website under development Birthright Citizenship Learn more China Initiative Chinese academics and researchers were systemically targeted in a government-led initiative and may be at threat again in the future Learn more Racial Profiling Targeting of individuals or groups due to their race or ethnicity Learn more History and Purpose of APA Justice A platform for Asian American justice and fairness Learn more Warrantless Surveillance The U.S. government engages in mass, warrantless surveillance of American citizens Learn more Alien Land Bills Communities fighting back against discriminatory land laws Learn more Birthright Citizenship Details Birthright Citizenship Details Birthright Citizenship Details Birthright Citizenship Details The Latest Court Hearing and A New Movement Emerges Read More We published a Special Edition of our newsletter to cover the July 18 court hearing on Florida's new discriminatory housing law. Lawsuit Against Florida Senate Bill 264 Read More A group of Chinese citizens who live, work, study, and raise families in Florida filed a lawsuit to combat Florida’s discriminatory property law, SB 264. Texas House Bill 1075 and Senate Bill 552 Read More Texas state representatives are attempting to stop foreign governments from purchasing Texas agricultural land. Rep. Judy Chu's New Year Greetings and 2022 Review Read More During the first APA Justice monthly meeting of 2023, Rep. Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, reviewed the accomplishments of 2022, highlighted by the end of the "China Initiative" and Sherry Chen's historic settlement. Community Calendar 01 Racial Profiling 03 Warrantless Surveillance 02 The China Initiative 04 Alien Land Bills Learn more about the pressing AAPI issues of today. Yellow Whistle Campaign Our partnership with the Yellow Whistle Project to promote self-protection and solidarity against discrimination and violence. Advocacy Our work with policy makers to push for AAPI rights and to ensure justice for AAPI academics and scientists. Know your rights Protect yourself by knowing your rights. National Media Network A national media alert network giving greater resources and a more assertive voice to the Asian American community. WHAT WE DO Learn more Watchlist See important issues and legislation we're monitoring Report a Hate Incident Learn what it means to be Chinese American Library See important issues and legislation we're monitoring Report a Hate Incident Learn what it means to be Chinese American Resources Learn about the history, responses, and current state of the APA community. Name Email I accept terms & conditions Stay informed Stay up to date with the latest news and developments from APA Justice Last name Subscribe You've signed up for the APA Justice newsletter. Stay informed Stay up to date with the latest news and developments from APA Justice Name Email I accept terms & conditions Subscribe You've signed up for the APA Justice newsletter.

Newsletter - #97 DOJ Changed Report; Trial Dates; Yale/Princeton/Stanford/SIU News; Happy Thanksgiving #97 DOJ Changed Report; Trial Dates; Yale/Princeton/Stanford/SIU News; Happy Thanksgiving Back View PDF November 22, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #42 DOJ Attorneys Asked To Resign; Gang Chen; Franklin Tao; FBI After 9/11; More #42 DOJ Attorneys Asked To Resign; Gang Chen; Franklin Tao; FBI After 9/11; More Back View PDF February 10, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #250 FBI Official Remarks; Florida Hearing/Rally/Ban; Contentious FISA; Commissioner Lee; + #250 FBI Official Remarks; Florida Hearing/Rally/Ban; Contentious FISA; Commissioner Lee; + In This Issue #250 · FBI Senior Official: "FBI Did Not Intend Negative Impact" · Florida: Hearing and Rally in Miami; Hiring Ban Harms Research · Biden Signs Bill Reauthorizing Contentious FISA Surveillance Program · Commissioner Yvonne Lee on USDA Equity Report and Asian American Farmers · News and Activities for the Communities FBI Senior Official: "FBI Did Not Intend Negative Impact" Speaking at the Committee 100 conference on April 19, 2024, a senior FBI official said the Bureau did not intend to create negative impact of prosecuting Chinese Academics with ties to Beijing under the previous China Initiative, according to a report by the South China Morning Post . “We value your ideas and your criticisms,” said Jill Murphy , deputy assistant director of counter-intelligence with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “It makes us better.”Murphy added that she is a supporter of scientific collaboration with China, and that the FBI values its relationship with the Asian American community, but said it must also ensure that American secrets are protected.“Hold us accountable,” she added. “My hope is that we can continue our work together.” Shan-Lu Liu , a virology professor with Ohio State University, said too many academics had been caught up in the law enforcement campaign, undermining US competitiveness, particularly in areas that have nothing to do with national security, such as the search for a cure for cancer.The scientific community has legitimate concerns, said David Zweig , professor emeritus with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.There are currently 100,000 Chinese-born scientists in the United States making an enormous contribution to US science and competitiveness.There’s nothing wrong with trying to entice talent to return and blunt the brain drain, he added. Several economies have talent programs, including Germany, Canada and Taiwan. “I am one of those drains,” said the Canadian, who now lives in the US. One lesson Asian Americans need to draw from this experience, said participants in the conference, is the need to stand up more forcefully politically and ensure the right balance is maintained between security and successful collaboration.China Initiative was launched in November 2018 under the Trump administration. It originally aimed at stemming industrial espionage by Beijing; instead, the program prosecuted scientific researchers and academics with ties to China, often without strong evidence for their charges. Facing strong backlash from the Asian American and scientific communities, the Biden administration disbanded the China Initiative in 2022. Brian Sun , Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright and C100 member, served as moderator for the session.Read the South China Morning Post report: https://bit.ly/4d3L0uP At the Committee of 100 gala in the evening of April 19, 2024, a lively discussion unfolded between Nicholas Burns , the current U.S. Ambassador to China, and Gary Locke , former U.S. Ambassador to China and current Chair of the C100. They engaged in an insightful exchange, delving into the current state and recent developments in U.S.-China relations, including an upcoming visit to China by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, a pair of pandas from China is coming to the San Francisco Zoo in 2025, and the need for more U.S.-China people-to-people exchanges. Ambassador Burns said only about 900 American students are studying at Chinese universities today. This is far too few in a country of such importance to the United States. Rebuilding the student exchanges is under active consideration. Beijing has also taken steps to attract American students to study in China. Xi Jinping , President of China, said China is ready to invite 50,000 American students to exchange and study programs in the next five years during the APEC summit in San Francisco last year. Florida: Hearing and Rally in Miami; Hiring Ban Harms Research 1. Appeals Court Hearing and Community Rally Against Florida's Anti-Chinese Alien Land Law in Miami According to AP, Bloomberg News, Courthouse News, and other media reports, Ashley Gorski , senior staff attorney of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), told a three-judge panel from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals that “Florida is unlawfully restricting housing for Chinese people.” The state law known as SB 264 bars Chinese nationals and citizens from Russia, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba, and Venezuela that Florida sees as a threat from buying property near military installations and other “critical infrastructure.” She asked the court to block the Florida law, calling it discriminatory and a violation of the federal government’s supremacy in deciding foreign affairs. Three of the individual plaintiffs reside in Florida on time-limited, nonimmigrant visas, and the fourth is seeking political asylum. They are being represented by ACLU, ACLU of Florida, DeHeng Law Offices PC, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), and the law firm Quinn Emanuel.The panel of three judges holding the hearing are Judge Charles R. Wilson , a Clinton appointee, and Trump-appointed Judges Robert J. Luck and Barbara Lagoa .Gorski compared SB 264 to long-overturned laws from the early 20th century that barred Chinese from buying property. “It is singling out people from particular countries in a way that is anathema to the equal protection guarantees that now exist,” Gorski told the court. The law specifically restricts people from China who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents from owning any real property in Florida, regardless of location. The sole exception is that people with a valid non-tourist visa or who have been granted asylum are permitted to purchase one residential property, but only if it is less than two acres and not within five miles of a military installation. Any person living in Florida that is “domiciled” in China must register their existing property with the state or face civil penalty and forfeiture consequences for failure to comply. Under the law, Chinese immigrants face up to five years in prison for trying to buy a home — the seller faces up to one year in prison — as well as thousands of dollars in fines.The challenge to Florida SB 264 is the biggest legal test so far for a torrent of state laws restricting land ownership by foreign individuals or entities. SB 264 revives a 100-year-old, discredited legal precedent that unconstitutionally discriminates against Asian immigrants. The 1920s case law has been superseded by subsequent rulings, Ashley Gorski told the Eleventh Circuit panel. SB 264 goes even further than that case, Terrace v. Thompson, in its explicit discrimination.The law has had a “chilling effect” for not only Chinese immigrants but Asian Americans generally in the state, said Bethany Li , legal director at AALDEF. “The law sends the message that Asians aren’t welcome in the state of Florida and some of the interactions that we’re seeing day-to-day are certainly reflective of that,” Li said in an interview.The U.S. government filed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs, arguing that the law violates the Fair Housing Act and equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. "These unlawful provisions will cause serious harm to people simply because of their national origin, contravene federal civil rights laws, undermine constitutional rights, and will not advance the state’s purported goal of increasing public safety," the government wrote in its brief.Florida was one of 16 states that enacted legislation restricting land ownership by foreign entities or individuals last year, according to the Congressional Research Service. And lawmakers introduced bills to regulate foreign property ownership in another 20 states, it found. Opponents say Florida’s law is one of the most sweeping adopted so far.Read the AP report: https://bit.ly/4cZ4wZg . Read the Bloomberg Law report: https://bit.ly/44bPCes . Read the Courthouse News report: https://bit.ly/3w3zRte A coalition of Asian American organizations, community members, elected officials, and allies held a rally on April 19, 2024, in opposition to SB 264, a Florida law banning many Chinese immigrants from buying homes in large swaths of the state. The rally was held immediately following oral arguments at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.Activists from all over the country showed up for the rally. “Many people are leaving or considering [leaving]. The people are selling houses, because we don’t know what to do, you see, not welcoming,” Echo King , co-founder and President of the Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAAJA), told AsAmNews . “We don’t feel welcome. So you know, people are leaving.”King expressed during the rally that it is dangerous to conflate individuals with their country of birth. Bethany Li, legal director of AALDEF, echoed the sentiment that the law cannot be divorced from the current political climate, where both Republicans and Democrats have voiced anti-China rhetoric. “Unfortunately, from casting China as the enemy, what we see is that the direct impact of that type of anti-China rhetoric is actually on everyday interactions for Asian Americans in the United States. It worsens the types of daily interactions that we have on streets, in schools, and the workplace, trying to get homes,” Li told AsAmNews .Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/4b6WnQD . Read the press release by Stop AAPI Hate: https://bit.ly/4d4n62d 2. Science: Hiring Ban Disrupts Research at Florida Universities A report by Science on April 12 shared insights on the disruption caused by a new Florida law prohibiting the state’s 12 public universities from employing graduate students and postdocs from China and six other “countries of concern” without special permission. The report featured Zhengfei Guan , an agricultural economist at the University of Florida (UF), who failed efforts to recruit a new Chinese postdoc to join his research team last summer. The candidate rejected his offer because of concerns about the new law. The article further stated that the new law disrupts graduate admissions across Florida’s public universities. One UF department removed every student from a country of concern from a list of people the department wanted to hire as graduate assistants. Another UF department, dependent on students from the country on the list, has asked to lower its usual GPA requirement due to a lack of qualified local applicants.While universities can still hire faculty from targeted countries like China, the law is affecting recruitment. In UF's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the top two candidates for a tenure-track position declined offers due to the law's employment restrictions.Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/4aI2ET3 Biden Signs Bill Reauthorizing Contentious FISA Surveillance Program According to AP and multiple media reports, President Joe Biden on April 20, 2024, signed legislation reauthorizing a key U.S. surveillance law known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. The law gives the government expanded powers to monitor foreign terrorists and allows the government to gather communications from foreigners overseas without court warrants. For months, privacy and rights groups have argued that it violates Americans' constitutional right to privacy. The bill was blocked three times in the past five months, before passing the House last week by a 273-147 vote when its duration was shortened from five years to two years. Though the spy program was technically set to expire at midnight, the Biden administration had said it expected its authority to collect intelligence to remain operational for at least another year, which was approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.Barely missing its midnight deadline, the Senate approved the bill by a 60-34 vote. Hours before the law was set to expire, U.S. officials were already scrambling after two major U.S. communication providers said they would stop complying with orders through the surveillance program.A group of progressive and conservative lawmakers who were agitating for further changes had refused to accept the version of the bill the House sent over the previous week.The lawmakers had demanded that Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y., allow votes on amendments to the legislation that would address civil liberty loopholes in the bill. In the end, Schumer was able to cut a deal that would allow critics to receive floor votes on their amendments in exchange for speeding up the process for passage. The six amendments ultimately failed to garner the necessary support on the floor to be included in the final passage. One of the major changes detractors had proposed centered around restricting the FBI’s access to information about Americans through the program. Though the surveillance tool only targets non-Americans in other countries, it also collects communications of Americans when they are in contact with those targeted foreigners. Sen. Dick Durbin , the No. 2 Democrat in the chamber, had been pushing a proposal that would require U.S. officials to get a warrant before accessing American communications. “If the government wants to spy on my private communications or the private communications of any American, they should be required to get approval from a judge, just as our Founding Fathers intended in writing the Constitution,” Durbin said.Read the AP report: https://bit.ly/4a2k1gB Commissioner Yvonne Lee on USDA Equity Report and Asian American Farmers During the APA Justice monthly meeting on April 8, 2024, Commissioner Yvonne Lee began with warm memories of Dr. Robert Underwood who also spoke at the meeting, fondly recalling his inspiring demeanor and urging all present to embrace accountability and responsibility as public servants.Commissioner Lee has also dedicated her career to public service, having served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and is the only Asian American member of the USDA Equity Commission that produced a final report for the Secretary of Agriculture in February 2024. The final report contains 66 recommendations. Three of them are specific concerns from the AANHPI community perspective. · Language access, which Commissioner Lee was happy to report, has been fully implemented last year. · Issues related to procurement, minority contracting, sub-contracting, and similar opportunities. · Land ownership. Commissioner Lee emphasized the report's significance as an official federal document chronicling AANHPI community involvement in American agriculture. She discussed the decline of Asian American agricultural dominance, citing historical discrimination. “Dating back to the 1880s, Asian American farmers have contributed two-thirds of California’s produce. Asian American growers introduced asparagus, celery, strawberries, sugar, and beans, to the American palate,” Commissioner Lee wrote in 2023. “When we examine how we want to advance social and economic justice for underrepresented communities and families, we must consider local food systems and how they were shaped. Discriminatory laws dissipated much of Asian American businesses and producers’ work in the agriculture industry.” Today Asian American farmers produced less than 2% of the food output nationwide. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act was a major contributor to the decline of Asian American participation in farming as it often extended to people of Asian-descendent and specifically prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers. The Act was a gateway to additional discriminatory and exclusionary laws such as the Alien Land Laws which banned Asian Americans from owning land.The USDA Equity report serves as a poignant reminder of past achievements and ongoing challenges.There is a parallel to today’s continued assault to diminish our right to access land and properties and our role as full-fledged Americans because of a perceived background. "We can use this document to reflect and to use it to educate the public and to continue to advocate within and beyond our communities," Commissioner Lee said as she urged collective reflection and advocacy, particularly regarding recommendation number 37 on page 52 of the USDA Equity Report —"Right to Access Agricultural Land"—as a means to combat discrimination and safeguard community interests.The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an interagency committee chaired by the Secretary of Treasury, has the authority to review, approve, or deny any proposed foreign transactions that might raise national concerns, including in the food and agricultural sector. Currently, USDA is not a CFIUS member, however, the U.S. Treasury may designate USDA as a co-lead in a CFIUS investigation on a case-by-case basis. The Equity Commission recommends that USDA serve as a permanent member of the committee and request the necessary Congressional appropriations to carry out this role.Commissioner Lee explained that this gives the public an additional tool to apply our voice and our advocacy to have one more voice to amplify.Read Commissioner Lee’s 2023 blog: https://bit.ly/3xMfb9C . Read the USDA Equity Report: https://bit.ly/4ceyXKE . A summary for the April monthly meeting is being prepared at this time. 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 . Some Facts about Asian American Farm Workers · The agricultural labor movement was inspired by Filipino leaders and workers who pulled their resources together and brought in Cesar Chavez . Read the NPR report about the forgotten Filipinos Who Led A Farmworker Revolution: https://bit.ly/4d6vsX0 · The Bing Cherry was named after a farm worker known by the name of Ah Bing , not Bing Crosby . Ah Bing was a head foreman for a commercial cherry nursery near the city of Milwaukie, Oregon. He was known to be a Chinese immigrant and worked at the nursery for over 35 years. He returned to China in 1889 to visit his family. While he was visiting, tensions rose in the Pacific Northwest against Chinese workers due to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. New restrictions were placed on travel, and borders were sealed, preventing Ah Bing from returning to the United States. He did not leave records or any information behind, leading Bing cherries to be the only memory. Read the Atlas Obscura report: https://bit.ly/4b4bRoJ · Before Disneyland, strawberry fields flourished. In 2022, PBS recounted the Fujishige family’s journey, starting in the 1920s when their Japanese parents faced land ownership restrictions due to racist laws. In 1942, when the U.S. military forced Japanese Americans to evacuate the West Coast, the Fujishige family moved in with relatives in Utah. Despite adversity, the brothers bought a 58-acre berry farm for $3,500 in 1953, after the Supreme Court overturned the Alien Land Law. They grew strawberries, vegetables and herbs. Despite Disney's offer to buy the land for $90 million, they refused. The city attempted to seize the land in 1985, leading to Masao Fujishige 's tragic suicide. Expressing solidarity with other people of color who have struggled to hold on to their land across the United States, Hiroshi Fujishige told the LA Times in 1991 that he didn't want to sell too early because he "didn't want to end up like those Indians who used to own Manhattan Island.". The family finally sold the farm in 1998, paving the way for Disney's California Adventure. Read the PBS report: https://bit.ly/3Qd7Ki7 News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/04/30 Understanding Implicit Bias and How to Combat It2024/05/02 AAGEN 2024 Executive Leadership Workshop2024/05/04 Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice Book Tour2024/05/05 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/05/13-14 2024 APAICS Legislative Leadership Summit2024/05/14 Serica Initiative: 7th Annual Women's Gala dinnerVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. Back View PDF April 22, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #335 Today’s Monthly Meeting; Ohio Alien Land Bills; Chinese Student Visas; Fulbright Finalists Disqualified #335 Today’s Monthly Meeting; Ohio Alien Land Bills; Chinese Student Visas; Fulbright Finalists Disqualified In This Issue #335 · Today’s APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Ohio Lawmakers and Community Members Speak Out Against Alien Land Bills Introduced · Organizations Outraged by Trump Administration Move to Revoke Chinese Student Visas · Trump Administration Disqualified Finalists in Fulbright Selection Process for Being Related to DEI and Climate Change · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/06/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, June 2, 2025 , starting at 1:55 pm ET . In addition to updates by Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Jiny Kim , Vice President of Policy and Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), invited speakers are: · Judy Chu , Member, U.S. House of Representatives; Chair Emeritus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Ya Liu , Member, North Carolina House of Representatives · Juanita Brent , Member, Ohio House of Representatives · Edgar Chen , Special Policy Advisor, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) · Aki Maehara , Professor, Historian, East Los Angeles College · Christina Ku and Gerald Ohn, Co-Founders, Asian American Civil Rights League · Brian Sun , Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright · David Inoue , Executive Director; Larry Oda , Chair Emeritus; Gary Nakamura, Vice President, Japanese American Citizens League · Manjusha Kulkarni , Co-Founder, Stop AAPI Hate 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 . Ohio Lawmakers and Community Members Speak Out Against Alien Land Bills Introduced Earlier this year, the Ohio General Assembly introduced bills to restrict foreign property ownership. The House Bill ( HB1 ) was introduced on January 23, and the Senate Bill ( SB88 ) was introduced on February 10, and both were referred to the respective committees within a few days. The house bill number (1) seems to signify its importance, and the senate bill number (88) was said to be a snub at the number eight, which many in Asian countries deem as a fortunate number. The two bills have a similar text for the most part, which is to ban individuals, businesses, and governments of "a foreign adversary" from owning agricultural land from buying property within a 25-mile radius of military bases, airports, and "critical infrastructure", in the name of protecting national security. The Senate bill has additional restrictions that include forcing a current owner to sell their property at its original price. The Asian community raised alarm in May over the proposed bills and quickly mobilized members to participate in committee hearings and voice their concerns. Lawmakers in the Ohio General Assembly also expressed unease, introducing amendments aimed at narrowing the scope of the bills and reducing potential harm. Primary concerns include racial profiling and the targeting of Asian Americans, particularly those of Chinese descent, as well as the disturbing echoes of some of the darkest chapters in American history, such as California's 1913 Alien Land Law , the Chinese Exclusion Act , and the forced incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. As of May 27, the Ohio HB1 received testimonies from 11 Proponents, 68 Opponents, and three (3) Interested Parties, and the Ohio SB88 received testimonies from four (4) Proponents, 231 Opponents, and eight (8) Interested Parties. · Columbus Dispatch : Opponents call Ohio property sales ban 'racist,' 'discriminatory' · Ohio Capital Journal : Hundreds push back against bill prohibiting foreign nationals from buying property in Ohio · WBNS/10TV (CBS affiliate): Asian American community voices concerns over Ohio bills targeting foreign nationals · State House News Bureau (NPR affiliate): A bill would bar Ohio land buys by businesses and immigrants from some countries · WKYC-TV Cleveland (NBC affiliate): Asian American community voices concerns over Ohio bills targeting foreign nationals · Toledo Blade : Ohioans of Asian descent fight ban on property sales to ‘foreign adversaries’ Organizations Outraged by Trump Administration Move to Revoke Chinese Student Visas The Trump Administration is "aggressively revoking" Visas for Chinese students According to the Associated Press , New York Times , and others, the Trump administration announced this week that it would begin "aggressively revoking" visas for Chinese students, including those allegedly linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or those studying in unspecified "critical fields." Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the announcement Wednesday evening, adding that the State Department was revising visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of future applications from China, including those from Hong Kong. The move has sent shockwaves across U.S. universities, which collectively host over 275,000 students from China, making them the second-largest group of international students after India. Administrators, professors, and students expressed concerns that the lack of clarity about the policy’s scope, especially how “ties to the CCP” and “critical fields" are defined, will generate confusion and anxiety on campuses. Critics argue the visa crackdown could damage America’s scientific and technological competitiveness. “Shutting the door on Chinese students doesn’t just betray our values — it weakens our leadership in science, technology, and innovation,” said former U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke. Universities have long relied on international students for both talent and tuition revenue. “I think it is terribly misguided, counterproductive, and another way in which we are shooting ourselves in the foot,” said Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University. Reactions from Organizations to the Announcement about Revoking Chinese Student Visas On May 28, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) issued a statement expressing concerns, “The wholesale revocation of student visas based on national origin — and without an investigation — is xenophobic and wrong,” and “turning these students away —many of whom simply wish to learn in a free and democratic society — is not just shortsighted but a betrayal of our values.” On May 29, Advancing Justice I AAJC called Rubio’s announcement “another blow to international students and academia.” The organization condemned the policy as rooted in “fearmongering, racial profiling, and xenophobia,” and said, “exclusionary and discriminatory policies based on stereotypes rarely address actual national security concerns,” “fuel prejudice and unfair targeting of Asian immigrants and Asian Americans” and “have destroyed lives and careers and negatively impacted our country’s competitiveness in global innovation.” In the Asian American Scholar Forum ’s statement, Executive Director Gisela Perez Kusakawa said, “This policy threatens to dismantle the international talent pipeline that has long fueled American innovation and excellence…Treating them with blanket suspicion not only violates principles of fairness, due process, and our democratic values—it sends a chilling message to the world that America no longer welcomes global talent.” The Committee of 100 denounced the visa policy announcement. “This new visa policy will adversely and profoundly affect our colleges and universities, research institutions, scientific discovery, and startups in ways we have yet to fully comprehend,” said Gary Locke, Chair of the Committee of 100 and former U.S. Ambassador to China. U.S.-China Education Trust (USCET) criticized the policy as overly broad, discriminatory, and harmful to American soft power. It warned that the new visa policy “fails to distinguish between individuals who pose genuine risks and those simply seeking educational opportunities,” and “beyond undermining core American values of fairness and openness, these measures pose significant risks to U.S. economic competitiveness, soft power, and long-term diplomatic stability.” USCET said education remains the United States’ single largest service export to China, with spending by Chinese students reaching $14.4 billion USD in 2023 and creating 143,000 US jobs. Trump Administration Disqualified Finalists in Fulbright Selection Process for Being Related to DEI and Climate Change On May 29, Inside Higher Ed reported that the Trump administration staged an unprecedented intervention in this year’s Fulbright selection process, rejecting finalists whose research deals with race, gender, or climate change. The Fulbright Commission of Norway selected 17 finalists for this year’s US Fulbright Program , a prestigious academic exchange program sponsored by the U.S. State Department and received approval from the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) in January, but U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent an internal department cable requesting an additional step for the scholarship’s review process, which historically has entailed an initial project review by the Institute of International Education, a secondary review by a panel in the host country and final approval from the FFSB. The State Department ultimately nixed seven of the 17 finalists Norway selected — about 40 percent of their expected Fulbright cohort. The grounds for their rejections were “clearly political,” said Curt Rice , director of the Fulbright Commission of Norway; he said the finalists whose acceptances were overruled all had proposals that dealt with either diversity or climate change. “There is almost no precedent for them to change a list of finalists sent by a host country,” Rice concluded. News and Activities for the Communities APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/05/29 U.S. v. Wen Ho Lee - 25 Years Later2025/06/01 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/06/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/06/03 The Second Annual State of the Science Address2025/06/15 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/06/15-18 2025 Applied Statistics Symposium2025/06/16-24 Discover China 2025: Summer Youth Exchange to the Greater Bay Area2025/06/29-30 2025 ICSA China ConferenceVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. # # # 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 June 2, 2025 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 - #120 Sign On Letter; 3/7 Meeting Summary; Tao Trial; Upcoming Events; One Year After #120 Sign On Letter; 3/7 Meeting Summary; Tao Trial; Upcoming Events; One Year After Back View PDF March 24, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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Newsletter - #296 APA Justice Applauds New CAPAC Leadership #296 APA Justice Applauds New CAPAC Leadership FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 5, 2024 APA Justice Applauds New CAPAC Leadership On December 4, 2024, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) announced its leadership for the 119th Congress. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) transitions to Chair Emerita. The newly elected leadership includes Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) as Chair, Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39) as First Vice-Chair, Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02) as Second Vice-Chair, Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) as Whip, and Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) as Freshman Representative.APA Justice applauds CAPAC for electing a new leadership team committed to representing the voice of the Asian Pacific American community and building on the remarkable legacy established under the leadership of Congresswoman Judy Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress. APA Justice was formed in fall 2015 in response to Chair Chu’s call to build a platform to connect members of Congress, concerned organizations and individuals in wake of the troubling trend of innocent Asian Pacific Americans being unjustly accused of espionage-related charges. With CAPAC’s support under Chair Chu’s leadership, APA Justice played a crucial role in helping achieve the historic settlement for Chinese American scientist Sherry Chen with the Departments of Commerce and Justice, and end the government’s misguided “China Initiative”, which had disproportionately targeted Asian Americans and academic communities, harming academic freedom and open science.We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Congresswoman Grace Meng on her election as the next CAPAC Chair. As the first Asian American elected to Congress from New York, Rep. Meng has been instrumental in advancing CAPAC’s mission. She has tirelessly championed issues vital to the Asian Pacific American community, particularly in combating racial bias and hate directed toward Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Rep. Meng, a regular speaker at APA Justice’s monthly meetings, has shared insights on her groundbreaking work, including the passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act and the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture Act. She has been a steadfast supporter of APA Justice’s mission and initiatives.We also congratulate Rep. Mark Takano, Rep. Jill Tokuda, Rep. Ami Bera, and Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam on their election to CAPAC’s new leadership team. As we navigate unprecedented challenges in this critical moment in history, we look forward to continuing our collaboration with CAPAC to address social justice and civil rights issues impacting the Asian Pacific American community and to ensure government accountability. # # # 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 APA Justice website at www.apajusticetaskforce.org .As part of its continuing migration to a new website under construction, we have moved the Newsletter webpage to www.apajusticetaskforce.org/newsletters . Content of the existing website will remain, but it will no longer be updated. We value your feedback about the new web page. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF December 5, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #168 Updates on Texas SB147 and Revival of Alien Land Laws; Media Opinions/Reports; News #168 Updates on Texas SB147 and Revival of Alien Land Laws; Media Opinions/Reports; News In This Issue #168 Updates on Texas Senate Bill 147 and Opposition to Revival of Alien Land Laws Media Opinions by Asian American Leaders Media Reports Asian American Community News and Activities Updates on Texas Senate Bill 147 and Opposition to Revival of Alien Land Laws 1. First Webinar - A Call to Stop SB 147 and All Alien Land Laws The first in a mini-series of two webinars sponsored by 1882 Foundation , APA Justice , United Chinese Americans was held on February 17, 2023. Judy Chu , Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, opened the webinar with her remarks. Panelists included Gene Wu , Texas State Representative; Jamal Abdi , President, National Iranian American Council (NIAC); David Donatti , Staff Attorney, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas; and Clay Zhu , Attorney and Co-Founder, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA). Professor Steven Pei , Co-Organizer of APA Justice, started, and Haipei Shue , President of United Chinese Americans, moderated the webinar. Watch the webinar at https://bit.ly/3Z4wjzE (video 1:27:51). 2. Second of a Mini Series of Webinars . The second webinar titled "Historical Re-Hash - Alien Land Laws and SB147" will be held on Friday, March 1, 2023, starting at 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT. The webinar will be moderated by Professor Janelle Wong of University of Maryland. Confirmed panelists are Texas State Representative Gene Wu , Professor Madeline Hsu of University of Texas at Austin, and Professor Carol Suzuki of University of New Mexico School of Law. Ted Gong , Executive Director of the 1882 Foundation will deliver opening remarks. Register for this webinar at http://bit.ly/3Id2uGp 3 . Weekly Town Hall Meetings with Texas State Representative Gene Wu. Beginning on Sunday, February 19, 2023, Texas State Representative Gene Wu will hold town hall meetings with all Texas community groups and individuals starting at 8 pm CT every Sunday to exchange information and coordinate the next step. Everyone is welcome. Please register to attend: http://bit.ly/3XI6tQX . Representatives of major organizations and regional organizers are requested to send your credential to APAJ2023@gmail.com . A special personalized panelist link will be emailed to you. Representative Gene Wu我希望以后每个周日晚上8时和德州的朋友们一起总结经验和商讨下一步的策略，欢迎大家注册参加， http://bit.ly/3XI6tQX ，各主要团体和抗议组织的代表，请把你自己的简介发到 APAJ2023@gmail.com ，可免注册，并且享有优先发言的权利，谢谢。德州州议员吴元之 4. Chin Lung and the Great Western Potato Mart Thanks to Historical Record of Chinese Americans for leading us to the story of Chin Lung . According to the Soundings Journal , at the turn of the twentieth century, the grain market had fallen on hard times, but Los Angeles investors—wealthy from citrus, real estate, and oil—and San Franciscans, wealthy from the Comstock Lode, and other investors from the East and from Europe, began purchasing and reclaiming the rich peatlands of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.¶ These investors were soon leasing the lands to energetic farmers, many of them Asian immigrants. A major crop planted on these Delta farmlands was potatoes and Stockton became known throughout the United States as the “great western potato mart.”¶ Chin Lung was one of the first Chinese farmers to lease Delta farmland. In September 1901, he planted a crop of potatoes on his 1,100-acre lease just west of Stockton. Mr. Chin’s potato crop hit the Eastern markets nearly two months ahead of his competitors from other areas and he suddenly became wealthy.¶ Between 1901 and 1924, Chin Lung farmed at least 1,000 acres each season and he was the principal employer of Chinese laborers in San Joaquin County.¶ In 1910 Chin purchased 2,200 acres of Delta farmland of his own, northwest of Stockton near White Slough—the first agricultural property in San Joaquin County purchased by a Chinese.¶ Two years later Chin purchased the nearby Shin Kee Tract, named after the Sing Kee Store (correct spelling) that he owned on Sacramento Street in San Francisco. He grew potatoes, beans, onions, asparagus, and hay for seventy work horses.¶ Chin lost the store and his agricultural holdings in California and Oregon by 1923 as a result of the Alien Land Acts of 1920 and 1923. He farmed in Oregon until 1933, after which he retired and returned to his native China. Read the Soundings Journal article: https://bit.ly/3lMLkbb 5. Asian Texans for Justice Sign-on Letter. Asian Texan for Justice is asking the broader Texas community to join this letter opposing the Texas Senate Bill 147: http://bit.ly/3lRpsez . You can sign onto the letter here: http://bit.ly/3k3wNaJ . It has also developed a toolkit for community members to take action - contact the bill author, lieutenant governor, and governor to oppose the legislation: http://bit.ly/3XK2L9J . As legislation begins to move through the process, it will be updating the toolkit with updated calls to action for testimony and more. Questions or comments should be directed to info@asiantexansforjustice.org Media Opinions by Asian American Leaders 1. San Francisco Chronicle . On February 17, 2023, retired San Francisco Superior Court judges Lillian Sing and Julie Tang published an opinion titled "While Florida targets Black history, Texas Republicans plan to make life miserable for Asian Americans."¶ According to the opinion, while much of the country is rightfully preoccupied with Florida’s efforts to eliminate African American history from schools, a quieter but equally dangerous racist development - Texas Senate Bill 147 (SB147) - is happening in Texas and beyond.¶ The ultra-conservative American Legislative Exchange Council is pushing many of these bills as a “model policy.”¶ These laws will almost certainly have a disproportionate impact on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders because we are easier to identify — and will bolster the yellow peril view of us as forever foreigners in our own country.¶ Whatever the state of official diplomatic relations between countries, these sorts of anti-free market, race-based discriminatory restrictive covenants are anathema to our nation’s values and have a disgraceful place in American history. SB147 ignores history to send the chilling message that questions Asian American loyalty to America — perpetuating the forever foreigner stereotype.¶ The nation just endured a 339 % increase in anti-Asian hate crimes last year. SB147 and similar legislation spreading across the country will target Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders anew.¶ The bills are xenophobic, unconstitutional and should not be passed. Read the San Francisco Chronicle opinion: https://bit.ly/3YYpu2D 2. New York Daily News. On February 17, 2023, Frank Wu, President of Queen's College, City University of New York, published an opinion titled "Being American and being Chinese."¶ According to the opinion, Chinese Americans, who number more than five million, face the worst dilemma as China and the United States enter a new phase of competition and conflict.¶ The question is asked again and again: which side are you on? No answer will likely satisfy the suspicious.¶ The situation of Chinese Americans verges on the untenable. Americans of Chinese descent include those whose ancestors came on the Mayflower and whose forebears were enslaved, thanks to intermarriage; and adoptees, whose parents would no doubt be accepted as white.¶ They also include descendants of laborers who built the transcontinental railroad, which united the nation after the Civil War, and who founded Chinatowns more than a century ago.¶ Some Chinese Americans arrived on these shores not from mainland China but from Cuba or Peru or Japan or Germany, because their grandparents left for those destinations before their parents migrated again. Many Chinese Americans came from Taiwan, their families having fought communism; or Hong Kong, themselves departing before the 1997 handover from Great Britain to Beijing.¶ Ironically, due to prejudice, the dissidents are not distinguished from the regime they protested. These individuals are not merely allies to the United States; they are in fact Americans.¶ It hardly mattered that the individuals who were sent to the hospital in critical condition from being kicked in the head or shoved down stairs were as vulnerable as the next person. Those with hostility in their hearts do not pause to check passports. The statistics show record rates of hate crimes directed at Asian Americans.¶ Meanwhile, Asian Americans were significantly overrepresented among the health care workers on the front lines, risking their own lives in order to tend to others. They even cared for those who requested service providers of a different race.¶ At the same time, without much evidence once bias was stripped away, the government prosecuted respected professors on the theory they were spies stealing scientific secrets in an elaborate conspiracy. Every Chinese exchange student, government officials said explicitly, was a potential sleeper agent.¶ For Chinese Americans who have struggled to assimilate despite the objections of their own family, the effort verges on futile. America beckoned to them, promising freedom and opportunity. Its ideals are still strong.¶ The profound Black struggle for civil rights offers important lessons. Chinese Americans must participate in civic life. They cannot try to put their heads down and work harder. By exercising their rights, they fulfill their responsibilities. Only that engagement will ensure their equality. Read the New York Daily News Opinion: http://bit.ly/3k1GXZq Media Reports On February 18, 2023, CNN reported on "History repeats itself with anti-China land ownership proposals."¶ According to the report, new efforts to bar Chinese citizens and others from owning property in Texas and other states echo the treatment of Asian people in the US more than 100 years ago, when Congress barred them from obtaining citizenship and multiple state laws restricted land ownership.¶ In Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin is expected to sign legislation to bar citizens of countries the State Department has designated as “foreign adversaries” from owning agricultural land. Companies with deep ties to those countries would also be affected. Those countries currently include China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.¶ In Texas, a much broader proposal names those countries and bans citizens of them from owning any land whatsoever. The ban would presumably extend to legal immigrants living in the US. That bill is still working its way through the legislature but has the support of Gov. Greg Abbott .¶ The Texas proposal in particular specifically recalls a despicable chapter in US history, when so-called Alien Land Laws were passed in numerous states between the 1880s and 1920s to specifically bar Asian people from owning land. The California Alien Land Law was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court in 1952 for violating the 14th Amendment.¶ Chinese people were explicitly barred from immigration to the US for generations – from the 1880s, when Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, until that law’s repeal during World War II. So few Chinese people were allowed to immigrate for another generation after that until 1965 – 105 per year – that it amounted to a de facto ban.¶ “It’s definitely sort of reinvocation of kind of what people in Asian American studies would refer to as ‘Yellow Peril’ fearmongering,” said Madeline Hsu , a history professor and expert in Asian American studies at the University of Texas at Austin. “There are ways in which it resonates with what happened to Japanese Americans during World War II, where regardless of citizenship, regardless of nativity, they were racially categorized as enemy aliens.” Read the CNN Report: https://cnn.it/3lNfkDO . On February 17, 2023, KVUE reported on "Texas bill banning foreign citizens from buying land sparks outrage in Austin."¶ According to the report, outrage is growing over a bill filed in the Texas Legislature that would ban citizens and entities from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from buying land in Texas.¶ Austinite Victoria Li believes the bill is a form of "xenophobia" and "racism."¶ Eric Tang is the director of the Center for Asian American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin and says this bill is reminiscent of a California State Bill from the 1900s known as the "Alien Land Laws."¶ State Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston) joined U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu and other Asian community leaders to discuss the bill.¶ Haipei Shue , the president of the United Chinese Americans, explained that these bills don't just exist in Texas. These bills are also being introduced in Florida, New Jersey and Tennessee. Watch and read the KVUE report: https://bit.ly/3YGVKaZ On February 16, 2023, NBC News reported on "Chinese citizens in Texas are incensed over a proposal to ban them from buying property in the state."¶ According to the report, Asian residents say the legislation uses national security as a guise to further target and scapegoat their communities. They’re angry, they say, and they’re questioning whether they’re truly welcome in Texas.¶ As a Chinese immigrant who became a U.S. citizen years ago, Ling Luo feels she’s one of the lucky ones. But she remembers the promise the U.S. once held for her and now says that that dream is being crushed in the immigrants around her.¶ Luo started an activist group, the Asian American Leadership Council (AALC), specifically to push back against the bill, and she put it on the popular Chinese social network WeChat. Beyond spreading awareness of the bill, Luo and AALC have encouraged worried residents to write and call their legislators.¶ “Legislators use these kinds of bills to just play with the Chinese community here and appeal to their voter base,” Luo said. “China won’t get hurt at all, and the Chinese investors won’t get hurt at all. It’s the people here, the non-U.S. citizens, Chinese immigrants, who are the ones getting hurt and totally destroyed.” https://nbcnews.to/3EfEfGC On February 1, 2023, Forbes reported on "Texas Bill: Many Immigrants, H-1B Visa Holders Can’t Buy Property."¶ According to the report, Texas Senate Bill 147 may be part of a Republican “primary” battle between Texas Gov. Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis , which has included both men sending migrants from the border to cities with Democratic mayors.¶ There are approximately 80,000 non-U.S. citizens born in the four countries who are residents of Texas. About 55,000 are employed and more than 5,000 are self-employed, including over 1,000 with incorporated businesses.¶ If the bill were to become law, an H-1B visa holder from France could buy a house, but one from China could not. A Ph.D. student from Russia at a Texas university would not be allowed to purchase property, but a student from Sweden could.¶ Individuals from the affected countries could start making decisions on where to work or study to avoid Texas. Companies might become alarmed if employees are treated differently under Texas law based on their place of birth. http://bit.ly/3IAC9Uj Asian American Community News and Activities 1. Julie Su for Secretary of Labor. On February 17, 2023, Rep. Judy Chu , Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) led 33 Members of Congress in sending a letter to President Biden in support of Julie Su for Secretary of Labor. Read the letter: https://bit.ly/3YFVA3D 2. Reps. Chu, Lieu, Meng, & Takano Statement on GOP Congressional Attacks on Dominic Ng. On January 17, 2023, Representatives Judy Chu (CA-28), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Grace Meng (NY-06), and Mark Takano (CA-39)—who are all leaders of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)—released a joint statement about a recent letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation from Republican Members of Congress. The letter requests an investigation into whether Dominic Ng , President Biden’s recent appointment to be Chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC), had violated the Espionage Act. “As with every presidential appointee, Dominic Ng, who is Chinese American, has undergone an extensive vetting process and sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution and serve the American public... No Chinese Americans—indeed no Americans—should face suspicions of disloyalty or treason based on their ethnicity, nation of origin, or that of their family members. That kind of profiling is beneath us all, particularly those entrusted with public office,” the statement said. Read the statement: http://bit.ly/3IdzZbK 3. White House Engagement with AANHPI Community. The White House Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) newsletters and community will be launched in 2023. Bi-weekly virtual meetings start on Friday, February 24, 2023 at 3:00pm ET. Register here: http://bit.ly/3Kfm5Zh . On February 16, 2023, President Biden signed a new Executive Order, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government to reaffirm and strengthen the Administration’s commitment to deliver equity and build an America in which all can prosper. Read the Factsheet here: http://bit.ly/3lOIJNK . In January 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration released its National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Communities. The new strategy, which comprises action plans prepared by 32 federal agencies—including all 15 executive departments in the President’s Cabinet—builds on the Administration’s broader equity agenda and details investments in AA and NHPI communities and priorities. Read the National Strategy: https://bit.ly/3YYcB8N 4. AASF Webinar - Know Your Rights! on Airport Enforcement and Border Harassment. On February 2, 2023, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) hosted a webinar on Know Your Rights! on Airport Enforcement and Border Harassment. The event was moderated by Gisela Kusakawa , AASF Executive Director. Speakers included Ashley Gorski , Senior Staff Attorney, National Security Project, ACLU; Gregory Chen , Senior Director of Government Relations, American Immigration Lawyers Association; and Brian Sun , Partner, Norton, Rose, Fulbright US LLP. Watch the webinar at https://bit.ly/3EmQIYT (video 1:38:19) 5. Alliance of Chinese Americans San Diego (ACA) . ACA is accepting applications for API Public Service Internship. It encourages college or incoming college students seeking pre-law, political science or related fields in public policy to complete an internship application for consideration. The API Public Service Internship Program aims to provide college students an opportunity to experience the inner workings of an elected office. The placed interns will work under the auspice of the elected office. They will undertake a variety of assignments, including day-to-day regimen of an elected official’s office. They will assist on local events planning and assist staff on special projects that might include policy research and data gathering. Interns could also assist with constituent casework and opportunities for community outreach and engagement. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/3EeahT1 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 February 19, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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2. Fair Housing Rights & Alien Land Laws: Challenges and Advocacy for the Asian American Community 2024-2025 Alien Land Laws Tuesday, March 4, 2025 The second installment of the Alien Land Law Webinar Series examined how nationality-based homeownership restrictions are affecting real estate professionals and homebuyers—especially within the Chinese 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 provided critical insights into how these restrictions are reshaping the housing landscape and what we can do to fight back. The webinar covered: 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. This webinar was for real estate professionals, homeowners, prospective buyers, community leaders, and advocacy groups looking to stay informed and take action. Stay ahead of these evolving legal challenges by exploring Committee of 100’s interactive map , which tracks ongoing land ownership exclusion laws, and APA Justice’s Alien Land Bills webpage, where you’ll find the latest updates on lawsuits and policy developments. Together, we can stand up for fair housing rights and fight back against discrimination. 20250304 SecondWebinar3.jpg Previous Item Next Item