The House of Representatives has passed H.Res. 908, a resolution condemning all forms of anti-Asian bigotry as related to COVID-19. September 17, 2020 On September 17, 2020, the House of Representatives passed H.Res. 908, a resolution condemning all forms of anti-Asian bigotry as related to COVID-19. The resolution, introduced by CAPAC First Vice Chair Rep. Grace Meng, is a response to the over 2,600 reported anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents in recent months which have been driven by misperceptions about the coronavirus and how it spreads. The resolution reads as follows: (1) calls on all public officials to condemn and denounce any and all anti-Asian sentiment in any form; (2) recognizes that the health and safety of all Americans, no matter their background, must be of utmost priority; (3) condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian sentiment, scapegoating, and ethnic or religious intolerance; (4) calls on Federal law enforcement officials, working with State and local officials-- (A) to expeditiously investigate and document all credible reports of hate crimes and incidents and threats against the Asian-American community in the United States; (B) to collect data to document the rise of incidences of hate crimes due to COVID–19; and (C) to hold the perpetrators of those crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and bring such perpetrators to justice; and (5) recommits United States leadership in building more inclusive, diverse, and tolerant societies-- (A) to prioritize language access and inclusivity in communication practices; and (B) to combat misinformation and discrimination that put Asian Americans at risk. The House of Representatives has passed H.Res. 908, a resolution condemning all forms of anti-Asian bigotry as related to COVID-19. Previous Next House Resolution Condemns All Forms of Anti-Asian Sentiment Related to COVID-19

Newsletter - #272 National APA Museum; Red-Baiting; Capstone Workshop Videos; State of Science; More #272 National APA Museum; Red-Baiting; Capstone Workshop Videos; State of Science; More In This Issue #272 · Anne S. Chao: From Missing in History to a National APA Museum on the Mall · AALDEF: The Red-Baiting of Dr. Chen and Dangerous Targeting on All Asian Americans · National Academies Roundtable Capstone Workshop Videos Posted · Marcia McNutt: The First State of Science Address · News and Activities for the Communities Anne S. Chao: From Missing in History to a National APA Museum on the Mall Anne S. Chao is a modern Chinese historian, and currently an Adjunct Lecturer in the Humanities at Rice University, and co-founder and manager of the Houston Asian American Archive at Rice. She is a co-founder of the FRIENDS of the National Asian Pacific American Museum, whose goal is to establish a national AAPI museum on the nation's Mall. Anne serves on the boards of the Houston Ballet, Wellesley Colleges, the National Archives Foundation, the Dunhuang Foundation among others. During the APA Justice monthly meeting on August 5, 2024, Anne gave her report on her activities with a 12-slide presentation: https://bit.ly/3WxVzPg . At Rice University, Anne established the Houston Asian American Archive (HAAA) 15 years ago, recognizing that Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the U.S., and it yet lacked records of Asian American lives. Distribution of the Asian American population in the Greater Houston area is visualized by a heat map. The county in the Southwest quadrant of this map is Fort Bend County. It has almost a parity of 25% Anglo, 25% African American, 25% Asian American, and 25% Hispanic. No other county in the country has the same parity. Rice University students began interviewing people, collecting memorabilia, conducting podcasts, making video clips, and exploring different aspects of Asian American lives. HAAA now has about 500 interviews along with various awards, performances, and exhibits.Among those interviewed as part of a multicultural and multifaceted Asian Houston were · Theresa and Peter Chang . Theresa Chang is a judge and at one time the highest placed Asian American woman in the Republican Party. · Dr. Vipul Mankad as part of a huge collection of South Asian interviews. · Donna Cole ’s father was in the 442nd regiment in World War II. She and her friends created the Go for Broke Foundation that led to Congress awarding the Gold Medal of Honor posthumously to these veterans of Japanese ancestry. · Harry Gee Jr . is a prominent immigration lawyer. The Gee family has made huge contributions to Houston and beyond. · Leroy Chiao is a Chinese American astronaut. · Lakshmy Parameswaran founded Daya, Inc., which serves South Asian victims of family violence. · World-renowned Professor of Physics Paul Chu , and · Many others of Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese, and other ethnicities. Anne told the story of the Gee family network in Houston. The Gee name may also be spelled as Zhu, Jee, and Chu. Many of them originate from Taishan and Kaiping counties in Guangdong Province in Southern China. One of Anne’s students created a Gee family network chart, from which a curriculum was developed for the Asia Society. A Voice of America reporter just interviewed the Gee family members about the curriculum. A book is in the works.Harry Gee’s father came to Houston as a restaurant owner. Harry Gee’s cousin, Albert Gee , was also a charismatic restaurateur who parlayed his business success into social and political success by contributing to Richard Nixon and John Connelly campaigns respectively and also entertained celebrities such as Bob Hope . Switching to the national scene, Anne pointed out that the African American Museum is already part of the Smithsonian collection on the national mall. The Latino American Museum and the Women’s Museum are in the pipeline. We are missing the Asian Pacific American Museum. Congresswoman Grace Meng introduced H.R. 3525 in 2021 to establish a commission to study the feasibility of creating an Asian Pacific American Museum. It became public law in June 2022. There are eight commissioner positions. The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders and the House Majority and Minority Leaders each appoint two commissioners. There are two vacancies at this time, but the commission cannot start work until all eight are present. They have 18 months to produce a report to Congress on the feasibility of an Asian Pacific American Museum. The commissioners are volunteers. They do not have actual funding. Only one of the current commissioners, Dr. Jay Xu , who is the Director of the San Francisco Asian Art Museum, has actual museum knowledge and experience. Handel Lee , Debbie Shawn , and Anne co-founded a non-profit organization called the Friends of the National Asian Pacific American Museum to fast track the effort. All three have served on the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Advisory Board. Their goal is to champion the cause, as well as to mobilize, support, fundraise, supply a blueprint, and coordinate the efforts. It has engaged many museum experts and museum fundraisers.They are in the process of creating a group of academics as well as organizations around the country to talk about what to put in the museum. AALDEF: The Red-Baiting of Dr. Chen and the Dangerous Target It Puts on All Asian Americans On August 7, 2024, the Asian American Legal and Defense Fund (AALDEF) posted a blog titled "The Red-Baiting of Dr. Chen and the Dangerous Target It Puts on All Asian Americans" in response to a CNN report on Jake Tapper's The Lead program on July 31, 2024.According to the blog, Catherine Herridge , a former Fox News journalist, is appealing a court ruling that holds her in contempt for refusing to reveal her source in a series of reports about Dr. Yanping Chen , a Chinese American who was investigated by the FBI for six years but was not charged for any crime. Herridge falsely accused Dr. Chen of being a spy for China, using misleading evidence and perpetuating racist stereotypes. Dr. Chen sued over the leak of her personal information and subpoenaed Herridge to reveal how she had come to possess confidential materials from the FBI. Herridge has twice refused and has been held in contempt. She maintains the dangerous falsehood against Dr. Chen, and Senator Ted Cruz filed a brief in support of Herridge that leans even more strongly into the anti-Chinese red-baiting prominent in Herridge’s reporting.As unethical and misrepresentative as her reporting was, Herridge still has First Amendment protections. There is a long history of the government invoking “national security” to compel reporters to reveal sources. And there is a danger to destabilizing the protections of the press, which is often our most powerful advocate holding the government accountable. But CNN ’s report made little mention of Dr. Chen and the role Herridge played in spreading dangerous falsehoods about her. Herridge was presented as a good reporter fighting the good fight, not just for herself, but to ward off “the end of investigative journalism.” Dr. Chen has been victimized twice: first by the government and then by the media. And by not properly reporting this story and giving an unfair platform to the person who used her privilege as a journalist to shamelessly vilify Dr. Chen and, in court, continued to vilify and dangerously misrepresent her as a Chinese spy, CNN further contributes to the harm Dr. Chen still faces. Rather than propping up Herridge like some sort of martyr, CNN should ask itself if it would have run the three stories Herridge wrote about Dr. Chen. Would Herridge’s characterization of Dr. Chen heavily reliant on racist tropes against Chinese people meet the ethical and reporting standards of CNN ? CNN has held neither the government nor the reporter, Catherine Herridge, accountable here.Herridge was so sure a Chinese American scientist was a spy, because that idea fit the entrenched narrative of what a spy looks like. And for the viewers who consumed her three fallacious stories, Herridge entrenched those dangerous ideas even deeper, setting a target, not only on Dr. Chen, but on all people who look like her.Good reporting should count for something. Herridge’s reporting was not good. Worse still, it caused real harm to someone still recovering from the harm the government had already inflicted on her.The blog argues that investigative journalism should challenge harmful narratives, not perpetuate them, as CNN 's coverage of Herridge did. Read the AALDEF blog: https://bit.ly/4dhasMZ Roundtable Capstone Workshop Meeting Materials and Videos Posted On July 16-17, 2024, the National Academies hosted The National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable Roundtable Capstone Workshop to present information the Roundtable has gathered since its inception in 2020 through 14 gatherings in Washington, DC and across the U.S.A series of three videos has now been posted at https://bit.ly/3z0PnY7 , along with meeting materials. A report is being prepared at this time. Contact Zariya Butler at (202)-334-2937 and zbutler@nas.edu if you have questions or comments. Marcia McNutt: The First State of Science Address On June 26, 2024, Marcia McNutt , President of National Academy of Sciences, delivered the first State of the Science address to explore how U.S. science and innovation are positioned to respond to rising global competition and shifting priorities for the nation’s economy, security, public health, and well-being. Her analysis was based mostly on data available up to 2021 in the midst of the "China Initiative." A video of her talk and a panel discussion including Dr. Grace Wang , President of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, has now been posted (1:47:59), as well as the meeting materials, at https://bit.ly/4checg9 .Dr . McNutt started by observing that Germany was the world leader in science prior to World War II. In addition to the U.S. bringing in German scientists, she credited Vannevar Bush , who headed the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development during World War II, for transforming the U.S. into a world leader in science and technology by having government invest in basic science, creating the National Science Foundation, promoting science education and scholarships, and recommending partnerships between government, industry, and universities. His book titled "Endless Frontier" outlining this blueprint was published in 1950. Dr. McNutt shared the following data on the rapid rise of China in science and technology in her address: · China is on track to exceed the U.S. in Research and Development expenditures. · The U.S. is dropping in research output as measured by articles published while China is experiencing triple-digit percentage increase. · In terms of research quality measured by percent of articles in the top 1%, the U.S. is losing ground while China has moved ahead of the European Union. · In terms of products, China was at about 3% as recently as 2013 in percentage of drugs in Phase I-III trials. It has risen to 28% in 2021 while the US is in decline. · China's number of patents per year passed the U.S. around 2015 and is leading the U.S. by a ratio of 2 to 1 in 2021. · China was a non-player in 2000 in the list of Global Fortune 500 companies. It leads the list with 142 out of 500 in 2023. What has changed from Vannevar Bush's blueprint since 1950? Dr. McNutt opined that · The U.S. has become exceptionally dependent on international students. · The U.S. could not meet its STEM workforce requirements if it were not for the international students. · Other nations are raising their standard of living by investing in science, education, pro-industry policies, and strategic planning. · Advancing the frontiers of basic research now requires international partnerships to benefit all researchers. · Industry took the lead around 1981 and now dominates U.S. research investment with a 75% share, compared to the federal government's 20%. · Since 1953, philanthropy at universities and nonprofit research institutes has grown to be a major support for basic research. How can we use the new realities to improve our current model? Dr. McNutt offered the following opportunities for the future as Endless Frontier 2.0: · Build the domestic scientific workforce of the future. · Attract the best and brightest by reducing red tape for international students and regulatory burden on faculty. · Create a national strategy to coordinate resources for greater impact. · Modernize and strengthen university-industry partnership. · Provide access to major science facilities. · Cultivate public trust in science. Watch the video and read the meeting materials: https://bit.ly/4checg9 . 2024/08/07 Scientific American : American Science Slips into Dangerous Decline, Experts Warn, while Chinese Research Surges . The U.S. sorely needs a coordinated national research strategy, says Marcia McNutt, president of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/08/19 DNC Convention, AAPI Briefing & Reception, Chicago, IL2024/09/01 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/09/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/09/19-20 AANHPI Unity Summit2024/10/06 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/07 APA Justice Monthly MeetingThe Community Calendar has moved. Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Congresswoman Judy Chu & Senator Chris Coons Reintroduce NO BAN Act On August 7, 2024, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Sen. Chris Coons (DE) led a bicameral partnership of their Democratic colleagues to introduce H.R. 9244 , the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act—legislation that will prevent future Muslim bans. The NO BAN Act will strengthen the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, and restore checks and balances by limiting overly broad executive authority to issue future travel bans. The bill would: · Provide that the Immigration and Nationality Act nondiscrimination provisions apply to religion, as well as to the issuance of non-immigrant visas and benefits; · Require that any travel restriction imposed under Immigration and Nationality Act be based on specific and credible facts, and in a way narrowly tailored to address a compelling government interest; and · Establish procedural requirements including notice to Congress within 48 hours and periodic reporting. Back View PDF August 12, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #117 3/7 Meeting; Before "China Initiative," Sherry Chen; Campaign Tally; DOJ Review Report #117 3/7 Meeting; Before "China Initiative," Sherry Chen; Campaign Tally; DOJ Review Report Back View PDF March 4, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #251 5/6 Monthly Meeting; Rally Against FL SB846; FISA in 2 Years; AANHPI Heritage Month; + #251 5/6 Monthly Meeting; Rally Against FL SB846; FISA in 2 Years; AANHPI Heritage Month; + In This Issue #251 • 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting • Organizer Report on Florida Rally Against SB 846 • Expanded FISA Authorized for Two Years • May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month • News and Activities for the Communities 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, May 6, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna YangQing Derman, Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), Two speakers will describe an upcoming forum with the Asian American and academic communities and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in Houston, which will be co-hosted by TMAC and the Science and Technology Policy Program, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Office of Innovation at Rice University. • Nabila Mansoor, President, Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC); Executive Director, Rise AAPI • Kenneth M. Evans, Scholar in Science and Technology Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University In addition, • Rebecca Keiser, Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy, National Science Foundation (NSF), returns to update us on the JASON report on Safeguarding the Research Enterprise, MacroPolo's Global AI Talent Tracker 2.0, and related activities and development at NSF. 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 . Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition The Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC) is a coalition of multicultural groups in Houston that is dedicated to promoting justice and progress for marginalized communities. Comprising a diverse range of organizations, the coalition works to raise awareness about issues affecting communities of color, advocate for policy changes, and promote collective action to achieve greater equity and social justice. By bringing together different communities and organizations, TMAC aims to create a more inclusive and equitable society for all. Baker Institute for Public Policy, Office of Innovation, at Rice University The Science and Technology Policy Program, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Office of Innovation at Rice University provides a space for policymakers and scientists to engage in substantive dialogue on critical scientific issues facing the U.S. and the world. Through this program, scholars address a broad range of policy issues that affect scientists and their research, as well as the application of science for the public good. Organizer Report on Florida Rally Against SB 846 During the APA Justice monthly meeting on April 8, 2024, Professors Jiangeng Xue 薛剑耿, Zhong-Ren Peng 彭仲仁, and Chenglong Li 李成龙 reported on their organization and observations of the rally against a state law known as SB 846 in Gainesville on March 26, 2024. Professor Xue, Peng, and Li are President, Board Member, and President-elect of the Florida Chinese Faculty Association (FCFA) respectively. FCFA was created about 10 years ago with the original goals of developing collaborations among the faculty members and mentoring the younger members. National and local media including NBC News, AsAmNews, WUFT, and Alligator had wide coverage of the rally. Professor Xue began by outlining the history and current challenges faced by FCFA, emphasizing their shift towards addressing campus influences. During the China Initiative, FCFA met with the provost, the vice president for research, and the president and talked about issues of concern such as compliance and outside activity reports that led to some regulations that may be less intrusive. The SB 846 bill came out of the 2023 legislative session to target academic exchange and collaborations. Despite assurance about SB 846 that students would not be affected, the Board of Governors – the governing body for all state universities in Florida – put out more restrictions including those on hiring graduate students and scholars in October 2023. This has become the focal point of the FCFA fight, prompting FCFA's response, including a rally and media engagement with help from national and local organizations such as the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF). Over 200 participants, including faculty, students, and national organization representatives, joined the rally, raising awareness and advocating for academic freedom and non-discriminatory hiring practices. FCFA expressed gratitude for the support received, including the Graduate Assistants United, AASF, Advancing Justice | AAJC, APA Justice, UCA, ACLU Florida, and the Brennan Center. FCFA outlined three key requests: restoring faculty hiring rights, upholding academic freedom, and depoliticizing education. Positive outcomes included media attention and strengthened connections between local and national groups. Though direct feedback from the Board of Directors was limited, FCFA remains optimistic about potential amendments. Professor Peng highlighted the establishment of a supportive relationship with the faculty union and participation in a public comment session at the Board of Governors meeting. Professor Li emphasized the importance of national support, a well-structured platform, and individual responsibilities in achieving a successful rally. A summary for the April APA Justice monthly meeting has been posted at. https://bit.ly/3vVMsif . We thank these speakers for their reports and updates: • Nisha Ramachandran, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, nisha.ramachandran@mail.house.gov • Joanna YangQing Derman, Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC • Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), gpkusakawa@aasforum.org • Professors Jiangeng Xue, Zhong-Ren Peng, and Chenglong Li, Florida Chinese Faculty Association (FCFA) • Robert Underwood, Commissioner, President's Advisory Commission on AA and NHPI; Former Chair, CAPAC; Former President, University of Guam • Yvonne Lee, Commissioner, USDA Equity Commission David Inoue, Executive Director, Japanese American Citizens League, was not able to join the meeting. Expanded FISA Authorized for Two Years Authority of The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was expanded and extended for two years under the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act. This is the text for P.L. 118-49: https://bit.ly/3WbyNOH According to Forbes on April 24, 2024, more than 10 years have passed since Edward Snowden revealed the worst surveillance scandal of the FBI and the NSA in U.S. history. His revelations sparked a vivid discussion—one that can be looked at with more precision now that the heated debate that started one decade ago has settled for the next two years: How can we balance the security and privacy requirements of our modern societies? Snowden brought some of the most intrusive surveillance programs of U.S. authorities to light, the most prominent ones being PRISM, XKeyscore and Boundless Informant. Once the public started to understand how much of their private data they willingly share online is being siphoned off, analyzed and scanned, the question arose whether this form of surveillance is required to keep citizens safe or violate citizens' privacy rights without measurable benefit. Regarding the Snowden leaks, there is only one solution to balancing security and privacy requirements: Privacy rights are indisputable. Governments and authorities must (and can) find ways to combat terrorists and other threats to national security with targeted surveillance measures—not by monitoring the entire population of a country. If we submit to general mass surveillance out of false fears of terrorists, we give up not just our privacy but also our freedom. 100% security is never possible—whether we allow mass surveillance or not. But the best possible security can only be achieved with maximum privacy because the encryption that makes our online life private also protects us from terrorists, such as malicious attackers on the web, as well as state-sponsored surveillance by autocratic countries. Read the Forbes report: https://bit.ly/49ZUWT7 May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Asian Pacific American Heritage Month originated in June 1977 when Representatives Frank Horton (New York) and Norman Y. Mineta (California) called for the establishment of Asian/Pacific Heritage Week. Hawaii senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both bills passed, and in 1978 President Jimmy Carter signed the resolution. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush expanded the celebration from a week to a month. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated to commemorate the arrival in May 1843 of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States and the role of Chinese laborers in the completion of the first transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. We celebrate the contributions that generations of AANHPIs have made to American history, society, and culture. This year's theme set by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center is "Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future." The Census Bureau produces these facts about the AANHPI populations in 2024: https://bit.ly/3ITFME7 . Here is a sampling of activities across the country: • Chicago • East Bay Regional Park • Houston • Library of Congress • New York City arts and culture • Orlando • Philadelphia • Seattle • U.S. Government News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/04/30 Understanding Implicit Bias and How to Combat It 2024/05/02 AAGEN 2024 Executive Leadership Workshop 2024/05/04 Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice Book Tour 2024/05/05 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2024/05/13-14 2024 APAICS Legislative Leadership Summit 2024/05/14 Serica Initiative: 7th Annual Women's Gala dinner Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. Heritage, Culture, and Community: The Future of America's Chinatowns WHAT: Heritage, Culture, and Community: The Future of America's Chinatowns WHEN: May 22, 2024, 5:00 pm ET WHERE: Hybrid event; 901 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 HOST: US-China Education Trust Moderator: Jen Lin-Liu, author Panelists: • Grace Young, cookbook author, culinary historian, and activist • Di Gao, senior director of research and development, National Trust for Historic Preservation • Penny Lee, documentary producer, director, and film editor DESCRIPTION: The panel will examine the importance and preservation of America’s Chinatowns today and delve into DC Chinatown and Chinese food’s unique and evolving role in the nation’s capital. REGISTRATION: To be announced Back View PDF April 29, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #88 Rep. Raskin Remarks; Cooley Steps Up; House Hearing; White Paper; UTK; Week of Action #88 Rep. Raskin Remarks; Cooley Steps Up; House Hearing; White Paper; UTK; Week of Action Back View PDF October 11, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

July 17, 2019 On July 17, 2019, law.com published a commentary titled: “Daily Dicta: Prosecutions Don’t get much More Pathetic Than This Case Against a Louisiana Scientist.” “This case” refers to the prosecution of Dr. Ehab Meselhe , a prominent Egyptian American professor of the Department of River-Coastal Science and Engineering at Tulane University. There is a second defendant in the case, Mr. Kelin Hu (胡克林) , a computer scientist and research assistant professor at Tulane University who is a U.S. permanent resident born in China. Both men were charged by the U.S. government for conspiracy and attempt to steal trade secrets (a computer simulation program that models how the Mississippi River Delta might evolve due to environmental changes and projects the impact of proposed restoration efforts) and to commit computer fraud and abuse on May 29, 2019 (case number 3:19-cr-00061). According to a media report , Mr. Hu was dramatically escorted from the Water Institute of the Gulf building by Baton Rouge police officers and FBI agents. After the U.S. government admitted that “it cannot meet its burden of proof in this matter” on July 15, the case was dismissed by the Louisiana Middle District Court. “I was a federal prosecutor for 20 years in New Orleans, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Dr. Meselhe's lawyer. FBI Director Christopher Wray has testified in Congress on July 23 that The FBI has over 1,000 investigations open into attempted intellectual property theft, nearly all of them involving Chinese. Previous Next Another Bungled Economic Espionage Prosecution

Newsletter - #153 APA Justice Comments; 11/07 Meeting; National Law Journal; Chemistry World; AAAS #153 APA Justice Comments; 11/07 Meeting; National Law Journal; Chemistry World; AAAS Back View PDF November 1, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #176 4/17 Roundtable; Red Scare/McCarthyism; Texas; ISSCO Videos/Photos; Non-Random Surveys #176 4/17 Roundtable; Red Scare/McCarthyism; Texas; ISSCO Videos/Photos; Non-Random Surveys In This Issue #176 2023/04/17 Roundtable on a National Alert Network Fight Back the Return of the Red Scare and McCarthyism Chinese Americans Fight for Their Place in Texas Online Videos and Photos of the ISSCO 30th Anniversary Conference "Inference Using Non-Random Samples? Stop Right There!" 2023/04/17 Roundtable on a National Alert Network WHEN: Monday, April 17, 2023, 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT WHAT: Online Roundtable DESCRIPTION: Inaugural roundtable to establish the purpose and functions of a national media alert network and strike teams to assertively address immediate xenophobic challenges to our freedoms and longer-term proactive actions to ensure fairness and justice for all, including the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and immigrant communities. REGISTRATION: This is an event by invitation only to guests and official representative(s) of AAPI organizations. Members at the Roundtable will be sent a panelist link. Others please register at http://bit.ly/3KvlMI8 Fight Back the Return of the Red Scare and McCarthyism According to a report by the Los Angeles Times on April 9, 2023, the far-rightring site Daily Caller, co-founded by Fox News showman Tucker Carlson , published a hit piece devoid of damning facts, heavy on innuendo and liberally sprinkled with the words "alleged" and "allegedly," that painted former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Walter Wang as dangerous stooges of the Chinese Communist Party. Walter Wang, a Taiwanese immigrant, is chief executive of Los Angeles-based pipe manufacturer JM Eagle and a longtime American citizen.Wang 's friends and close business associates know better than to believe the story, "but the people who are not close to me and don't know me well are going to think of me now in a negative light. It could really hurt my reputation." The Garcetti piece also lit into Dominic Ng , Chief Executive of Pasadena-based East West Bank. And previous Daily Caller stories have taken aim at Frank Wu , the president of Queen's College, City University of New York, and Asian Americans involved with the mainstream news outlet the China Project. As tensions rise between the governments of the United States and China, the Daily Caller has leaned into narratives with a similar theme: Chinese and Taiwanese Americans with any connections to China are probably up to some unAmerican activities."If every Chinese American in a photo with any Chinese official is suspect, you're talking about every successful Chinese person," said Frank Wu, "this is about whether or not you have an Asian face."Wu himself became a target of accusations by the Daily Caller last December. That story went after an English language news site called the China Project. No solid facts underpin the innuendo. The article named Wu and other ethnic Asians who sit on the China Project's advisory board. They "appear to belong," the Daily Caller said, to a group called the Committee of 100. Wu says he is in fact a proud members of the committee, which was founded by architect I.M. Pei and cellist Yo-Yo Ma and comprises prominent Chinese Americans who work together to address political, cultural and economic issues between the U.S. and China.Wu, Ng, and Wang see the articles as part of a poisonous campaign to smear political opponents, an approach that pairs McCarthy-era Red Scare tactics with anti-Asian racism.At the same time, all three say they enjoy powerful positions that protect them to some extent from the worst forms of racism.Asian Americans in general have been known to keep a low profile in politics, but it is time to speak up. "We can't just be talking among ourselves in the Asian community, the outreach has to be broader. I'm worrying about being the silent majority," Ng said."We have to fight this," said Wang, who is contemplating a lawsuit. "If we don't fight it, who will?" Read the Los Angeles Times report: http://bit.ly/3GqwM8I Chinese Americans Fight for Their Place in Texas According to a report by the Texas Tribune on April 3, 2023, a mid-January Twitter post by Governor Greg Abbott alerted Chinese Americans across Texas that their rights might be trampled as state lawmakers rushed to burnish their geopolitical credentials.On January 15, the Republican governor told his 1 million followers he was ready to sign into law Texas Senate Bill 147 that would ban “citizens, governments & entities” of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from purchasing land in the state, in effect blocking some immigrants from becoming homeowners.The bill restricting land ownership was followed by kindred proposals to ban international college students from those same countries and to cut off Texans’ access to TikTok and another social media platform that’s become crucial for the Chinese diaspora living in the state to communicate with family in China.As the Legislature’s work has ramped up, the political headwinds have drafted Chinese Americans into defending their foothold in a state where many have lived for decades, and where Asian Americans have reliably made up the fastest-growing segment of population for years. They’ve grown fearful of a legislative culture that could feed challenges to the rights of Asian Texans, as well as Texans from the other targeted countries. “You can target foreign governments, you can target [the] foreign Chinese Communist Party, but you have to separate that from the individuals that are already in this country and protected by the Constitution,” said Hugh Li , president of the Austin Chinese-American Network and a naturalized citizen of 18 years. “This is our land too. This is our home too. So for the Texas Legislature to want to pass these kinds of bills targeting us and strip away our rights, it’s just not right.”More recently, House Bill 2206 was introduced to ban social media platforms “developed or provided” by entities in the four countries. The social media bill echoes federal efforts to scrutinize popular platforms like TikTok and WeChat over security concerns related to China’s access to Americans' data.The proposals have left it to Chinese Americans to delineate for lawmakers that their lives in Texas exist far apart from geopolitical considerations. At a House hearing in March, a contingent of Chinese Americans waited more than six hours to testify against the legislation that would ban social media platforms, detailing how they rely on WeChat to stay in touch with family. They held up screenshots of video chats between grandparents and grandchildren. One Texan grew emotional as they described how the bill would sever the “bridge for emotional connection” for many Chinese Americans.WeChat is used by 1.3 billion people every month. In China, the platform is reportedly heavily censored and serves as an instrument for mass government surveillance. In households across the state, however, Chinese Americans primarily rely on the messaging and calling tools available through WeChat to connect with family members and friends back in China, where the use of the app is ubiquitous and where other social media or messaging platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp are banned.In 58 pages of testimony submitted in writing to the committee, Texans described WeChat as an “indispensable lifeline connecting us to our families, friends, and culture.” Some described how the use of WeChat in the U.S. has grown into an important tool for businesses connecting with supplies overseas. It was crucial for Chinese restaurants fighting to stay afloat at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s used by day cares to send notifications to parents and by community groups to distribute news, notifications and even weather warnings that otherwise would not be translated from English. The app even serves as a platform for Bible studies among Chinese-speaking churches.Others raised claims of unconstitutionality and questioned why Chinese Americans would be targeted in what they described as an affront to their First Amendment and equal protection rights. Federal courts blocked the Trump administration’s 2020 efforts to block TikTok and WeChat in the United States through executive orders, though the effort has more recently gained bipartisan support in Congress, where national security concerns have reverberated among lawmakers from both parties. Some described how the use of WeChat in the U.S. has grown into an important tool for businesses connecting with supplies overseas. It was crucial for Chinese restaurants fighting to stay afloat at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s used by day cares to send notifications to parents and by community groups to distribute news, notifications and even weather warnings that otherwise would not be translated from English. The app even serves as a platform for Bible studies among Chinese-speaking churches.Others raised claims of unconstitutionality and questioned why Chinese Americans would be targeted in what they described as an affront to their First Amendment and equal protection rights. Federal courts blocked the Trump administration’s 2020 efforts to block TikTok and WeChat in the United States through executive orders, though the effort has more recently gained bipartisan support in Congress, where national security concerns have reverberated among lawmakers from both parties. “It’s just a reminder that the place of immigrants in this country and this state is so tenuous, and it can all be taken away so easily,” she said.Read the Texas Tribune report: http://bit.ly/40RvbRi Online Videos and Photos of the ISSCO 30th Anniversary Conference ISSCO, the International Society for the Study of Chinese Overseas, was established in 1992. On November 11-12, 2022, ISSCO convened its 30th Anniversary Conference in San Francisco.Five videos from the plenary sessions of the conference are online: Keynote by Mae Ngai and Welcome (1:22:08). Introduction: Lok SIU; Welcome: Raka RAY, LIN Rupeng, LI Minghuan, WANG Gungwu, and Ling-chi WANG; Keynote: Mae M. NGAI Racial Profiling and Discrimination against Chinese American Scientists and Engineers (1:39:06). Speakers: Sherry CHEN, Xiaoxing XI, Gang CHEN, and Jeremy S. WU; Moderator: Lillian K. SING The Pandemic and Anti-Asian Violence in the U.S. (1:30:43). Welcome: Lok SIU; Speakers: Russell JEUNG, John WALSH, and Cynthia CHOI, Moderator: Henry DER Changing US-China Relations and Their Impact on Chinese in the U.S. and Elsewhere (1:27:43). Speakers: Julie TANG, Gordon CHANG, K.J. NOH, and George KOO; Moderator: Don TOW; Concluding remarks: Lok SIU ISSCO Founders Roundtable (54:24). Moderator: Madeline HSU; Slideshow by: Wei LI; Speakers: Ling-chi WANG, Karen HARRIS, Emmanuel MA MUNG, and Teresita ANG SEE An album of photos from the conference is available here: https://bit.ly/3mj3py2 . If you would like to use the photos for any purpose, please contact the photographer Joyce Xi at joyceyxi11@gmail.com . Joyce can also provide higher-resolution files. "Inference Using Non-Random Samples? Stop Right There!" Surveys are commonly used to measure the current state of affairs or the opinions of a group of people. One of the most significant scientific innovations at the end of the nineteenth century is the introduction of probability-based or random sampling. According to the Significance Magazine in October 2021 ,"statistical inference is a powerful concept. Among other things, it allows us to infer information about a population based on a sample of data from that population. To make appropriate inferences from sample to population, certain pre-conditions need to be met. One of these pre-conditions is that data come from a random sample." Incredibly, a small random sample of say 1,000 individuals would allow statistical inference to be made about the Chinese American population of about 5.5 million within some margin of measurable sampling error.However, random surveys can be costly, laborious, and difficult to conduct. Non-random surveys are also conducted, but the scope of inference is limited to the survey respondents. The temptation to go beyond this boundary is strong. The Significance article observes that inferential statistics should not be used in non-random studies. "However, in many cases, they are. A lack of awareness of the need for random sampling among researchers leads them to go through the motions... Even when researchers themselves do know this, they can find themselves compelled to perform inference by ignorant referees.""in short, if we do not start with a random sample, turning what we have into one is challenging or even impossible. In such cases, we should accept the hard truth that statistical inference is not possible. We must simply report what the data show - and refuse to push them statistically further," the Significance article concludes.In a separate article by Nature in December 2021 which examined the estimates of first-dose COVID-19 vaccine uptake in US adults from 9 January to 19 May 2021, it was shown "how a survey of 250,000 respondents can produce an estimate of the population mean that is no more accurate than an estimate from a simple random sample of size 10. Our central message is that data quality matters more than data quantity, and that compensating the former with the latter is a mathematically provable losing proposition." Next time you see the release of a survey and its results, you may want to look deeper into how the inferences are made on the respondents only or an entire population. 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 April 10, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #283 10/7 Meeting; Firsthand Accounts; Chinese American Survey; McCarthyism; Dr. Min Wu; + #283 10/7 Meeting; Firsthand Accounts; Chinese American Survey; McCarthyism; Dr. Min Wu; + In This Issue #283 · 2024/10/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Firsthand Accounts of the Harmful Effects of the China Initiative · C100 Unveils The 2024 State of Chinese Americans Survey · Dr. Min Wu Recognized with Top Faculty Honor · McCarthyism and the House Un-American Activities Committee · News and Activities for the Communities 2024/10/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, October 7, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , ExecutiveDirector, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: · Grace Meng , Member, U.S. House of Representatives; First Vice-Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus · Gene Wu , Texas State Representative · Min Fan , Executive Director, U.S. Heartland China Association 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 . *****U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng is serving her sixth term in the United States House of Representatives, where she represents New York's Sixth Congressional District. She returns to update us on the current state of Asian Pacific Americans.State Representative Gene Wu serves the people of District 137 in the Texas House. Rep. Gene Wu will urge the community to wake up to the threats of anti-Asian laws at the state and federal level. Min Fan introduced USHCA to us at the February 2024 monthly meeting. She returns to update us on an upcoming hybrid event "China in the Heartland: Building a Balanced Approach" at the University of Kansas, the 4th Annual U.S.-China Agriculture Roundtable in June, and related activities of USHCA. ***** Summary for the September 2024 APA Justice monthly meeting has been posted here: https://bit.ly/3zzWcjR . In addition to Nisha Ramachandran, Joanna YangQing Derman , and Gisela Perez Kusakawa who gave their updates about CAPAC, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and AASF respectively, we thank these invited speakers: · Christine Chen from APIAVote for her discussion to boost voter participation among AA and NHPI, and its efforts to intensify outreach through events, mailings, and phone banking while emphasizing early and mail-in voting, aiming to engage first-time voters, especially in battleground states. · Jane Shim from AALDEF for her discussion of the ongoing case of Dr. Yanping Chen , who is suing the government for leaking her personal information to Fox News , which falsely implied she was spying for China. AALDEF has filed an amicus brief supporting Dr. Chen’s privacy rights, emphasizing the harm caused by irresponsible media reporting and the need to protect Asian Americans from discrimination. · Sandy Shan from Justice Is Global led a discussion on a brief advocating for a progressive U.S.-China policy to replace the current confrontational approach, which fuels xenophobia and geopolitical tensions. Tori Bateman from the Quincy Institute proposes reforms to foster cooperation, address shared challenges, and promote global sustainability, especially during Congress's "China Week." Read past summaries of APA Justice monthly meetings at https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP Firsthand Accounts of the Harmful Effects of the China Initiative On September 25, 2024, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) posted a video (3:51) on X and Instagram, providing firsthand accounts of the harmful effects of the China Initiative, which "painted academics of Chinese descent as spies for the CCP, leading to the racial profiling and wrongful arrests of innocent researchers." Testimonies were made by Professors Gang Chen , Anming Hu , and Franklin Tao and Hong Peng , Professor Tao's wife. Watch the video on X: https://bit.ly/3zzfwxA and Instagram: https://bit.ly/4eeTHCH C100 Unveils The 2024 State of Chinese Americans Survey On September 25, 2024, the Committee of 100 (C100) unveiled the findings of its 2024 State of Chinese Americans Survey. The survey was conducted to help address the insufficient data necessary to inform and address ongoing discrimination, stereotypes, and misperceptions about Chinese Americans, and the many gaps in knowledge that remain about Chinese Americans’ political attitudes and behaviors.“Understanding the mental health, discrimination and political perspectives of Chinese Americans is essential to create inclusive and informed policies,” said Cindy Tsai , Interim President, Committee of 100. “These insights not only enrich political dialogue but also foster a more equitable society."According to the survey, about three quarters of Chinese American citizens (76%) are certain they will turn out to vote in November’s presidential election. A little less than half of Chinese Americans (46%) identify as Democrats, 31% Republicans, and 24% Independents.Chinese Americans have been targeted in a surge of both popular and policy-driven racism over the last decade. The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a wave of anti-Asian and anti-Chinese hate across the country that endures at an elevated level, causing lasting and severe financial, social, health, and emotional harm across the Asian American population.Chinese Americans also face discrimination from federal and state policies. Many were falsely accused of espionage under the auspices of the China Initiative, further extending racist stereotypes of the population as perpetual foreigners loyal to Chinese national interests. While the codified racism of the China Initiative formally ended in 2022, many states have recently passed legislation prohibiting U.S. residents with Chinese citizenship from owning property. The Washington Post reported that the survey showed that 68% of Chinese Americans said they face at least one form of discrimination in an average month, while 65% said they think the state of U.S.-China relations negatively impacts how other Americans treat them. The survey also asked about mental health, and 43% of Chinese Americans said they felt depressed. A large majority — 81 percent — of Chinese Americans said they are “at least a little concerned” about rhetoric used by presidential candidates when talking about China or U.S.-China relations, and 61 percent said U.S. news media rhetoric on the subject “negatively affects how strangers treat them,” Read the Washington Post report: https://wapo.st/3XXTUo9 The South China Morning Post reported that nearly six in 10 Chinese Americans reported hearing about legislative efforts by many states and the US Congress to limit individuals who hold Chinese citizenship from owning houses, farmland and other stateside property. Of those who had heard about the legislation, two thirds thought it had a negative effect on how others treated them.“We were surprised at the large percentage of responses when it came to issues of mental health and wellness and how the relationship with the US and China impacts how Chinese-Americans are feeling discriminated against,” said Sam Collitt , a research and data scientist with C100. “We know there are issues related to shame and language barriers that prevent discussions from taking place,” said Collitt, adding that overall Asian Americans were 60 per cent less likely to seek mental health services than other racial groups. Chinese Americans express high levels of concern about the state of U.S.-China relations, the likely sources of poor bilateral relations, and the downstream effects of domestic policy discrimination and discriminatory political rhetoric. Despite this, many Chinese Americans are cautiously optimistic about the ability of the U.S. and China to cooperate on a number of issues. They identified areas where Washington and Beijing could, at the margin, improve ties, including student exchanges and in fighting climate change and infectious diseases.A majority of respondents said being Chinese and being American were very important to their identity.Read the South China Morning Post report: https://bit.ly/4do9g9Y NBC News reported that 54% of Chinese Americans felt that the current relationship between the U.S. and China has had a “somewhat negative” impact on how those of Chinese descent are treated. Another 10% said the current environment had a “very negative” effect on the group. Only about 3% felt that current relations between the two countries had a positive impact on the community. Almost two-thirds think that such contentious relations can affect how other Americans treat them.“Rhetoric and language is impacting relationships with how strangers treat them, acquaintances even treat them, co-workers and colleagues,” said Nathan Chan , a co-author of the study and an assistant professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University. “This is really infiltrating into the lives of everyday Chinese Americans.” Professor Chan pointed to policies like the controversial Trump-era surveillance program the China Initiative and the former president’s language around economic espionage. The “rhetoric is not doing any good for a large swath of Chinese Americans that are then being scapegoated or held under a suspicious lens.” Jo-Ann Yoo , who heads New York City-based Asian American nonprofit Asian American Federation, said that too often, language used by media has been imprecise, leading to “sweeping generalizations” about the Chinese community. Yoo said the study’s results reflect discussions she has heard in the local community. Citing discussions around the land bans and the looming TikTok ban, which was signed into law earlier this year in an effort to combat Chinese influence, Yoo said those in the heavily immigrant community are unsure of their safety amid contentious relations.C100 partnered with NORC at the University of Chicago to reach a sample of 504 Chinese American adults for the survey. Gordon H. Chang , Professor, Stanford University; Daphne Kwok , Vice President, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Asian American & Pacific Islander Audience Strategy at AARP; and Jeremy Wu , PhD, Founder and Co-Organizer, APA Justice, serve on the Advisory Committee.Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/4doBjG2 Additional media reports:2024/09/25 AsAmNews: Belonging and discrimination weigh on Chinese Americans 2024/09/25 Bloomberg: Chinese Americans Face Racism, Mental Health Risks Amid Tensions 2024/09/25 AP: The Latest: Candidates try to counter criticisms in dueling speeches Read the C100 press release: https://bit.ly/47EQCcs , executive summary: https://bit.ly/3TIxPHG , and infographics: https://bit.ly/3N0fRfV Dr. Min Wu Recognized with Top Faculty Honor The University of Maryland (UMD) has selected Min Wu 吴旻 , Professor and Associate Dean of Engineering, as 2024 Distinguished University Professor—the highest appointment bestowed on a tenured faculty member. The title is a recognition not just of excellence, but of impact and significant contributions to the nominee’s field, knowledge, profession, and/or practice.According to the UMD announcement, Dr. Wu holds appointments in UMD’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, as well as leads the UMD Media, Analytics, and Security Team (MAST). She is a Fellow of the IEEE, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the National Academy of Inventors. Dr. Wu was elected to serve as president of the IEEE Signal Processing Society for 2024–2025, the first woman of color to be elected to this leadership role.Read the UMD announcement: https://bit.ly/4exf4in McCarthyism and the House Un-American Activities Committee According to Wikipedia, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on the part of private citizens, public employees, and those organizations suspected of having communist ties. It became a standing (permanent) committee in 1946, and from 1969 onwards it was known as the House Committee on Internal Security. When the House abolished the committee in 1975, its functions were transferred to the House Judiciary Committee.The committee's anti-communist investigations are often associated with McCarthyism, although Joseph McCarthy himself (as a U.S. Senator) had no direct involvement with the House committee. McCarthy was the chairman of the Government Operations Committee and its Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the U.S. Senate, not the House.In the wake of the downfall of McCarthy, the prestige of HUAC began a gradual decline in the late 1950s. By 1959, the committee was being denounced by former President Harry S. Truman as the "most un-American thing in the country today".HUAC hearings in August 1966 called to investigate anti-Vietnam War activities were disrupted by hundreds of protesters. The committee faced witnesses who were openly defiant.According to The Harvard Crimson :"In the fifties, the most effective sanction was terror. Almost any publicity from HUAC meant the 'blacklist'. Without a chance to clear his name, a witness would suddenly find himself without friends and without a job. But it is not easy to see how in 1969, a HUAC blacklist could terrorize an SDS activist. Witnesses like Jerry Rubin have openly boasted of their contempt for American institutions. A subpoena from HUAC would be unlikely to scandalize Abbie Hoffman or his friends." In an attempt to reinvent itself, HUAC was renamed the Internal Security Committee in 1969. On January 14, 1975, coinciding with the opening of the 94th Congress, the House Committee on Internal Security was officially disbanded. Its files and staff were subsequently transferred to the House Judiciary Committee on the same day. In July 1995, the National Archives and Records Administration published the Records of The House Un-American Activities Committee, 1945-1969, and The House Internal Security Committee, 1969-1976, which is available online at https://bit.ly/4gGw7Aq .Read Wikipedia on the House Un-American Committee: https://bit.ly/3N23NL1 News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events:2024/10/02 C100: Asian American Career Ceiling Initiative2024/10/06 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/10/08 Media Training for Election Season2024/10/10 China in the Heartland: Building a Balanced Approach2024/10/11 China and the World Forum2024/10/13 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/16 Rebuilding Trust in Science2024/10/20 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/25-27 Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the American Studies NetworkVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Delaware OKs Asian American Studies and new AAPI commission According to AsAmNews , Delaware Governor John Carney signed two bills into law on September 26, 2024, making his state the seventh in the nation to integrate Asian American and Pacific Islander history into k-12 schools along with all other American histories. The other establishes a statewide Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage and Culture. Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/3TOaF2t 3. 2024 National Overview of AANHPI According to a Fact Sheet based on Census Bureau data created by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) in collaboration with AAPI Data, the Asian American population was estimated to be around 24.2 million, including one race alone or in combination of other races. The top five ethnic groups are Chinese, Asian Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Korean. About 75% are native born or naturalized citizens. The top five most populous states are California, New York, Texas, New Jersey, and Washington. Read the WHIAAPINH Fact Sheet: https://bit.ly/3Nokq45 4. APA Justice Newsletter Web Page Moved to New Website As part of its continuing migration to a new website under construction, we have moved the Newsletters webpage to https://www.apajusticetaskforce.org/newsletters . Content of the existing website will remain, but it will no longer be updated. We value your feedback about the new web page. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF September 30, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #338 7/7 Meeting; AAU Wins Ruling; Role of Research Universities; Visa Interview to Restart #338 7/7 Meeting; AAU Wins Ruling; Role of Research Universities; Visa Interview to Restart In This Issue #338 · 2025/07/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · US Judge Rules for AAU and Universities · Tony Chan: The Role of Research Universities in a Changing World Order · State Department Restarts Student Visa Interviews with New Rules · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/07/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, July 7, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates from: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) We welcome and are honored by the following confirmed distinguished speakers: · Lynn Pasquerella , President, American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) · Toby Smith , Senior Vice President for Government Relations & Public Policy, Association of American Universities (AAU) · Clay Zhu 朱可亮 , Founder and President, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA) · Paul Cheung 鄭文耀 , President, Committee of 100 · Tony Chan 陳繁昌 , Former President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (2018–2024) and Former President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (2009–2018) 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 . US Judge Rules for AAU and Universities (Madeleine Gable, APA Justice Communications Intern, contributed to this report)According to AP News , Reuters and other media reports, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts issued a final judgment on June 20, 2025, in favor of Plaintiffs Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the American Council on Education, and 13 universities, blocking the National Science Foundation's (NSF) policy change that would have capped indirect costs for research grants at 15%. The judge ruled that the NSF's policy change is "invalid, arbitrary and capricious, and contrary to law."The civil lawsuit Association of American Universities v. National Science Foundation (1:25-cv-11231) was filed on May 5, 2025. AAU and a coalition also brought these lawsuits against the Trump administration with recent rulings: · Association of American Universities v. Department of Health & Human Services (1:25-cv-10346) . On April 4, U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley entered a final judgment and permanent injunction in favor of the Plaintiffs. The Trump administration has filed an appeal. · Association of American Universities v. Department of Energy (1:25-cv-10912) . On May 15, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs granted Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction , finding that the DOE’s Rate Cap Policy likely violates the Administrative Procedure Act—by taking agency action that conflicts with existing regulation, is arbitrary and capricious, and is impermissibly retroactive—and poses a risk of irreparable harm to research institutions. AAU is an organization of leading research universities in the U.S. and Canada, founded in 1900 to promote academic excellence and influence national higher education and research policy. Its members conduct a significant share of the nation’s research and are central to advancing innovation, economic development, and scientific leadership. Toby Smith , Senior Vice President for Government Relations & Public Policy at AAU, will speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on July 7, 2025.***** WP Opinion: Trump is Undermining U.S. Science On June 18, 2025, the Washington Post published an opinion authored by Neal Lane , physicist and former director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), and Michael Riordan , physicist and author, warning that the Trump administration’s reckless and erratic actions toward U.S. science are placing the nation at serious risk. The authors urge Congress to immediately reassert its statutory authority over National Science Foundation (NSF) funding, direction, and management in order to support and uphold the future of U.S. science, technology, economic well-being, and national security.Established in 1950, the NSF originally focused on basic research in the physical sciences, only experiencing a burst of political support and funding after the launch of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik I satellite in 1957. Throughout its tenure, the agency has contributed to the development of the internet and World Wide Web , by funding Mosaic and Stanford University’s Digital Library Initiative, in which Larry Page and Sergey Brin developed the Google search engine. NSF has also stimulated great advances in laser and quantum technologies, as well as microbiology.However, the NSF fired 168 employees in February, roughly 10% of its workforce, in compliance with Trump’s executive order aimed at reducing federal personnel to "boost efficiency." The NSF has been terminating grants at a record pace, particularly in areas such as climate science and educational diversity. In 2025, the NSF has awarded only $1 billion in new grants, just half the usual pace compared to previous years. The future seems even more bleak — Trump’s 2026 fiscal year budget calls for slashing $5 billion from the current $9 billion NSF budget. Neal Lane and Michael Riordan emphasize that wholesale firings, budget-slashing, and arbitrary elimination of grants particularly harm young, emerging scientists as they often depend on NSF fellowships and grants to launch their scientific careers. This discouragement directly harms the future of U.S. science. Tony Chan: The Role of Research Universities in a Changing World Order Tony Chan 陳繁昌 is a distinguished computational mathematician who served as the President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology from 2009–2018, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia from 2018 to 2024 .Educated at the California Institute of Technology (B.S., M.S.) and Stanford (Ph.D.), Dr. Chan held leadership roles at Yale and UCLA before becoming assistant director of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate at the U.S. National Science Foundation. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of IEEE, AAAS, and SIAM. In March 2025, Dr. Chan published an essay titled " The Role of Research Universities in a Changing World Order. " He opined that as global power centers realign, research universities are more than academic institutions—they are key players in shaping global values, talent flows, and geopolitical influence. As tensions rise between East and West across sectors like trade, technology, and security, particularly STEM-focused institutions, now face pressure to engage with broader global rivalries. In particular, 1. Geopolitics and the rise of the East Geopolitical shifts, especially China’s rise, are reshaping the role of research universities. While U.S. and European institutions have long led in innovation and academic freedom, China’s targeted investments in top universities align education with national goals for technological and economic strength. This rivalry now reflects a deeper contest over global norms and influence. As Chinese universities expand international engagement, U.S. institutions grow more insular under political pressure, national security concerns, and revived efforts like the China Initiative—leading to a steady unraveling of U.S.–China academic partnerships. 2. Student and faculty mobility: a double-edged sword The global mobility of students and faculty—once a hallmark of internationalization in higher education—is increasingly shaped by shifting geopolitics, particularly the U.S.–China rivalry. While Chinese and Indian students long sought Western education, rising visa restrictions, scrutiny over security concerns, and a perception of unwelcomeness have curbed that trend. Simultaneously, China is attracting top overseas talent back home and nurturing new generations domestically, as seen in the success of DeepSeek, an AI firm staffed by local graduates. This reverse flow challenges Western universities' ability to attract top talent and underscores the need to balance openness with national security. As global dynamics shift, talent and innovation are increasingly staying in—or returning to—China, reshaping the future of academia and global leadership in science and technology. 3. Research competition versus collaboration Tensions between competition and collaboration in research are growing, as nations race for dominance in fields like AI and biotech while needing global cooperation on issues like climate change and pandemics. Research universities are caught in the middle—fueling national innovation but reliant on international exchange. Western governments are increasingly restricting collaboration over national security concerns, often invoking vague “dual use” rules, which may backfire and hinder progress. Chinese universities remain eager to engage globally, but geopolitical pressures make partnerships difficult. Without creative ways to balance openness and security, research may fracture along national lines, slowing global progress. 4. The way forward: Navigating a complex landscape In a shifting world order, research universities face the challenge of balancing national interests with global collaboration while staying true to their mission of advancing knowledge and educating future leaders. To succeed, they must uphold core values, including long-term societal service, pragmatic engagement with national security concerns, a strong defense of academic freedom, and active leadership in shaping global discourse. Navigating this complex landscape requires resilience, vision, and courage, especially as universities play a vital role in bridging political divides and fostering shared understanding across borders. Dr. Chan will explore these issues at the APA Justice monthly meeting on July 7, 2025. State Department Restarts Student Visa Interviews with New Rules (author: Madeleine Gable, APA Justice Communications Intern)According to the Washington Post and multiple media reports, the State Department has begun student visa interviews after a three-week hiatus, implementing a strict social media vetting process set to take effect in the coming week.The thorough vetting process requires applicants’ social media accounts to be public in order to be scrutinized for perceived hostility towards the U.S. or risk extreme penalties in the application process. State Department staff members have been instructed to “identify applicants who bear hostile attitudes toward our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles; who advocate for, aid or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to U.S. national security; or who perpetrate unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence.” The vetting process applies to all foreign nationals who apply for F, M, and J visas, regardless of the institution of study. Affecting not only new candidates but also those whose applications are currently in progress, the new vetting process also includes applicants who have already been interviewed but have not been finally approved.In justification of the policy, the State Department pointed to two executive orders from President Donald Trump , one designed to block hostile foreign actors from entering the country and the other to address antisemitism. The Department reiterated it remains concerned with protecting American institutions of higher education from those who would “steal technical information, exploit U.S. research and development, and spread false information for political or other reasons.”Several critics of the policy have expressed concern over its vague nature, suggesting a broader interpretation could result in the government denying visas from those who deserve them. Several government-affiliated individuals raised concerns about the increased burden on consulates, noting that officials do not have the time to complete the thorough vetting process for every applicant. The agency issued 446,000 student visas in 2023.While education advocates have expressed relief that the three-week hiatus is over, concerns remain that the policy will discourage international students from seeking overseas educational opportunities in the U.S.***** In a separate development, on June 20, 2025, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs of Massachusetts issued an order temporarily blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to prevent Harvard University from hosting international students, according to AP News and other outlets. The ruling marks a legal victory for Harvard as it continues to challenge multiple federal sanctions in an ongoing dispute with the White House. While the order preserves Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students while the case proceeds, it does not resolve all legal questions. Judge Burroughs noted that the federal government retains the authority to evaluate Harvard’s eligibility to host international students through standard legal procedures. “We expect the judge to issue a more enduring decision in the coming days,” Harvard said in an email to international students. “Our Schools will continue to make contingency plans to ensure that our international students and scholars can pursue their academic work to the fullest extent possible, should there be any changes to visa eligibility or enrollment status.” News and Activities for the Communities APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/06/16-24 Discover China 2025: Summer Youth Exchange to the Greater Bay Area2025/06/25 Bridging Relationships with Policymakers2025/06/28-30 2025 ICSA China Conference2025/06/29 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/07/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/07/13 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/07/25-27 Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony 2025/07/27 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Andrea Chen Appointed Executive Director of the Vincent Chin Institute The Vincent Chin Institute (VCI) has announced the appointment of Andrea Chen as its first Executive Director. VCI was founded in 2023 to continue the mission and work of the past 40 years of movement and building solidarity against anti-Asian violence and all forms of hate.Andrea Chen brings over 20 years of experience driving systemic change through racial justice and economic inclusion initiatives. She served for more than 15 years as CEO and Co-founder of Propeller, a nationally recognized social innovation incubator based in New Orleans, Louisiana. In her role as Executive Director, Andrea Chen will lead three core program areas: Community Organizing, Narrative Change, and Education.A commemoration of the death of Vincent Chin took place the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles on June 23, 2025, the 43rd anniversary of his death. Vincent Chin was murdered in Detroit in an anti-Asian hate crime, sparking a national movement for Asian American civil rights. Speakers at the commemoration include Aki Maehara , professor of Asian American history at East Los Angeles College, who was the victim of an apparent hate crime earlier this year and a speaker at the June 2025 APA Justice monthly meeting. 3. Physics Today Interviews Dr. Xiaoxing Xi In a report by Physics Today on June 20, 2025, physicist Xiaoxing Xi 郗小星 recounts how the Cultural Revolution deeply affected his childhood, with his father imprisoned as a “counterrevolutionary” and his education interrupted. After Mao Zedong ’s death, China reopened its universities, and Dr. Xi seized the opportunity to study at Peking University—an experience that set him on the path to becoming a scientist and eventually immigrating to the U.S.These early experiences left Dr. Xi with a strong awareness of political injustice, which shaped his reaction to his own wrongful arrest in the U.S. in 2015. Some have described the United States is going through its own Cultural Revolution today.Read the Physics Today report: https://bit.ly/3HV6EGp # # # 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 . 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Newsletter - #118 CAPAC Meets President; Senator Wicker on DOC; Letter to Olsen; Editorials; Anming Hu #118 CAPAC Meets President; Senator Wicker on DOC; Letter to Olsen; Editorials; Anming Hu Back View PDF March 8, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #144 9/12 Meeting; State Dept Event; NSF on NSPM-33; Support Prof Xi; Updates on Nomination #144 9/12 Meeting; State Dept Event; NSF on NSPM-33; Support Prof Xi; Updates on Nomination Back View PDF September 9, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter