The University of North Texas has suddenly ended its relationship with visiting scholars receiving funding from China. August 26, 2020 On August 26, 2020, the University of North Texas (UNT) announced that it has ended "its relationship with visiting scholars who receive funding from the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC, also known as the Chinese Scholarship Fund)." Access to UNT email, servers, and other materials, as well as the J-1 program under the U.S. Exchange Visit Program, were terminated immediately. In essence, the action expelled these scholars from the United States. On August 31, 2020, Ling-Chi Wang, Professor Emeritus at UC Berkeley, wrote a letter to UNT to express "shock and profound concern" over the sudden expulsion of students from the university and the U.S. "In the absence of any legitimate explanation, the expulsion appears to be national origin-based and possibly racially and politically motivated, an action explicitly prohibited by Title VI of the Civil Right Act of 1964," Professor Wang wrote in the letter. On the same day, retired Julie Tang also wrote to UNT to protest the expulsion of Chinese students . "Their summary removal from the College appears to be a serious violation of their constitutional rights to equal protection and due process of the law under the 14th Amendment," Judge Tang said in the letter. UNT President Neal Smatresk had issued a statement on " Moving Forward and Living Our Values as a Diverse, Inclusive Community " on June 17, 2020. "I am steadfastly committed to celebrating our diversity and working toward the changes necessary for our university to lead in the fight against racism and bias so that each and every individual feels like a valued member of our Mean Green family," the statement said. A concerned individual has also sent a protest message to UNT President Smatresk, pointing out that the purge of Chinese scholars is not based on misbehavior but on the source of their funding assistance. The UNT letter is a "get-out-of-Dodge" letter from the "Sheriff" with no pretense of due process. " It is a resurrection of the shameful Chinese Exclusion Acts of the past." On September 3, 2020, the petition to " Take back the decision to end the relationship with the Chinese scholars who fund by CSC " has gathered morfe than 6,000 signatures. It has been reported that UNT expelled 15 Chinese government-backed scholars. It is unknown at this time whether the expulsion is a unilateral decision made by UNT, how many other higher education institutions have taken similar action on their own, or an implemenation of a government policy. Available evidence suggests that it may be related to a 2020/08/18 letter from a State Department official. The University of North Texas has suddenly ended its relationship with visiting scholars receiving funding from China. Previous Next Another Purge of Scholars from China?

Newsletter - #334 6/2 Monthly Meeting; Influence of Hate & Extremism; CAPAC Concerns in U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students; Wu Chien-Shiung #334 6/2 Monthly Meeting; Influence of Hate & Extremism; CAPAC Concerns in U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students; Wu Chien-Shiung In This Issue #334 · 2025/06/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Influence of Hate and Extremism Grow; Attacked Asian Professor Speaks Out · CAPAC Expressed Concerns in the U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students · Chinese Students at Harvard Cancel Flights, Scramble for Legal Help After Trump Ban · U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Plans for Expanded Social Media Screening · Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Harvard Foreign Student Ban Amid Escalating Clash · Wu Chien-Shiung: The Chinese-American Physicist Who Changed Science But Was Denied the Nobel · 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), Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), invited speakers are: · Judy Chu , Member, U.S. House of Representative · Aki Maehara , Professor, Historian, East Los Angeles College · Ya Liu , Member, North Carolina House of Representatives · Juanita Brent , Member, Ohio House of Representative · Christina Ku and Gerald Ohn, Co-Founders, Asian American Civil Rights League · Brian Sun , Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright · Edgar Chen , Special Policy Advisor, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) 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 . Influence of Hate and Extremism Grow Despite Numbers Decline; Attacked Asian Professor Speaks Out The Associated Press recently reported that the number of hate and extremist groups in the United States slightly declined in 2024, but not because their influence is waning—in fact, the opposite may be true. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), whose annual Year in Hate and Extremism report was released Thursday, many white nationalist, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti-government ideologies have become increasingly mainstream, infiltrating politics, education, and public discourse. The SPLC counted 1,371 hate and extremist groups in 2024, down 5% from the previous year. Of these, 533 were active hate groups, a continued decline from the 1,021 peak in 2018. But researchers cautioned against reading this as progress. “The trends have slightly sort of gone up and down but let’s just say generally, since our tracking, have increased,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “And that’s not just on a total numbers level but also on a per capita.” One reason for the drop, the SPLC says, is that extremist views are being adopted more widely, reducing the need for formal group structures. These include calls for bans on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, opposition to LGBTQ+ visibility, and the rise in book bans. Anti-government groups rose to 838, with many believing the federal government is “tyrannical.” The SPLC also noted a rise in male supremacist hate groups, growing from nine to 16 in 2024. These groups promote strict gender roles and misogyny. Their emergence coincides with Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the first woman of color to win a major party’s presidential nomination. “We saw intense vilification, the claiming of demonization of Harris,” Rivas said, adding that far-right online spaces falsely portrayed women as unqualified to lead. The report’s release coincided with the public appearance of Aki Maehara , a 71-year-old Japanese American professor at East Los Angeles College who survived a violent hate crime in April. Maehara held a press conference on May 22 at the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles to speak publicly about this violent incident he experienced, which is being investigated as a possible hate crime. On April 29, while riding his electric bicycle home in Montebello, Maehara was struck from behind by a car. The driver reportedly shouted anti-Asian slurs, including “Go back to Ch—k-land,” before fleeing the scene. Maehara sustained multiple injuries, including a concussion, fractured cheekbone, neck injury, and extensive bruising. “I am wanting to add my voice to efforts to address fascist, racist violence,” Maehara said during this press conference. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to assist with Maehara's medical expenses and recovery, raising over $82,000 as of May 27. A change.org page was also set up with the title “Demand Justice for Professor Aki Maehara: Fully Investigate This Hate Crime.” Despite being injured, Maehara has returned to teaching his course on racism in the U.S. and is considering donating part of the nearly money raised for his recovery to other victims of hate violence. “All of your support, concern and care has helped to speed up my healing,” he told supporters. Watch the full YouTube interview with Professor Maehara: Decolonizing Academia: An interview with Professor Aki Maehara, Historian, Activist In this interview, Maehara shared his experiences growing up in East LA, intergenerational trauma, Vietnam and more. CAPAC Expressed Concerns in the U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students In response to Secretary Rubio saying that the U.S. will “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese students, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) issued a statement pressing concerns: “The wholesale revocation of student visas based on national origin — and without an investigation — is xenophobic and wrong. “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.” According to New York Times , Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the students who will have their visas canceled include people with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and those studying in “critical fields.” He added that the State Department was revising visa criteria to “enhance scrutiny” of all future applications from China, including Hong Kong. The move was certain to send ripples of anxiety across university campuses in the United States. China is the country of origin for the second-largest group of international students in the United States. Chinese Students at Harvard Cancel Trips, Scramble for Legal Help After Trump Ban According to Reuters , Chinese students at Harvard University were left reeling on Friday after the Trump administration blocked the school from enrolling international students, triggering panic, canceled flights, and widespread legal uncertainty. The administration’s order—citing allegations that Harvard had coordinated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), among other claims—would force current foreign students to transfer to other institutions or risk losing their legal status. The policy could potentially be expanded to include other universities as well. Zhang , a 24-year-old PhD student in physics, said the Chinese student community felt particularly vulnerable. “I think the Chinese community definitely feels like a more targeted entity compared to other groups,” he said. Fearing escalation, friends even advised him to avoid staying at his apartment in case of immigration enforcement action. “They think it’s possible that an ICE agent can take you from your apartment,” he said, requesting anonymity for safety reasons. The uncertainty caused immediate disruptions. Zhang Kaiqi , a 21-year-old master’s student in public health, had packed his bags for a flight back to China when the order hit. “I was sad and irritated. For a moment I thought it was fake news,” he said. He canceled the flight—losing both money and a summer internship with a U.S. NGO in China. Many students were especially concerned about losing visa-linked internships vital for future graduate school applications. Others scrambled for legal advice. Two Chinese students said they were added to WhatsApp groups where panicked peers shared updates and legal tips. One transcript showed a lawyer advising students not to travel domestically or leave the country until official school guidance was issued. A federal judge issued a two-week restraining order, temporarily freezing the ban. The Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned the action, warning it would damage the U.S.’s international credibility and pledging to protect the rights of Chinese students abroad. “It will only damage the image and international credibility of the United States,” the ministry said. Some Chinese families are now reconsidering the U.S. as an education destination. “It’s likely to be a final nudge toward other destinations,” said Pippa Ebel, an education consultant based in Guangzhou. Incoming Harvard master’s student Zhao , 23, said she may defer or transfer if the situation doesn’t improve. “It’s really disturbed my life plans. I had planned to apply for my U.S. visa in early June, and now I’m not sure what to do,” she said. U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Plans for Expanded Social Media Screening According to Politico , Associated Press , NPR , and others, the U.S. State Department has temporarily halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students, signaling a further tightening of the Trump administration’s approach toward international students. The pause, which does not affect applicants with already scheduled interviews, comes as the government prepares to implement more stringent screening of applicants' social media activity. According to a diplomatic cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by The Associated Press, consular sections have been instructed not to add "any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity" until new guidance on expanded vetting is issued. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce defended the move during a Tuesday briefing, saying, “We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that’s coming here, whether they are students or otherwise.” The suspension, first reported by Politico , adds to a growing list of measures targeting foreign students. Just last week, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, a decision that was swiftly challenged in court and is now temporarily blocked. Earlier this year, the administration also revoked the legal status of thousands of international students, prompting legal battles and widespread concern. Critics argue these measures risk disrupting academic plans and damaging U.S. higher education institutions that rely heavily on international students for both diversity and revenue. Many foreign students pay full tuition, helping universities offset declining federal funding. An anonymous U.S. official told the Associated Press that the current halt is temporary, but uncertainty looms. “This kind of broad suspension without clarity creates a chilling effect on applicants and institutions alike,” the official noted. With the summer and fall terms approaching, the prolonged visa delays could significantly impact enrollment and campus life across the country. Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Harvard Foreign Student Ban Amid Escalating Clash According to Associated Press , CNN , Reuters , New York Times , and others, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from barring Harvard University from enrolling international students—a move the university called unconstitutional retaliation for resisting federal demands. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs temporarily halted the policy, which threatened to strip Harvard of its ability to host international students, who make up roughly a quarter of its student body. In its lawsuit, Harvard argued that the administration’s actions violated the First Amendment and would have an “immediate and devastating effect,” warning that the measure could force thousands of students to transfer or lose legal immigration status while damaging the university’s global standing. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the school said in its filing. A New York Times report sheds light on the escalating conflict between Harvard and the Trump administration. According to the report, the conflict escalated after the Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, demanded extensive data on international students, including coursework, disciplinary records, and even video footage of student protests. While Harvard provided data it was legally required to share, it pushed back on the broader demands, calling them vague, politically motivated, and beyond the scope of federal law. The administration accused Harvard of fostering an unsafe campus environment and alleged links to the Chinese Communist Party—claims the university firmly denied. Former Harvard President Lawrence Summers condemned the government’s actions on X (formerly Twitter), calling them “madness” that risks alienating future global leaders. This confrontation reflects a broader campaign by the Trump administration to reshape the U.S. higher education, with elite universities accused of promoting "woke" ideologies, tolerating antisemitism, and resisting conservative values. Multiple federal agencies—including the Departments of Justice, Education, Health and Human Services, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission—have launched investigations into Harvard, focusing on admissions practices, compliance with the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling, and foreign funding disclosures. Harvard’s legal team contends that universities have a constitutionally protected right to manage their academic communities free from government interference, citing case law that protects not just students and faculty, but institutions themselves. Wu Chien-Shiung: The Chinese-American Physicist Who Changed Science But Was Denied the Nobel In May, during AAPI Heritage Month, the South China Morning Post published a feature story on Wu Chien-Shiung , the legendary Chinese American physicist whose groundbreaking work helped shape modern science—despite a lifetime of discrimination and under-recognition. Born in 1912 in a small village near Shanghai, Wu rose to become one of the most influential experimental physicists of the 20th century. Known as the "Queen of Physics," she played a critical role in the Manhattan Project, helping solve complex problems in uranium enrichment. Her expertise was so well regarded that when Enrico Fermi encountered a technical obstacle, the advice he received was simply: “Ask Miss Wu.” Yet, despite her pivotal contributions, Wu was excluded from the 1957 Nobel Prize awarded to Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen-Ning Yang for their theory of parity violation—an idea her meticulous experiments had confirmed. Many scientists and historians have since argued that Wu deserved a share of that honor, if not a Nobel Prize of her own. As an Asian woman in a white male-dominated field, Wu endured systemic discrimination throughout her career. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover even referred to her as “he” in vetting documents, reflecting both racial and gender bias. She was routinely paid less than her male counterparts and had to fight for basic professional respect. Still, she persisted. Later in her life, Wu became a fierce advocate for women in science. “The traditional role of wife and mother and dedicated scientist are compatible,” she once declared, challenging both cultural and institutional barriers. She urged young girls to pursue science and questioned the belief that physics was only for men. Beyond her scientific achievements, Wu also played a quiet diplomatic role. She advised against Taiwan’s nuclear weapons ambitions and helped foster China’s scientific development during a time of strained U.S.-China relations. Though she was omitted from the recent film Oppenheimer and denied the Nobel recognition she deserved, Wu Chien-Shiung’s legacy has only grown. She has been honored with a U.S. postage stamp and a towering statue in her hometown. Wu passed away in 1997, but today she is remembered as one of the greatest experimental physicists of her era—a pioneer whose brilliance and resilience continue to inspire new generations. 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 . 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Newsletter - #280 Xenophobic Legislation; 9/9 Meeting; Mixed Enrollment; USSTA; AA History in States; + #280 Xenophobic Legislation; 9/9 Meeting; Mixed Enrollment; USSTA; AA History in States; + In This Issue #280 · CAPAC and Community Condemn U.S.-China Legislation Rooted in Xenophobia · 2024/09/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting/APIAVote · Mixed Results In Enrollment After End of Affirmative Action · US-China Science and Technology Agreement · Asian American History Entering States · News and Activities for the Communities CAPAC and Community Condemn U.S.-China Legislation Rooted in Xenophobia On September 11, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed on a vote of 237-180, H.R. 1398 Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act of 2024, a bill to reinstate the Trump-era China Initiative program. It also passed H.R. 9456, Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024, a bill to require the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review agricultural land purchases solely by immigrants from China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran.Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) issued the following statement:“With precious little time remaining to fund our government, House Republicans could have worked on a bipartisan basis this week to do so—supporting our veterans and protecting our homeland. Instead, they launched a partisan ‘China week’ that does nothing to improve our competitive advantages to the Chinese Community Party or seriously address national security interests. I am outraged by today’s passage of deceptively-named bills that would undermine our nation’s security and racially profile immigrants and Americans of Chinese and Asian descent. “The devastating H.R. 1398 would revive the Trump-era China Initiative, a program that purported to prosecute and curb cases of economic espionage but instead targeted innocent Asian American scientists for investigation and arrest because of their Chinese descent. This McCarthy-esque witch hunt, carried out by our own government, irreversibly ruined so many lives and careers while casting a chilling effect on our academic community that continues to damage our country’s global competitive edge and ability to stay on the cutting edge of scientific advancements. Ripped out of Trump’s Project 2025, this bill is an egregious outcome of xenophobic and fear-mongering rhetoric from Republicans who so prioritize the appearance of being ‘tough on China’ that they fail—or willfully ignore—to see or care about the havoc the China Initiative has wreaked on Asian American communities. So let me be clear: while we all want to stop American secrets from being stolen, investigations should be based on evidence of criminal activity, not race, ethnicity, or national origin.“H.R. 9456 is a call-back to the alien land laws of ugly parts of American history, and its dangerously broad language means that every legal immigrant and refugee from targeted countries, including China, Iran, and Russia, who want to pursue an American dream of owning a farm are treated as national security threats. It’s that kind of reasoning that directly led to the deprival of property rights for Chinese and Japanese immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries, and eventually the unjust incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans in World War II—none of whom were ever found to be spies for Japan.“I vehemently condemn the passage of these bills today, and commit to stopping any further consideration of them in Congress. We should always aim to pass legislation based on evidence it will lift us up—not tear us down based on our race, ethnicity, or national origin.” The fight is not over... On September 9, 2024, a coalition of over 70 organizations sent a joint letter to Congressional leaders, urging them not to revive the China Initiative. On September 10, 2024, the White House issued a policy statement strongly opposing H.R. 1398, warning that the bill would undermine the Department of Justice's ability to investigate and prosecute trade secret theft and economic espionage, especially by making it harder to secure cooperation from victims and witnesses. "The bill also could give rise to incorrect and harmful public perceptions that DOJ applies a different standard to investigate and prosecute criminal conduct related to the Chinese people or to American citizens of Chinese descent," the statement said.On September 11, 2024, at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol, Professors Gang Chen , Anming Hu , and Franklin Tao —targeted victims of the China Initiative who had their charges dismissed or were acquitted—called on lawmakers to stop efforts to relaunch the program.Community organizations, including Advancing Justice | AAJC, the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), the Committee of 100 (C100), the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), and Stop AAPI Hate, issued strong condemnations of U.S.-China legislation rooted in xenophobia. These groups noted that the China Initiative had been dismantled due to its discriminatory practices and ineffectiveness, which destroyed the lives and careers of many scholars and researchers. It also contributed to a chilling effect on academic research and hindered the U.S. from attracting diverse talent. A joint statement called on the Senate to reject its further advancement.The community organizations condemned both H.R. 1398 and H.R. 9456, stating in a joint statement that, “The U.S. has a long history of anti-Asian scapegoating — of blaming everyday Asian people for the actions of foreign governments via inflammatory rhetoric and discriminatory policies. It’s a long-standing political tactic used by those in power to unfairly ‘other’ Asian people, manufacture suspicion and fear against them, and leverage that fear to manipulate Americans into supporting their agenda. Anti-Asian scapegoating has led to devastating consequences, as we saw with the Immigration Act of 1924 that banned all immigrants from Asia, the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, and more recently, the backlash against Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Most Americans can agree that national security and economic security are important issues, and there are indeed responsible ways for our elected leaders to tackle them. However, we believe ‘China Week’ is being executed in bad faith and goes against our shared American values of freedom and equality for all. Rather than focusing solely on the actions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) government, multiple pieces of legislation also seek to target everyday Americans and immigrant families who have done nothing wrong, simply because of their race, ethnicity, or national origin. “Today, we are once again witnessing an alarming rise in anti-Asian political rhetoric and legislation that is threatening the safety and rights of millions of Asians and Asian Americans in the U.S. As the policies of ‘China Week’ and the harmful rhetoric surrounding it have demonstrated, it is clearly part of the anti-Asian scapegoating playbook. ‘China Week’ is rooted in xenophobia and unless we hold our leaders accountable for it, our nation is bound to repeat the same horrific mistakes of the past.” Related Media Reports and Statements 2024/09/13 NBC News: During ‘China Week,’ House GOP revived surveillance program. Asian Americans are slamming it 2024/09/13 Northwest Asian Weekly: Civil rights groups criticize recent House votes on China legislation 2024/09/12 C100: Committee of 100 Strongly Condemns the Passing of China Initiative and Alien Land Law Bills by the U.S. House of Representatives 2024/09/12 NAPABA: NAPABA Condemns Passage of Bills That Would Reinstate the “China Initiative” 2024/09/12 AsAmNews: Asian American groups condemn house passage of China Initiative 2024/09/12 AAJC: Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum Condemn U.S.-China Legislation Rooted in Xenophobia 2024/09/11 AASF: Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum Condemn U.S.-China Legislation Rooted in Xenophobia 2024/09/11 CAPAC: CAPAC Chair Condemns House Votes Undermining National Security, Violating Civil Rights of Asian American Communities 2024/09/10 Executive Office of The President: State of Administration Policy 2024/09/09 Coalition Letter to Congress: Do Not Revive the China Initiative Watch the video recording of the proceedings: https://live.house.gov/?date=2024-09-11 (10:05:54) 2024/09/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting/APIAVote We thank the following speakers for sharing their thoughts and insights at the APA Justice monthly meeting held on September 9, 2024: · Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) · Christine Chen , Co-Founder and Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Vote · Jane Shim , Director, Stop Asian Hate Project, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) · Tori Bateman , Director of Advocacy, Quincy Institute · Sandy Shan , Director, Justice Is Global A meeting summary is being prepared and will be posted at https://www.apajustice.org/ after review by the speakers. Past monthly meeting summaries are available at https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP During the monthly meeting, Christine Chen emphasized the importance of voter turnout to demonstrate the political power of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and influence legislation. September 17 is National Voter Registration Day, APIAVote has released the 2024 Civic Holidays Toolkit as a guide to helping to promote voting in our community through any and all social media platforms. APIAVote has also put out a call for volunteers with Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi, or Bengali language speaking abilities to help answer voters' calls for assistance with their ballots, voting rights, and more. APIAVote is also looking for phone bankers and text bankers to help communicate directly with millions of AAPIs across the country to get them educated, prepared and motivated to vote, participate in the political process, and get vaccinated. Mixed Results In Enrollment After End of Affirmative Action According to NBC News and multiple media reports, in the first college admissions process since the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action last year, Asian American enrollment at the most prestigious U.S. schools paints a mixed, uneven picture. Some Ivy League schools, including Columbia and Brown universities, showed an increase in Asian Americans for the class of 2028, while others, like Yale and Princeton, showed a decrease. Harvard, the most selective of the group, did not see a change at all. Experts said that it may take years to see the definitive impact of the decision, which restricted the consideration of race in college admissions. But it did not have the effect that many who opposed the policy had expected, they said. “The big takeaway is that folks who supported the lawsuit were saying, this would be such a big win for Asian Americans, that race-based admissions was some type of barrier to our upward mobility,” said OiYan Poon , faculty affiliate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign office of community college research and leadership. “What we’re seeing is that that’s not really bearing out,” Poon added.Columbia University — which, unlike the other Ivies, groups Pacific Islanders with Asian Americans — saw an increase of nine percentage points in its enrollment of Asian American applicants, while Brown saw an increase of four percentage points. At Yale, the racial group dropped by six points. And at Princeton, it decreased by 2.2 percentage points. Asian Americans remained 37% of Harvard’s freshman class. Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/4d931GX . According to the New York Times on September 13, 2024, a tracker of about 50 selective schools developed by the organization Education Reform Now showed that the percentage of Black enrollment is down at three-quarters of the schools, with some campuses more affected than others. The list of schools that have experienced declines in Black enrollment ranges from prestigious smaller colleges such as Amherst College, in Massachusetts, to highly selective Ivy League schools, like Brown and Columbia.Even as some schools saw big changes, others saw little change, or the numbers went in the opposite direction than was expected. Many of the schools are reporting stagnation or decline in Asian American enrollment, which may be attributed to the increase in students not reporting their race or ethnicity. “Asian Americans know they’re the target.”Read the New York Times report: https://nyti.ms/3Xu9beO . AsAmNews also reported on Asian Am enrollment drops at Yale & Princeton and No change in Asian American enrollment at Harvard US-China Science and Technology Agreement According to Nature on September 10, 2024, the United States and China have missed the deadline to renew a pact that governs their cooperation in science and technology. But they are close to agreeing on a way forwards. Over the past year, the two nations have been negotiating the terms and conditions of a decades-old pact, normally renewed every five years, that expired on 27 August 2023. The pact is symbolic in that it doesn’t provide any funding. But researchers in the United States and China say it is crucial because it lays the groundwork for building strong research collaborations between the two nations , which have so far announced two 6-month extensions to complete negotiations. But the latest deadline, August 27, has come and gone without them taking any action. A spokesperson for the US Department of State said in a statement to Nature that the agency is negotiating on behalf of the US government to “modernize” the agreement “to reflect the current status of the bilateral relationship”. “An agreement is getting near. They are working out the final language,” says Denis Simon , a non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a foreign policy think-tank in Washington DC.“China is willing to renew the US–China pact to facilitate bilateral collaboration,” says Tang Li , a science- and innovation-policy researcher at Fudan University in Shanghai, China.Sources who spoke to Nature think that any announcement about the pact probably will not come until after the upcoming US presidential election in November.Read the Nature report: https://go.nature.com/47ooNFc Asian American History Entering States According to the Christian Science Monitor on September 4, 2024, as students return to classrooms in the United States, a quiet revolution is underway. More states nationwide have passed laws to teach Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history in public schools. In July, Delaware became the latest state to pass such a mandate, joining Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Florida, and Wisconsin. In Connecticut, where the AAPI population has surged by more than 31% in the past decade, the push to include Asian American history is not just about education – it’s also about being neighborly. “These changes bring us all together to create and foster more understanding,” says Swaranjit Singh Khalsa a Norwich, Connecticut, councilman who contributed to the passage of his state’s mandate. “The curriculum is not only going to educate our kids but our teachers, our professors, and our parents. So I think we are creating a much more educated society. It’s not just limited to schools.” Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up one of the fastest-growing populations in the U.S. Yet their longstanding history in America is largely omitted from the classroom, says Jason Chang , director of the Asian and Asian American Studies Institute at the University of Connecticut and a co-founder of the state’s first Make Us Visible chapter.Some 18 states had no content on Asians in their K-12 history curriculum standards, a national study published in 2022 found. When textbooks did include parts of AAPI history, according to the study, by Kennesaw State University Professor Sohyun An , it was mainly about the U.S. internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, or the Chinese Exclusion Act in the 19th century. Yet 22 million Asian Americans trace their roots to more than 20 countries. Read the Christian Science Monitor report: https://bit.ly/3MDmdlq News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events:2024/09/19 1990 Teachers Workshop: Asian American Identity2024/09/19 AASF Public Forum with the National Institutes of Health2024/09/19-20 AANHPI Unity Summit2024/09/22 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/09/25 C100: State of Chinese American Survey 2024 2024/09/26 White House Initiative AA& NHPI Policy Summit2024/09/27 The War for Chinese Talent in America: The Politics of Technology and Knowledge in Sino-U.S. Relations2024/09/29 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/02 C100: Asian American Career Ceiling Initiative2024/10/06 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/07 APA Justice Monthly MeetingThe Community Calendar has moved. Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. APA Justice is Looking for a Communications Intern We are looking for a Communications Intern who has strong concerns about the challenges faced by Chinese Americans and Chinese in America today. The candidate should demonstrate an interest in learning more about the history and struggles of Chinese Americans in the U.S., and is familiar with social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. Knowledge of WeChat and ability to read Chinese are desired, but not required Strong writing, oral communication, and modern digital communication skills are highly desired.The Communications Intern is responsible for management and expansion of APA Justice's social media presence and to curate and extract relevant content from APA Justice Newsletters and other sources to share across social media and the APA Justice website, in collaboration with one or more partner organizations. Working hours are flexible, averaging about 5-10 hours per week. Compensation is $15-20 per hour depending on qualifications. No additional benefits are provided.Qualified candidates should contact Professor Steven Pei at peiuh8@gmail.com or contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF September 17, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #63 Rallies With Yellow Whistle Continue; Racial Profiling At DOC; Congrats To Krystal! #63 Rallies With Yellow Whistle Continue; Racial Profiling At DOC; Congrats To Krystal! Back View PDF May 30, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #92 Franklin Tao Trial; Chronicle Report on UTK/MIT; 11/01 Meeting; Events + Developments #92 Franklin Tao Trial; Chronicle Report on UTK/MIT; 11/01 Meeting; Events + Developments Back View PDF October 28, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #278 9/9 Monthly Meeting; Harmful Anti-China Rhetoric; NASEM Report; War for Chinese Talent #278 9/9 Monthly Meeting; Harmful Anti-China Rhetoric; NASEM Report; War for Chinese Talent In This Issue #278 · 2024/09/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Rhetoric of Who is Tougher on China Has Tragic Consequences · International Talent Programs in the Changing Global Environment · The War for Chinese Talent in America: The Politics of Technology and Knowledge in Sino-U.S. Relations · News and Activities for the Communities 2024/09/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, September 9, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: · Christine Chen , Co-Founder and Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Vote · Jane Shim , Director, Stop Asian Hate Project, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) · Tori Bateman , Director of Advocacy, Quincy Institute · Sandy Shan , Director, Justice Is Global 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 . ***********APIAVote is the nation’s leading national, nonpartisan organization to engage, educate, and empower Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to strengthen their voices and create impact. Since 2007, APIAVote’s mission is to work with local and state community based organizations to mobilize AAPI communities in electoral and civic engagement. After attending and hosting events at the RNC and DNC, Christine Chen will update us on the state of AAPI voters in the upcoming November elections. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization founded in 1974 to protect and promote the civil rights of Asian Americans. It is a key member of the legal team that filed suit against Florida's alien land bill known as SB 264 in 2023. More recently, it filed an amicus brief with 11 Asian Pacific American organizations in support of Dr. Yanping Chen 's privacy rights lawsuit. Jane Shim will update us on the these latest developments and related AALDEF activities.After five years of discussion across the progressive community, the Quincy Institute has teamed up with the Institute for Policy Studies and Justice is Global to produce a brief on " A Program for Progressive China Policy . " It proposes a new policy framework that would shift the current US approach of pressure and exclusion against China toward a relationship rooted in solidarity, healthy competition, and cooperative efforts to address shared challenges. Tori Bateman and Sandy Shan will give a joint presentation on the brief and discuss plans for its promotion over the next few months. Rhetoric of Who is Tougher on China Has Tragic Consequences On September 1, 2024, The Washington Post reported that 171 campaign ads for congressional and presidential candidates have already mentioned China in this election cycle. These ads include a range of dark insinuations: one candidate allegedly recruited as a spy by Chinese leaders in his youth, another accused of profiting from a Chinese fentanyl manufacturer, and a third alleged to have sold Chinese-made SUVs at his car dealership. Both Democrats and Republicans are aggressively associating their opponents with China as the 2024 campaign intensifies. They hope that invoking China—a country many Americans blame for the mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the opioid crisis, and ongoing economic challenges—will sway voters in their favor.China-bashing has long been a staple of U.S. politics. In 2016, former President Donald Trump made cracking down on China central to his campaign, and both parties have historically capitalized on voter anger over outsourcing, especially in Rust Belt states. However, as tensions between the two nations rise in 2024, the issue has become especially heated, with candidates sparring over locked in battles over who is more connected to China. During the 2020 cycle, 82% of China-related ads for Senate candidates were funded by Republicans or GOP-aligned groups. This cycle, however, most of these ads are paid for by Democrats, with 36% coming from Republicans.Some of the attacks have veered into conspiratorial territory, evoking Cold War-era fears. Republicans, for example, have made unfounded claims that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz , Kamala Harris ’s running mate, may have been “groomed” by China. Walz, who traveled to China numerous times as a young English teacher and later as a member of Congress, has been baselessly insinuated by GOP figures like Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as being a Chinese plant. The barrage of negative ads and rhetoric suggests that future Congresses may adopt an even more hardline stance toward China, partly to appease voters’ growing skepticism. Since 2019, Congress has sharpened its tone, introducing six times as many China-related bills in 2021 as in 2013. In recent years, lawmakers have allocated billions more to counter China’s military, restricted its access to semiconductors, and bolstered global anti-China coalitions. Countering China remains one of the few areas of bipartisan agreement on Capitol Hill.However, there is growing concern that this intense focus on China could lead to a broader blame game targeting Chinese people, including immigrants. Since the pandemic, the FBI has reported a surge in hate crimes against Asian Americans. Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-Calif.), who serves on the House subcommittee overseeing U.S. foreign policy spending, warned that for some of her colleagues, "it all starts and ends with China," which she warns could "create a lot of potential for violence in our communities again."Read the Washington Post report: https://wapo.st/3XaMcFG The scientific and Asian Pacific American communities are still mourning the tragic passing of Northwestern University Professor of Neurology Dr. Jane Y. Wu who was reportedly subject to years of endless investigations by the National Institutes of Health's "China Initiative." APA Justice is currently looking into the reported suicide of an internationally renowned professor of electrical engineering at the Arizona State University during the "China Initiative." There has already been a reported suicide of a Stanford University professor at the beginning of the "China Initiative." Rhetoric of who is tougher on China has tragic consequences on the Asian Pacific American community, especially those of Chinese descent. International Talent Programs in the Changing Global Environment On August 29, 2024, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) released a consensus study report titled International Talent Programs in the Changing Global Environment . The report recommends ways to improve relative to programs and incentives used by the U.S.'s strategic competitors. At the request of the U.S. Department of Defense, this report reviews foreign and domestic talent or incentive programs and their corresponding scientific, economic, and national security benefits. The report acknowledges the legitimate concerns about protecting U.S. intellectual property and national security but also points out the negative consequences of the China Initiative. It notes that the initiative has created a climate of fear among researchers, particularly those of Chinese descent, and has led to a decline in collaboration between U.S. and Chinese scientists. This, in turn, could hinder the U.S. innovation ecosystem, which has long benefited from the contributions of international researchers.Specifically on the China Initiative, "The U.S. Department's China Initiative resulted in lingering, chilling effects on attracting and retaining Chinese-origin STEM talent because of a fear of and actual harassment and intimidation. Such chilling effects extend to other vulnerable groups, including both foreign and domestic students and professionals, and result in the loss of talent from the United States, avoidance by researchers of some fields of inquiry and the pursuit of federal funding, and reduction of international collaborations," the NASEM panel finds. The report also discusses how the U.S. government's response to China’s Thousand Talents Program, including increased scrutiny of researchers with ties to the program, has contributed to the broader concerns about international talent programs. The report critically examines the role of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies in managing the risks associated with international talent programs. While these agencies are tasked with protecting national security, their involvement has led to tensions with the academic and research communities. The report highlights instances where aggressive law enforcement actions have resulted in the wrongful prosecution of researchers, damaging careers and undermining trust in the U.S. as a welcoming destination for international talent.The report suggests that a more balanced approach is needed, one that protects national security without undermining the contributions of international researchers. It calls for clearer guidelines and better communication between law enforcement agencies, universities, and researchers to ensure that security measures do not harm the U.S. research ecosystem.The report concludes with several recommendations for improving the management of international talent programs in the U.S. and the effectiveness of U.S. mechanisms for attracting and retaining scholars, It advocates for policies that strike a balance between protecting national security and maintaining an open and welcoming environment for international researchers. The report also calls for increased transparency in the implementation of security measures, as well as efforts to rebuild trust within the academic community.Read the NASEM report: https://bit.ly/3TgaHQl Juan Zhang , editor at US-China Perception Monitor, contributed this report. According to Science on September 3, 2024, the NASEM report warns that the U.S. risks losing its status as a global leader in research due to a broken immigration system. The report highlights the importance of allowing more immigrants with advanced degrees in STEM fields to stay in the country, as the U.S. heavily relies on foreign-born scientists. It criticizes the now-defunct China Initiative that targeted Chinese scientists under the guise of preventing economic espionage. The panel urges the government “to take measures to address the lingering chilling effects of the China Initiative.” Gisela Kusakawa , who leads the Asian American Scholar Forum, calls the critique a “milestone” for a NASEM report.The panel suggests that U.S. immigration policy should be reformed to attract and retain top international STEM talent. Recommendations include easing the green card process for foreign-born STEM experts, removing country-specific caps, and granting green cards to those who earn advanced degrees in the U.S.The report also warns that restrictive policies in the name of national security could backfire if perceived as discriminatory, and it advocates for more transparency and fairness in research security measures. The report calls for a significant investment in domestic STEM education but notes that building a strong domestic talent pool could take decades, similar to the long journey the U.S. took to achieve energy independence.The report recommends a massive investment aimed at attracting more domestic students into STEM fields akin to the push after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik.The panel chair, Mark Barteau , chair of chemical engineering at Texas A&M University, predicts it could take a long time, using as an analogy how long it took the United States to achieve energy independence. “Richard Nixon [in 1973] was the first U.S. president to say that the solution is not to turn off imports but to boost domestic production,” Barteau says. “And it took us decades to achieve it. I'm not sure the timeline between oil and STEM talent is all that different.”Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/47fYktj The War for Chinese Talent in America: The Politics of Technology and Knowledge in Sino-U.S. Relations On September 27, 2024, Stanford University will host a book talk on "The War for Chinese Talent in America," featuring David Zweig , Professor Emeritus, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, as speaker.In 2018, the Trump Administration launched the "China Initiative," a campaign aimed at curbing China's efforts to access U.S. technology. Dr. Zweig’s new book documents the U.S. government's measures to limit technology transfer to China and features case studies of several unknown victims of this campaign. It also explores the detrimental effects on Sino-American scientific collaboration and the education of Chinese students in America. Join the China Program at Stanford's Shorenstein APARC for a presentation by the book's author on this critical topic in U.S.-China relations.Dr. Zweig is from Canada and has been a China expert for 50 years. He is fluent in Mandarin. He spoke at the September 2020 APA Justice monthly meeting. His presentation, meeting summary, and video recording are located here: https://bit.ly/3Q9Uda6 . Register for the Stanford University event here: https://stanford.io/4e97uKB News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events:2024/09/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/09/10-12 Chronicle Festival: The Road Ahead to 20352024/09/12 AA4D: Nobel Laureates and Scientists for Democracy 2024/09/19 1990 Teachers Workshop: Asian American Identity2024/09/19-20 AANHPI Unity Summit2024/09/25 C100: State of Chinese American Survey 2024 2024/09/26 White House Initiative AA& NHPI Policy Summit2024/09/27 The War for Chinese Talent in America: The Politics of Technology and Knowledge in Sino-U.S. Relations2024/10/02 C100: Asian American Career Ceiling Initiative The Community Calendar has moved. Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. Copyright © 2024 APA Justice, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in or have expressed interest. Our mailing address is: APA Justice P.O. Box 1242 McLean, VA 22101 Add us to your address book We do not share, sell, rent or trade any of your information with third parties unless you provide explicit consent. Read our Privacy Policy here . Back View PDF September 5, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #11 Amicus Brief Filed; "Red Scare" Series Wins Award; Briefing For Senator Warner #11 Amicus Brief Filed; "Red Scare" Series Wins Award; Briefing For Senator Warner Back View PDF August 21, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #306 Protect Birthright Citizenship; Year of The Snake; CSIS Study; UMichigan Ends Program+ #306 Protect Birthright Citizenship; Year of The Snake; CSIS Study; UMichigan Ends Program+ In This Issue #306 · Protect Birthright Citizenship · Happy New Year of The Snake! · CSIS: Advancing U.S.-China Coordination amid Strategic Competition · University of Michigan Ends Joint Program with Chinese University · News and Activities for the Communities Protect Birthright Citizenship On January 20, 2025, The Trump Administration issued an executive order seeking to strip certain babies born in the United States of their U.S. citizenship. During his first administration in October 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intention to issue such an executive order to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents, but legal experts and lawmakers, including Speaker of the House Paul Ryan , contended that such a change would require a constitutional amendment.Immigrants’ rights advocates promptly filed a lawsuit on the same day the executive order was released. The case was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of New Hampshire, ACLU of Maine, ACLU of Massachusetts, Asian Law Caucus, State Democracy Defenders Fund, and Legal Defense Fund on behalf of organizations with members whose babies born on U.S. soil will be denied citizenship under the order, including New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Make the Road New York. The lawsuit charges the Trump administration with flouting the Constitution’s dictates, congressional intent, and long standing Supreme Court precedent. Read the press release by ACLU and the Legal Defense Fund .On January 21, 2025, media outlets including AP News , Bloomberg , the Guardian , and New York Times reported that attorneys general from 22 states filed lawsuits against the executive order. Two separate cases aim to block the directive. One, led by 18 state attorneys general and joined by San Francisco and Washington, D.C., was filed in Federal District Court in Massachusetts The second was filed in Seattle federal court by Washington State Attorney General Nicholas Brown and three other states.New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said that presidents might have broad authority but they are not kings. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong , a U.S. citizen by birthright and the nation’s first Chinese American elected attorney general, said the lawsuit was personal for him. The 18 states involved in the Massachusetts case include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Birthright citizenship, rooted in the 14th Amendment, guarantees U.S. citizenship to nearly all children born on U.S. soil, with the narrow exception of children of foreign diplomats. Ratified in 1868, the amendment overturned the Dred Scott decision, which had denied Black Americans the rights of citizenship. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld this principle in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, affirming that children born to immigrant parents in the U.S. are entitled to citizenship—a precedent that has stood for over a century. Norman Wong , 74, the great-grandson of Wong Kim Ark , denounced the executive order in an interview with NBC News , calling it “troubling” and divisive. “He’s feeding off the American mindset, and it’s not a healthy one,” Wong said. “We can’t build the country together and be against everybody. … If we have good thoughts and work from that, we’ll get a better world. But it’s not going to be easy in this country.” Watch the NBC News report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMpC2amB_L8 (2:30) Why the United States Has Birthright Citizenship The complaint filed in Massachusetts argues that "birthright citizenship embodies America’s most fundamental promise: that all children born on our soil begin life as full and equal members of our national community, regardless of their parents’ origins, status, or circumstances. This principle has enabled generations of children to pursue their dreams and build a stronger America."According to History.com , birthright citizenship was initially limited to free white people. In 1790, the nation's first naturalization law stated that “free white persons” could gain citizenship if they had lived in the U.S. for two years and had a good character. The new citizens’ children under the age of 21 were given citizenship. But the new naturalization law ignored massive swaths of American society, including enslaved people and Native Americans, neither of whom were considered citizens.In 1857, as arguments about slavery roiled, the U.S. Supreme Court further entrenched racial exclusion with its ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford . T he court declared that Scott, an enslaved man seeking his freedom, was not a citizen because of his African descent. It also concluded that no person of African descent, even if born in the U.S., could be considered a citizen.After the Civil War, the abolition of slavery spurred a redefinition of citizenship. The 14th Amendment , ratified in 1868, proclaimed that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” are citizens. This sweeping declaration fundamentally reshaped the concept of birthright citizenship.Still, the rights of children born to immigrant parents remained uncertain until Wong Kim Ark, a Chinese American, challenged the system —and won. Born in 1873 in the U.S. to Chinese immigrants, Wong’s claim to citizenship was complicated by the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 , which barred Chinese nationals from becoming naturalized citizens. In 1898, Wong faced his defining legal battle after being denied reentry into the U.S. following a trip to China. Stranded on a ship in San Francisco harbor, Wong’s case became a test for the Department of Justice, which sought to prove that individuals of Chinese descent were not entitled to citizenship. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, where Wong won. Associate Justice Horace Gray , writing for the majority, affirmed that the 14th Amendment “includes the children born, within the territory of the United States, of all other persons, of whatever race or color, domiciled within the United States.” Gray warned that denying citizenship to Wong would set a precedent that could strip citizenship from thousands of individuals of European descent, including those of English, Irish, German, and other ancestries, who had long been recognized as citizens. Gray’s reasoning underscored the broader implications of Wong’s victory: allowing a Chinese American to claim birthright citizenship did not endanger the rights of white Americans but rather safeguarded the foundational principles of equality and citizenship for all. APA Justice will monitor and track the development of New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support v. Trump (1:25-cv-00038) , Doe v. Trump (1:25-cv-10136) , and State of Washington et al v. Trump et al (2:25-cv-00127). Happy New Year of The Snake! January 29, 2025, marks the beginning of the Year of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac. The Year of the Snake occurs every 12 years, and individuals born in the following years are considered to have Snake as their zodiac sign: 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, and 2025. Since the Chinese New Year typically falls in late January or early February, those born early in the year should check the specific start and end dates for the Year of the Snake.Also known as Lunar New Year, the festival is celebrated across Asia with diverse and vibrant traditions rooted in themes of family reunions, renewal, and good fortune. In China, it is known as Spring Festival and features family gatherings, red envelopes, and lion dances. South Korea's Seollal includes ancestral rituals, folk games, and rice cake soup symbolizing longevity. In Vietnam, Tết celebrations center around ancestor worship, house cleaning, and the exchange of red envelopes. Mongolians observe Tsagaan Sar with milk-based dishes, meat dumplings, and visits to elders, emphasizing renewal and purification. Ethnic Chinese communities in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, also celebrate with their unique cultural traditions.This year invites us to sharpen our focus and pursue shared goals with precision and intuition, much like the snake navigating its path. May we embrace challenges with courage, transforming uncertainties into opportunities for growth.Let the Year of the Snake inspire us to strengthen our bonds, celebrate our diversity, and uphold the values of fairness and inclusion. Together, we can make this year a time of renewal, progress, and shared prosperity. Wishing you a year filled with wisdom, health, and success. Happy Year of the Snake! CSIS: Advancing U.S.-China Coordination amid Strategic Competition In November 2022, the CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies and the Brookings John L. Thornton China Center initiated a project to identify safe and effective methods for collaboration among nonstate actors on critical challenges facing the United States and China. On January 15, 2025, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released a three-part report, Advancing U.S.-China Coordination amid Strategic Competition: An Emerging Playbook, exploring opportunities for collaboration on transnational issues despite the ongoing rivalry between the two nations. Part I: Scoping the Challenge The U.S.-China relationship, dating back to 1844, has alternated between cooperation and conflict, with the current era defined by intense strategic competition across military, economic, technological, and diplomatic domains. This rivalry is exacerbated by a weakening post–World War II international order, rising nationalism, and mutual distrust. Both nations struggle to coordinate efforts on global issues like climate change, food security, and public health. The U.S. increasingly aligns with democratic allies like the G7, while China emphasizes its role within BRICS+ and the Global South. Without collaboration, growing competition threatens the international order and increases the risk of global conflict. Part II: Insights from Case Studies and Track 2 Dialogue Joint research by CSIS and Brookings, including a 2024 track 2 dialogue on climate-smart agriculture, highlights three key lessons for collaboration: 1. Geopolitical context shapes collaborative opportunities, often guided by national interests. 2. Nonstate actors should align initiatives with the national priorities of both countries. 3. New approaches to track 2 dialogues, such as longer, informal meetings in neutral venues, foster more effective cooperation. These insights underscore the importance of working on shared challenges like food security and sustainable agriculture. Part III: Recommendations for Advancing Collaboration The report calls for proactive U.S.-China collaboration on shared global challenges, arguing that waiting for reduced competition is not a viable strategy. Key recommendations include: · Normalizing coordination amid competition. · Securing high-level commitment from both governments. · Prioritizing specific, manageable issues. · Identifying neutral venues for cooperation. · Leveraging track 2 dialogues to explore innovative solutions. While mutual mistrust persists, the report emphasizes the urgent need for collaboration on critical issues like pandemics, food insecurity, and environmental degradation to safeguard global security and prosperity. Read the CSIS report: https://bit.ly/40IllUc University of Michigan Ends Joint Program with Chinese University On January 10, 2025, the University of Michigan (UM) announced the termination of its longstanding partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), marking the end of a two-decade academic collaboration.The decision, confirmed by UM President Santa J. Ono , follows concerns raised by the U.S. House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China, chaired by U.S. Representative John Moolenaar . The UM-SJTU partnership, which included the UM-SJTU Joint Institute and facilitated dual-degree programs and international exchanges, will allow current students to complete their degrees without disruption. UM emphasized its commitment to international education, balancing national security concerns with fostering global academic partnerships.“International experiences are vital for our students in this interconnected world,” Ono said. “We remain committed to supporting UM’s international students and will continue to foster international partnerships that advance knowledge and cross-cultural understanding and ensure our campus remains a vibrant community where scholars from around the world can thrive.”According to Science on January 13, 2025, the termination of the UM-SJTU partnership reflects broader tensions between U.S. and Chinese academic collaborations. The joint institute, which engaged in biomedical and energy research, faced scrutiny for potential links to China’s defense advancements. This move follows similar actions by other U.S. institutions, such as Georgia Tech and UC Berkeley. Tony Chan , a mathematician at UCLA and former president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, described the trend as indicative of the “deep and steep downturn” in U.S.-China scientific relations. “The message is very clear to universities: Don’t have anything to do with China,” said Chan, who also led the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology from 2018 to 2024. He warned that the academic "decoupling" between the two nations will harm both countries. “It’s not good for science,” Chan added. “And it doesn’t look like things are going to get better anytime soon.”Read the UM announcement: https://bit.ly/4g6Xv95 . Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/4jrh6DR News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/01/23 Community Reactions to the Trump Administration's "Day One" Priorities2025/02/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/02/03 Getting China Right: Launch of ACF Institute at SAIS, Johns Hopkins University2025/02/13-15 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting2025/02/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2025/03/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/03/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Get Help Today on LA Fires Californians can go to CA.gov/LAfires – a hub for information and resources from state, local and federal government. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses from wildfires in Los Angeles County can apply for disaster assistance: · Online at DisasterAssistance.gov · Calling 800-621-3362 · By using the FEMA smart phone application · Assistance is available in over 40 languages · If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Please share with your families, friends, and colleagues in the Los Angeles area. 3. Vincent Chin Institute: First Executive Director Job Announcement The Vincent Chin Institute (VCI) is seeking its inaugural Executive Director to lead efforts in combating hate through organizing, education, and narrative change. This full-time, remote position offers a salary range of $125,000 to $150,000, depending on experience, and includes comprehensive benefits. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) experiences, a proven track record in organizational leadership, fundraising, and program development, and the ability to build cross-sector partnerships. Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis, with early submissions encouraged by January 24, 2025. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/4jmFFSi 4. OPM Revises Executive Core Qualifications On January 17, 2025, Government Executive reported that " Senior Executive Standards Get first Update in More Than 15 Years ."The Senior Executive Service (SES) was created under President Jimmy Carter as part of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. The SES was designed to establish a cadre of high-level federal managers who would provide leadership across agencies and ensure the continuity of expertise in the federal government. Its creation aimed to increase the flexibility and accountability of senior federal executives while fostering efficiency and effectiveness in public administration.The Office of Personnel Management (OPM)'s updates to the SES executive core qualifications will take effect on July 1, 2025. As part of the updates, OPM added data literacy and systems thinking as new sub-competencies and modified the name of the technology management sub-competency to leveraging technology. The agency also included interpersonal skills, building workplace culture and strategic communication as new sub-competencies. # # # 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 January 22, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Kaikai Zhao 赵凯凯 Docket ID: 1:20-cr-00187 District Court, S.D. Indiana Date filed: Aug 4, 2020 Date ended: July 26, 2021 Table of Contents Overview Five “Visa Fraud” Cases Links and References Overview On July 23, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrest of four scientists from China on claimed visa violation, including Kaikai Zhao. A fifth scientist was arrested for similar charges in August 2020. Kaikai Zhao applied for a United States Non-Immigrant Visa in June 2018 and was issued an F1 Visa for a PhD program studying machine learning and artificial Intelligence at Indiana University (IU) in Bloomington, Indiana. On July 23, 2020, DOJ charged Kaikai Zhao and charged with one count of visa fraud and one count of making false statement. On July 23, 2021, Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Rinka motioned to dismiss the case against Kaikai Zhao “with prejudice, in the interests of justice.” On July 26, 2021, Judge James R. Sweeny, II, granted the dismissal of the case against Kaikai Zhao. The other four visa fraud cases were also dismissed at the same time. The five visa fraud cases including Kaikai Zhao were identified under the China Initiative, but they were removed from the DOJ online report after their dismissals. Five “Visa Fraud” Cases he Department of Justice (DOJ) announced visa fraud charges against four of five scientists from China on July 23, 2020. The fifth scientist, Lei Guan, was first charged in August 2020 for Destruction and Alteration of Records in a Federal Investigation with visa fraud charges added in September 2020. The announcement of the visa fraud cases coincided with the U.S. order to close China’s consulate in Houston, accusing it to be a "spy center" to conduct spying activities with local medical centers or universities. The five Chinese scientists are: Lei Guan (关磊) , Visiting researcher (mathematics), University of California at Los Angeles Dr. Chen Song (宋琛) , Visiting researcher (neurology), Stanford University Dr. Juan Tang (唐娟) , Visiting researcher (cancer), University of California at Davis Xin Wang (王欣) , Visiting researcher (neurology), University of California at San Francisco Kaikai Zhao (赵凯凯), Doctoral candidate (machine learning and artificial intelligence), Indiana University These five visa fraud cases were abruptly dismissed by DOJ in July 2021 without an explanation for the dismissals. Wyn Hornbuckle, a Justice Department spokesman issued a statement that said "[r]ecent developments in a handful of cases involving defendants with alleged, undisclosed ties to the People’s Liberation Army of the People’s Republic of China have prompted the department to re-evaluate these prosecutions... We have determined that it is now in the interest of justice to dismiss them.” On July 22, 2021, Reuters reported that there was "recently disclosed evidence of a report by FBI analysts that questioned if the visa application question on 'military service' was clear enough for Chinese medical scientists at military universities and hospitals." In another report by the Washington Post, an unnamed official was quoted to say that "the punishment for visa fraud typically does not exceed a year. That fact, combined with the prospect of prolonged litigation in several instances, led officials to assess that the interests of justice were best served by dropping the cases." Upon further research, defense attorneys for Dr. Juan Tang filed a Defendant's Trial Brief and Memorandum Supporting Dismissal at Trial on July 19, 2021. It included a section on "The FBI’s Deliberate Failure to Disclose Critical Exculpatory Evidence to the Court and to the Defense Warrants a Dismissal of this Ill-Conceived Indictment." "There is dissension in the FBI’s own ranks," the trial brief started. It cited that the government intentionally did not comply with the discovery order for the trial and highlighted that "... just days ago, a heavily redacted report dated for release four months ago, on April 1, 2021, which the government did not disclose to this Court when it ruled on Dr. Tang’s Motion to Dismiss." Exhibit A shows a FBI Background Note dated April 1, which includes a statement that investigations and expert interviews "suggest that the visa application form (DS-160) potentially lacks clarity when it comes to declaring one's military service or affiliation." DOJ motioned to dismiss Dr. Juan Tang’s case four days before the trial was to start on July 26, 2021. On July 12, 2021, a partially redacted draft FBI report appeared as part of an exhibit in a non-motion response filed in the case of Lei Guan. The 28-page exhibit includes a draft white paper that provides assessments on seven cases under the "China Initiative," including the five that were dismissed. The draft paper states that targeting of the researcher and students "likely had minimal, short-term positive impact on the technology transfer threat from PRC students, scholars, and researchers." In addition, "[o]nly two of the arrests has a nexus to technology transfer violations, ... and none included charges related to other counterintelligence concerns." The operation "likely contributed to the deterioration of the FBI's delicate yet valuable relationship with some US universities by not exercising more caution before approaching PRC students." Although there was strong advice against investigating and arresting students and researchers with the operation, "several FBI field offices proceeded with visa fraud charges for individuals who met the criteria but did not meet the threshold for a high-priority technology transfer threat." "It is in the best national security interest of the FBI to strategically identify, target, and mitigate PRC technology transfer threats while also preserving educational opportunities in the United States for PRC students who do not pose a threat," said an unredacted portion of the FBI report. A footnote also stated that "the FBI does not consider clinical medicine an area of concern for PRC technology transfer." According to the exhibit, a FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst drafted the report as a response to a February 2021 award nomination. She was originally included as part of the award nomination but disagreed about the "high impact" the award's nomination claimed to have made. She did not think the arrest of the PLA students met the threshold for high impact at that time, as she assessed at an early stage the impact was minimal. The draft was a way for her to dispute the information contained in the awards packet. She removed herself from the award nomination. In December 2020, John Demers, former head of the China Initiative at DOJ, and William Evanina, former chief of the counterintelligence branch at ODNI, attributed without supporting facts and evidence that more than 1,000 Chinese researchers affiliated with China's People's Liberation Army fled the U.S. after the FBI conducted interviews in more than 20 cities and the State Department closed China’s Houston consulate in July 2020. Some of the visa fraud prosecutions were based on photos of the individuals in uniform. However, wearing a uniform does not always imply military service. There are two non-armed branches in the uniformed services of the United States, including the Public Health Service which is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps which is part of the Department of Commerce. Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #152 OSTP in the News; Update on Dr. Yanping Chen; Chinese Academics Vindicated; Chip Ban #152 OSTP in the News; Update on Dr. Yanping Chen; Chinese Academics Vindicated; Chip Ban Back View PDF October 27, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

China Initiative Webinars China Initiative Webinar Series #1 The Human and Scientific Costs of The "China Initiative" #2 Policy Needs for U.S. Science and Scientists #3 Building Coalition Against “China Initiative” Discrimination: Fighting racial targeting of Asian Americans and communities of color, past & present #4 Legal Resources and Policy Advocacy: How to Combat Racial Profiling Under the “China Initiative" #5 The Mistrial of Professor Anming Hu under the "China Initiative" #6 The Aftermath in the Mistrial and Racial Profiling of University of Tennessee under the “China Initiative” #1 The Human and Scientific Costs of The "China Initiative" #2 Policy Needs for U.S. Science and Scientists #3 Building Coalition Against “China Initiative” Discrimination: Fighting racial targeting of Asian Americans and communities of color, past & present #4 Legal Resources and Policy Advocacy: How to Combat Racial Profiling Under the “China Initiative" #5 The Mistrial of Professor Anming Hu under the "China Initiative" #6 The Aftermath in the Mistrial and Racial Profiling of University of Tennessee under the “China Initiative” #1 The Human and Scientific Costs of The "China Initiative" #2 Policy Needs for U.S. Science and Scientists #3 Building Coalition Against “China Initiative” Discrimination: Fighting racial targeting of Asian Americans and communities of color, past & present #4 Legal Resources and Policy Advocacy: How to Combat Racial Profiling Under the “China Initiative" #5 The Mistrial of Professor Anming Hu under the "China Initiative" #6 The Aftermath in the Mistrial and Racial Profiling of University of Tennessee under the “China Initiative” #1 The Human and Scientific Costs of The "China Initiative" #2 Policy Needs for U.S. Science and Scientists #3 Building Coalition Against “China Initiative” Discrimination: Fighting racial targeting of Asian Americans and communities of color, past & present #4 Legal Resources and Policy Advocacy: How to Combat Racial Profiling Under the “China Initiative" #5 The Mistrial of Professor Anming Hu under the "China Initiative" #6 The Aftermath in the Mistrial and Racial Profiling of University of Tennessee under the “China Initiative” #1 The Human and Scientific Costs of The "China Initiative" #2 Policy Needs for U.S. Science and Scientists #3 Building Coalition Against “China Initiative” Discrimination: Fighting racial targeting of Asian Americans and communities of color, past & present #4 Legal Resources and Policy Advocacy: How to Combat Racial Profiling Under the “China Initiative" #5 The Mistrial of Professor Anming Hu under the "China Initiative" #6 The Aftermath in the Mistrial and Racial Profiling of University of Tennessee under the “China Initiative”

Newsletter - #252 5/6 Monthly Meeting; Impact of US-China Tensions; Beta Reviewers; Border Issues; CAPAC #252 5/6 Monthly Meeting; Impact of US-China Tensions; Beta Reviewers; Border Issues; CAPAC In This Issue #252 · 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · AAPI Community Response to Rising Anti-Asian Hostility · Call For Beta Reviewers of China Initiative Web Page and Timecards · Chinese Students in US Tell of "Chilling" Interrogations and Deportations · Thirty Years of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · 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 FBI in Houston, which will be co-hosted by TMAC and the Science and Technology Policy Program, Baker Institute for Public Policy, and 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 We also welcome back · 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 . AAPI Community Response to Rising Anti-Asian Hostility A panel of community leaders shared their experiences, discussed actionable steps that the AAPI community and its allies have taken, and explored future strategies to confront xenophobic challenges to the AAPI community in a morning session at the Committee 100 conference on April 19, 2024.Dr. Jeremy Wu , founder of APA Justice Task Force and a C100 member, delivered remarks to open the session, noting that Asian Americans have faced two deadly viruses in recent years - the coronavirus and the social injustice virus. Anti-Asian hostility is not new and racial profiling and xenophobia will not go away soon, he said. Community leaders and groups have been tirelessly combating discriminatory hostility and attacks on the AAPI community. We are a nation of immigrants. We value law and order, but we oppose encroachment on our civil rights and liberties under the guise of national security. We believe in U.S. democracy but stand against poor leadership, harmful policies, and rogue actors, he added. Our communities have responded with diverse strategies and actions, including advocacy, education, mobilization, coalition building, civic engagement, data collection, media collaboration, litigation, and a Yellow Whistle with the message of "We Belong." His presentation is posted here: https://bit.ly/3wbeWV7 Jennifer H. Wu , Founding Partner, Groombridge, Wu, Baughman, and Stone LLP, passionately advocated to help hate crime victims navigate both the criminal justice system and the broader parts of the recovery process where too often there is no script. She spoke about the impact of anti-Asian violence on victims and their families, including her personal experiences representing victims in NYC. In particular, she observed that she was a patent lawyer who became a civil rights lawyer because of the rising tide of anti-Asian violence. She was galvanized to action in working on the widely-publicized reports on anti-Asian violence by the Asian American Bar Association. She noted that prosecutors (District Attorneys) are elected positions but relatively few Asian Americans participate in the process of electing them and there are no Asian American District Attorneys in New York City. She concluded that individuals did not create these problems, but that we all need to come together to solve them. Edgar Chen, Special Policy Advisor, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, discussed meaningful involvement and participation in state and federal legislative advocacy efforts to combat alien land laws and other discriminatory bills. He observed that there were alternating historical cycles of physical violence against Asian Americans on the streets with codification of anti-Asian sentiment in Congress and state houses and that the community response must deploy a multi-prong approach which includes the elements of grassroots advocacy on the streets including rallies and protests, legislative engagement, and litigation in courts. In order to be effective, Chen argued, advocates must not only fight for the constitutional civil rights of Asian Americans, but must also muster strong economic arguments with empirical backing to demonstrate why discriminatory legislation is not only wrong, but damaging in other ways. Legislators who are blinded by bias will not be convinced by arguments about civil rights, but could be compelled to mitigate economic harms posed by these bills. Another strategy Chen discussed was cultivating strong working relationships with the media - first by being a trusted source of accurate information - which builds a rapport with journalists so that in addition to conveying timely factual background to assist them with their stories, your analysis and advocacy is more credible. Frank H. Wu, President, Queens College, offered candid comments on the importance of allyship and the difficulty of bridge building. He spoke about strategy and tactics. He pointed out that there is a consensus that discriminating against racial minorities is wrong, but distinguishing between citizens and aliens is normal (as in who can vote in elections), but the prejudice against Asian Americans includes the assumption they are perpetual foreigners, and, in any event, the bias toward Asian immigrants is about their racial background and not their citizenship. He discussed how coalitions succeed, such as in Texas, against alien land laws. Asian American itself brings together people whose ancestors fought wars amongst themselves. Finally, he discussed effective messaging, which needs to appeal to other Americans by invoking the ideals of democracy. Cindy Tsai , Interim President of C100, moderated the session, said "the session was an engaging blend of concepts and practical strategy. Anti-Asian sentiment is rising. It's important that the community understands the tools that are available to us to fight against discrimination and xenophobia. It was an honor to work with this panel of community leaders and activists." Call For Beta Reviewers of China Initiative Web Page and Timecards Although the Department of Justice formally ended the China Initiative in 2022, there have been repeated efforts to revive it and such attempts are anticipated to persist in 2024.As a US government national-security program created to address economic espionage, the China Initiative disproportionately targeted Asian Americans and academic communities for administrative errors and harmed academic freedom and open science.The legacy of the China Initiative is an integral part of American history, and its lessons and repercussions must not fade from memory. Failing to acknowledge its impact could pave the way for its recurrence, perpetuating injustices, racial profiling, stigmatization, harm to U.S. leadership in science and technology, and government overreach.As part of the efforts to revamp its website, APA Justice has developed a webpage and 12 timecards to cover the China Initiative from its launch in November 2018 to its announced end in February 2022. During the month of April, we went through an alpha review with key stakeholders and partners. Their feedback is being studied for implementation. We anticipate the completion of this process in the second half of May, at which point we plan to start a beta review. The goal of beta review is to gather feedback on the product's content, performance, usability, and overall user experience in real-world conditions.We are calling for up to 10 volunteers of diverse backgrounds to help us conduct the beta review. Our vision of the eventual web page and timecards on the China Initiative is an open and free resource available for advocacy, research, and education. If you are interested and ready to contribute to this important public and community service initiative, 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 . Chinese Students in US Tell of "Chilling" Interrogations and Deportations According to the Guardian on April 20, 2024, scientists at America’s leading universities complain of stalled research after crackdown at airports as tensions with China rise. The Chinese embassy in Washington said more than 70 students “with legal and valid materials” had been deported from the US since July 2021, with more than 10 cases since November 2023. The embassy said it had complained to the US authorities about each case.The exact number of incidents is difficult to verify, as the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency does not provide detailed statistics about refusals at airports. Testimonies have circulated on Chinese social media, and academics are becoming increasingly outspoken about what they say is the unfair treatment of their colleagues and students.“The impact is huge,” says Qin Yan , a professor of pathology at Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut, who says that he is aware of more than a dozen Chinese students from Yale and other universities who have been rejected by the US in recent months, despite holding valid visas. Experiments have stalled, and there is a “chilling effect” for the next generation of Chinese scientists.“It is very hard for a CBP officer to really evaluate the risk of espionage,” said Dan Berger , an immigration lawyer in Massachusetts, who represents a graduate student at Yale who, midway through her PhD, was sent back from Washington’s Dulles airport in December, and banned from re-entering the US for five years. “It is sudden,” Berger said. “She has an apartment in the US. Thankfully, she doesn’t have a cat. But there are experiments that were in progress.” Academics say that scrutiny has widened to different fields – particularly medical sciences – with the reasons for the refusals not made clear. X Edward Guo , a professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia University, said that part of the problem is that, unlike in the US, military research does sometimes take place on university campuses. “It’s not black and white … there are medical universities that also do military. But 99% of those professors are doing biomedical research and have nothing to do with the military.” But “if you want to come to the US to study AI, forget it,” Guo said.The increased scrutiny comes as Beijing and Washington are struggling to come to an agreement about the US-China Science and Technology Agreement, a landmark treaty signed in 1979 that governs scientific cooperation between the two countries. Normally renewed every five years, since August it has been sputtering through six-month extensions. Following years of scrutiny from the Department of Justice investigation into funding links to China, and a rise in anti-Asian sentiment during the pandemic, ethnically Chinese scientists say the atmosphere is becoming increasingly hostile.“Before 2016, I felt like I’m just an American,” said Guo, who became a naturalized US citizen in the late 1990s. “This is really the first time I’ve thought, OK, you’re an American but you’re not exactly an American.”On March 14, 2024, The Washington Post reported anecdotal stories on Chinese students and academics facing extra scrutiny entering the U.S.Read the Guardian report: https://bit.ly/3WmhlqT . Read the Washington Post report: https://wapo.st/43LZfju Thirty Years of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) CAPAC was established on May 16, 1994. Congressman Norman Y. Mineta , one of the founders of CAPAC, became its first Chair (1994-1995). Since then, the Caucus has been led by four other prominent Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Members of Congress: Congresswoman Patsy Mink of Hawaii (1995-1997), Congressman Robert A. Underwood of Guam (1907-2001), Congressman David Wu of Oregon (2001-2004), and Congressman Mike Honda of California (2004-2011). The Caucus is currently led by Congresswoman Judy Chu , who became CAPAC Chair in February 2011. As AANHPI Heritage Month began on May 1, 2024, CAPAC held a press conference to mark the 30th anniversary of its founding and to highlight the vast contributions of the AANHPI community to the United States, summarized recent CAPAC achievements, and charted a path forward for AANHPIs across the country. Announced speakers included Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36), Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Ami Bera , M.D. (CA-06), Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17), Del. Sablan (NMI-AL), Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-12), Rep. Al Green (TX-09). CAPAC is made up of 76 Members of Congress in both the House of Representatives and Senate who advance the interests of the AANHPI community. With over 70 racial and ethnic groups speaking over 100 languages, the AANHPI community includes over 23 million people and is the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group across this past decade.Read the CAPAC press statement: https://bit.ly/4dlsQEO . Visit the CAPAC website at https://capac-chu.house.gov/ White House Proclamation on AANHPI Month, 2024 On April 30, 2024, President Joe Biden issued "A Proclamation on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month, 2024."The Proclamation said in part, "This month, we celebrate the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities, whose ingenuity, grit, and perseverance have pushed our great American experiment forward."Racism, harassment, and hate crimes against people of AA and NHPI heritage also persist — a tragic reminder that hate never goes away; it only hides. Hate must have no safe harbor in America — that is why I signed the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which makes it easier for Americans to report hate crimes, and I also hosted the first-ever White House summit against hate-fueled violence. "Our Nation was founded on the idea that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. We have never fully realized this promise, but we have never fully walked away from it either. As we celebrate the historic accomplishments of AA and NHPIs across our Nation, we promise we will never stop working to form a more perfect Union."Read the White House Proclamation: https://bit.ly/4djMAZC Read the AP News report about the history and evolution of the AANHPI Heritage Month: https://bit.ly/3UnZDjZ News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/05/02 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 2024 APAICS: 30th Annual Awards Gala2024/05/14 Serica Initiative: 7th Annual Women's Gala dinnerVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. Back View PDF May 2, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter