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

Newsletter - #90 Anming Hu Offered to be Reinstated; Advocacy Actions; Criminal Injustice Report; More #90 Anming Hu Offered to be Reinstated; Advocacy Actions; Criminal Injustice Report; More Back View PDF October 18, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #58 05/03 Meeting Summary; 05/15 National Rally; Anti-Racial Profiling Activities #58 05/03 Meeting Summary; 05/15 National Rally; Anti-Racial Profiling Activities Back View PDF May 11, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #253 Forum with FBI; US-China Tensions; Graduate Assistants United; AASF Video Competition #253 Forum with FBI; US-China Tensions; Graduate Assistants United; AASF Video Competition In This Issue #253 · Forum Announced: "A Dialogue Between Academic/APA Communities With The FBI" · The Impact of U.S.-China Tensions on Asian Americans in Government · Graduate Assistants United Rally Against Florida SB 846 · AASF: Video Competition to Honor Asian American Scientists · News and Activities for the Communities Forum Announced: "A Dialogue Between Academic/APA Communities With The FBI" During the APA Justice monthly meeting on May 6, 2024, Nabila Mansoor, President, Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC), and Dr. Kenneth M. Evans, Scholar in Science and Technology Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, announced that TMAC and the Baker Institute and Office of Innovation at Rice University will co-host a joint forum with APA Justice on "A Dialogue Between Academic/AAPI Communities with The FBI." WHAT: A Dialogue Between Academic/AAPI Communities with The FBI WHEN: June 6, 2024, 4:00 - 6:00 pm Central Time WHERE: In-person, Rice University, Houston, Texas; virtual Zoom webinar information to be announced HOSTS: Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC); Baker Institute for Public Policy and Office of Innovation at Rice University; APA Justice SPEAKERS: · Neal Lane , Senior Fellow, Baker Institute; Former Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy · Gordon Quan , Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Quan Law Group · David Donatti , Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU of Texas · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum · Jill Murphy , Deputy Assistant Director for Counterintelligence, FBI Headquarters · Douglas Williams, Jr. , Special Agent in Charge, FBI Houston · Georgette "GiGi" Pickering , Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI Houston · Kelly Choi , Supervisory Special Agent, FBI Houston More information about the forum will be announced when they become available. The Impact of U.S.-China Tensions on Asian Americans in Government A morning session at the Committee 100 conference on April 19, 2024, explored the nuanced potential barriers to career advancement that spin from the tensions with China, the complexities of obtaining security clearances, and the uncomfortable scrutiny regarding loyalty that Asian Americans endure due to concerns over foreign influence.Congressman Andy Kim, a Korean American, was not able to participate in the session due to a vote in the House of Representatives. A clip of his interview with MSNBC in 2021 was played to open the session. Congressman Kim revealed that when he worked at the State Department, he had a top secret security clearance and worked in Iraq and Afghanistan, but he was told one day that he was banned from working on issues related to the Korean Peninsula although he did not apply to work on such issues. It left him with the feeling that his own country didn't trust him for some reason because of his last name and because of his heritage although he was born in the United States. He was banned from working on these issues because of concerns about his loyalty and xenophobia. It was deeply hurtful. It took him some time to be able to talk about the episode because part of him wanted to just keep his head down and keep working and show through his hard work that this is wrong. He eventually came to realize that he cannot just assume that these issues of racism will just get better. We have to stand up and speak out on behalf of the victims and many others who are frightened, he said. Congressman Kim delivered brief remarks at the evening gala: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP3RlXrHIcA (2:03). He is married to a Chinese American, and they have two young boys. He also served as a United States National Security Council official under the Obama Administration. Congressman Kim has represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district since 2019 and is running for the U.S. Senate in 2024. Dr. Jiashen You , Chair of the Asian American Government Executive Network (AAGEN), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is to promote, expand, and support Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander leadership in Government, followed with a 3-slide presentation . Starting with a report published by the Partnership for Public Service, Dr. You quoted a report released by the Partnership for Public Service on trends over 25 years of the Senior Executive Service (SES), the highest level for civil career servants in the federal government. He then shared that the "bamboo ceiling" still exists for Asian Americans to make the leap to an SES, despite the community seeing rapid growth in its share in recent years. He ended the presentation by highlighting the security denial rates for people with family or financial ties to China [link to Bloomberg article https://bit.ly/4b7jWZW . In addition, Dr. You recounted his personal experience hearing about Dr. Wen Ho Lee 's case being widely reported during his semester in college and living in America. Despite being capable of receiving clearance in the past, the impact of the "perpetual foreigner" notion deterred him from applying to many senior-level jobs that require top-secret clearance, leading to an even narrower window of opportunities. This is not an uncommon experience for first-generation Asian American government employees. Carol Lam , Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, presented a primer on security clearance and remarked that federal policy sets out the aggravating and mitigating factors to be considered in denying or granting security clearance. However, those factors take on more or less weight depending on political relationships between the United States and the country of concern, rendering the final decision somewhat subjective. Ms. Lam noted the importance of keeping the nation's attention on potential unfair biases in security clearance decisions in order to prevent those biases from becoming entrenched. Ms. Lam did note one positive development in the form of Secretary of State Blinken's decision in March 2023 to lift many State Department assignment restrictions based on employees' country of origin or familial or financial relationships in that country. Chuck Rosenburg , Former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, remarked that all nations in the world spy on each other, including China and the United States, with the possible exception of the "five eyes" nations of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The session was moderated by Paula Madison , Chair and CEO, 88 Madison Media Inc. and a member of the Committee of 100. Graduate Assistants United Rally Against Florida SB 846 Graduate Assistants United (GAU) has been a labor union at the University of Florida (UF) since 1972. It represents 4,400 graduate assistants and research assistants at UF. It was a major organizer of the rally against Florida Senate Bill (SB) 846, which is also called the "Countries of Concern" bill, in Gainesville, Florida, on March 26, 2024. Eva Garcia Ferres , Co-President of GAU, published a report on the rally in the April/May edition of the Gainesville Iguana . According to her report, SB 846 does not specifically prohibit the admission of applicants, but it does create a very important and hostile roadblock for prospective graduate assistants, postdocs, and faculty members. The bill requires an extra screening conducted by a Research Integrity Office. The screening is supposed to verify all attendance, employment, publications, and contributions listed in the application prior to any interview or offer of a position to the applicant.The first problem is logistical. Many graduate applications are due early to late December, and many interviews are offered and conducted around early spring. There are over 4,000 graduate assistants at University of Florida, approximately half of graduate assistants are international students, and of the international student population a substantial portion come from China and Iran. This means that for every application cycle, the Research Integrity Office would need to thoroughly vet and make risk assessments for all applicants within a very limited timeline. The capacity and ability of the Research Integrity Office to do so is questioned. The second point of concern is the lack of transparency regarding the Research Integrity Office and the guidelines they are to use to make the risk assessments. Neither the bill itself nor the Board of Governors’ guidelines provide a definition of risk or a way to measure risk. It thus must fall upon the University and the Research Integrity Office to create the standard and apply it. The offices have not responded to these inquiries.In addition, there are draconian consequences for those who "fail" the screening (i.e., those who are deemed a risk, whatever that may be) because they will be reported to the FBI and any other law enforcement agency as determined by the Board of Governors.The Board of Governors’ guidelines reserve the right to make decisions about applicants and collaborations with entities from the seven countries based on their “value.” The report asks, "How is value determined? What makes the Board of Governors or the Research Integrity Office better suited for determining the value of international applicants and collaborations than the experts in the field?" "We know that applicants are being denied admission offers, that faculty cannot hire their top applicants, and that researchers cannot collaborate with prominent scholarsin the field purely because of nationality," the report said.If departments and faculty cannot hire their top applicants, then research and teaching will suffer. If the University will not accept visiting professors and scholars from“countries of concern,” then the University will miss on key expertise, new perspectives, and important scholarly connections. Learning and innovation are the pillars ofacademia. They are pursued in collaboration and cannot flourish in echo chambers and monoculture settings. They lead to the destruction of academic freedom. Decisions on who to hire, what to teach, and what to research have always been made by experts in the field, but this is no longer the case in Florida, the GAU report concludes.Read the Gainesville Iguana report: https://bit.ly/3ULrHze A lawsuit against Florida SB 846 was filed with the Southern District Court of Florida on March 25, 2024: Yin v. Diaz (1:24-cv-21129) AASF: Video Competition to Honor Asian American Scientists WHAT: Video Competition to Honor Asian American Scientists WHEN: Contest Period: 12:00:01 am Eastern Time (ET) on May 1 through 11:59:59 pm ET on June 7, 2024 ET. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE: Legal residents of the 50 US states or DC who are age 14 - 18 who participate with their parent or guardian’s consent OFFICIAL RULES: https://bit.ly/4bnrPKN PRIZES : Each prize is a $1,000 Visa gift card. 40 prizes available across various categories. Prizes will be awarded to the parent/guardian of each winner, not the entrant. DESCRIPTION: Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by showcasing the achievements of prominent Asian American scientists. High schoolers are invited to create and share short videos highlighting these scientists, competing for a chance to win a $1,000 visa gift card. Multiple prizes available. HOW TO ENTER: https://bit.ly/3UtbrS5 News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/05/13-14 2024 APAICS Legislative Leadership Summit2024/05/14 2024 APAICS: 30th Annual Awards Gala2024/05/14 Serica Initiative: 7th Annual Women's Gala Dinner2024/05/22 Heritage, Culture, and Community: The Future of America's Chinatowns2024/06/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/06/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/06/06 A Dialogue Between Academic/AAPI Communities with The FBIVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. Back View PDF May 8, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Timeline Visualization of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act Special Thanks to Martin Gold for use of materials from his book: Forbidden Citizens: Chinese Exclusion and the U.S. Congress English version: Chinese version: The first recorded arrival of three Chinese sailors in the U.S. travelled from Canton (now Guangzhou), China on board the ship Pallas to Baltimore, Maryland in August 1785. There is still a neighborhood called Canton in Baltimore today. It was settled and named by the ship's captain. By 1860, the census counted 34,933 Chinese living in California. More than three quarters of them were miners and laborers who first came to the U.S. during the 1848-1855 Gold Rush and then helped built and completed the First Transcontinental Railroad by 1869. Despite their contributions to the American society, these early Chinese arrivals encountered barriers due to their appearance and lifestyle. They were soon deemed incapable of assimilating into American culture and resented as threats to American labor. When economic conditions worsened and unemployment increased in the U.S. in the 1870s, prejudice against Chinese culminated into violence. Various legislations followed, leading to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, which Iowa Congressman John Kasson described as "one of the most vulgar forms of barbarism." Initially set for a period of ten years, the Chinese Exclusions Act was extended for another ten years in 1892 and then became permanent law in 1902 after five additional Acts to extend and tighten the original law. The final Senate vote in 1902 was 76 yeas and one nay. The lone no vote was cast by Massachusetts's Senator George Frisbie Hoar. Extensions of the Chinese Exclusion Act further excluded Japanese, Koreans, and other Asians. Congress banned all Chinese from becoming U.S. citizens from 1882 to 1943, and stopped most Chinese from even entering the country beginning in 1882. These actions were legal because they were made into laws. They were democratically decided by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Barred from becoming voters, the Chinese had no political recourse against repeated discrimination. After the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943, the immigration quota for Chinese was set at 105 per year. It took another 20 years until the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 allowed more equitable immigration quotas for Asians to move to the U.S. Led by Rep. Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus , the House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution expressing regret in 2012 for the passage of discriminatory laws against the Chinese in the U.S., including the Chinese Exclusion Act. Earlier in 2011, a similar resolution sponsored by Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown was unanimously agreed to by the Senate. Unfortunately, history about discriminatory exclusion of Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans may still be in writing at this time. Library of Congress Chinese Exclusion Act 1860-2010 Chinese American Populations Census Bureau Chinese Exclusion Act Read the booklet The 1882 Project

Newsletter - #47 End "China Initiative" And Racial Profiling; Charles Lieber; Gang Chen; Lots More #47 End "China Initiative" And Racial Profiling; Charles Lieber; Gang Chen; Lots More Back View PDF March 8, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Congressional Actions Track Congress's statements and actions for the AAPI community. Our watchlist contains all of the most pertinent issues and legislations to the Asian American community. Check it out Our Watchlist See organizations', scientists', and community groups' statements and responses to AAPI issues. Explore Community Responses Texas House Bill 1075 and Senate Bill 552 Read More CAPAC Issues Messaging Guidance on Anti-Asian Hate Read More Teaching Asian Pacific American History Act Introduced Read More House Resolution Condemns All Forms of Anti-Asian Sentiment Related to COVID-19 Read More Senator Warner Letter to FBI Director Wray Read More House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff Statement on Racial Profiling Read More

Newsletter - #316 Webinar Today; Dr. Tao Sues; China Initiative; Early-Career Scientists; Firing Ruling+ #316 Webinar Today; Dr. Tao Sues; China Initiative; Early-Career Scientists; Firing Ruling+ In This Issue #316 · Reminder: Webinar on Fair Housing Rights and Alien Land Laws Today · NYT : Professor Franklin Tao Sues to Get His Job Back · 03/12 MSU Webinar: The China Initiative · U.S. Early-Career Scientists Struggle Amid Chaos · Judge Rules Trump’s Firing of Head of Special Counsel was Unlawful · News and Activities for the Communities Reminder: Webinar on Fair Housing Rights and Alien Land Laws Today Today, March 4, 2025, starting at 4:00 pm ET, the Committee of 100 and APA Justice will co-host a webinar on Fair Housing Rights and Alien Land Laws. 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.Register to attend: https://bit.ly/4hEouum NYT : Professor Franklin Tao Sues to Get His Job Back According to the New York Times on March 2, 2025, Feng "Franklin" Tao , a former University of Kansas professor, has filed a lawsuit against the university, alleging wrongful termination and violations of his civil rights. This legal action follows a series of events stemming from the U.S. Department of Justice's now-defunct "China Initiative," which aimed to counter economic espionage but shifted to target individuals of Asian descent.Arrested in 2019 as the first professor charged under the China Initiative, Dr. Tao fought allegations of failing to disclose ties to a Chinese university. After five years, a federal appeals court overturned his lone conviction, yet the University of Kansas has refused to reinstate him.Dr. Tao argues the university engaged in fearmongering and racial profiling, prioritizing political pressure over due process.Despite the official end of the China Initiative in 2022, Congress is now considering legislation to investigate Chinese espionage, with proposals for a "CCP Initiative" that could reignite racial targeting of Chinese researchers. Some lawmakers have also raised concerns about the large number of Chinese students studying science and engineering on American campuses. Senator James Risch ’s assertion that “each [Chinese student] is an agent of the Chinese Communist Party” exemplifies the continued stigmatization of Chinese academics and students. Gisela Perez Kusakawa , executive director of the Asian American Scholar Forum, warns against indiscriminate policies, urging for measured, evidence-based responses rather than racial profiling. “There are real, genuine threats that need to be addressed, but we should not be using a sledgehammer on the issue — we should be using a scalpel,” she said. “We can’t choose the country where we were born, where we came from,” said Dr. Tao’s wife Hong Peng , an American citizen. “What we have experienced, this is completely racial profiling.”Read the New York Times report: https://nyti.ms/3XoR76S . Read Dr. Tao's story: https://bit.ly/4i0WZLw 03/12 MSU Webinar: The China Initiative On March 12, 2025, please join the webinar hosted by Michigan State University's Asian Pacific American Studies Program for an insightful discussion of the past and present of the China Initiative, a Trump administration program that targeted Asian American scholars and researchers for investigation and prosecution. Dr. Lok Siu of UC Berkeley and Dr. Jeremy Wu of APA Justice will speak at the event moderated by Dr. Kent Weber of Michigan State University.Register to attend: https://bit.ly/4hVaITO U.S. Early-Career Scientists Struggle Amid Chaos According to Science on February 21, 2025, early-career researchers in the United States are facing significant challenges due to recent federal funding uncertainties under the Trump administration.The administration’s funding freezes, DEI grant cancellations, and federal scientist firings have created widespread instability.Researchers who had been awarded NIH “diversity” fellowships are left in limbo, while NSF postdoc programs supporting underrepresented groups were suddenly canceled. Some applicants only learned their programs were deleted through automated rejection emails.The USDA and U.S. Geological Survey rescinded job offers and terminated early-career scientists, leaving them with financial hardship and no immediate job prospects. One scientist, who envisioned a 20-year career at USDA, now faces an uncertain future.Some worry that race- and gender-related research—such as a study on maternal mortality disparities—could now be flagged under Trump's executive orders restricting DEI.As funding delays mount, researchers face not only financial uncertainty but also structural barriers. Universities, forced to anticipate prolonged funding cuts, have begun reducing faculty hiring and graduate student admissions.Early-career scientists fear a missing generation of researchers—one that could take years, if not decades, to recover. Institutions are under growing pressure to support affected researchers and prevent long-term damage to the U.S. scientific workforce.Experts warn that sustained instability could weaken the U.S.'s global leadership in science and innovation, pushing talent overseas and reducing America’s research output in critical fields.According to Nature on February 24, 2025, some early-career researchers are considering changing jobs, leaving the country or abandoning research altogether.“Disruption and uncertainty are the enemy of science,” says Donna Ginther , an economist at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. And when disruption and uncertainty strike, she adds, “the people who lose their jobs are students and postdocs.” If that happens now, science in the United States could undergo its own generational shift, she says: “Early-career scientists are the future.”According to Inside Higher Ed on March 3, 2025, federal judges have temporarily blocked many of President Trump’s executive actions, but researchers relying on federal grants are still facing significant disruptions. University scientists working on critical medical research are caught in bureaucratic limbo as Trump’s administration delays funding and enforces strict policies targeting DEI initiatives.“My grant’s future is in limbo,” said neuroscientist Eve Marder , whose NIH funding has been stalled due to the cancellation of advisory council meetings. Without approval, she fears shutting down her lab: “If I don’t get another source of money in the next six months, I’ll have to shut my lab.”NSF and NIH have slowed or halted funding processes. Advisory councils have not met since January, preventing new grants from being approved and stalling $1.5 billion in medical research funding. Astrophysics postdoc Adrian Fraser shared his frustration over the uncertainty: “Things aren’t clearly defined from the top, so it becomes a messy game of telephone … No one knows what is considered DEI-related.”Meanwhile, universities are preparing for prolonged funding cuts. Jeremy Berg , former NIH director, suggests the administration may be stalling funding as a hidden budget-cutting tactic: “Effectively a way of cutting the NIH budget without cutting the NIH budget.” If unspent by September 30, allocated funds must be returned to the U.S. Treasury, raising concerns about whether the administration is intentionally withholding money despite congressional approval.If funding restrictions persist, many early-career scientists may be forced to abandon research or leave the U.S., posing a serious threat to the nation’s scientific progress, global competitiveness, and long-term innovation. Judge Rules Trump’s Firing of Head of Special Counsel was Unlawful As of March 3, 2025, the number of lawsuits against President Donald Trump 's executive actions reported by the Just Security Litigation Tracker has grown to 96.According to AP News , Fox , and multiple media reports, one key case, Dellinger v. Bessent (1:25-cv-00385) , resulted in U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruling that Trump’s attempt to remove Hampton Dellinger as head of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) was unlawful.Dellinger, fired on February 5 despite legal protections limiting presidential removal to cases of inefficiency, neglect, or malfeasance, sued for reinstatement. Judge Jackson’s ruling temporarily restored him to his position, warning that unchecked presidential removal of the Special Counsel would undermine protections for federal employees, including whistleblowers.“The Special Counsel is supposed to withstand the winds of political change and help ensure that no government servant of either party becomes the subject of prohibited employment practices or faces reprisals for calling out wrongdoing,” Judge Jackson wrote in her decision.The Trump administration quickly appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The Supreme Court previously allowed Dellinger to remain in his role pending litigation.Beyond his own case, Dellinger has challenged the administration’s mass termination of probationary federal workers, arguing some firings may have been illegal. In addition, the OSC enforces the Hatch Act, which limits partisan political activities by government employees—an issue drawing scrutiny as Trump administration officials continue publicly endorsing his policies. The ruling comes as Dellinger is challenging the removal of probationary workers who were fired as part of the Trump administration’s massive overhaul of the government. A federal board has halted the terminations of several probationary workers after Dellinger said their firings may have been unlawful.The ruling is a major legal setback for Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal workforce. It underscores the ongoing battle over protections for whistleblowers and civil servants.The case will likely have broader implications as Trump seeks to expand executive power. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/03/04 Fair Housing Rights & Alien Land Laws: Challenges and Advocacy for the Asian American Community2025/03/05 The Global Economy at a Crossroads: U.S.-China in Focus2025/03/12 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 Gala2025/04/27 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. 11-year-old Student Took His Own Life After Repeated Bullying According to Cleveland.com on February 28, 2025 , the parents of an 11-year-old boy in Akron filed a federal lawsuit, Gurung v. Akron Public Schools District Board of Education (5:25-cv-00374) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.The 41-page complaint alleges that Abyesh Thulung , born in a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal and U.S. citizen, died by suicide after enduring relentless racial bullying at Akron’s National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) Middle School. He was reportedly harassed online and at school, including being called racial slurs like “Ching Chong” and physically assaulted multiple times. Throughout the year, he visited the school nurse 11 times—four for injuries from attacks, the rest for stress-induced headaches and stomach pain.Despite clear signs of distress, the lawsuit claims school officials failed to intervene and, instead, punished Abyesh when he tried to defend himself. In addition, the Akron Public School District allegedly destroyed surveillance footage of a key incident leading up to his death and withheld parts of his educational records from his family.The lawsuit argues that the school’s negligence, failure to enforce anti-bullying policies, and disregard for Abyesh’s safety directly contributed to his tragic death. 3. The Global Economy at a Crossroads: U.S.-China in Focus WHAT: The Global Economy at a Crossroads: U.S.-China in Focus WHEN: March 5, 2025, 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT WHERE: Webinar HOST: 1990 Institute and sponsors Moderator: Clay Dube , Director Emeritus and Senior Fellow, USC U.S.-China Institute Speakers: · Yuen Yuen Ang , Alfred Chandler Chair Professor of Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University · Andy Rothman , Founder and CEO of Sinology LLC DESCRIPTION: The U.S. and China represent the two largest economies in the world, with deeply interconnected yet often competing interests. Their economic relationship involves trade, investment, and technology exchanges, shaped by regulatory, cultural, and geopolitical factors. This workshop will explore the economic interdependencies between these two powers and provide a discussion into the impact of these unique yet interwoven economic landscapes. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3QIqdms # # # 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 March 4, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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Newsletter - #114 2/7 Meeting Summary; "China Initiative" Ending; Xi Appeals; OSTP Actings; AAPI History #114 2/7 Meeting Summary; "China Initiative" Ending; Xi Appeals; OSTP Actings; AAPI History Back View PDF February 22, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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