Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 Docket ID: 1:20-cr-00442 District Court, E.D. New York Date filed: Oct 13, 2020 Date ended: January 19, 2023 Table of Contents Overview Personal Background Federal Charges Dropped NYPD Hearing and Termination Current Status Photo Album & Links and References Overview On September 21, 2020, Baimadajie Angwang, a New York Police Department (NYPD) officer, was arrested and charged with allegations of acting as an illegal agent of the People's Republic of China, wire fraud, making false statements, and obstructing an official proceeding. He faced up to 55 years in prison, and was considered a flight risk by the NYPD. His case was identified as part of the now-defunct "China Initiative." The government case partly relied on intercepted communications between Angwang and a consulate official. There was no allegation that Angwang compromised national security or NYPD operations. When prosecutors filed their case in 2020, they deemed him “the definition of an insider threat.” In court documents, defense attorneys argued the government had a “hyper-suspicious” view of Angwang’s interactions with the Chinese consulate official and had cherry-picked quotes and cut out others from their conversations. Although a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in the United States, then-NYPD Commissioner Dermot F. Shea asserted that "Baimadajie Angwang violated every oath he took in this country. One to the United States, another to the U.S. Army, and a third to this Police Department." On January 19, 2023, all charges against Angwang were abruptly dropped. U.S. prosecutors said they uncovered new information that warranted the dismissal without further explanation. Contrary to most internal investigations based on court cases that had been dropped, NYPD did not reinstate Angwang and continued its internal investigation against him. On September 26, 2023, the NYPD conducted an administrative trial against Angwang, accusing him of refusing to cooperate with the Bureau of Internal Affairs during their investigation into potential disciplinary actions stemming from the dropped federal spying case. Angwang said he declined to appear before the investigators on the advice of his lawyers, because the NYPD refused to give them department documents ahead of the questioning that would have allowed them to prepare. On January 29, 2024, New York Police Commissioner Edward Caban ordered the immediate firing of Angwang, saying he disobeyed an order to submit to questioning by internal affairs investigators about the spying case against Angwang under the "China Initiative." In firing Angwang, Caban chose a harsher penalty than what was recommended by the NYPD disciplinary judge. Back to Table of Contents Personal Background Angwang was born in China. He is of Tibetan ethnicity and a naturalized U.S. citizen. After gaining asylum in the U.S. as a teenager, Angwang became a U.S. Marine and served in Afghanistan before being honorably discharged. A resident of Long Island, Angwang joined NYPD in 2016 and worked at the 111th precinct in Queens as a member of the department's community affairs unit, earning a “Cop of the Month” award at his precinct in September 2018. Angwang was a Staff Sergeant of the Army Reserve at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He was discharged from the Army Reserve on January 21, 2021, due to his arrest. Back to Table of Contents Federal Charges Dropped On September 21, 2020, a handful of FBI agents pointed M4 rifles at Angwang's head and handcuffed him in front of his wife and 2-year-old daughter at his home on Long Island. As one agent handcuffed Angwang, they asked, above the sound of his daughter’s wailing and the low rumbling of his car, “Do you speak English?” Angwang spent six months in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn before he was granted bail. He was allowed only two individual one-hour meetings with his family and lawyer during the incarceration. After Officer Angwang's lawyer John Carman reviewed classified evidence at the U.S. district court in Brooklyn, all charges against Officer Angwang were abruptly dropped on January 19, 2023. During a brief court appearance, prosecutors said they were dropping charges “in the interest of justice.” U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee tried to prompt prosecutors to share what they could about their change of mind, but they declined to reveal what new information led them to do so, telling the judge that evidence remained classified. Carman accused the government of hiding behind the Classified Information Procedures Act to avoid having to explain why the case was dropped. “The truth is that they are hiding behind CIPA in an effort to give the impression that this was a legitimate prosecution, which it was not,” Carman said in an interview. “Mr. Angwang is a great American who served his country in combat in Afghanistan and our government repaid him by treating him like he was the leader of the Taliban.” Back to Table of Contents NYPD Hearing and Termination Although all the federal charges against Officer Angwang were dismissed in January 2023, NYPD failed to reinstate him. Contrary to most internal investigations based on court cases that had been dropped, NYPD continued its internal investigation against Angwang. In a letter sent to Rep. Judy Chu, 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… We seek justice for Officer Angwang, and call attention to the broader abuses committed by U.S. intelligence officials," the letter said. On September 26, 2023, NYPD held an administrative trial against Angwang. On January 29, 2024, New York Police Commissioner Edward Caban ordered the immediate firing of Angwang, saying he disobeyed an order to submit to questioning by internal affairs investigators about the spying case against Angwang under the "China Initiative." Angwang said he declined to appear before the investigators last year on the advice of his lawyers, because the NYPD refused to give them department documents ahead of the questioning that would have allowed them to prepare. In firing Angwang, Caban chose a harsher penalty than what was recommended by an NYPD disciplinary judge who held a hearing on the firing and listened to testimony and arguments from both sides. The administrative judge, Vanessa Facio-Lince, found that Angwang violated department rules by disobeying the order to submit to internal affairs questioning. Facio-Lince said, however, that he should not be terminated, after citing his good record as a police officer and praise by his superiors. Instead, she recommended an alternate manner of Angwang leaving the department that would allow him to negotiate some terms of his departure, including partial retirement benefits. Angwang’s lawyer, Michael Bloch, said even the judge’s proposal was out of line with department disciplinary guidelines. Bloch said the maximum penalty Angwang should have faced was a 20-day suspension. Bloch said there have been many other officers who committed more serious misconduct and were allowed to keep their jobs, despite administrative judges recommending their firing. “It’s extremely disappointing,” Angwang told AP in a phone interview on March 20, 2024. “I have to continue to fight, not just for me, for anyone who were wrongfully accused in the past who’s getting the wrongful treatment I just got at this moment, or any potential discrimination victims in the future. I will not give up until I find the justice.” Back to Table of Contents Current Status On January 5, 2026, Attorney Deborah Frankel, Counsel at Bloch & White LLP, is scheduled to give an update on Officer Angwang's situation at the APA Justice monthly meeting. Back to Table of Contents References and Links Law firm currently representing Officer Angwang: Bloch and White LLP CourtListener Legal Docket: United States v. Angwang (1:20-cr-00442) (ended 2023/01/19) Attorney representing Officer Angwang in criminal case: The Carman Law Office 2024/03/21 New York Post: NYPD cop once accused of spying for China fights to get his job back after firing 2024/03/20 AP News: A police officer was accused of spying for China. The charges were dropped, but the NYPD fired him 2023/09/26 AP News: With spying charges behind him, NYPD officer now fighting to be reinstated 2023/09/23 Restore The Fourth: Statement in Support of Officer Angwang 2023/02/09 PBS: NYC cop accused of spying wants answers after charges dropped 2023/02/02 CBS News: Exclusive: Baimadajie Angwang, NYPD officer accused of spying for China, wants to set the record straight after charges were dropped 2023/01/31 New York Magazine: The Spy Who Wasn’t Baimadajie Angwang wanted a visa for his daughter. He got charged with being an “insider threat” instead. 2023/01/19 New York Times: U.S. Drops Case Against Police Officer It Had Called an ‘Insider Threat’ 2023/01/17 New York Times: U.S. Asks to Drop Case Accusing N.Y.P.D. Officer of Spying for China 纽约藏裔警官涉谍案：检方要求撤销指控 2023/01/17 美国之音: 美国撤销对被控充当中国政府代理人的前纽约警员的起诉 Back to Table of Contents Previous Item Next Item

Impacted Persons List Anming Hu 胡安明 Read more Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 Read more Charles Lieber Read more Chen Song 宋琛 Read more Davis Lu Read more Franklin Tao 陶丰 Read more Gang Chen 陈刚 Read more Gee-Kung Chang 張繼昆 Read more Haizhou Hu Read more James Patrick Lewis Read more Jane Ying Wu 吴瑛 Read more Juan Tang 唐娟 Read more Kaikai Zhao 赵凯凯 Read more Kevin Wang Read more Lei Guan 关磊 Read more Lin Yang Read more Meyya Meyyappan Read more Mingqing Xiao Read more Qing Wang 王擎 Read more Simon Saw-Teong Ang 洪思忠 Read more Song Guo Zheng Read more Turab Lookman 特拉伯·鲁克曼 Read more Van Andel Research Read more Wuyuan Lu 陆五元 Read more Xiao-jiang Li 李晓江 Read more Xiaofeng Wang 王晓峰 Read more Xiaoming Zhang Read more Xiaoxing Xi 郗小星 Read more Xifeng Wu 吴息凤 Read more Xin Wang 王欣 Read more Yanping Chen 陈燕平 Read more Yanqing Ye Read more Yu Zhou, Li Chen Read more Zaosong Zheng Read more Zhendong Cheng Read more Filter by Category China Initiative NIH Other Sort by Alphabetical by first name Alphabetical by last name

Newsletter - #269 8/5 Monthly Meeting; Dr. Yanping Chen; Citizenship Question Lowers Census Response; + #269 8/5 Monthly Meeting; Dr. Yanping Chen; Citizenship Question Lowers Census Response; + In This Issue #269 · 2024/08/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · The Privacy Lawsuit of Dr. Yanping Chen · AP: Noncitizens are Less Likely to Participate in a Census with Citizenship Question, Study Says · News and Activities for the Communities 2024/08/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, August 5, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: · Franklin Tao , former Professor of Kansas University, Victim of China Initiative; Hong Peng , Wife of Professor Tao · Ann S. Chao , Co-founder, Friends of the National Asian Pacific American Museum; Program Manager, Houston Asian American Archive, Rice University · Sonal Shah , Chief Commissioner, President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI; CEO, Texas Tribune 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 . *****Professor Franklin Tao was the first academic scientist indicted under the China Initiative. It took him almost 5 years to clear all 10 charges against him, the last of which was overturned by the 10th Circuit Appeals Court on July 11, 2024. None of the charges were related to espionage or the transfer of sensitive information to China. On July 23, 2024, a press conference was held on Capitol Hill following Professor Tao’s recent victory in a federal court appeal. Franklin and his wife Hong will share their thoughts and remarks about their experience and plans. Anne S. Chao is a modern Chinese historian, and currently an Adjunct Lecturer in the Humanities at Rice University, and co-founder and manager of the Houston Asian American Archive at Rice University. She is a co-founder of the FRIENDS of the National Asian Pacific American Museum , whose goal is to establish a national AAPI museum on the nation's Mall in Washington DC. Anne serves on the boards of the Houston Ballet, Wellesley Colleges, the National Archives Foundation, the Dunhuang Foundation among others. Ann will update us on her activities. President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders was created in 2021 under Executive Order (EO) 14031 to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. Sonal returns to update us about the Commission as Chief Commissioner. The Privacy Lawsuit of Dr. Yanping Chen APA Justice is compiling stories of scientists and individuals impacted by racial profiling for its new website under construction. One of these individuals is Dr. Yanping Chen . She was not charged after six years of FBI investigations started in 2010. Dr. Chen filed a lawsuit against the Government for violating the Privacy Act, which has been ongoing since 2018.Dr. Chen, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China, was a cardiologist and medical researcher for the Chinese astronaut program. She became a lawful permanent resident in 1993 and a U.S. citizen in 2001.In 1998, she founded the University of Management and Technology in Arlington, Virginia, to provide secondary and graduate education to working adults. In 2010, Dr. Chen became the focus of an FBI investigation. After six years of investigations, including searches of her home and office, she was informed that no charges would be filed against her in 2016. However, beginning in 2017, Fox News aired a series of reports by Catherine Herridge , based on leaked FBI materials, that suggested she was spying for China, causing her significant personal, professional and financial harm.On December 21, 2018, Dr. Chen filed a lawsuit against the FBI, Department of Justice, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security. Fox News and Catherine Herridge, while not defendants in the lawsuit, were subpoenaed to reveal the source of the leaks after deposing 18 government employees failed to identify the source.On August 1, 2023, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that Catherine Herridge must participate in a deposition to reveal her source. “The Court recognizes both the vital importance of a free press and the critical role that confidential sources play in the work of investigative journalists like Herridge. But applying the binding case law of this Circuit, the Court concludes that Chen’s need for the requested evidence overcomes Herridge’s qualified First Amendment privilege in this case. The identity of Herridge’s source is central to Chen’s claim, and despite exhaustive discovery, Chen has been unable to ferret out his or her identity. The only reasonable option left is for Chen to ask Herridge herself,” the ruling said.On February 29, 2024, Judge Cooper held Catherine Herridge in civil contempt for refusing to divulge her source for her 2017 series of Fox News reports. He imposed a fine of $800 per day until Catherine Herridge reveals her source, but the fine will not go into effect immediately to give her time to appeal.Dr. Yanping Chen has faced a 14-year struggle for justice and fairness since the FBI began investigating her in 2010.Once Dr. Chen's web page is fully implemented, it will be shared for review. Watch this newsletter for the latest developments. The legal docket of Dr. Chen's lawsuit is located here: https://bit.ly/3ufnqUP AP : Noncitizens are Less Likely to Participate in a Census with Citizenship Question, Study Says According to AP on July 25, 2024, adding a citizenship question to the census reduces the participation of people who are not U.S. citizens, particularly those from Latin American countries as Republicans in Congress are pushing to add such a question to the census form. The next census will be taken in 2030.Noncitizens who pay taxes but are ineligible to have a Social Security number are less likely to fill out the census questionnaire or more likely to give incomplete answers on the form if there is a citizenship question, potentially exacerbating undercounts of some groups, according to a research paper released by researchers at the U.S. Census Bureau and the University of Kansas.Excluding people who are not citizens from the census count tilts political power and the distribution of federal funds in the United States. The 14th Amendment requires that all people are counted in the census, not just citizens.During debate earlier this month at a House appropriations committee meeting, Democratic U.S. Rep. Grace Meng of New York described the efforts to exclude people in the country illegally as “an extreme proposal” that would detract from the accuracy of the census. “Pretending that noncitizens don’t live in our communities would only limit the crucial work of the Census Bureau and take resources away from areas that need them the most,” Meng said.The Trump administration unsuccessfully attempted to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census questionnaire. It was blocked by the Supreme Court in 2019. At the moment, the citizenship question is part of a separate detailed annual sample of a small chunk of the population (about 3.5 million addresses each year), the American Community Survey. Read the AP report: https://bit.ly/3SmxMAp News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/07/25-28 Leadership Convention by NAAAP (National Association of Asian American Professionals) 2024/07/27-28 Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony 2024/08/04 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2024/08/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2024/08/19 DNC Convention, AAPI Briefing & Reception, Chicago, IL 2024/09/01 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2024/09/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Back View PDF July 26, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

June 7, 2019 A fallout from racial profiling Chinese American scientists is the loss of talent by the U.S. in an increasingly competitive world for talents. A June 7, 2019 Asian Times article provides ample current and past examples and a succinct summary of how " US will regret persecuting Chinese scientists . " Racial profiling harms the long-term interests of America by forcing talented and renowned scientists, many of them naturalized U.S. citizens, out of the country into the welcoming arms of China. Ironically, profiling those in China's talent recruitment programs actually facilitates China’s recruitment. Stigmatizing all students from China, which exceeded 350,000 at US universities in 2017, as potential spies for China will not enhance but harm the pipeline of American research and innovation. This May 29 essay titled " My Science Has No Nationality " by a young Chinese American female physicist describes the plight of many of today's Chinese American scientists. 2019/07/15 Inside Higher Ed: Attacking Chinese on Our Campuses Only Hurts America Examples of America's Lost Talents Dr. Xin Zhao , a prize-winning applied physicist from the College of William and Mary in Virginia, had to relocate his startup venture to commercialize some of the school’s patented nanotechnology from the U.S. to China after a federal investigation that included a failed sting, airport stops and an unfounded child-porn search. Dr. Chunzai Wang , a U.S. citizen and one of the foremost experts on ocean-atmosphere interaction, climate change, and hurricanes in the world, is now a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in China. He was a research oceanographer in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He received the NOAA Research Scientist of the Year award in 2012 and 2013. Dr. Xifeng Wu , a U.S. citizen, is now Dean of School of Public Health, Vice President for the Second Affiliated Hospital and the Director for National Institute of Health Big Data, Zhejiang University in China. She was Director, Center for Public Health and Translational Genomics and Professor, Department of Epidemiology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in January 2019. Dr. Xiaorong Wang is now a Distinguished Professor of School of Chemical Science and Engineering and of Institute for Advanced Study at Tongji University at Shanghai, China. He was a project and group leader at Bridgestone Americas Center for Research and Technology and received the Bridgestone/Firestone CEO Award for distinguished research. Dr. Xuesen Qian (1911-2009) is known as the founder of engineering cybernetics and father of the space program for China. He was a co-founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the U.S. During the Second Red Scare in the 1950s, the U.S. government accused him of communist sympathies. After spending five years under house arrest, he was released in 1955 and deported to China. The head of the US Navy at the time was quoted as saying that Qian’s deportation was "the stupidest thing this country ever did. He was no more a communist than I was and we forced him to go.” Latest from BBC: Qian Xuesen: The scientist deported from the US who helped China into space Previous Next America Loses Talent by Racial Profiling

On September 9, 2021, Judge Thomas Varlan issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order and acquitted Professor Anming Hu of all charges in his indictment. September 9, 2021 On September 9, 2021, Judge Thomas Varlan issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order and acquitted Professor Anming Hu of all charges in his indictment. Professor Hu is the first academic to go to trial under the "China Initiative." Read more about the latest developments and background of Professor Hu's case at Anming Hu . On September 9, 2021, Judge Thomas Varlan issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order and acquitted Professor Anming Hu of all charges in his indictment. Previous Next Professor Anming Hu Acquitted

Newsletter - #171 APA Justice Comments; McCarthyism? UConn Prof Won; Sustainable Platform; JCRC Hosts​ #171 APA Justice Comments; McCarthyism? UConn Prof Won; Sustainable Platform; JCRC Hosts In This Issue #171 APA Justice Submits Comments to The President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI Attack on Congresswoman Judy Chu - Return of McCarthyism? UConn Professor Won $1.4 million Payout for Wrongful Termination Building A Sustainable Platform and Pipeline for AAPI Leadership in Higher Education JCRC Hosts Evening of Jewish and Asian Pacific Islander Community Building and Collaboration APA Justice Submits Comments to The President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI The President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders will hold an all-day in-person public meeting at the White House on March 14, 2023, from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm ET. The meeting is the fifth in a series of federal advisory committee meetings regarding the development of recommendations to promote equity, justice, and opportunity for AANHPI communities. The meeting is open to the public and will be live streamed. There will be no opportunity for oral public comments during the meeting. However, written comments are welcomed throughout the development of the Commission’s recommendations and may be emailed to AANHPICommission@hhs.gov . Register for the event here: http://bit.ly/3mOyGJ0 Co-chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and United States Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai , the 25-member Commission complements the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), both of which were established by the President in May 2021. In addition to the Co-Chairs and the Commission, announced speakers in the public hearing include Erika L. Moritsugu , Deputy Assistant to the President and AANHPI Senior Liaison, and Krystal Ka‘ai , Executive Director, WHIAANHPI.On March 10, 2023, APA Justice submitted the following comment titled "Pursuing a More Perfect Union and an Equitable Society" to the Commission:Equity means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including the Asian American and immigrant communities.However, from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to the internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans during the Second World War, persons of Asian origin have been scapegoated in the name of national and economic security when discrimination was legalized by laws and executive orders.Since the Second World War, anti-Asian hate in one form or another has ebbed and flooded pending on the rise and fall of U.S. relations with Asian nations and domestic politics that stoke fear, suspicion, and hostility against Asian Americans as disloyal and cannot be trusted as Americans.This form of racial profiling has been instigated by our own government, repeatedly explained away and justified under the cover of national security that sacrifice the civil and human rights of the Asian American and immigrant communities. This inequity has disastrously high and painful costs to not only these communities but also our nation. It ruins individual lives and inhibits our participation and progress in the American society. It damages our global leadership in science and technology and ironically our national security. It undermines our fundamental American values as a nation of primarily immigrants except for Native Americans, Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.During the “Red Scare,” the government drove Dr. Qian Xuesen, a co-founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, back to China. He would later become the “Father of Chinese Rocketry” for the People’s Republic of China.At the turn of the century, the unjust prosecution and mistreatment of Dr. Wen Ho Lee, a nuclear scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, led to an apology from the presiding judge on behalf of the judicial branch of our government.Prior to and during the “China Initiative” launched in November 2018, hundreds of, and perhaps more, scientists and researchers of Asian and particularly Chinese origin in academia, government, and private industry were wrongfully targeted for extensive surveillance, endless investigations, and unjust prosecutions. The victims include a hydrologist at the National Weather Service whose work was to calibrate and implement flood models to help save lives along the Ohio River, a New York Police Department officer who also served as a U.S. marine in Afghanistan, and an award-winning scientist who spent 24 years with the U.S. Army’s Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate. Despite their stated intent to protect the nation, government policies and practices have again created a chilling effect on our communities, resulting in the loss of talents that are needed our scientific leadership and denying us of the opportunity to participate fairly and fully in the American society.Xenophobic political rhetoric from the past administration and some elected officials during the COVID pandemic fueled the resurgence of racism, leading to the loss of lives, especially for the vulnerable elderly of our communities, and the report of more than 11,500 incidents of anti-Asian bias since 2020.Today , we see discriminatory alien land bills being revived in Texas, Georgia, Montana, North Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Wyoming, and a total of more than a dozen states. The U.S. Congress is considering similar bills that threaten the civil and human rights of the Asian American and immigrant communities, again in the name of national security. If enacted into law, they will deny Asian Americans and the immigrant communities directly and indirectly from owning homes and business properties.More than a hundred years ago, discriminatory Alien Land Laws were enacted first in California and then to other states to target Japanese Americans and bar Asian immigrants from owning land. These laws were deemed unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment in 1952, and yet 70 years later we see the same laws and rhetoric being brought up again.Today , we also see the return of McCarthyism - the practice of making unfounded accusations of disloyalty, subversion, and treason, carried out under Senator Joseph McCarthy in the period 1950-54, to blacklist, slander, and attempt to destroy reputable innocent Americans. Today’s McCarthyite targets include a world-renowned MIT professor, a presidentially appointed business leader, and the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Anyone who is of Asian origin or simply has a nexus to China may become a target tomorrow. On this slippery slope, no one in the Asian American and immigrant communities will be safe and spared from anti-Asian hate and discrimination.This vicious cycle of recurring inequity must stop with our government taking the lead to give due attention and protection to the civil and human rights of the Asian American and immigrant communities.In our pursuit of a more perfect union and an equitable society, there must be consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals. They include the Asian American and immigrant communities.In implementing The National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for AANHPI Communities, we urge the Commission to start with a commissioned study of the inherent problems to seek short-term relief and long-term solutions, enhance internal and public education, and adopt an exemplary requirement similar to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy that “agencies must implement NSPM-33 provisions and related requirements in a nondiscriminatory manner that does not stigmatize or treat unfairly members of the research community, including members of ethnic or racial minority groups.” Attack on Congresswoman Judy Chu - Return of McCarthyism? According to a report by the Sacramento Bee on March 6, 2023, anti-Asian American activity has become not only more frequent in recent years but has become a persistent source of political tension, including the questioning of Rep. Judy Chu 's "either loyalty or competnece" by Rep. Lance Gooden . Rep. Chu chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. There is a pattern in all this that is frightening to many Asian Americans.“Many scholars and Asian and Pacific Island citizens, I among them, believe that some Americans regard Asians as ‘perpetual foreigners’ somehow attached to Asia no matter how long they have lived here in the U.S., even if they have been here for many generations,” said Gabriel Chin , professor of law at the University of California, Davis.A lot of people remember when the consequences of such suspicions were dire. “There is no relationship, none, zero between an American who happens to be of Asian descent and foreign governments. When we conflate those issues that’s how we get a Japanese-American internment,” said Rep. Ted Lieu , citing the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.“It’s racist. It’s disgusting. And it’s just lays the groundwork for questioning AAPIs in this country and it lays the groundwork for more AAPI hate,” said Chu of Gooden at the House Democrats’ Issues Conference in Baltimore. “And it also reinforces a terrible stereotype that we have to deal with. For all the time we’ve been in this country, that we are foreigners in our own land. Even though we have been in this country for decades,” said Chu, a Los Angeles native.“Language matters, and how we use language matters,” said Rep. Ami Bera . Some Republicans were critical of their colleague. China committee Chairman Mike Gallagher criticized Gooden’s remarks. “We should not question anybody’s loyalty to the United States,” Gallagher told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “That is out of bounds. It’s beyond the pale.”Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi , the committee’s top Democrat, also issued a polite warning. “We have no quarrel with the Chinese people or people of Chinese origin. That’s why we should never engage in anti-Chinese or anti-Asian stereotyping or prejudice,” he told the panel. “Comments that question the loyalty of Asian-American Members of Congress are completely unacceptable and must be rejected. These comments only feed the scapegoating and targeting of Chinese Americans, further endangering them and other Asian Americans.” In fact, he said, “this xenophobia and stereotyping is what the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) would want to happen.”Read the Sacramento Bee Report: http://bit.ly/3JA5pLj Statements and Condemnations: 2023/03/11 Friends of Chinese American Museum Condemns Rep. Gooden’s Remarks About Rep. Chu’s Loyalty to U.S. http://bit.ly/3YLp3bk 2023/03/07 Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute. (APALI) condemns the recent comments made by a Texas congress member about Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif). 2023/03/06 Congresswoman Judy Chu: Rep. Chu on MSNBC.com : “I am a target of the right’s new McCarthyism” http://bit.ly/3LkbD33 2023/03/03 Asian American Scholar Forum: Asian American Scholar Forum Denounces Racist Remarks Against Rep Judy Chu. http://bit.ly/3JBJm71 2023/03/01 OCA: OCA Condemns the Baseless Accusations from Representative Lance Gooden. http://bit.ly/401o48b 2023/02/28 Japanese American Citizens League: JACL Denounces Rising Anti-Chinese Rhetoric and Actions. http://bit.ly/3JBbdUL 2023/02/17 National Council of Chinese Americans: Condemn Mr. Lance Gooden’s Racist and Unconscionable Remarks. https://bit.ly/3JBJi7i 2023/02/28 APIAVote: APIAVote Condemns Rep. Lance Gooden’s Racist Comments, Denounces Larger “Othering” of Asian Americans. http://bit.ly/3YJWNpy 2023/02/27 California Asian Pacific American Bar Association: Over 25 Legal and Civil Rights Organizations Condemn Racist Comments by Rep. Lance Gooden. http://bit.ly/3mQjPOw 2023/02/27 Committee of 100: Committee of 100 Condemns the Racist Comments by U.S. Representative Lance Gooden. http://bit.ly/3yvXU1H 2023/02/24 The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations: CAIR-LA Condemns Racist Remarks About California Rep. Judy Chu by Texas Rep. Lance Gooden, Demands Apology. https://bit.ly/3YLhpOr 2023/02/24 The Asian American and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus (AAPILC) Demand an Apology from Texas Congressman Lance Goodent o Congresswoman Judy Chu and the AAPI Community for his Racist Remarks. http://bit.ly/401heiN UConn Professor Won $1.4 million Payout for Wrongful Termination According to a report by CT Insider on March 6, 2023, a respected University of Connecticut (UConn) liver disease researcher has won a $1.4 million settlement after an arbitrator found the university wrongly fired her for allegedly failing to disclose financial connections to China.Hearst Connecticut Media uncovered the pay out, which placed Professor Li Wang sixth on a list of the state’s highest paid employees in 2022, after obtaining documents from UConn through state Freedom of Information law. UConn had not previously disclosed the payment for Wang’s expected termination publicly.A liver physiologist with a proven ability to obtain research funding, Wang was hired by UConn in 2014 and was scheduled to be terminated on September 20, 2019. She resigned the day before her termination became effective. Michelle Williams , UConn associate vice president for research, informed Wang in a March 2019 letter that because she did not disclose her Chinese connections on NIH grant applications she was being suspended as a researcher for three years. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) backed UConn’s allegations and in letters to UConn officials agreed with its decisions regarding Wang. A January 2022 letter to a top UConn official – sent several months after the arbitrator ruled against UConn - shows that Michael Lauer , NIH director for extramural research, continued to support the university's handling of Wang.The arbitrator assigned by the American Arbitration Association to Wang’s case came to very different conclusions than the NIH and UConn in November 2021. The “university did not have just cause to suspend Dr. Wang’s research, just cause to terminate Dr. Wang,” arbitrator Peter Adomeit wrote in his decision. “She did not falsify any record or provide false information.”The arbitrator ordered UConn to reinstate her to her job, provide all back pay and annual raises, return research equipment, pay operating expenses, and relocate her office to UConn Health in Farmington. According to a report on March 7, 2023, UConn told Inside Higher Ed that Wang is not an employee and has not been one since September 2019. Professor Li Wang appears to be one of several hundred researchers who were subject to NIH investigations under the now-defunct "China Initiative."Read more about the story of Professor Li Wang at http://bit.ly/3SVF3GH Building A Sustainable Platform and Pipeline for AAPI Leadership in Higher Education On March 9, 2023, a webinar was convened as part of the 2023 Conference on Diversity, Equity and Student Success: Can We Handle Truth? Ellen Junn , President, California State University, Stanislaus; Les Wong , President Emeritus, San Francisco State University; and Frank Wu , President, CUNY Queens College, discussed the importance of creating a platform for collaboration and synergy among AAPI leaders who have reached the position of president/chancellor in higher education, and a sustainable pipeline to support ascending AAPI leaders. Joyce Moy , Former Executive Director, Asian American/Asian Research Institute (AAARI), City University of New York, served as the moderator. The event was organized by Soniya Munshi, Interim Executive Director, AAARI, CUNY.Watch the YouTube video of the event: http://bit.ly/3YKHpcs (1:26:19) JCRC Hosts Evening of Jewish and Asian Pacific Islander Community Building and Collaboration The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington hosted a dinner of regional Jewish and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) leaders on March 12, 2023.Elected officials, community leaders, clergy and other distinguished guests from Montgomery County, Fairfax County, and the District of Columbia, attended the event to welcome San Francisco AAPI leaders and Jewish leaders who are traveling together on a solidarity mission to New York and DC to strengthen relationships between their communities. It was an excellent evening of good food and networking that will enhance friendship, collaboration, and mutual support between our own communities in the Washington DC region.Over 80 people participated in the event highlighted by remarks by Maryland Secretary of State Susan Lee and Ron Halber, Executive Director of JCRC of Greater Washington, among other distinguished speakers. Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF March 13, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

2. Policy Needs for U.S. Science and Scientists 2020-2022 China Initiative Wednesday, December 2, 2020 The second webinar in this series tackling the harms created by the Justice Department’s “China Initiative” will examine the policy reforms needed to protect U.S. science and scientists. Justice Department’s profiling of scientists of Chinese and Asian heritage and criminalizing administrative issues are unjust and discriminatory. It will explore how the Justice Department’sgovernment current actions conflict with existing national policies to promote and protect fundamental scientific research. The government’s over-zealous and xenophobic targeting of Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists particularly drive needed scientific talents away from our nation. Speakers will discuss how this racial targeting not only undermines the rights and welfare of many Americans, but also detrimentally impacts American research and enterprise. Our expert panel will discuss constructive policy ideas and changes to ensure U.S. research security and to protect the future of American science and innovation. Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #33 Call For House Hearing; S. 386/H.R. 1044; Anti-Hate Crime Hero; And Much More #33 Call For House Hearing; S. 386/H.R. 1044; Anti-Hate Crime Hero; And Much More Back View PDF December 10, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #280 Xenophobic Legislation; 9/9 Meeting; Mixed Enrollment; USSTA; AA History in States; + #280 Xenophobic Legislation; 9/9 Meeting; Mixed Enrollment; USSTA; AA History in States; + In This Issue #280 · CAPAC and Community Condemn U.S.-China Legislation Rooted in Xenophobia · 2024/09/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting/APIAVote · Mixed Results In Enrollment After End of Affirmative Action · US-China Science and Technology Agreement · Asian American History Entering States · News and Activities for the Communities CAPAC and Community Condemn U.S.-China Legislation Rooted in Xenophobia On September 11, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed on a vote of 237-180, H.R. 1398 Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act of 2024, a bill to reinstate the Trump-era China Initiative program. It also passed H.R. 9456, Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024, a bill to require the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review agricultural land purchases solely by immigrants from China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran.Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) issued the following statement:“With precious little time remaining to fund our government, House Republicans could have worked on a bipartisan basis this week to do so—supporting our veterans and protecting our homeland. Instead, they launched a partisan ‘China week’ that does nothing to improve our competitive advantages to the Chinese Community Party or seriously address national security interests. I am outraged by today’s passage of deceptively-named bills that would undermine our nation’s security and racially profile immigrants and Americans of Chinese and Asian descent. “The devastating H.R. 1398 would revive the Trump-era China Initiative, a program that purported to prosecute and curb cases of economic espionage but instead targeted innocent Asian American scientists for investigation and arrest because of their Chinese descent. This McCarthy-esque witch hunt, carried out by our own government, irreversibly ruined so many lives and careers while casting a chilling effect on our academic community that continues to damage our country’s global competitive edge and ability to stay on the cutting edge of scientific advancements. Ripped out of Trump’s Project 2025, this bill is an egregious outcome of xenophobic and fear-mongering rhetoric from Republicans who so prioritize the appearance of being ‘tough on China’ that they fail—or willfully ignore—to see or care about the havoc the China Initiative has wreaked on Asian American communities. So let me be clear: while we all want to stop American secrets from being stolen, investigations should be based on evidence of criminal activity, not race, ethnicity, or national origin.“H.R. 9456 is a call-back to the alien land laws of ugly parts of American history, and its dangerously broad language means that every legal immigrant and refugee from targeted countries, including China, Iran, and Russia, who want to pursue an American dream of owning a farm are treated as national security threats. It’s that kind of reasoning that directly led to the deprival of property rights for Chinese and Japanese immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries, and eventually the unjust incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans in World War II—none of whom were ever found to be spies for Japan.“I vehemently condemn the passage of these bills today, and commit to stopping any further consideration of them in Congress. We should always aim to pass legislation based on evidence it will lift us up—not tear us down based on our race, ethnicity, or national origin.” The fight is not over... On September 9, 2024, a coalition of over 70 organizations sent a joint letter to Congressional leaders, urging them not to revive the China Initiative. On September 10, 2024, the White House issued a policy statement strongly opposing H.R. 1398, warning that the bill would undermine the Department of Justice's ability to investigate and prosecute trade secret theft and economic espionage, especially by making it harder to secure cooperation from victims and witnesses. "The bill also could give rise to incorrect and harmful public perceptions that DOJ applies a different standard to investigate and prosecute criminal conduct related to the Chinese people or to American citizens of Chinese descent," the statement said.On September 11, 2024, at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol, Professors Gang Chen , Anming Hu , and Franklin Tao —targeted victims of the China Initiative who had their charges dismissed or were acquitted—called on lawmakers to stop efforts to relaunch the program.Community organizations, including Advancing Justice | AAJC, the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), the Committee of 100 (C100), the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), and Stop AAPI Hate, issued strong condemnations of U.S.-China legislation rooted in xenophobia. These groups noted that the China Initiative had been dismantled due to its discriminatory practices and ineffectiveness, which destroyed the lives and careers of many scholars and researchers. It also contributed to a chilling effect on academic research and hindered the U.S. from attracting diverse talent. A joint statement called on the Senate to reject its further advancement.The community organizations condemned both H.R. 1398 and H.R. 9456, stating in a joint statement that, “The U.S. has a long history of anti-Asian scapegoating — of blaming everyday Asian people for the actions of foreign governments via inflammatory rhetoric and discriminatory policies. It’s a long-standing political tactic used by those in power to unfairly ‘other’ Asian people, manufacture suspicion and fear against them, and leverage that fear to manipulate Americans into supporting their agenda. Anti-Asian scapegoating has led to devastating consequences, as we saw with the Immigration Act of 1924 that banned all immigrants from Asia, the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, and more recently, the backlash against Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Most Americans can agree that national security and economic security are important issues, and there are indeed responsible ways for our elected leaders to tackle them. However, we believe ‘China Week’ is being executed in bad faith and goes against our shared American values of freedom and equality for all. Rather than focusing solely on the actions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) government, multiple pieces of legislation also seek to target everyday Americans and immigrant families who have done nothing wrong, simply because of their race, ethnicity, or national origin. “Today, we are once again witnessing an alarming rise in anti-Asian political rhetoric and legislation that is threatening the safety and rights of millions of Asians and Asian Americans in the U.S. As the policies of ‘China Week’ and the harmful rhetoric surrounding it have demonstrated, it is clearly part of the anti-Asian scapegoating playbook. ‘China Week’ is rooted in xenophobia and unless we hold our leaders accountable for it, our nation is bound to repeat the same horrific mistakes of the past.” Related Media Reports and Statements 2024/09/13 NBC News: During ‘China Week,’ House GOP revived surveillance program. Asian Americans are slamming it 2024/09/13 Northwest Asian Weekly: Civil rights groups criticize recent House votes on China legislation 2024/09/12 C100: Committee of 100 Strongly Condemns the Passing of China Initiative and Alien Land Law Bills by the U.S. House of Representatives 2024/09/12 NAPABA: NAPABA Condemns Passage of Bills That Would Reinstate the “China Initiative” 2024/09/12 AsAmNews: Asian American groups condemn house passage of China Initiative 2024/09/12 AAJC: Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum Condemn U.S.-China Legislation Rooted in Xenophobia 2024/09/11 AASF: Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum Condemn U.S.-China Legislation Rooted in Xenophobia 2024/09/11 CAPAC: CAPAC Chair Condemns House Votes Undermining National Security, Violating Civil Rights of Asian American Communities 2024/09/10 Executive Office of The President: State of Administration Policy 2024/09/09 Coalition Letter to Congress: Do Not Revive the China Initiative Watch the video recording of the proceedings: https://live.house.gov/?date=2024-09-11 (10:05:54) 2024/09/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting/APIAVote We thank the following speakers for sharing their thoughts and insights at the APA Justice monthly meeting held on September 9, 2024: · Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) · Christine Chen , Co-Founder and Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Vote · Jane Shim , Director, Stop Asian Hate Project, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) · Tori Bateman , Director of Advocacy, Quincy Institute · Sandy Shan , Director, Justice Is Global A meeting summary is being prepared and will be posted at https://www.apajustice.org/ after review by the speakers. Past monthly meeting summaries are available at https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP During the monthly meeting, Christine Chen emphasized the importance of voter turnout to demonstrate the political power of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and influence legislation. September 17 is National Voter Registration Day, APIAVote has released the 2024 Civic Holidays Toolkit as a guide to helping to promote voting in our community through any and all social media platforms. APIAVote has also put out a call for volunteers with Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi, or Bengali language speaking abilities to help answer voters' calls for assistance with their ballots, voting rights, and more. APIAVote is also looking for phone bankers and text bankers to help communicate directly with millions of AAPIs across the country to get them educated, prepared and motivated to vote, participate in the political process, and get vaccinated. Mixed Results In Enrollment After End of Affirmative Action According to NBC News and multiple media reports, in the first college admissions process since the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action last year, Asian American enrollment at the most prestigious U.S. schools paints a mixed, uneven picture. Some Ivy League schools, including Columbia and Brown universities, showed an increase in Asian Americans for the class of 2028, while others, like Yale and Princeton, showed a decrease. Harvard, the most selective of the group, did not see a change at all. Experts said that it may take years to see the definitive impact of the decision, which restricted the consideration of race in college admissions. But it did not have the effect that many who opposed the policy had expected, they said. “The big takeaway is that folks who supported the lawsuit were saying, this would be such a big win for Asian Americans, that race-based admissions was some type of barrier to our upward mobility,” said OiYan Poon , faculty affiliate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign office of community college research and leadership. “What we’re seeing is that that’s not really bearing out,” Poon added.Columbia University — which, unlike the other Ivies, groups Pacific Islanders with Asian Americans — saw an increase of nine percentage points in its enrollment of Asian American applicants, while Brown saw an increase of four percentage points. At Yale, the racial group dropped by six points. And at Princeton, it decreased by 2.2 percentage points. Asian Americans remained 37% of Harvard’s freshman class. Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/4d931GX . According to the New York Times on September 13, 2024, a tracker of about 50 selective schools developed by the organization Education Reform Now showed that the percentage of Black enrollment is down at three-quarters of the schools, with some campuses more affected than others. The list of schools that have experienced declines in Black enrollment ranges from prestigious smaller colleges such as Amherst College, in Massachusetts, to highly selective Ivy League schools, like Brown and Columbia.Even as some schools saw big changes, others saw little change, or the numbers went in the opposite direction than was expected. Many of the schools are reporting stagnation or decline in Asian American enrollment, which may be attributed to the increase in students not reporting their race or ethnicity. “Asian Americans know they’re the target.”Read the New York Times report: https://nyti.ms/3Xu9beO . AsAmNews also reported on Asian Am enrollment drops at Yale & Princeton and No change in Asian American enrollment at Harvard US-China Science and Technology Agreement According to Nature on September 10, 2024, the United States and China have missed the deadline to renew a pact that governs their cooperation in science and technology. But they are close to agreeing on a way forwards. Over the past year, the two nations have been negotiating the terms and conditions of a decades-old pact, normally renewed every five years, that expired on 27 August 2023. The pact is symbolic in that it doesn’t provide any funding. But researchers in the United States and China say it is crucial because it lays the groundwork for building strong research collaborations between the two nations , which have so far announced two 6-month extensions to complete negotiations. But the latest deadline, August 27, has come and gone without them taking any action. A spokesperson for the US Department of State said in a statement to Nature that the agency is negotiating on behalf of the US government to “modernize” the agreement “to reflect the current status of the bilateral relationship”. “An agreement is getting near. They are working out the final language,” says Denis Simon , a non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a foreign policy think-tank in Washington DC.“China is willing to renew the US–China pact to facilitate bilateral collaboration,” says Tang Li , a science- and innovation-policy researcher at Fudan University in Shanghai, China.Sources who spoke to Nature think that any announcement about the pact probably will not come until after the upcoming US presidential election in November.Read the Nature report: https://go.nature.com/47ooNFc Asian American History Entering States According to the Christian Science Monitor on September 4, 2024, as students return to classrooms in the United States, a quiet revolution is underway. More states nationwide have passed laws to teach Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history in public schools. In July, Delaware became the latest state to pass such a mandate, joining Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Florida, and Wisconsin. In Connecticut, where the AAPI population has surged by more than 31% in the past decade, the push to include Asian American history is not just about education – it’s also about being neighborly. “These changes bring us all together to create and foster more understanding,” says Swaranjit Singh Khalsa a Norwich, Connecticut, councilman who contributed to the passage of his state’s mandate. “The curriculum is not only going to educate our kids but our teachers, our professors, and our parents. So I think we are creating a much more educated society. It’s not just limited to schools.” Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up one of the fastest-growing populations in the U.S. Yet their longstanding history in America is largely omitted from the classroom, says Jason Chang , director of the Asian and Asian American Studies Institute at the University of Connecticut and a co-founder of the state’s first Make Us Visible chapter.Some 18 states had no content on Asians in their K-12 history curriculum standards, a national study published in 2022 found. When textbooks did include parts of AAPI history, according to the study, by Kennesaw State University Professor Sohyun An , it was mainly about the U.S. internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, or the Chinese Exclusion Act in the 19th century. Yet 22 million Asian Americans trace their roots to more than 20 countries. Read the Christian Science Monitor report: https://bit.ly/3MDmdlq News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events:2024/09/19 1990 Teachers Workshop: Asian American Identity2024/09/19 AASF Public Forum with the National Institutes of Health2024/09/19-20 AANHPI Unity Summit2024/09/22 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/09/25 C100: State of Chinese American Survey 2024 2024/09/26 White House Initiative AA& NHPI Policy Summit2024/09/27 The War for Chinese Talent in America: The Politics of Technology and Knowledge in Sino-U.S. Relations2024/09/29 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/02 C100: Asian American Career Ceiling Initiative2024/10/06 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/07 APA Justice Monthly MeetingThe Community Calendar has moved. Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. APA Justice is Looking for a Communications Intern We are looking for a Communications Intern who has strong concerns about the challenges faced by Chinese Americans and Chinese in America today. The candidate should demonstrate an interest in learning more about the history and struggles of Chinese Americans in the U.S., and is familiar with social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. Knowledge of WeChat and ability to read Chinese are desired, but not required Strong writing, oral communication, and modern digital communication skills are highly desired.The Communications Intern is responsible for management and expansion of APA Justice's social media presence and to curate and extract relevant content from APA Justice Newsletters and other sources to share across social media and the APA Justice website, in collaboration with one or more partner organizations. Working hours are flexible, averaging about 5-10 hours per week. Compensation is $15-20 per hour depending on qualifications. No additional benefits are provided.Qualified candidates should contact Professor Steven Pei at peiuh8@gmail.com or contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF September 17, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #38 Science Role Elevated; Anti-Racial Profiling; MIT Professor; Insurrection; More #38 Science Role Elevated; Anti-Racial Profiling; MIT Professor; Insurrection; More Back View PDF January 18, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #217 11/6 Meeting with Rep. Andy Kim; Call for Action; 10/2 Meeting Summary; 2030 Census; + #217 11/6 Meeting with Rep. Andy Kim; Call for Action; 10/2 Meeting Summary; 2030 Census; + In This Issue #217 · 2023/11/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Call for Action: Sign-on Letter to Congress to Oppose Reauthorization of Section 702 or Make Major Reforms · 2023/10/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary Posted · What The Next Census in 2030 Could Look Like · News and Activities for the Communities 2023/11/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, November 6, 2023, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers include: · Andy Kim, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, who has announced his candidacy to run for the Senate seat in New Jersey, will talk about issues and concerns of the people of New Jersey and the nation. · Gene Wu 吳元之, Member of the Texas State House of Representatives on education and coalition building efforts on the alien land bills (and other anti-immigration bills) in Texas and beyond. · Dr. Sergio Lira , Co-Vice President, Texas Multicultural Advocacy Alliance (TMAC); President, Greater Houston, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), on his tireless efforts to grow a multicultural advocacy alliance with the AAPI community in Texas and more. · Cindy Tsai 蔡欣玲, Interim President and Executive Director, Committee of 100 (C100) on recent C100 activities including the community playbook, allyship between marginalized groups, and The Yellow Whistle. · Andy Li, President, API Coalition; President, Civic Leadership USA, on the First National API Elected Officials Summit in San Francisco on November 18-19, immediately following the Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit and CEO Summit. The virtual monthly meeting is by invitation only. 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 Meet and Know Congressman Andy Kim In the aftermath of the riots on the U.S. Capitol in January 2021, a Congressman crouched down on his knees and filled trash bags with debris in a near empty rotunda and then the adjacent rooms, including the National Statuary Hall and the Capitol crypt downstairs. It was Congressman Andy Kim in the blue jacket. According to NBC News , many people labeled Andy a “true patriot.” While Andy said he didn’t dwell much on the symbolic heft of his actions, the term was on his mind. “I feel blessed to have this opportunity as a son of immigrants to be able to serve in Congress,” he said. “Democracy to me is this place of opportunity that is affording me a chance to do something extraordinary.”In 2018, Andy became the first Asian American to represent New Jersey in Congress.Six months after his cleaning up the U.S. Capitol at midnight following the January 6 insurrection, Andy gave up the blue suit he wore on that day for public good again - this time for the Smithsonian Institution as part of its collection of items from the riot. “This suit of mine that’s with the Smithsonian now is not because of some high achievement that I've reached in this country. It was because I unfortunately was at the site of one of the most tragic events in our American democracy,” Andy, the son of Korean immigrants, said. “The values it tries to bring about are very much ones that are rooted in my immigrant family. Having humility, having respect for this country that gave us the opportunities that we've had.”He added: “I hope other Asian Americans see in that suit the same thing that I see, which is, hope for the kind of future in this country that many of us either immigrated to this country for, or grew up in this country with.”Andy talked to APA Justice at its September 2021 monthly meeting. A summary of his remarks is posted here: https://bit.ly/3kg687M . His talk starts at the 15:07 of this video: https://bit.ly/3ki3jmI We warmly welcome the return of Congressman Andy Kim to speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on November 6, 2023. Call for Action: Sign-on Letter to Congress to Oppose Reauthorization of Section 702 or Make Major Reforms In partnership with American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), APA Justice calls for concerned individuals to sign on a letter calling for the end of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) unless there is fundamental reform to the law. Current authority for Section 702 will expire on December 31, 2023.Concerned individuals may complete and submit the letter electronically at https://bit.ly/3EFkg3R . You have the option to add a personal message in the text box. The online form will require you to fill in your name and address. It will automatically send the letter to your two senators and one representative. It is that easy. Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and Stop AAPI Hate, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) led a coalition of over 60 organizations and sent a compelling message https://bit.ly/3LkEmnt to Congress: Reform Section 702 . The coalition also produced a fact sheet https://bit.ly/49cRF3L to explain what Section 702 is and how warrantless surveillance has inflicted serious harm to marginalized communities including Chinese Americans."Asian Americans have a history of being subjected to racial profiling and discrimination, often rooted in stereotypes and misconceptions. Authorities like Section 702 that lack proper oversight and targeting criteria can exacerbate these issues, leading to unjust scrutiny of innocent individuals within the Asian American and AMEMSA communities," the fact sheet said. Concerned organizations are urged to sign on to the coalition letter by contacting Andy Wong andywong@caasf.org , CAA Managing Director of Advocacy, and Joanna Derman jderman@advancingjustice-aajc.org , Program Director at Advancing Justice | AAJC.Concerned individual will now have a chance to express their opposition to reauthorization of Section 702 without comprehensive reforms. APA Justice urges you to sign on to the ACLU letter today at https://bit.ly/3EFkg3R and include references to the coalition letter https://bit.ly/3LkEmnt and fact sheet https://bit.ly/49cRF3L . 2023/10/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary Posted The October 2, 2023, APA Justice monthly meeting summary is now available at https://bit.ly/40gnN2q . We thank the following speakers for their updates and discussions: · Casey Lee casey.lee@mail.house.gov , Policy Advisor, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) substituted for Nisha Ramachandran nisha.ramachandran@mail.house.gov , Executive Director, CAPAC, and provided updates from CAPAC. · Joanna Derman, Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, will be reporting on behalf of Advancing Justice | AAJC going forward. She reported on two events - one titled “ Total Information Awareness: The High Costs of Post-9/11 U.S. Mass Surveillance ” at Brown University and the other a webinar titled “ State Legislatures 101 – How They Work and How You Can Make an Impact .” · Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), gpkusakawa@aasforum.org reported on an upcoming launch of a new AASF website and its first 2022 to 2023 annual report, listening sessions with federal agencies, and the upcoming release of educational materials on Dr. Xiaoxing Xi 's case and Section 702 warrantless surveillance. Gisela also reported on AASF partnership with US-Asia Law Institute of NYU Law School, an upcoming session with Drs. Gang Chen and Xiaoxing Xi at the NAPABA conference, and an event at the Georgetown Law Center on combating the rise of anti-Asian bias in America. · 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 reported on the recent developments of the Florida alien land bill lawsuit, as well as a webinar with Florida state legislators hosted by the Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAAJA). · Nancy Chen, Founding President, Chinese American Women in Action (CAWA) provided a report on her vast experience as Regional Administrator of the Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor; Director of U.S. Senator Paul Simon ’s Chicago Office; and Director of Asian-Pacific American Outreach at President Bill Clinton ’s White House Office of Presidential Personnel. After her retirement, Nancy founded CAWA and continues to stay involved in matters of importance to the community in Naperville, Illinois, and the nation. APA Justice will assist Nancy to organize a town hall meeting for Rep. Bill Foster on specific issues such as alien land laws and other laws and policies would have the impact on Asian Americans. Rep. Foster is the only Ph.D. Physicist in Congress. · Andy Wong, Managing Director of Advocacy, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), reported on the delivery of a coalition letter to Congress in partnership with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC and AASF to express the collective opposition to the reauthorization of section 702 unless there are comprehensive reforms. CAA and Stop AAPI Hate have also launched the Stop the Blame campaign in response to the ongoing rise of anti-Asian political rhetoric and legislation which is harming innocent Asian Americans and immigrants. · Haipei Shue 薛海培, President, United Chinese Americans, reported on the Appeals Curt hearing of Professor Franklin Tao 陶丰 in Denver and the administrative trial of New York Police Department Officer Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 in New York City. Read the 10/2 meeting summary: https://bit.ly/40gnN2q . Read past monthly meeting summaries: https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP What The Next Census in 2030 Could Look Like On October 28, 2023, the New York Times reported on how census categories for race and ethnicity have evolved over the last 230 years and how they have shaped American identities. By sifting through copies of each decennial census from 1790 through 2020, the report found that almost none of them categorized race in the exact same way. Each change indicated an incremental shift in how the nation perceived racial and ethnic identities at that time. The first census in 1790 separated free “white” people from other free people and enslaved people. In 1890, the census identified African Americans by the fraction of their African heritage: “Black,” “mulatto,” “quadroon” and “octoroon.” These terms stamped in old documents are a stark reminder of U.S. history. The antiquated term “Negro” was used in nine decennial censuses until 2010.Some of the changes reflected the country’s anxieties over immigration. For example, the government added the category “Chinese” in the 1870 census, after many immigrants from China had come as railroad workers and anxieties over immigration from China rose. With the year 1970 came a significant shift in the census, when people were allowed to choose their race, rather than having a census taker do so. The census is now a marker of self-identification instead of an outsider’s perception. With 24 decennial censuses so far, race options have changed more than a dozen times, as new groups have been added and others deleted.The latest overhaul would allow more race and ethnicity options for people to describe themselves than the 2020 census did. One of the biggest changes would be to combine race and ethnicity into a single question. “Hispanic or Latino” would become one of seven race and/or ethnicity options, rather than in a separate origin question as it is now. A check box for “Middle Eastern or North African” would also be added. If approved, the new forms would be adopted across all surveys in the country about health, education and the economy. The Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget has asked for feedback on this plan, which it could implement and add to all federal forms as early as next summer and then be used for the 2030 census. Read the New York Times report: https://nyti.ms/46Yng84 . News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2023/11/01 Asia Society - A Conversation with Gary Locke 2023/11/02 Chinese American Museum - Saving America's Chinatowns2023/11/05 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting2023/11/06 APA Justice November 2023 Monthly Meeting2023/11/09-12 NAPABA Convention2023/11/11 Association of Chinese Professionals 2023 MetroConVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. Nomination of Dr. Monica Bertagnolli Advances The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee advanced the nomination of Monica Bertagnolli to lead the National Institutes of Health by a vote of 15-6, with ranking member Bill Cassidy , R-La., voting for President Joe Biden ’s nominee and Chairman Bernie Sanders , I-Vt., opposing it. Watch the HELP Committee proceedings: https://bit.ly/479cYBx Back View PDF October 31, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #85 UTK's Catch-22; New Studies on EEA Released; SFCAUSE; Anti-Asian Hate/Racial Profiling #85 UTK's Catch-22; New Studies on EEA Released; SFCAUSE; Anti-Asian Hate/Racial Profiling Back View PDF September 23, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter