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland in the name of economic and national security is a popular message by U.S. politicians from both parties.  Some of the largest companies caught up in this criticism are now pushing back. Few agree on what even counts as owned by China or which aspect of that ownership is bad for the U.S., even when that land is close to military installations.Walton, which buys and resells land to developers, owns 14 sites that have some Chinese investment within 15 miles of military bases. Two Walton sites near military bases with more than 90% Chinese ownership are not included in the USDA database because the underlying land is not designated as agricultural.  

Walton promoted its project in Colorado Springs by noting how the city is home to sports facilities—and local military installations—because they are a source of employment. Walton said it has investors from around the world who can take brief tours of their land holdings, but do not otherwise have access to the land, which the company then aims to sell to developers.“Labeling all Chinese companies, Chinese investors, and Chinese Americans—and now also all of the American companies who do business with them—as threats to our country without any actual evidence, isn’t just detrimental to our national security, but also defies all of the lessons learned from our history,” Texas state Rep. Gene Wu said.

Smithfield Foods, acquired by a Chinese firm in 2013, has also faced national security concerns.  Its chief executive has disputed concerns that the company’s Chinese ownership threatens the U.S. food supply chain, saying its new ownership has instead helped fuel Smithfield’s growth.

Read the Wall Street Journal report: https://on.wsj.com/3YvZ3Tv

Chinese American Scientists Call for Fight Against Racial Discrimination

A report by BBC on October 29, 2024, highlights the struggles of Chinese American scientists facing discrimination and national security scrutiny. Physicist Xiaoxing Xi, arrested in 2015 on now-dismissed espionage charges, compares his experience to persecution during China’s Cultural Revolution, leading him to avoid professional ties with China. U.S.-China tensions under recent administrations have intensified, with legislative efforts to revive the “China Initiative,” which previously targeted Chinese American academics for alleged economic espionage.Asian American Scholar Forum's Gisela Perez Kusakawa and MIT’s Yasheng Huang underscore concerns over such legislative moves, which would formally reinstate the initiative. Scientists interviewed agree on national security’s importance but argue they have been unfairly scapegoated. Xi, alongside academics like Anming Hu and Franklin Tao, has turned to advocacy, with Hu recently addressing Congressional representatives against the initiative's revival, warning it scapegoats scholars and threatens U.S. technological leadership.Families have borne immense financial burdens, with Tao’s wife, Hong Peng, working extra shifts to cover legal costs that now exceed $2.3 million. Xi, still pursuing legal action against the FBI for his case, aims to uncover potential abuses and ensure transparency.

Read the BBC reports:

·       2024/10/29 BBC (English): Chinese American Scientists Call for Fight Against Racial Discrimination

·       2024/11/01 BBC (Korean): 미-중 경쟁 속 살얼음판을 걷는 중국계 미국인 과학자들

·       2024/11/02 BBC (simplified Chinese): 美国大选：中美关系恶化下华裔科学家如履薄冰“不要再与中国有任何瓜葛”

·       2024/11/02 BBC (Vietnamese): Những nhà khoa học Mỹ gốc Hoa đối mặt với rủi ro trong cuộc đối đầu Mỹ-Trung

·       2024/11/02 BBC (Thai): เปิดชีวิตบนเส้นด้ายของนักวิทยาศาสตร์อเมริกันเชื้อสายจีน ท่ามกลางการแข่งขันระหว่าง 2 มหาอำนาจ

News and Activities for the Communities

1. APA Justice Community Calendar

Upcoming Events:2024/11/10 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/11/12 Threats to International Engagement and Academic Freedom2024/11/13 China's Economic Transformation: Policy, Challenges, & Domestic Impact2024/11/14 The U.S. Elections: What Happened? What's Next?2024/11/14 America's Trust in Science: What's Changed, What's Next?2024/11/14 From Tokyo Rose to The China Initiative2024/11/15 An Advice and Networking Event (Financial Services, Investing and Consulting)2024/11/15 Yangtze-Mississippi Regional Dialogue2024/11/15-17 AAASE Inaugural Summit2024/11/17 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/11/18 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/11/24 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details.

2. Threats to Academic Freedom and International Engagement: China and Beyond

WHAT: Threats to International Engagement and Academic Freedom: China and BeyondWHEN: November 12, 2024, 4:00 pm ETWHERE: Hybrid in-person and Online eventHOST: Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP) at University of Massachusetts, AmherstSpeaker: Dr. Yangyang Cheng, Particle Physicist and Research Scholar at Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China CenterDESCRIPTION: Across the country, faculty and students are facing impediments to international engagement, and sometimes at significant personal risk, arising from increasingly strict federal regulations. International faculty and students are especially vulnerable, as are Chinese Americans and others with ties to countries experiencing strained US relations.  At UMass Amherst, there are strong unions with the power to enforce robust contracts.  The MSP event and the conversations it generates will help mobilize the UMass community to win and sustain the strongest possible protections for research and professional lives. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3O77ShvFOR MORE INFORMATION: https://bit.ly/3Yn2lcH

3. China's Economic Transformation: Policy, Challenges, & Domestic Impact

WHAT: China's Economic Transformation: Policy, Challenges, & Domestic ImpactWHEN: November 13, 2024, 7:00 pm ETWHERE: Online workshopHOST: 1990 InstituteDESCRIPTION: This workshop is the first of a two-part series on China’s economy.  This first session will explore the complexities of China's economic evolution over the past 40 years, highlighting the government's role in shaping the country's economic trajectory and addressing key internal challenges such as unemployment, rising national debt, and the evolution of economic policies. Our expert speakers will also examine the effects of COVID-19 on China’s economy and society.  This workshop is open to all secondary school educators and everyone who is interested in gaining a deeper understanding of China’s economic past, present, and future. Participating educators will leave better equipped to help students engage with these complex topics in a relatable way.REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3AwiweM

4. America's Trust in Science: What's Changed, What's Next?

WHAT: America's Trust in Science: What's Changed, What's Next?WHEN: November 14, 2024, 3:15 pm - 4:00 pm ETWHERE: Online Webinar HOST: American Association for the Advancement of ScienceDESCRIPTION: The event will feature a breakdown of Pew’s 2024 trust in science survey results, which will be released that morning. Pew will then moderate a AAAS panel to discuss what the results mean for the application and conduct of science, and what the U.S. scientific community should do about it. The event will close with an audience Q&A. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3YEl8PF

5. From Tokyo Rose To the China Initiative: Espionage and AAPIs

WHAT: From Tokyo Rose To the China InitiativeWHEN: November 14, 2024, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm ETWHERE: In Person and Online; Costantino Room, Fordham Law SchoolHOST: Center on Asian Americans and the Law, Fordham Law SchoolDESCRIPTION:  Asian Americans have long been accused of spying for foreign countries and engaging in acts of treason. In 1949, Iva Toguri D’Aquino was tried for treason in San Francisco—as the infamous “Tokyo Rose.” Years later, she was pardoned. In 1999, Dr. Wen Ho Lee, a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, was arrested and accused of being a spy who had given U.S. nuclear secrets to China. Although he eventually pleaded guilty to one count of mishandling national defense information (after spending 278 days in confinement under harsh conditions), the sentencing judge apologized to him on behalf of the United States.More recently, during the China Initiative, the government arrested individuals of Asian descent with great fanfare, only to eventually drop or drastically reduce the charges in many of the cases. When the end of the “China Initiative” was announced in 2022, there was some skepticism that it was truly over, skepticism that was shown to be justified earlier this year as some members of Congress sought to revive it. Will the China Initiative now be revived?    The Center on Asian Americans and the Law at Fordham Law School will explore the issues presented by the government's prosecution over the years of Asian Americans for espionage and treason at its Third Annual Fall Symposium.  We will first examine several historic cases and follow with a panel discussion on the government's more recent actions.FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://bit.ly/4fnbZSL

6. APA Justice Newsletter Web Page Moved to New Website

As part of its continuing migration to a new website under construction, we have moved the Newsletter webpage to https://www.apajusticetaskforce.org/newsletters. Content of the existing website will remain, but it will no longer be updated. We value your feedback about the new web page. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org.