Policy Advocacy See what we're doing Working with federal agencies and policy makers to advocate for social justice and rights. Social Justice The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) The Office of Science and Technology Policy advises the president on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs. OSTP Developments This is a paragraph. Click to edit and add your own text. Add any information you want to share with users. Change the font, size or scale to get the look you want. Read More Item One Subtitle Goes Here This is a paragraph. Click to edit and add your own text. Add any information you want to share with users. Change the font, size or scale to get the look you want. Read More Item Two Subtitle Goes Here This is a paragraph. Click to edit and add your own text. Add any information you want to share with users. Change the font, size or scale to get the look you want. Read More Item Three Subtitle Goes Here On September 9, 2022, Dr. Steven Pei and Dr. Jeremy Wu, Co-Organizers of APA Justice, joined a virtual meeting with Senior Research Officers at the Association of American Universities (AAU). The meeting was moderated by Roger Wakimoto, Vice Chancellor for Research, UCLA. It included a 10-minute presentation by Steven and Jeremy on "Academic Freedom and Engaging Faculty on Campus - The Asian American Perspective " and a package of backgrounds and references , followed by questions and answers, and robust and productive discussions. The meeting continues our engagement and collaboration with AAU after Toby Smith, Vice President for Science Policy & Global Affairs, spoke at the APA Justice monthly meeting on June 6, 2022. Founded in 1900, AAU is composed of America’s leading research universities which collectively help shape policy for higher education, science, and innovation; promote best practices in undergraduate and graduate education; and strengthen the contributions of leading research universities to American society. PROPOSAL TO SENIOR RESEARCH OFFICERS OF THE AAU We suggested four wishes from the Asian American faculty perspective: Engage faculty in the development and implementation of NSPM-33 and similar policies on campus to make sure clear instruction, sufficient support, and proper training are provided to faculty, researchers, and administrative staff. “Establish (an independent or joint with faculty senate) committee (preferably led by a Chinese American faculty) to evaluate, define and protect the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of faculty and administration in cases involving the investigation of faculty by outside agencies” - a resolution passed by the faculty senate of a founding member of AAU Offer and publicize first response followed by independent legal assistance. Consider legal insurance in the long term. Help faculty, staffs, and students to resolve visa, border entry, and related issues. Dialogue with the AAU Warrantless Surveillance The U.S. Constitution protects its people against unreasonable searches and seizures. However, under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the U.S. government engages in mass, warrantless surveillance of phone calls, text messages, emails, and other electronic communications. Information collected under this law without a warrant can be used to prosecute and imprison people, even for crimes that have nothing to do with national security. Chinese American immigrants and scientific communities, have especially been targets for warrantless surveillance leading to wrongful and unjust prosecutions. Learn more The China Initiative From November 11, 2018 to February 23, 2022, the US national security program created to address economic espionage disproportionately targeted Asian American academics, scientists, and researchers for what were largely administrative errors, harming academic freedom. Learn more See what we've been fighting Advocating for the rights of APA academics, researchers, and scientists. Academic Advocacy

Newsletter - #39 February 1 Meeting; Gang Chen; Franklin Tao; FBI Transformation; And More #39 February 1 Meeting; Gang Chen; Franklin Tao; FBI Transformation; And More Back View PDF January 25, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #210 9/11 Meeting Summary; Franklin/Angwang; Paranoia/Scapegoating; "Stop The Blame"; More #210 9/11 Meeting Summary; Franklin/Angwang; Paranoia/Scapegoating; "Stop The Blame"; More In This Issue #210 2023/09/11 Monthly Meeting Summary Franklin Tao 陶丰 and Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 - Support Their Fight for Justice Paranoia and Scapegoating with Discriminatory Alien Land Laws "Stop The Blame" Campaign Starts News and Activities for the Communities 2023/09/11 Monthly Meeting Summary The September 11, 2023, APA Justice monthly meeting summary is now available at https://bit.ly/48lSE1h . We thank the following speakers for their updates and discussions: Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), nisha.ramachandran@mail.house.gov with updates from CAPAC John Yang 杨重远 , President and Executive Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC with updates from AAJC Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), gpkusakawa@aasforum.org with updates from AASF Clay Zhu 朱可亮 , Partner, DeHeng Law Offices 德恒律师事务所; Founder, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA) 华美维权同盟 with updates on the Florida alien land bill lawsuit Deborah Seligsohn , Assistant Professor of Political Science, Villanova University; Senior Associate (Non-resident), Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on the case for renewing the U.S.-China Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement (STA) Steven Kivelson , Professor of Physics, Stanford University on a letter to the President and the National Security Council to renew STA Sudip Parikh , Chief Executive Officer of The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Executive Publisher of the Science family of journals on the future of ethical science collaboration Ting Wu , Special Advisor, Office of the Chief of Staff, The White House, on observations and response from The White House. The 9/11 meeting was privileged for APA Justice invited attendees. The meeting summary is limited in distribution to APA Justice subscribers. It is posted at https://bit.ly/48lSE1h Franklin Tao 陶丰 and Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 - Support Their Fight for Justice 1. Professor Feng "Franklin" Tao Professor Franklin Tao 陶丰 was the first scientist to be charged under the now-defunct US Justice Department's "China Initiative," which unjustly targets many Chinese American scientists and causes significant harm to their careers and families. On September 21, 2023, over 30 people led by Haipei Shue 薛海培 , President of United Chinese Americans, attended the Appeals Court hearing of Professor Tao's appeal to overturn his only remaining charge of making a false statement. The hearing was livestreamed via YouTube. The audio portion is available here: https://bit.ly/46dOxmc (2:24:52) starting at around 1:45: 08.Read Professor Tao's case at https://bit.ly/3fZWJvK and visit his GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/5bf4adbe 2. NYPD Officer Baimadajie Angwang Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 is an officer of the New York Police Department (NYPD), U.S. citizen, Marine Corps veteran, and Army reservist. He was arrested in September 2020, charged with acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government and jailed pre-trial for six months under the now-defunct "China Initiative" based on intercepted phone calls. In January 2023, a federal judge dismissed all the charges against him at the request of the Department of Justice "in the interests of justice."However, the NYPD has not only failed to reinstate Officer Angwang, but will hold an administrative trial against him on September 26, 2023, starting at 10 am ET. The trial will be held on the 4th floor, Departmental Trial Room A, 1 Police Plaza, New York City.In a letter sent to Rep. Judy Chu 赵美心 , Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Restore The Fourth provided details of the continuing persecution of Officer Angwang. "We all need this unjust treatment to not become the norm. Officer Angwang needs vocal, public support to ensure a fair judicial process. His trial is public, which means that the more people watch across the country, the more momentum we can build behind Angwang’s case. We seek justice for Officer Angwang, and call attention to the broader abuses committed by U.S. intelligence officials," the letter said.In a message to APA Justice, Officer Angwang said, "[t]he reason why we are fighting back is to send a message to any wrong doing against our community is that we do fight back, don’t think we would just take it like how they want us to be. We won’t be silent. We also want to send a message to anyone who is going through my situation or Professor Franklin Tao’s situation or who might going through this, we want them to know that don’t give up on fight, the community is behind you. We will support you. That’s also the reason why I am going to Denver to support Professor Tao. Thank you."Read the Restore The Fourth letter: https://bit.ly/3RuO9v8 . Read the case of Officer Angwang: https://bit.ly/3RIqXId Paranoia and Scapegoating with Discriminatory Alien Land Laws According to AsAmNews on September 18, 2023, three U.S. Congressmen set off alarm bells after a major land deal near a military base raised fears of Chinese spies. "They saw red and now some might say, they have eggs on their faces," the report said.According to ABC7 News , Flannery Associates has been purchasing $1 billion worth of farmland for the last five years near Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, 50 miles east of San Francisco. It is not unusual for the backers of a corporation to remain anonymous.However, with U.S.-China relations at a low, Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA) and Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) all expressed concern that Chinese spies were behind the purchase of 55,000 acres of farmland in Solano County, prompting federal legislation on foreign real estate transactions and investigations into a type of malware that China could disrupt military operations across the country.When the dust settled, the truth finally came out. Flannery Associates is backed by Silicon Valley venture capitalist and billionaire Michael Moritz . Moritz has been highly critical of San Francisco’s liberal politics. His hopes are to build a new housing development and city near Travis Air Force Base, one he says will bring new jobs to the area.All of this could be dismissed with a shrug, except for one trend. According to APA Justice, 34 states as well as Congress have passed or have considered legislation to ban the purchase of land by Chinese and others from countries considered threats to the U.S. The bills are reminders of the Alien Land Laws that banned the purchase of land by Asians 100 years ago when the Chinese Exclusion Act and anti-Asian discriminatory laws were in effect. “Legislative action must be based on evidence and facts, not fear,” said Edgar Chen , Special Policy Advisor, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. “While we recognize there are legitimate national security concerns over geopolitical competition between the United States and China, unless there is concrete evidence that land investments from individuals who hail from foreign nations, whether from China or elsewhere, are being used for espionage purposes, lawmakers should not rush to paint all real estate transactions – especially by ordinary individuals with no ties to foreign governments – as threats to national security.” Cynthia Choi of Chinese for Affirmative Action and co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate expressed her own concerns. “Many politicians have been citing Chinese ownership of farmland as a threat to national security, when in reality, experts say Chinese land ownership accounts for less than 1% of farmland and an even smaller percentage of agricultural land . Despite the facts, they continue to sensationalize issues regarding China to justify overreaching measures that harm innocent Asian Americans and immigrants,” she said. The ACLU recently joined in a lawsuit to overturn a ban against Chinese ownership of homes and land in Florida signed by GOP presidential candidate and Gov. Ron DeSantis . “We continue to remain concerned about any attempt by Congress to target individuals solely because of their national origin, which falsely equates individuals from countries like China as synonymous with the Chinese government,” said Kia Hamadanchy , senior policy counsel at ACLU. “These efforts are a reminder of historical instances where false claims of national security were used as a justification to prohibit Asian immigrants from becoming landowners and will only serve to exacerbate discrimination against Asian communities living in the United States.” Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/3LrTobg Rep. Al Green’s Remarks to Challenging Discriminatory Land Laws During a House Financial Services Committee hearing on September 13, 2023, Rep. Al Green remarked, "my state [Texas] had the legislature to propose restrictions that would be directed toward specific persons and it created quite a stir because while the people who passed these laws don't have to interact with the people who can suffer from some of the consequences that may not be intended, persons of Chinese ancestry for example. When you start using specificities of this type, there are people in this country who suffer. They suffer in terms of how people approach them generally, but they also suffer in the sense of consternation as to what they will do with land that they currently hold or will they be able to purchase additional property." Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxwYblt-Ja0 (4:55) "Stop The Blame" Campaign Starts According to NBC News on September 21, 2023, Asian American civil rights organizations are launching a new effort to help monitor and prevent the use of inflammatory anti-Asian political rhetoric, ahead of the 2024 presidential elections. The “ Stop the Blame ” campaign, spearheaded by the nonprofit groups Stop AAPI Hate and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), kicked off with a website that includes information on the impact of racist language and policies.According to the Stop the Blame mission statement on to its website, "Everyday Asian Americans and immigrants are caught in the crossfire as tensions between the U.S. and Chinese governments grow. An alarming number of politicians and lawmakers today are using geopolitics as an excuse to justify hate and racism against our communities. They're promoting anti-Asian political rhetoric, discriminatory surveillance measures, and unconstitutional land ownership bans across the country."This is anti-Asian scapegoating - a political tactic used for centuries by those in power to deflect blame, instill fear, and rile up their voter base at the expense of our safety and our rights. We're on a mission to stop the hate, stop the blame, and stop anti-Asian scapegoating once and for all."Rep. Judy Chu 赵美心 , Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, underscored the campaign’s critical timing. “This anti-Asian rhetoric, many times, has to do with politicians who are trying to outdo one another,” she said. “They don’t care who they hurt in the process.” Cynthia Choi , co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and co-executive director of CAA, said the website not only contains data and research on anti-Asian language, but also a tracker that will document states seeking to pass land ownership bans. At least 33 states have proposed bans on land ownership from the Chinese government, entities or citizens in 2023. The website will additionally feature information on different campaigns and initiatives in individual states that are pushing back on anti-Asian policies. They will also be calling on Congress to reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Currently, Section 702 of the legislation gives U.S. intelligence agencies the authority to acquire communications of non-Americans, who use American communications platforms, without a warrant. The measure has been criticized by many Asian American and other advocacy groups for its potential to be weaponized as a tool to racially profile communities of color. “We’ve seen how policies created under the guise of ‘national security’ are used to scapegoat Asian American communities in the U.S., and they fuel further racism, violence and the erosion of everyone’s rights,” said Ashley Gorski , a senior staff attorney of the National Security Project at the American Civil Liberties Union.Instead of leaning on racist, anti-China rhetoric, Chu said, politicians should be careful with their words, and distinguish between the Chinese government and Chinese individuals. Chu brought up her own experience in which Rep. Lance Gooden , R-Texas, questioned her “loyalty” to the U.S. Chu had defended Dominic Ng 吴建民 , a Biden appointee, who was featured in an article by the conservative Daily Caller , that alleged he had ties to a Chinese Communist Party front group. “It was his way of outdoing other politicians,” Chu said. Choi said that with the campaign, she hopes to send elected officials the message that “scare tactics” are not a winning strategy. “The message is that if you attack our rights and put us in harm’s way, we will take action,” she said. “We won’t stand for it. We will hold you accountable.”Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/3ZurAbV . Visit the Stop The Blame website: https://stoptheblame.org/ US House Education Subcommittee Hearing According to The Oklahoman and The Hill , Reps. Raul M. Grijalva and Suzanne Bonamici said a September 19 U.S. House education subcommittee hearing on the threat of Chinese influence in American schools perpetuated a debunked conspiracy theory and could fuel anti-Asian American bias. Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director of Asian American Scholar Forum and an invited speaker in the hearing, encouraged the subcommittee to exercise caution when crafting laws and rhetoric on China. She said Asian Americans and immigrants suffer discrimination when the country’s leaders espouse anti-China language. “For many of them, they are not differentiated between this foreign government and who they are here,” Kusakawa said. “Decades after the systemic incarceration of Japanese Americans, we find ourselves repeating history as Asian Americans are treated as ‘perpetual foreigners’ and economic or national security threats,” Kusakawa said. “It has become a harmful pattern that when the United States has tensions with an Asian country, Asian Americans and immigrants face the backlash at home and become collateral damage.” Read The Oklahoman report: https://bit.ly/45ZAK2L and the Hill report: https://bit.ly/48uv81Z News and Activities for the Communities 1. Community Calendar The APA Justice Community Calendar is located on the front page of the APA Justice website at https://www.apajustice.org/ . Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Events: 2023/09/25-27 AAUC National Unity Summit 2023/09/26 NYPD Trial of Officer Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 2023/09/27 1990 Institute: Teaching Asian American Narratives through Literature 2023/09/27 U.S.-China Climate Cooperation Organizing Webinar 2023/09/27-28 APAICS 2023 Tech Summit 2023/10/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. Organizing for Climate Action: The Opportunities of U.S.-China Cooperation Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16) will lead an online discussion called “Organizing for Climate Action: The Opportunities of U.S.-China Cooperation” on how the U.S. and China can act together to tackle climate change and help build a green and fair global economy. Justice is Global, the Quincy Institute, the 1990 Institute, and climate, peace, and racial justice organizations co-sponsor this event on the need for deeper U.S.-China climate cooperation. Register for the event at https://bit.ly/3t9U9PM 3. Asian Faculty Association at Yale (AFAY) According to Yale News , Asian and Asian American faculty gathered at the Yale School of Medicine’s Brady Auditorium to announce AFAY’s inaugural board. The organization aims to build support both within and beyond its membership, and its mission statement includes advocacy for both members and for Yale’s Asian students, especially when facing challenges related to their cultural backgrounds or ethnicities. Currently, 194 faculty members have registered to join AFAY, of which 12 are non-Asian. Professor Haifan Lin 林海帆 served as AFAY election moderator. Professor Qin Yan 严钦 and Professor Yongli Zhang serve as President and President-elect respectively. Read the Yale News report: https://bit.ly/48pIZGQ 4. APAICS Tech Summit - Impact of Increased Competition Between the US and China Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) will host the 2023 Tech Summit on September 27-28. The event will bring together community and corporate leaders, subject matter experts, as well as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA & NH/PI) elected officials for bipartisan policy discussions that affect the AA & NH/PI community and the nation at-large. Register for the summit here: https://www.apaics.org/tech-summit-2023 Back View PDF September 23, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #315 3/3 Meeting; Fair Housing Webinars; VAST Report; Nation's Data at Risk; Firings Ruling #315 3/3 Meeting; Fair Housing Webinars; VAST Report; Nation's Data at Risk; Firings Ruling In This Issue #315 · 2025/03/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Webinars on Fair Housing Rights and Alien Land Laws · Science Editorial; AAAS VAST Report · The Nation’s Data at Risk · Mass Firings of Federal Probationary Workers Likely Unlawful · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/03/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, March 3, 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), confirmed speakers are: · Grace Meng 孟昭文 , Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) via recorded video · Jessica Chen Weiss 白洁曦 , Founding Faculty Director of the Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF), SAIS, Johns Hopkins University · Michelle Lee , President and Board Chair; Brian Pang , Chief Operating Officer and Head of Partnerships, Stand with Asian Americans · Clay Zhu 朱可亮 , Co-Founder, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA) 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 .Congresswoman Grace Meng was elected to serve as Chair of CAPAC at the beginning of the 119th Congress. She will speak via recorded video on the future of our community and nation and how we can collectively address the unprecedented challenges. ACF was launched on February 3, 2025, alongside the report "Getting China Right at Home," which examines domestic challenges amid rising U.S.-China competition. Jessica will introduce ACF, highlight key report findings, and share updates on ACF’s latest initiatives.SwAA was founded in response to the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings to combat anti-Asian hate and workplace discrimination. Michelle and Brian will introduce SwAA and its legal support, educational programs, and community-building efforts to protect and advance the rights of Asian Americans in professional settings.On February 11, 2025, CALDA announced that a temporary injunction against Florida's law SB 846, was imminent. This state law restricts public universities and colleges in Florida from employing Chinese students, scholars, and researchers under the pretext of national security concerns. Clay will provide updates on the lawsuit and its implications. Webinars on Fair Housing Rights and Alien Land Laws Founded in 2003, the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) is a national trade organization dedicated to improving the lives of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community through homeownership.On February 28, 2025, Manisha Munikar , Chair of AREAA Policy Committee, will host a webinar with Gene Wu , Texas State Representative, about the current state of Alien Land Laws. Are people from China inherently a geopolitical threat? Questions like this are at the crux of the current issue of Alien Land Laws, many of which are threatening to pass around the country. AREAA has fought multiple bills like this on the grounds that they violate the Fair Housing Act. With the federal government taking a hawkish stance on China, it is essential to learn how we can keep Asian Americans out of the crosshairs.Register for the February 28 webinar at https://bit.ly/4bisfDc . The event is free for AREAA members and has a $20 charge for non-members. *****On March 4, 2025, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET, the Committee of 100 and APA Justice will co-host a webinar titled "Fair Housing Rights & Alien Land Laws: Challenges and Advocacy for the Asian American Community."With new laws limiting property ownership based on nationality, real estate professionals and advocates are stepping up to challenge these discriminatory policies. This webinar will provide critical insights into how these restrictions are reshaping the housing landscape and what we can do to fight back. It will cover: · Your Rights Under the Fair Housing Act – Understand the legal protections in place to combat discrimination. · How These Laws Affect Asian Homebuyers & Real Estate Professionals – Hear real-world impacts from industry experts. · Community & Legal Advocacy in Action – Learn how grassroots efforts and legal challenges are pushing back and how you can get involved. Stay ahead of these evolving legal challenges by exploring Committee of 100’s interactive map , which tracks ongoing land ownership exclusion laws quarterly, and APA Justice’s Alien Land Bills webpage , where you will find the latest updates on lawsuits and policy developments. Register to attend the webinar at: https://bit.ly/4hEouum Science Editorial; AAAS VAST Report According to an editorial by Science on February 24, 2025, the chaos, conflicting information, firings, and hurtful rhetoric of the Trump administration’s approach to science over the past month are causing anxiety, grief, and concern for the scientific community in the United States. The dramatic events are reverberating around the globe.A diversity of thoughts from scientists in the US and around the world have appeared on the best approach to preserve science during this onslaught. However, there are principles around which all scientists unite—those of evidence, independence, process, and inclusion. These common values must now propel everyone in the scientific community to work together as never before to stand up for science.Leaders of the scientific enterprise in the US are a loosely associated group. Some organizations speak on behalf their constituencies and argue for support for science. University associations speak on behalf of their university members who carry out research. Leaders of the universities represent their own faculty scientists. Each of these entities has a different set of constraints around how it is funded and whom it represents. Their actions include: · Filing lawsuits · Working behind the scene in Washington DC · Speaking out by issuing statements and objecting to nominations Many university faculty feel that science leaders' actions are insufficient, but a full-scale resistance is unlikely given their broad responsibilities. The editorial urges trust in science leaders' judgment, emphasizing that timing is crucial and that most university presidents recognize this as an existential moment requiring careful, strategic action. While leaders may speak out more over time, their restraint is intentional, shaped by their responsibility to resources and people. Faculty and students must stay informed about shifting strategies, even if uncomfortable, as taking calculated risks in the name of unity is essential to preserving science’s mission. Those in the scientific community who enjoy the protections of academic and other freedoms afforded by the US Constitution’s First Amendment should do and say more. Some will march in the streets, some will send messages to Congress, and some will focus on their research, students, and trainees. The Science family of journals will continue to uphold the highest standards of scientific integrity while publishing groundbreaking research, provocative commentary, and news that is unencumbered by interference. The weeks ahead may be the greatest test that the US scientific community has ever faced. Words and actions of all members of the scientific community—universities, journals, societies, associations, activists, and scientists—form the collective voice of science, not any one statement. In time, the dust will settle, and the new challenges confronting the enterprise will be clear. It will then be time to take stock and learn how to prosper in a new era. To prepare for that, the editorial concludes, "we need unity and support for each other now." *****On February 25, 2025, 70+ bipartisan leaders across science, industry, academia, philanthropy, and government released the Vision for American Science & Technology (VAST) to maintain U.S. leadership in science, technology, national security, and economic prosperity. Chaired by Dr. Sudip Parikh (CEO of AAAS), the task force outlines key challenges and solutions. Key Challenges · Eroding Competitiveness – China and other nations are outpacing the U.S. in R&D investment. · Bureaucratic Barriers – Regulatory inefficiencies slow innovation. · Workforce Deficiencies – Weak STEM education and restrictive immigration policies hinder talent growth. · Underinvestment in Fundamental Research – Federal R&D funding has stagnated. · Fragmented Innovation Ecosystem – Siloed efforts across regions and industries reduce efficiency. Recommendations · Strengthen S&T Enterprise – Cut red tape, create regional innovation hubs, enhance tech transfer, and incentivize R&D. · Build a Skilled Workforce – Improve STEM education, support educators, reform immigration policies, and boost wages. Advance Key Technologies – Invest in AI, biotech, quantum computing, materials science, and energy, while balancing research security and global collaboration. Conclusion Without urgent action, the U.S. risks losing its scientific edge. VAST urges a cross-sector approach, investment in STEM talent, and reduced barriers to innovation to ensure economic growth, security, and global leadership. The time to act is now. The Nation’s Data at Risk The American Statistical Association (ASA) and George Mason University (GMU) launched a project to assess the health and effectiveness of U.S. federal statistical agencies in producing reliable data for policymaking.In July 2024, they released The Nation’s Data at Risk , highlighting challenges like resource constraints, workforce issues, and growing data demands across key areas such as public health, economic planning, and education.Now in its second year, the project’s "Ongoing Monitoring" phase tracks agency progress through regular data collection and analysis, ensuring they adapt to evolving societal needs. The ongoing monitoring efforts concentrate on several critical areas: · Resources and Funding · Workforce Development · Innovation and Technology · Autonomy and Independence · User Engagement Stay informed on the health of federal statistical agencies or contribute updates at https://bit.ly/4ih5Qsp . Contribute information and spread the word on this effort. Protecting credible, objective federal data is crucial for our economy, government, and society.In Trump’s second term, agencies removed critical environmental data, including climate change reports from the EPA and NOAA, prompting urgent preservation efforts. A Trump executive order granted Elon Musk’s DOGE control over federal agency payments, leading to the deletion of websites, policies, and DEI programs, creating widespread confusion. Mass Firings of Federal Probationary Workers Likely Unlawful As of February 27, 2025, the number of lawsuits against President Donald Trump's executive actions reported by the Just Security Litigation Tracker has grown to 94.According to AP News on February 27, 2025, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the Office of Personnel Management to inform certain federal agencies that it had no authority to order the firings of probationary employees, including the Department of Defense. The mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful, granting temporary relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has sued to stop the Trump administration’s massive dismantling of the federal workforce. The case is American Federation Of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. United States Office of Personnel Management (3:25-cv-01780) , which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/03/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/03/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/03/04 Fair Housing Rights & Alien Land Laws: Challenges and Advocacy for the Asian American Community2025/03/12 MSU Webinar on China Initiative2025/03/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/03/30 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/04/13 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/04/24-26 Committee of 100 Annual Conference and Gala Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. 03/12 MSU Webinar on China Initiative WHAT: The China Initiative WHEN: March 12, 2025, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm ET WHERE: Webinar HOST: Asian Pacific American Studies Program, Michigan State University DESCRIPTION: A virtual discussion on the life and afterlife of the China Initiative, a Trump Administration program that has used racial profiling and fears of espionage to target Asian American scholars and researchers for investigation. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/4hVaITO # # # 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 . Back View PDF February 28, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Programs and Initiatives Explore ways to get involved. Click on a program below to learn more about efforts to combat racial profiling and unfair government policies, or find them in the menu above. Advocacy Read More Advocacy for justice and fairness: our work with policy makers to push for AAPI rights and to ensure justice for AAPI academics and scientists. Community Networking Read More A network giving greater resources and a more assertive voice to the Asian American community. History & Education Read More Learn more about important historical events and cases involving Asian American people and culture. Yellow Whistle Campagn Read More Our partnership with the Yellow Whistle Project to promote self-protection and solidarity against discrimination and violence.

The NIH and the FBI are targeting ethnic Chinese scientists, including U.S. citizens, searching for a cancer cure. June 13, 2019 On June 13, 2019 Bloomberg Businessweek published The U.S. Is Purging Chinese Cancer Researchers From Top Institutions . The NIH and the FBI are targeting ethnic Chinese scientists, including U.S. citizens, searching for a cancer cure. It includes the first account of what happened to Xifeng Wu. The NIH and the FBI are targeting ethnic Chinese scientists, including U.S. citizens, searching for a cancer cure. Previous Next The U.S. is purging Chinese scientists in a new Red Scare

The China Initiative This item is connected to a text field in your content manager. Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. The numbers Calls per hour 111 Feedback submitted 22 Average feedback per call 21 As of May 28, 2023, there are 33 states known to have introduced some form of alien land and property bills in the current or recent legislative session. A few have passed and signed into state law; some have died; others are still pending. State-by-state links to the legislations and a companion map are provided below as community resources. They are collected from multiple sources including research by APA Justice, Advancing Justice | AAJC, Committee of 100, National Agricultural Law Center, Project South, media reports, and crowdsourcing. Due to the dynamic nature of these developments, we plan to update the information periodically. We anticipate the introduction or continuation of alien land and property bills into future state legislative sessions. Title Oct. 4th 2023 Tracking Bills Read More Latest developments

Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen announced the end of the China Initiative. The 1,210 days of the Initiative were extremely damaging to individuals and their families, as well as the Asian American and scientific communities. The end of the China Initiative is a welcomed start to correct the harms it caused. APA Justice is committed to continue its work to address racial profiling and seek justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American communities. February 23, 2022 Table of Contents Overview Caught in the Crossfire Request for Release of DOJ Review Report Community Town Hall Racial Profiling Before and After The China Initiative Links and References Overview On February 23, 2022, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department of Justice (DOJ), Matthew G. Olsen, announced the end of the “China Initiative,” a program that was meant to address economic espionage but morphed into disproportionately targeting Asian Americans and academic communities for administrative errors and harming academic freedom and open science. While we disagree with Olsen’s self-assessment that the DOJ did not find racial bias in China Initiative cases, we welcome the end of the ill-conceived initiative and DOJ’s openness to listen and respond to community concerns. The work to address racial profiling against Asian Americans is far from over; in fact, it is just beginning. The flawed China Initiative has caused immeasurable damage to victims, and eroded the trust and confidence Asian American and academic communities placed in law enforcement. We urge transparency and accountability going forward. APA Justice is committed to continuing our work on these important issues. Moving forward, we urge the DOJ, the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), and federal funding agencies to engage in dialogue with Asian American and academic community leaders, be responsive to public Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and inquiries, and provide facts and data to support their policies and practices. We hope this is the beginning of real change to reduce systemic prejudice and bias and focus on legitimate national security threats. We are encouraged by the progress made by OSTP to develop and implement fair and consistent reporting requirements that will not “diminish our superpower of attracting global scientific talent” and not “fuel xenophobia against Asian Americans.” More needs to be done for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to be fully engaged with the Asian American and scientific communities. In addition to transparency, APA Justice strongly believes that the federal government must be held accountable for its misconduct and abuse of power. Unfortunately, DOJ has not provided remedies for the impacted communities to heal and regain trust in the government, or offered an apology or support to the scientists who were falsely charged and suffered tremendous damage personally and professionally. The aggressive prosecutions and investigations by the DOJ and FBI have had devastating effects for families, friends, colleagues, and community members. Congress and the public must hold our institutions accountable for misconduct and misguided policies. DOJ must work to rebuild trust with the people it serves, particularly the Asian American and academic communities. They have been terrorized over the past three plus years under the China Initiative. We were encouraged that the DOJ acknowledged the chilling effect across academia, and believe that by advancing transparency and accountability, the U.S. government will send a signal that America is indeed the shining beacon of freedom and justice for all. APA Justice thanks the tremendous support from members of Congress and community partners in civil rights and academia who have worked tirelessly to support the victims and advocate for changes to the China Initiative. APA Justice is committed to fostering the ecosystem to effectively address racial profiling concerns and advocate for justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American communities. Caught in the Crossfire On March 30, 2022, WHYNOT | 歪脑 produced a video titled Caught in the Crossfire for the third and final episode of its "Caught in the Crossfire" series. It followed the case of MIT professor Gang Chen, one of the most prominent scholars being charged under the China Initiative, to show how the program had subjected scientists to loyalty tests. During the China Initiative’s lifespan of three plus years, the focus gradually shifted to academia, targeting a number of researchers and professors with grant fraud charges. Among those who were charged under the initiative, nearly 90% were of Chinese heritage, and many of the cases involving research integrity have been dropped after lengthy and costly legal battles. Concerns about racial profiling were repeatedly refuted by the FBI and the DOJ even as the China Initiative came to an end. The video has three chapters: "We Are All Gang Chen" 我们都是陈刚 The "China Initiative" "中国行动计划"的前生今世 A Scientist's Loyalty 科学家为谁而忠诚 2022/03/30 WHYNOT: How the DOJ's China Initiative subjected scientists to loyalty tests (video 16:39) 2022/03/30 歪脑: 大国夹缝中：“中国行动计划”下科学家面临的忠诚拷问 (video 16:39) Request for Release of DOJ Review Report On March 8, 2022, APA Justice sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, requesting the release of a report on the Department of Justice's (DOJ’s) review of the “China Initiative.” Release of a report on the findings of the review is critically important to ease the broad concerns that the end of “China Initiative” is just in name but does not reflect a change in fact and substance. It is common for the government to produce a written report to memorialize an important review and usually includes the defined scope, issues examined, process and methodology used, findings, recommended changes, decisions, and plans for implementation. Community Town Hall On March 17, 2022, a virtual town hall meeting was held for community members to ask a panel of experts questions about the recent announcement from the Department of Justice to end the China Initiative. The meeting was convened by a coalition led by Advancing Justice | AAJC. It was not recorded. APA Justice issued the following statement for the town hall meeting: “Thank you, Advancing Justice | AAJC, for organizing this town hall. “The APA Justice Task Force fully supports the end of the ‘China Initiative.’ We appreciate the Department of Justice’s openness and willingness to engage, listen, and respond to community concerns. “Ending the “China Initiative” is a promising start to correct the harms caused by the initiative, apply lessons learned, and rebuild community trust and confidence that were lost in our law enforcement and judicial system. “But we emphasize that this is just a start. “We, like many other organizations and individuals, have broad concerns that the end of the initiative is just in name but does not reflect a change in fact and substance. “On March 8, we wrote to Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen and requested the public release of a report memorializing the findings of his review. We raised five basic questions, including the scope of his review, the new role for the National Security Division, the re-start of implicit bias training, the thoroughness of the thousands of existing prosecutions and investigations, and whether the review covered allegations of DOJ and FBI misconduct. “Mr. Olsen’s response will go a long way to help us move forward. We will stay vigilant and continue to stand up and speak out. Our mission is not complete. “We need our government and our university administrations to be transparent, accountable, and operate with fairness and integrity. “APA Justice will focus on three main areas moving forward. “We call for Congress to exercise its oversight role to hold law enforcement and federal agencies accountable. We thank the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) for its continuing leadership. “We fully support the initiative started by the Office of Science and Technology Policy to ensure that the new policies related to research security will not fuel xenophobia or prejudice. “We will urge university administrations to inform, assist, and protect their faculty members. Apply fair and due process. Do not cave and do not throw your faculty members under the bus. “The 1,210 days of the ‘China Initiative’ have been extremely damaging to individuals and their families, as well as the Asian American and scientific communities. “We sincerely hope that the end of the ‘China Initiative’ will bring real change, start the healing process, and rebuild the lost trust. We look forward to work with many of you in this important journey. Thank you.” Racial Profiling Before and After The China Initiative The China Initiative was not the first, nor will it be the last, racial profiling faced by the Asian Pacific American communities in the history of the United States. We are not a perfect nation. Although some progress is made, we must never cease to pursue the ideals and principles of the United States through continuous awareness, education, civic engagement, and holding the government accountable. Visit our Racial Profiling page to learn more about some of the recent history before the China Initiative was launched and the continuing developments and attempts to revive the China Initiative since its end in February 2022. Jump to: Overview Caught in the Crossfire Request for Release of DOJ Review Report Community Town Hall Racial Profiling Before and After The China Initiative Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen announced the end of the China Initiative. The 1,210 days of the Initiative were extremely damaging to individuals and their families, as well as the Asian American and scientific communities. The end of the China Initiative is a welcomed start to correct the harms it caused. APA Justice is committed to continue its work to address racial profiling and seek justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American communities. Previous Next 12. China Initiative Ends

Alien Land Bills This item is connected to a text field in your content manager. Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. The numbers Calls per hour 111 Feedback submitted 22 Average feedback per call 21 As of May 28, 2023, there are 33 states known to have introduced some form of alien land and property bills in the current or recent legislative session. A few have passed and signed into state law; some have died; others are still pending. State-by-state links to the legislations and a companion map are provided below as community resources. They are collected from multiple sources including research by APA Justice, Advancing Justice | AAJC, Committee of 100, National Agricultural Law Center, Project South, media reports, and crowdsourcing. Due to the dynamic nature of these developments, we plan to update the information periodically. We anticipate the introduction or continuation of alien land and property bills into future state legislative sessions. Title Oct. 4th 2023 Tracking Bills Read More Latest developments

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Photo Album Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Explore Rally Against Discriminatory Housing Laws Tallahassee, Florida, July 18, 2023

Xifeng Wu 吴息凤 Dean and Professor of School of Public Health, Vice President of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Director of the National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Zhejiang University, China Former Director, Center for Public Health and Translational Genomics, Professor, Department of Epidemiology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) Dr. Xifeng Wu is Dean and Professor of School of Public Health, Vice President of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Director of National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. She joined Zhejiang University in March 2019.Dr. Wu is also a naturalized U.S. citizen. She was Director, Center for Public Health and Translational Genomics and Professor, Department of Epidemiology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) in Houston. Dr. Wu was subjected to multi-year harassment and investigations. She was put on administrative leave for over a year. During that time, she was not allowed to return to her research laboratory, talk to researchers in her research group and after three months all her research grants were reassigned to other researchers. In other words, her research career was put on hold since December 2017, immediately after MDACC turned over 10-years records of 23 researchers over to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and 8 months before MDACC received the letters from the National Institute of Health (NIH) in August 2018.Dr. Wu retired from MDACC in early 2019. Several other Chinese American scientists were also forced to either retire or leave. Dr. Wu is one of many victims of ongoing racial profiling. While she is able to use her expertise to combat COVID-19 in China, her family still lives in Houston. This is a vivid example of how profiling results in U.S. loss of talent, competitiveness, and leadership in today's science and technology when we need them the most. Lessons Learned from Coronavirus Experience in Zhejiang and Hangzhou As the coronavirus crisis is ending in China in March 2020, the U.S. declared a national emergency. Dr. Wu published an article titled " 6 lessons from China's Zhejiang Province and Hangzhou on how countries can prevent and rebound from an epidemic like COVID-19 " in the World Economic Forum on March 12, 2020. It offers valuable lessons the global community including the U.S. could learn at national and local levels. They are Speed and accuracy are the keys to identification and detection Make the right decisions at the right time, the right place, for the right people Big data and information technology are important to avoiding a rebound Evaluate medical resources and response systems. Are we ready for a pandemic? How much stock do we need? Do we have enough health care personnel, and how do we protect them? Implementation of preventive measures in communities, schools, businesses, government offices and homes can influence the trajectory of this epidemic Keep the public well informed 2009 Rogers Award Lauds Wu for Cutting-Edge Research In 2009, MD Anderson published the following report on Dr. Wu receiving the Julie and Ben Rogers Award for Excellence in Research: “The words ‘visionary’ and ‘revolutionary’ have been used to describe the work of Xifeng Wu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of epidemiology in the Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at MD Anderson. “Recipient of the 2008 Julie and Ben Rogers Award for Excellence in Research, Wu has created a molecular epidemiology research program that bridges epidemiology, statistics, laboratory study and clinical research. With a focus on identifying cancer risk factors as well as markers that can predict an individual’s response to treatment, her research is essential in the quest to develop personalized cancer therapies and to improve prevention efforts. “’These models may help clinicians identify patients who are most and least likely to benefit from treatments, as well as those most likely to develop toxic reactions,’ she says. “Wu is the principal investigator on nine epidemiological studies funded by the National Institutes of Health. She is a collaborative investigator on many other NIH-funded grants, including a recent multi-institutional study of bladder cancer, which she directed. “’I see these integrative projects as the best way to translate science into medicine,’ she says. ‘They’re only possible through close teamwork within a large multidisciplinary group of scientists.’ “Though Wu began her medical education in China, she has spent all of her academic career at MD Anderson. She received her medical degree from Shanghai Medical University in 1984 and her Ph.D. in epidemiology from The University of Texas School of Public Health in 1994. She joined MD Anderson in 1995 as an assistant professor and by 2004 was a full professor. She held an Ashbel Smith Professorship from 2006 to 2008. She holds the Betty B. Marcus Chair in Cancer Prevention at MD Anderson and also is on the faculty of The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. “Wu is internationally recognized for her pioneering work in genetic cancer susceptibility markers and germline genetic variations. One of her major interests is pharmacogenetics, a new field that identifies genetic variations that can help determine why some patients respond better than others to therapeutic drugs. “Somehow Wu also finds time to lead a multidisciplinary team of 35 people. “’Mentoring trainees and junior faculty members is a responsibility and a privilege,’ she says. ‘They are the future of science and discovery, and I take great pride in their every success. To me, their success is my success. It is my dream that they will cherish the institution’s core values of caring, integrity and discovery as I do and spread them all over the world when they become independent investigators.’” References and Links Zhejiang University: Xifeng Wu 浙江大学: 吴息凤 2020/05/20 World Affairs Council: The Public Health Response to Covid-19 in Zhejiang Province and Washington State – Virtual Program 2020/03/18 ProPublica: The Trump Administration Drove Him Back to China, Where He Invented a Fast Coronavirus Test 2020/03/18 Chronicle of Higher Education: Hounded Out of U.S., Scientist Invents Fast Coronavirus Test in China 2020/03/12 World Economic Forum: 6 lessons from China's Zhejiang Province and Hangzhou on how countries can prevent and rebound from an epidemic like COVID-19 2019/06/20 South China Morning Post: Creating a climate of fear for Chinese scientists in the US benefits neither Washington nor Beijing 2019/06/17 Next Shark: FBI Accused of Targeting Chinese Americans Trying to Cure Cancer for ‘Spying’ 2019/06/14 Clean Technica: FBI & NIH Demonize Chinese Researchers As Trump-Inspired Paranoia Spreads Across America 2019/06/14 Axios: U.S. targeting Chinese cancer researchers 2019/06/13 Bloomberg Businessweek: The U.S. Is Purging Chinese Cancer Researchers From Top Institutions 2019/04/19 Science: Exclusive: Major U.S. cancer center ousts ‘Asian’ researchers after NIH flags their foreign ties 2016/10/21 Houston Chronicle: Research: Dr. Xifeng Wu 2009 MD Anderson Center: Accolades and achievements Previous Item Next Item