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Newsletter - #329 5/5 Meeting; William Tong; Hanfan Lin; China Initiative; Harvard Push Back; Uprising + #329 5/5 Meeting; William Tong; Hanfan Lin; China Initiative; Harvard Push Back; Uprising + In This Issue #329 · 2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · William Tong: Connecticut Attorney General · Haifan Lin: President of Federation of Asian Professor Associations · Long Shadow of the "China Initiative" · University Leaders Stand Up to Trump Administration Threats · NYT Opinion : "America Needs an Uprising That Is Not Normal" · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, May 5, 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: · William Tong 湯偉麟 , Attorney General, State of Connecticut · Robert L. Santos , Former Director, U.S. Census Bureau; Former President, American Statistical Association · Haifan Lin 林海帆 , President, Federation of Asian Professor Associations (FAPA); Professor, Yale University · Gee-Kung Chang 張繼昆 , Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology 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 . William Tong: Connecticut Attorney General William Tong 湯偉麟 is the 25th Attorney General (AG) to serve Connecticut since the office was established by the state constitution in 1897. He first took office in 2019 and is currently serving his second term. Born in Hartford, he is the first Asian American elected to any state office in Connecticut history, and the first Chinese American to be elected Attorney General nationwide. AG Tong was elected to serve as the President-elect of the National Association of Attorneys General. The vote was unanimous. His term begins in 2026.AG Tong has accepted our invitation to speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on May 5, 2025.Since taking office in 2019, he has been a leading voice in defending civil rights and challenging federal overreach. He and fellow state attorneys general have filed at least eight lawsuits against the Trump administration, including efforts to oppose attempts to end birthright citizenship, prevent the freezing of federal funds critical to states, and overturn the planned $11 billion cut in the federal public health grants. AG Tong's advocacy underscores his commitment to upholding constitutional protections and ensuring equitable treatment for all communities. · 2025/04/02 CTpost: Connecticut sues Trump administration, Kennedy over health cuts, $120 million to state at risk · 2025/03/06 Attorney General Tong Secures Court Order Blocking Trump Administration from Freezing Federal Funds · 2024/12/29 NBC News: 'The first to sue': Opposing Trump's desire to end birthright citizenship is personal for this attorney general Haifan Lin: President of Federation of Asian Professor Associations Dr. Haifan Lin 林海帆 , President of the Federation of Asian Professor Associations (FAPA), is an invited speaker at the APA Justice monthly meeting on May 5, 2025.FAPA is a national coalition dedicated to uniting Asian and Asian American faculty across U.S. institutions. Established in 2024, FAPA aims to foster collaboration, amplify advocacy, and promote shared initiatives among Asian faculty organizations nationwide. Its mission encompasses advancing academic freedom, equity, and representation, particularly in response to challenges such as racial profiling and underrepresentation in leadership roles.Dr. Lin is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Cell Biology at Yale University and the founding director of the Yale Stem Cell Center. Renowned for his pioneering work in stem cell biology, Dr. Lin is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. On April 12, 2025, FAPA issued a public statement on the case of Indiana University Professor Xiaofeng Wang 王晓峰 and sent an open letter to Dr. Pamela Whitten , President of Indiana University, to condemn the abrupt dismissal of Dr. Wang, citing a lack of due process and growing racial profiling of Chinese American scientists. FAPA urges the university to reverse the decision, warning that such actions undermine academic freedom and set a dangerous precedent. Long Shadow of the "China Initiative" On April 25, 2025, the Committee of 100 annual conference will kick off with a session on " The Evolving National Security Landscape and Its Impact on Civil Rights ." This panel will examine what has replaced the China Initiative, who is being targeted now, and what comes next. Panelists will explore the broader implications of national security-driven discrimination, including the erosion of due process rights, racial profiling in espionage cases, and restrictions on cross-border collaboration. They will also discuss strategies for resisting policies that reinforce systemic inequality and advocate for civil liberties in an era of rising geopolitical tensions. Speakers for the panel are: · Gang Chen 陈刚 , Carl Richard Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) · Seth DuCharme , Chair, National Government Enforcement & Investigations Practice, Bracewell LLP; Former United States Attorney · Gary Locke 骆家辉 , Former U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China · Brian Sun 孙自华 , Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright US 1. The Case of Dr. Chee-Kung Wang Dr. Gee-Kung Chang 張繼昆 , currently a retired professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, was indicted in 2021 for 10 counts of visa and wire fraud. Prosecutors claimed he facilitated a scheme that brought Chinese nationals to the U. S. on J-1 visiting scholar visa to work at a private telecommunications firm instead of at the University. In April 2025, all charges were dismissed at the pretrial stage due to lack of evidence and not meeting fundamental principles of law. His case is widely seen as another example of racial profiling and prosecutorial overreach under now-defunct "China Initiative." He was represented by attorneys Robert Fisher and Brian Kelly , who also defended MIT Professor Gang Chen in a separate case under "China Initiative." Dr. Gee-Kung Chang and Mr. Robert Fisher will speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on May 5, 2025. 2. China Initiative 2.0? The Case of Dr. Xiaofeng Wang 王晓峰 On March 28, 2025, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security executed search warrants at Indiana University (IU) Professor Xiaofeng Wang 's 王晓峰 residences in Bloomington and Carmel, Indiana. Simultaneously, IU terminated Professor Wang's employment via email without any formal reason. His wife, Nianli Ma , also affiliated with IU, was dismissed four days earlier without explanation. At the April 14, 2025 State of Play Town Hall, Nianli Ma shared her family's profound sense of betrayal and emotional distress over IU's unexplained dismissals, vowing to fight for justice and support the broader research community.On April 1, 2025, Stanford University legal scholar Riana Pfefferkorn filed a motion (1:25-mc-00022) to unseal the warrants, emphasizing the public's right to transparency. The U.S. Attorney's Office has argued to keep them sealed.Professor Wang's termination reportedly involved an undisclosed research grant from China in 2017-2018. Joining the protest on April 17, 2025, Day of Action for Higher Ed, IU computer science chair Yuzhen Ye said Professor Wang was not even aware of the grant when university officials asked him about it. “So apparently a researcher in China applied for this grant without his knowledge," she said "So (Wang) explained and also he provided a supporting documentation to IU. I truly believe this really could have unfolded in a very different way if IU administration had chosen to trust its own faculty or give them a fair chance to respond,” Professor Ye said. Read the continuing development of Professor Wang's case: https://bit.ly/42tbPVR 3. The Unsolved Suicide of Dr. Nongjian Tao According to an exclusive report by the South China Morning Post on April 14, 2025, Nongjian Tao 陶农建 , a renowned Chinese American scientist and pioneer in nanotechnology, was found dead in March 2020 outside a parking garage at Arizona State University (ASU), where he led the Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors. A police report later concluded that Tao died by suicide amid significant "work-related stress." His sudden death at age 57 shocked colleagues, as he had been actively engaged in professional activities shortly before his passing. Tao was celebrated for his invention of the scanning tunneling microscopy break junction technique, which advanced the study of single molecules and contributed to the field of nanoscience. He also founded two biotech startups and secured over $10 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. Stuart Lindsay , a Regents Professor at ASU and Professor Tao’s PhD adviser in the 1980s, called him “the brightest and hardest working student” he had ever had.In 2021, the American Chemical Society published the first-ever special issue of ACS Sensors dedicated to the memory of Professor Tao, recognizing him as "a person that made an incredible impact on our lives and those of many others." He was named an honorary fellow by the Chinese Chemical Society in 2012. In April 2020, The obituary in Nature Nanotechnology honors Professor Tao (1963–2020) as a pioneering nanoscientist. Professor Tao's death occurred during the era of the "China Initiative," which aimed to counter alleged economic espionage but shifted to racial profiling against Chinese researchers. Five years later, questions about Professor Tao’s death remain – including whether some of that stress was the result of possible inquiries by NIH.The cause of Professor Tao’s death may never be known. University Leaders Stand Up to Trump Administration Threats According to Harvard Crimson on April 22, 2025, Harvard University President Alan Garber joined over 180 university leaders (which has since grown to more than 220) in signing a public statement denouncing government overreach and political interference in higher education. Issued by the American Association of Colleges and Universities , the statement calls for constructive engagement with the White House while opposing undue intrusion on campuses. It follows Harvard’s lawsuit challenging a $2.2 billion funding cut and marks the first time the university has directly co-led opposition to the Trump administration. The statement also criticized threats of deportation, emphasizing the importance of academic freedom and open inquiry.On April 21, 2025, Harvard filed a lawsuit to halt a federal freeze on more than $2.2 billion in grants: President and Fellows of Harvard College v. US Department of Health and Human Services (1:25-cv-11048) On April 14, 2025, Harvard publicly rejected a series of sweeping demands from the Trump administration, which included overhauling its admissions, hiring, and diversity programs, and submitting to federal oversight. “The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” the Harvard President Garber wrote. On April 18, 2025, the New York Times reported that some administration officials claimed the initial letter on April 11 was sent in error. According to the Washington Post on April 19, 2025, Harvard pushed back on the assertion that the letter was sent in error, pointing out that the Trump administration had “doubled down” on its threats. After Harvard refused to comply with the letter’s demands, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university without proof of violatons and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status. NYT Opinion: "America Needs an Uprising That Is Not Normal" In an essay published by the New York Times on April 17, 2025, Columnist David Brooks opined that " What's Happening Is Not Normal. America Needs an Uprising That Is Not Normal. " According to the opinion, Trumpism is not normal politics — it is a systematic, multifront assault on the foundational institutions of modern civilization. As the opinion explains, "Trumpism is about ego, appetite and acquisitiveness," and it actively seeks to dismantle the safeguards that make society humane and just — from universities and law firms to NATO and the rule of law. The usual compartmentalized responses have failed; treating these attacks as separate issues is a "disastrous strategy" that allows Trumpism to divide and conquer. This moment demands recognition that what’s at stake is not a partisan struggle, but “an assault on the fundamental institutions of our civic life.”What is urgently needed is not passive defense, but an “abnormal uprising” — a coordinated, national civic movement that unites all sectors of society: law, academia, science, media, business, and civil service. Drawing from historic examples in Why Civil Resistance Works , such movements start small but grow through strategic nonviolence — lawsuits, boycotts, mass rallies — eventually shifting the momentum and narrative. As the opinion argues, “Trump is about power. The only way he’s going to be stopped is if he is confronted by some movement that possesses rival power.” This is a call not just to resist, but to reform, heal, and rebuild. “We have nothing to lose but our chains,” the opinion concludes.Read the New York Times opinion by David Brooks: https://bit.ly/4ivpDUL News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar 2025/04/24-26 Committee of 100 Annual Conference and Gala2025/04/24 CHINA Town Hall: The First 100 Days: President Trump's China Policy2025/04/24 Federal Employees: Know your Legal Rights2025/04/24 Stop AAPI Hate Community Town Hall - Trump’s Travel Ban: How to Prepare and Push Back2025/04/28 California AANHPI Advocacy Day2025/04/30 Beyond the China Initiative: Civil Rights, National Security, and the Future of AAPI Communities2025/05/04 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/05/06 Asian American Careers - How to Build Your Personal Network, including Through Strategic Allies2025/05/12-14 APAICS Annual Summit and GalaVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF April 24, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #345 8/4 Meeting; Will Kim; Fed Data Integrity/Statistical System at Risk; Ed Dept Funding+ #345 8/4 Meeting; Will Kim; Fed Data Integrity/Statistical System at Risk; Ed Dept Funding+ In This Issue #345 · 2025/08/04 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Alert: Korean Scientist with Green Card Detained · Trump Terminated Federal Data Integrity—Not Just the BLS Commissioner · Rob Santos on The Threat to the Federal Statistical System · Education Department Releases Grant Money · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/08/04 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, August 4, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates from: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) We are honored by and welcome the following distinguished speakers: · Munira Abdullahi , Member, Ohio House of Representatives · Guangya Liu , Member, North Carolina House of Representatives · Min Fan , Executive Director, US Heartland China Association · Youngwoon Han , Network & Organizing Director, National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) · Daniel Chung , President, Korean American Bar Association of Northern California (KABANC) Congressman Al Green regrets that he will be unable to speak at the meeting due to the ongoing redistricting issue in Texas. He has agreed to return to a future meeting.Despite the late notice, Youngwoon Han and Daniel Chung have graciously accepted our invitation to speak. They will provide an update on Tae Heung 'Will' Kim, a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University and Texas resident with a Green Card. For more background on Will Kim’s situation, please refer to the next article below.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 . Alert: Korean Scientist with Green Card Detained According to multiple media reports, Tae Heung "Will" Kim , is a South Korean green card holder. He has lived in the U.S. for 35 years, since age five, when his family emigrated from South Korea. He is currently pursuing a PhD at Texas A&M, where he is researching a vaccine for Lyme disease. Kim was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at San Francisco International Airport after returning from a family wedding in South Korea. Kim’s attorneys told reporters that they had no contact with Kim while he was detained at the airport for a week and had difficulties getting information from authorities, who initially denied Kim’s right to legal counsel. CBP later cited a 2011 marijuana possession charge as the basis for Kim's detention, despite his having completed community service. Kim was reportedly held in poor conditions, exceeding CBP’s 72-hour detention limit, and may have lacked access to his asthma medication. He has since been transferred to an ICE facility in Arizona. On July 29, 2025, the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) launched a “Release Will Now!” campaign to get Kim released. A weeklong Phone calls to Texas legislators had been organized starting July 30. Over 1,000 people have already signed a petition letter to Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz . On July 30, 2025, the Korean American Bar Association of Northern California (KABANC) issued a statement strongly condemning the indefinite immigration detention of Will Kim without access to his attorney. Kim has remained in indefinite immigration detention since July 21. KABANC demands that he be immediately released from ICE and granted access to his attorney. Kim’s immigration lawyer, Karl Krooth , said that “it’s appalling to see a lawful permanent resident suffer detention for a week without access to counsel.” “While detained, CBP kept the lights on 24 hours per day, not allowing Will to see any daylight because the only time he was allowed near a window was at night,” Krooth said in a statement to the Daily Beast . Media Reports · 2025/07/31 Houston Chronicle: Texas A&M researcher in ICE custody following weeklong detention at San Francisco airport · 2025/07/29 Washington Post: Scientist on green card detained for a week without explanation, lawyer says · 2025/07/29 ABC News Korean PhD student detained in California despite green card, lawyer says · 2025/07/29 KBTX Immigration officials detain Texas A&M PhD student after attending brother’s wedding, report says · 2025/07/29 Daily Beast Scientist Trapped at Airport in ‘Inhumane’ Conditions With No Explanation Trump Terminated Federal Data Integrity—Not Just the BLS Commissioner President Donald Trump ’s abrupt firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer has ignited bipartisan outrage and fears over the politicization of federal data. According to multiple media outlets, Trump ousted McEntarfer after the latest jobs report showed hiring had slowed and prior months had been revised downward. He accused her—without evidence—of manipulating the data and emphasized that she was appointed by President Joe Biden . McEntarfer was confirmed in January 2024 by a bipartisan 86–8 Senate vote, including support from Republicans J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio , now serving in Trump's cabinet. She is a widely respected labor economist who previously served in nonpartisan roles at the Census Bureau, Treasury Department, and the White House Council of Economic Advisers.The reaction was swift and damning. Former Trump BLS Commissioner William Beach , now co-chair of the Friends of BLS, defended McEntarfer’s record, stating, “She is a very fine analyst and a good colleague.” In a joint statement, Beach and other leaders from the federal statistics community warned that Trump’s action “undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics” and risks setting the U.S. on a path similar to authoritarian regimes where official data loses public trust. Republican Senators Cynthia Lummis and Thom Tillis condemned the firing as reckless, while Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Bernie Sanders , called it authoritarian. Sanders cautioned that when leaders only accept good news, “it’s hard for us to deal with the problems, because we don’t know what is going on.”Beyond this singular firing, Trump’s broader record has intensified concerns. Federal data systems—long regarded as the global gold standard—are under mounting pressure from budget cuts, survey nonresponse, and politicized interference. The BLS alone has seen an 8% budget cut and up to 40% attrition, leading to the discontinuation of hundreds of critical statistical components. Experts like David Wilcox and Michael Strain warn that even small disruptions, such as mismeasuring inflation, could misallocate billions in Social Security payments. Simultaneously, over 400 changes have been made across federal databases, many erasing references to race, gender identity, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). As former U.S. Chief Data Scientist Denice Ross noted, this amounts to a “targeted, surgical removal of datasets.” A Reuters poll found 89 out of 100 top economists are worried about the quality of U.S. economic data, and over 80% say the federal response has been inadequate. Without urgent intervention, the U.S. risks losing its statistical integrity—along with the democratic trust that depends on it.Statement by the Friends of BLS: "The President seeks to blame someone for unwelcome economic news. The Commissioner does not determine what the numbers are but simply reports on what the data show. The process of obtaining the numbers is decentralized by design to avoid opportunities for interference. The BLS uses the same proven, transparent, reliable process to produce estimates every month. Every month, BLS revises the prior two months’ employment estimates to reflect slower-arriving, more-accurate information. "This rationale for firing Dr. McEntarfer is without merit and undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics that are a cornerstone of intelligent economic decision-making by businesses, families, and policymakers. U.S. official statistics are the gold standard globally. When leaders of other nations have politicized economic data, it has destroyed public trust in all official statistics and in government science."BLS operates as a federal statistical agency and is afforded autonomy to ensure the data it releases are as accurate as possible. To politicize the work of the agency and its workers does a great disservice not only to BLS but to the entire federal statistical system which this country has relied on for almost 150 years. We stand firmly behind the BLS, Commissioner McEntarfer, and the data they work hard to produce. Commissioner McEntarfer is a widely-respected economist who has devoted her career to public service. She has an impeccable record. Over ninety percent of U.S. Senators supported her confirmation."We call on Congress to respond immediately, to investigate the factors that led to Commissioner McEntarfer’s removal, to strongly urge the Commissioner’s continued service, and ensure that the nonpartisan integrity of the position is retained. The statement from the President undermines these tenets and politicizes data which cannot and should not be used for political points." References and Links 2025/08/02 The Hill: Statisticians blast Trump over BLS firing: ‘Dangerous precedent’ 2025/08/01 Friends of BLS: Statement on Commissioner McEntarfer’s Removal 2025/08/01 COPAFS: Removal of BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer 2025/08/01 NBC News: Republican senators raise concerns about Trump's firing of Labor Dept. official 2025/08/01 CNN: Trump fires a senior official over jobs numbers 2025/08/01 Wall Street Journal: Trump Orders Firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics Chief 2025/08/01 AP: Who is Erika McEntarfer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner fired by Trump? 2025/07/28 MarketPlace: Federal data has been disappearing under Trump 2025/07/25 Reuters: US economic data quality a worry, authorities not acting urgently enough, experts say- Reuters poll 2025/07/03 Washington Post: Why some fear government data on the U.S. economy is losing integrity Rob Santos on The Threat to the Federal Statistical System Robert Santos was the 26th Director of the U.S. Census Bureau—the first Latino and first person of color to hold that position. He left the Census Bureau on February 14, 2025, and is still decompressing from what was a very intense experience, especially during the final months of his tenure when he spoke at the APA Justice monthly meeting on May 5, 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nJzpcHpg2s (16:27) Director Santos emphasizes the critical role of federal statistical data—particularly from the Census Bureau and other agencies—in supporting justice, equity, and informed policymaking. High-quality, objective data is essential for identifying disparities and ensuring the equitable allocation of resources, from broadband funding to education and infrastructure investments. Current Status However, recent political and administrative developments have significantly undermined this mission. Early in the new administration, an executive order targeting terms related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), forced agencies to quickly remove these terms from documents, databases, and websites—often within 48 hours. This led to widespread shutdowns of public data access. Agencies complied to avoid legal consequences and to protect career staff from being fired.There is also a hiring freeze, leaving hundreds of critical positions vacant—especially among field data collectors. Ongoing staff reductions have included the departure of around 1,000 Census Bureau employees, many of whom were senior experts. Looming budget cuts tied to the FY26 budget and broader plans like Project 2025, which call for a drastic reduction in the federal workforce, further threaten the system.Director Santos warns that these developments compromise the ability of federal statistical agencies to fulfill their missions and stresses the urgent need for Congress and the public to protect the integrity and independence of the federal statistical system. Major Emerging Threats Rollback of Revised Race and Ethnicity Standards: Recent updates allow for more detailed data on Asian and Pacific Islander subgroups. However, there is political resistance—particularly in Congress—questioning the need for such detailed classifications.Return of the Citizenship Question: Adding a citizenship question to the census has been shown to suppress participation among immigrant communities, leading to undercounts and distorted data. Director Santos warns against its possible reintroduction.Making the American Community Survey (ACS) Voluntary: The ACS is a critical data collection tool. Making it voluntary would lower response rates, degrading the quality and reliability of federal data.Additionally, there are concerns that the Department of Justice (DOJ) may interfere with Title 13 protections, which safeguard the confidentiality of census responses. Santos stresses that breaching this confidentiality would be a grave threat—and assures that career staff would resist any such attempt.Overall, Director Santos warns of growing political and administrative pressures that could undermine the federal statistical system’s objectivity, reliability, and public trust. What can we do? Be vocal advocates—Speak out against efforts to dismantle or weaken data collection. We must defend the ability to produce high-quality, objective data.Engage strategically—Try to understand where the current administration is coming from in terms of its goals around government efficiency. Then demonstrate how the current data infrastructure is already efficient—and how it can be improved further. Everyone wants good data. Let’s show how data help the economy, support businesses, and enable all communities to thrive.We don’t need to be enemies. We can build a path forward together.Director Santos compares the current threats to the federal statistical system to a natural disaster—damage is inevitable, but we can work to minimize the impact. Most importantly, we must plan for the future. Once the current administration ends, there must be a united effort—across all communities—to rebuild a fair, inclusive, and effective federal statistical system.2025/04/16 Amstat Videos: Telling Our Stories - Rob Santos - Statistics in Public Service (9:55) Education Department Releases Grant Money Author: Madeleine Gable, APA Justice Communications Associate According to CBS , New York Times , and multiple media reports, the White House is set to release billions in federal funding it had initially withheld from schools. On July 1, Congress approved nearly $7 billion in education funding, but the Trump administration abruptly withheld it a day before the deadline. More than $2 billion of the money was intended for arts and music education in low-income districts, additional support for English language learners, and extra assistance for children of migrant farmworkers. The appropriation also allocated funding to train and recruit teachers, particularly in low-income areas. On June 20 before the deadline, the Trump administration conducted a review of the funds, finding instances of federal money being “grossly misused to subsidize a radical left-wing agenda.” The funding freeze faced several lawsuits, including two in federal court. On July 18, Congress announced it would release $1.3 billion in frozen federal funding intended for after-school and summer programs across the country, including non-profits such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of America. The release occurred after a lawsuit from Democratic leaders in 24 states called the action illegal, and days after 10 Republican senators sent a public letter to the administration. On July 25, the Education Department announced it will release $5.5 billion, nearly the full amount of the originally intended $7 billion. The administration will begin allocating the money to states next week. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/07/31-08/10 Asian American International Film Festival2025/08/02-07 2025 Joint Statistical Meetings2025/08/04 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/08/11 Committee of 100 Conversations – “Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes” with Gary LockeVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. SCMP : 6G Expert Gee-Kung Chang Counts Costs Author: Madeleine Gable, APA Justice Communications AssociateOn July 29, 2025, The South China Morning Post published a report where Georgia Tech professor Gee-Kung Chang 張繼昆 shared his harrowing experience as a target of the defunct China Initiative. In 2021, federal agents stormed his home and charged him with ten felonies related to misuse of the J-1 visa program. The accusations centered on claims that Chinese scholars he hosted worked for ZTE, but after four years of isolation and legal battles, all charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.Chang reflects on the emotional and financial toll, stating at an APA Justice meeting on May 5, 2025, that “freedom did not bring euphoria.” His case, like others, highlights how changing political winds turned academic collaboration with China into legal jeopardy. Although the China Initiative ended in 2022, efforts in Congress to revive it continue. Chang warns others: “Justice is not guaranteed. It must be fought for.”Read Professor Chang's statement " From Injustice to Integrity: A Journal Through Fire ." # # # 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 August 4, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #228 1/8 Monthly Meeting; "China Initiative;" US-China Ties; CA Leaders in Higher Ed; + #228 1/8 Monthly Meeting; "China Initiative;" US-China Ties; CA Leaders in Higher Ed; + In This Issue #228 · Reminder: 2023/01/08 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Opposition to Revive "China Initiative" · 45th Anniversary of US-China Diplomatic Ties · Book: The Rise of Chinese American Leaders in U.S. Higher Education: Stories and Roadmaps · News and Activities for the Communities Reminder: 2024/01/08 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, January 8, 2023, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Joanna Derman, Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC and Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed and invited speakers include: · Rep. Judy Chu 赵美心, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, to kick off the New Year with us by reviewing 2023 and looking to what is ahead in 2024. · Haipei Shue 薛海培, President, United Chinese Americans (UCA), Hongwei Shang 商红伟, and Echo King 金美声, Co-Founders of Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAAJA) to give us a report on December 16 Justice4All protest in Miami. · Ted Gong, Executive Director of the 1882 Foundation will introduce the 1882 Project, 1882 Foundation, and its upcoming activities in 2024, and Martin Gold , Pro Bono Counsel, 1882 Project; Partner, Capitol Counsel, LLC, on a future lecture. · Dr. Yawei Liu 刘亚伟, Senior Advisor, China Focus, Carter Center to introduce us to the China Focus at the Carter Center and the upcoming Conference for the 45th Anniversary of U.S.-China Relations in Atlanta. The 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 . Opposition to Revive "China Initiative" The Department of Justice (DOJ) ended the China Initiative nearly two years ago. It targeted mostly ethnic Chinese academics and their links to China. The program was stopped after criticism of racial profiling. Now, a proposed House spending bill wants to bring the initiative back. According to a NPR report on January 2, 2024, about 90% of the more than 70 cases prosecuted under the initiative involved people who were ethnically Chinese. Just about a quarter were convicted and usually for much lesser charges. Charges against MIT Professor Gang Chen were all dismissed - he had done nothing wrong, but the damage has been lasting on him and his wife. Professor Chen told NPR, "The China Initiative has fundamentally harmed the U.S. competitiveness. The biggest competition is on talents. And that really deterred a lot of talents coming to the U.S."NPR also interviewed Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director at the Asian American Scholar Forum, John Yang , president of Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Baimadajie Angwang , New York Police Department Officer who was also charged with being an unregistered foreign agent for China under the China Initiative and also had all the charges against him dismissed. Read the NPR report: https://n.pr/3NPexgA .On December 7, 2023, a coalition of over 50 organizations wrote to Congressional leaders Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Mike Johnson, and Hakim Jeffries to voice their concerns and strong opposition to reinstate the “China Initiative.” Read the letter: https://bit.ly/47oQP1F . Alien Land Laws Among Top Community Concerns in 2024 In 2023, an onslaught of federal and state legislation was started to prohibit property ownership by citizens of foreign countries (i.e. “alien land laws”). It has raised alarm and response throughout the Asian American community and is expected to continue in 2024. According to a Legal Sidebar by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), during the first six months of 2023, at least 15 states enacted legislation regulating foreign ownership of real property. A group of plaintiffs filed a legal challenge to one state law—Florida’s Senate Bill 264 (SB 264)—arguing that it violates their constitutional rights, does not comport with the federal Fair Housing Act, and is preempted by federal law.The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a Statement of Interest in the case supporting the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction and arguing that the Fair Housing Act bars SB 264. The statute declares invalid “any law of a State” that permits or requires a discriminatory housing practice. In addition, the United States argues, SB 264 violates the Equal Protection Clause, because it discriminates based on alienage and national origin without justification. While the federal government has more leeway in regulating alienage, the United States explains, state classifications singling out aliens must be narrowly tailored in pursuit of a compelling government interest. The United States maintains that the law “will not advance the State’s purported goal of increasing public safety,” as Florida has not identified “any legitimate connection between protecting the State” and barring individuals of certain nationalities from owning real property. Plaintiffs, the United States points out, are not members of the PRC government or of the Communist Party of China and are not representatives of their country of origin.Read the CRS Legal Sidebar: https://bit.ly/41N2QwM According to the South China Morning Post on December 16, 2023, Chinese land ownership in US was down 2 per cent in 2022 amid heightened national security concerns. Agriculture Department data reveals holdings fell to nearly 350,000 acres, just shy of 1 per cent of all foreign-held American land. Read the South China Morning Post Report: https://bit.ly/48MC4qR According to a New York Times opinion by Professor Mae Ngai of Columbia University, her parents faced discrimination when attempting to buy land in northern New Jersey due to their Chinese heritage in the 1950s. This discrimination was part of a broader history of racial segregation in the United States, with practices like racial covenants and alien land laws preventing certain groups, including Asians, from owning property. Fast forward to the present day, similar discriminatory measures are resurfacing, with some states passing laws to restrict Chinese nationals, Chinese-owned companies, or the Chinese government from buying land near critical infrastructure like military facilities and airports. Several states have already implemented such laws, with others considering similar measures, and some proposals have been introduced at the federal level targeting foreign land ownership.Citing national security concerns as a reason to prevent foreign adversaries and entities from owning U.S. property, these laws, exemplified by Florida's land bill, target Chinese nationals and companies, promoting a view that associates all Asians, especially Chinese people, with being enemies of America. This echoes a long history of discriminatory legislation dating back to the "yellow peril" fears of the 19th century, which restricted Asian rights and immigration. The contemporary wave of anti-Chinese measures is not entirely new; it was exacerbated during the Trump administration, blaming China for the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in racist assaults on Asian Americans. Policies like the China Initiative, initially aimed at intellectual property theft, unfairly targeted Chinese and Chinese American academics without evidence of wrongdoing. Although disbanded, it left a chilling effect on ethnic Chinese scientists in the U.S., affecting their job security and deterring future talent from coming to the country. The justification for these measures, rooted in national security concerns, seems overstated. Statistics show that the ownership of agricultural land by foreign nationals, especially Chinese, is minimal, contradicting the perceived threat. The narrative framing China as an adversary serves political expediency but carries severe consequences, including racial harassment and discrimination against Asian Americans.While the Biden Administration has attempted to ease tensions, like President Joe Biden 's meeting with President Xi Jinping and calls for trade relationship "derisking," the persistent linkage of trade and national security perpetuates discrimination against Chinese and Asian Americans. This echoes a history of injustice, such as the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, which took decades to receive an official apology.Professor Ngai's parents, immigrants from China, eventually found success in their careers and in buying a home, benefiting from the civil rights gains. However, they would likely express concerns about current U.S. policies towards China today, recognizing the potential impact and targeting of individuals like themselves due to their heritage.Read the New York Times opinion: https://nyti.ms/3H9GLiE On December 15, 2023, the Committee of 100 (C100) issued a statement to denounce the legislation in Florida, Texas and additional states that would limit the ability of non-U.S. citizens to purchase land in their state. To track the recent surge of legislation prohibiting property ownership by Chinese citizens (including permanent residents) across the U.S., C100 launched a new database that identifies and explains such legislation considered, and in some cases passed, by Congress and state governments.The webpage features an interactive map of the United States that visually demonstrates the data. The data can be filtered by the provisions included in the legislation, including the types of entities prohibited from owning property (e.g. Chinese citizens, businesses headquartered in China) and the types of properties prohibited from ownership (e.g. residential, commercial, agricultural property).C100’s database, tracking the legislation and documenting resources on the subject, will be updated on a quarterly basis.Read the C100 announcement: https://bit.ly/41NWtJG On December 16, 2023, hundreds braved a stormy day in Miami to protest the unfair legislation of Florida's SB264 and SB846 state laws. The rally was an urgent call for unity and justice, aiming to bring together concerned citizens of all backgrounds and all ethnicities in opposition to injustice and unfair treatment going on in Florida right now. Elected officials and community leaders from across the country actively participated and delivered inspirational speeches. Visit the FAAJA website at https://www.faaja.org/ for more reports. Read the West Orlando News report: https://bit.ly/3TRjlpI 45th Anniversary of US-China Diplomatic Ties According to multiple media reports, President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping exchanged greetings on January 1, 2024, which marked the 45th anniversary of US-China diplomatic ties. The two countries are trying to restore relations that have reached their most confrontational point in the 45 years since ties were established in 1979. Beijing and Washington officially established ties on January 1, 1979, based on agreements reached after years of negotiations. On the same date, Washington officially switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.In his letter to Biden, Xi said the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US was a “major event” in the history of bilateral and international relations. “Over the past 45 years, China-US relations have gone through ups and downs but have generally moved forward, which has not only enhanced the well-being of the two peoples, but also promoted world peace, stability and prosperity,” he said.Biden responded that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1979, the relationship between the US and China had promoted prosperity and opportunities for the US, China and the world. “I am committed to responsibly managing this important relationship. I look forward to building on the progress made by our predecessors and our many meetings and discussions as we continue to advance the US-China relationship,” Biden said. The Carter Center will honor President Jimmy Carter and commemorate the 45th anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-China relations during a conference in Atlanta on January 9, 2024. World-renowned experts will participate in panel discussions on different dimensions of the U.S.-China diplomatic, military, and economic relationship. A gala dinner to celebrate President Carter’s legacy promoting peace in East Asia will follow the conference in the evening. Both events are open to the public. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3TQYG58 Book: The Rise of Chinese American Leaders in U.S. Higher Education: Stories and Roadmaps A new book titled "The Rise of Chinese American Leaders in U.S. Higher Education: Stories and Roadmaps" has been published by Springer Nature. It is a collection of 36 stories and reflections that represent Chinese American leaders and depict their tortuous journeys in U.S. higher education that comes at a critical point in time. Many books have been devoted to academic leadership, but this volume uniquely focuses on subjects most relevant to Chinese Americans. We live at a time that not only witnesses an increase in Chinese American leaders on U.S. campuses but also mounting incidents of discriminatory treatment of this group. They represent leaders holding different ideological values in various academic fields, positions, stages of careers, professional trajectories, generations, Chinese ethnic groups, and geographical locations. Read more about the book at https://bit.ly/48eNQu5 . If you wish to submit a formal review of the book, please visit: https://bit.ly/48p7J1t . News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/01/08 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/01/09 The Jimmy Carter Forum on US-China Relations in Honor of 45th Anniversary of Normalization2024/01/20 White House Initiative AA and NHPI Economic Summit in Metro Atlanta2024/01/17 Committee of 100 - Are Asian Americans Paid Less in Business?2024/02/04 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/02/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/03/03 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. Back View PDF January 7, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #46 "China Initiative"; Twitter; US House Testimony; Webinars; Student Stats; Hate Crimes #46 "China Initiative"; Twitter; US House Testimony; Webinars; Student Stats; Hate Crimes Back View PDF March 1, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #279 Briefing to Oppose China Initiative Bill; AASF Forum with NIH; Xiaoxing Xi Interview+ #279 Briefing to Oppose China Initiative Bill; AASF Forum with NIH; Xiaoxing Xi Interview+ In This Issue #279 · CAPAC, Impacted Professors, and Asian American Leaders Oppose China Initiative Legislation · AASF Forum with the National Institutes of Health · MIT Science Policy Review Interview with Dr. Xiaoxing Xi · News and Activities for the Communities CAPAC, Impacted Professors, and Asian American Leaders Oppose China Initiative Legislation During the APA Justice monthly meeting on September 9 , 2024, Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), reported that a congressional briefing and press conference will be held on Capitol Hill.On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 4:00p.m. ET, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Second Vice-Chair Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39) will join victims of the discriminatory and now defunct China Initiative and leaders of Asian American advocacy organizations for a press conference ahead of the House floor vote on H.R. 1398 - Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act of 2024. WHAT: CAPAC, Victims of China Initiative, and Asian American Leaders Host Press Conference Opposing China Initiative WHEN: Tuesday, September 10, 2024, 4:00 pm ET – 4:45 pm ET WHO: · CAPAC Chair Judy Chu · CAPAC Second Vice-Chair Mark Takano · Prof Gang Chen · Prof Anming Hu · Prof Franklin Tao · Gisela Perez Kusakawa – AASF · Other speakers may join WHERE: House Triangle, U.S. Capitol, Washington DC AASF Forum with the National Institutes of Health On September 19, 2024, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) will host an online forum with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Speakers will include NIH Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli who will give opening remarks and NIH Principal Deputy Director, Dr. Lawrence Tabak who will give a presentation.This is the first public event after Dr. Bertagnolli issued a statement of support for Asian American, Asian immigrant and Asian research colleagues on August 15. "NIH greatly values our relationship with Asian researchers and recognizes their extraordinary contributions to advancing science," the statement said. "We are working with stakeholder groups, universities and academic professional organizations to take actions that repair our relationships with these valued members of the research community."The online event is open to the public. Register to attend the Zoom meeting: https://bit.ly/3ZgGNzp MIT Science Policy Review Interview with Dr. Xiaoxing Xi On August 27, 2024, MIT Science Policy Review published an extensive interview with Dr. Xiaoxing Xi , Chinese American physicist and the Laura H. Carnell Professor of Physics at Temple University. Born in China, Dr. Xi moved to the United States in 1989 and has since become a naturalized U.S. citizen. In May of 2015, Dr. Xi was arrested at gunpoint by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for alleged espionage. He was placed on administrative leave and barred from accessing his lab. Four months later, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped all charges against him. Since then, Dr. Xi has launched a campaign against racial profiling in science, testifying before Congress and speaking at universities and conferences.The American Physical Society recognized Dr. Xi’s tireless advocacy by awarding him the Andrei Sakharov Prize in 2020. MIT Science Policy Review spoke with Dr. Xi about the ramifications of being wrongfully accused of espionage, historic parallels in Christopher Nolan ’s movie Oppenheimer, the government’s increasing hostility towards Chinese academics, and what patriotism means to him.The interview was organized in three parts: 1. "Advocacy has become part of my research portfolio." Dr. Xi filed a lawsuit in 2017 challenging his 2015 wrongful arrest, claiming unconstitutional evidence and discriminatory targeting of Chinese American scientists. After an initial dismissal, Dr. Xi won an appeal, allowing the case to proceed to the discovery stage. The process is ongoing without a clear timeline. His research has suffered, shrinking from nine projects to one, due to fear of government scrutiny. Xi now devotes significant time to advocacy, addressing racial profiling of Chinese American scientists. He speaks widely to raise awareness, aiming to impact U.S. policies and protect the scientific community from similar injustices. 2. Finding parallels in Oppenheimer. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer explores the life of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer , his role in the development of the atomic bomb, and the repercussions of his association with the Communist Party, which nearly destroyed his career. The movie raises broader issues of science policy, such as open scientific exchange versus political compartmentalization. Dr. Xi found similarities between Oppenheimer’s situation and his own experience of false espionage accusations, particularly regarding political shifts that lead to the prosecution of once-celebrated individuals. Both cases involved the authorities disregarding evidence to serve political motives. While Oppenheimer's case occurred during McCarthyism, today, the fear of China has led to a wave of investigations against Chinese American scientists. Dr. Xi argues that false accusations and racial profiling continue, with both their cases and Oppenheimer's serving as examples of systemic injustices. Despite Oppenheimer sparking discussions on nuclear policy, the issue of false espionage accusations has not received comparable attention, possibly due to the global stakes of nuclear issues overshadowing individual injustices. 3. Science in the crossfire of geopolitical tension. The China Initiative, launched by DOJ in 2018, aimed to address national security threats from China, focusing on theft of trade secrets and espionage. By 2019, it began targeting academics, accusing them of espionage for routine practices like writing recommendation letters or participating in Chinese grant reviews. Nearly 38% of cases involved failure to disclose ties to Chinese universities. The program was officially ended in 2022 due to criticism of racial profiling and ineffectiveness. The Initiative negatively impacted academia, discouraging collaboration with Chinese-born scientists. Dr. Xi argues that increasing scientific literacy within agencies like the DOJ or FBI would not resolve the core issue, as the fundamental belief that Chinese scholars are spies drives these prosecutions. The real issue is a flawed theory that considers Chinese academics as "nontraditional collectors" of information for China, leading to unjust charges based on non-disclosure. Geopolitical tensions, fueled by anti-China sentiment in U.S. politics, make life difficult for Chinese-descended scientists. Laws like the CHIPS and Science Act further restrict collaboration with China. Dr. Xi compares the current situation to the mistreatment of Japanese Americans during WWII and emphasizes the need for highlighting these injustices.Read the MIT Science Policy Review interview: https://bit.ly/3XgtFHN Additional Reading Materials 1. Chapter 10 - Asian Americans as “the Perpetual Foreigner” under Scrutiny by Frank H. Wu Asian Americans play a prominent role in the state surveillance story, because Asian Americans play an ambiguous role in both international relations and domestic race relations. Although people of Asian descent have been arriving in the Americas since before the Civil War – Asian soldiers fighting on both sides of the internecine conflict – Asian immigrants and their American-born descendants, whatever their formal status and however assimilated, have been portrayed as “sojourners” only temporarily resident in the United States and likely to return to a homeland to which they have remained stealthily loyal. The persistent theme has been that Asians are inassimilable into American society, whether by biology, culture, or their own collective choices. The assumption that it is contradictory to be both Asian and American has been used, explicitly and implicitly, to justify discrimination against Asian Americans. The Cambridge Handbook of Race and Surveillance , pp. 190 - 222DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108241304.010[Opens in a new window] Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023 2. Chapter 6 - New Red Scare: The China Initiative by Steven Pei, Jeremy Wu, and Alex Liang The FBI has a long history of surveillance of ethnic Chinese scientists in the United States. McCarthyism, the Economic Espionage Act, and more recently the China Initiative were initiatives adversely impacting Chinese and Chinese Americans living in the U.S. The stereotypes of Asian and Chinese scientists as “disloyal” stem from the perpetual foreigner trope. The key here is that most of them were U.S. citizens. They are as much an American as any other American, yet their “loyalty” is perceived as less trustworthy. This stereotype has harmful, life-altering consequences. Communicated Stereotypes at Work by Anastacia Kurylo (Editor, Contributor), Yifeng Hu (Editor, Contributor), Wilfredo Alvarez (Contributor), & 29 moreASIN ‏ : B0CSK2PGY3Lexington Books (May 15, 2024) News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events:2024/09/10 Congressional Briefing and Press Conference on the “China Initiative” & Asian American Civil Right2024/09/10-12 Chronicle Festival: The Road Ahead to 20352024/09/12 AA4D: Nobel Laureates and Scientists for Democracy 2024/09/15 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/09/19 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 SummitThe Community Calendar has moved. Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. WHIAANHPI Announces Innovator Challenge to Combat Hate and Promote Healthy Communities The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Secretary (OS), Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA), in collaboration with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), is creating a rapid response national competition for 501(c)3 community based organizations to identify community-driven efforts to raise greater awareness of hate crimes and address the health consequences, including mental health, of communities burdened by bullying, hate and bias. Desired outcomes include the development of community-driven strategies and application of data-driven tools to combat bullying, hate, and bias to promote healthier communities.The Challenge.gov fund has $325,000 available for up to four (4) awards through this competition. Eligible 501(c)3 organizations may submit a maximum five (5) page proposal through Challenge.gov .Submission Period Opens: Friday, September 6, 2024, 9:00 AM ETSubmission Period Closes: Sunday, September 15, 2024, 11:59 PM ETLearn more and submit your proposal: https://bit.ly/3MDFJy2 3. San Francisco Interim Fire Chief Sandra Tong According to multiple media reports, San Francisco Mayor London Breed appointed and swore in Interim Chief Sandra Tong on September 3, 2024, with the Chinatown native becoming the department’s first Chinese American leader as it continues searching for a permanent successor to outgoing Chief Jeanine Nicholson following her retirement last month. The San Francisco Fire Commission said it unanimously supported Tong’s appointment. Tong spent the last five years serving on Nicholson’s command staff, most recently working as the deputy chief of emergency medical services and community paramedicine. She was born and raised in Chinatown and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Sino-Soviet Relations from UC Berkeley, as well as a doctorate in organizational psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.Tong has 35 years of experience working in emergency-medical services. Back View PDF September 10, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #248 FISA Renewal Goes Down; C100 Conference; SB 264 Rally in Miami; Kurt Campbell; AAASE #248 FISA Renewal Goes Down; C100 Conference; SB 264 Rally in Miami; Kurt Campbell; AAASE In This Issue #248 • House Strikes Down FISA Renewal Measure • Update on Committee of 100 Conference • China Town Hall with Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell • Justice in Property Rights Rally in Miami • Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering • News and Activities for the Communities House Strikes Down FISA Renewal Measure According to multiple media reports, by a vote of 193 to 228, the House of Representatives voted against a procedural measure that would have begun debate to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The bill, titled the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA), would reauthorize Section 702 of FISA for five years and aims to impose a series of reforms. The law as it stands allows the US intelligence community to collect the communications records of foreign persons based overseas, but it also allows the FBI to search the data it collects for Americans’ information in what critics have called a “backdoor” search. The current FISA tool allows the government to conduct targeted surveillance of foreign nationals, without needing to obtain a warrant, with a higher bar for targeted American citizens. The new House Republican bill calls for a number of reforms but does not go far enough in the eyes of privacy and civil liberties advocates, on both the right and left. The searches of US persons’ information are governed by a set of internal rules and procedures designed to protect Americans’ privacy and civil liberties, but critics say that loopholes allow the FBI to search the data it collects for Americans’ information — as opposed to from foreign adversaries — without proper justification. The complicated politics surrounding the law have united strange bedfellows: Some conservative Republicans have joined forces with progressive Democrats to push for reforms to the authority, while security-focused Democrats and Republicans have opposed major new restrictions. One major sticking point is whether the FBI should be required to obtain a warrant before querying the database for information on US citizens. Latest development may involve a shorter reauthorization period of 2 years instead of 5 years. Current authorization of Section 702 will expire on April 19, 2024. Read these media reports: AP News: https://bit.ly/3UeNFuh ; CNN: https://cnn.it/3JfQzc0 ; Voice of America: https://bit.ly/3TXNTV6 ; CBS News: https://cbsn.ws/4avJzDD ; Fox News: https://fxn.ws/4cQWAJF ; ABC News: https://bit.ly/3Udp4G9 ; NBC News: https://nbcnews.to/3Q1Bmil During the APA Justice monthly meeting on April 8, 2024, Nisha Ramachandran, Executive Director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, reported a flurry of activities related to the reauthorization of Section 702 of FISA. Multiple bills and amendments were floated. There was not a lot of clarity. It has already happened twice that a bill to reform warrantless surveillance was pulled before it could pass the Rules Committee. Without knowing the specifics, CAPAC has not taken a position on RISAA at that time. A summary for the April 8 meeting is being prepared at this time. The virtual monthly meeting is by invitation only. It is closed to the press. If you wish to join, either one time or for future meetings, please contact one of the co-organizers of APA Justice - Steven Pei 白先慎, Vincent Wang 王文奎, and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . According to ACLU, in May 2015, FBI agents came into Temple University Professor Xiaoxing Xi’s house with guns drawn and led him away in handcuffs in front of his wife and daughters. The government accused Xi of sharing information about a superconductor device known as a “pocket heater,” relying on email exchanges between Xi and scientific colleagues in China that the FBI had obtained. Professor Xi is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China. The intercepted emails, however, were not about the pocket heater, but concerned a different kind of superconductor technology that has been public for years. In September 2015, prosecutors were forced to drop the charges. But the damage to Xi and his family was already significant. As a result of the charges, Xi was placed on administrative leave, suspended from his position as the interim chair of the Temple Physics Department, denied access to his lab and the graduate students working under his supervision, and had to pay substantial legal fees to defend himself. The government spied on Xi using orders issued under FISA, which is intended for spying on foreign agents. As the complaint alleges, he was also spied on without any court order under Section 702 of FISA and Executive Order 12333, both of which are used by the government to conduct warrantless surveillance of international communications, including those of Americans. The government has reportedly engaged in extensive warrantless surveillance of Chinese universities and scientific research centers. It has siphoned communications off servers, computers, and major internet networks that connect many of China’s most prestigious academic institutions. The ACLU represents Professor Xi, who is suing the government over its dismissed prosecution. The lawsuit, filed in 2017, challenges the FBI’s baseless arrest of Xi and its surveillance methods as well as its discriminatory targeting of Chinese American scientists. Read the ACLU summary of Professor Xi's case: https://bit.ly/3GlCCqS Update on Committee of 100 Conference During the APA Justice monthly meeting on April 8, 2024, Cindy Tsai, Interim President of the Committee of 100 reported on the upcoming C100 annual conference to be held at Marriot Marquis in New York City on April 19. There will be a double track with over a dozen sessions on AAPI domestic issues and US-China relations. Cindy highlighted four sessions of the conference: 1. Bringing AAPI history and stories such as the alien land laws into K-12 education and classrooms, 2. Community response to rising anti-Asian hostility as a group and direct services since it is difficult to predict when to stand up for your rights, 3. U.S. national defense policies have impacted researchers and academics as well as technology such as AI. What does foreign influence really mean? What is appropriate response without discriminating certain groups? 4. Impact of US-China tension on Asian Americans in government. While we encourage Asian Americans to have representation, become politically engaged, and work for the government, there are glass ceiling, security clearance, lack of assignment, and similar deterrents. Visit the conference website at: https://bit.ly/4ccKQkj . Contact Cindy at ctsai@committee100.org if you have interest about the C100 conference, including any questions and topics that should be brought to these sessions. China Town Hall with Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell On April 9, 2024, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations hosted the 18th annual China Town Hall from over 70 venues including Shanghai, China. The first part of this year's China Town Hall featured a live interview by NCUSCR President Stephen A. Orlins with U.S. Deputy Secretary of States Kurt Campbell, who was confirmed and sworn into office in February 2024. During the town hall, Dr. Hua Wang, Co-Chair of the New England Chinese American Alliance, raised a question, "as a community organization, we are concerned about increasing suspicion of the loyalty and integrity of Chinese Americans such as the China initiative. Such suspicions not only hurt the racial minority, we all know about the Japanese American internment, but also tear apart the fabric of American society such as during the McCarthy era. So how to protect the equal rights of the Chinese Americans and avoid stereotyping Chinese culture and people while managing the complex US-China relations?" Watch Deputy Secretary Campbell's response and the rest of the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypg6X4bC8MQ (1:10:05) Justice in Property Rights Rally in Miami WHAT: Justice in Property Rights Rally WHEN: April 19, 2024, 12:00 noon - 2:00 pm Eastern Time WHERE: In-person event, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, 99 NE 4th ST, Miami, FL 33132 HOSTS: FAAJA, UCA, ACLU, AALDEF, Stop Asian Hate DESCRIPTION: April 19 will be a decisive day as we face a crucial appellate hearing aimed at challenging SB 264, which targets the Chinese community. This bill has sparked widespread concern and opposition as it unfairly targets the Chinese, threatening the rights and freedoms of our community members. This is a call for all who care about justice and equality to stand up and collectively oppose this discriminatory legislation. LINK: https://bit.ly/3VW6SlO Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering (AAASE) During the APA Justice monthly meeting on March 4, 2024, Columbia University Professor X. Edward Guo, introduced the Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering (AAASE) and described its mission and activities. AAASE is a relatively new organization. It is 2 years old. Princeton University Professor Yiguang Ju was the Founding President. Professor Guo is the second President. The mission of AAASE is to focus on the next generation of leaders in the STEM field, promote Asian American team leadership in STEM, and also work with the broad Asian American community. Professor Guo announced that AAASE will host two summer academies for high school students interested in science and engineering in 2024. One will be a day camp at Princeton University, and the other a resident camp at Stanford University. The summer camps are one-week long. The students will also promote Asian American leadership contributions in science and technology. The AAASE also plans to honor 100 top leaders as Academy Fellows. AAASE has selected 23 fellows in 2024. They are going to be inducted at the National Academy Science Conference in Irvine, California, on November 15-17. The AAASE has also engaged with the Committee of 100 on its upcoming conference on April 19 and will hold its annual Board of Directors retreat at Columbia University on April 21. Professor Guo is pleased and proud to work with this community. Contact AAASE at aaase.org@gmail.com for additional information. Visit the AAASE website at https://www.aaase.org/ . News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/04/17 Racially Profiled for Being A Scientist: A Discussion of the US DOJ's China Initiative 2024/04/18 Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice 2024/04/19 Committee of 100 Annual Conference and Gala 2024/04/19 Appeals Court Hearing on Florida SB 264 2024/04/19 Justice in Property Rights Rally 2024/05/02 AAGEN 2024 Executive Leadership Workshop 2024/05/04 Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice 2024/05/05 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. White House Celebration of AANHPI: Lasting Legacies WHAT: White House Celebration of AANHPI: Lasting Legacies WHEN: May 13, 2024, 1:00 - 5:00 pm Eastern Time WHERE: In-person event, The Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. HOST: White House and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) DESCRIPTION: This landmark event in the heart of our nation’s capital will commemorate 25 years since the creation of the White House Initiative and the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. For the first time, current and former leaders spanning five presidential administrations will gather to honor this historic milestone and reflect on the progress AA and NHPI communities have achieved over the past 25 years. This event is open to the public. Individual registration is required to attend in-person. Please share this invitation with your networks. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3TX1IDg Back View PDF April 12, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #264 Neal Lane Remarks; National Academies Capstone; RoRS Workshop; Anti-Asian Hate; More #264 Neal Lane Remarks; National Academies Capstone; RoRS Workshop; Anti-Asian Hate; More In This Issue #264 · Dr. Neal Lane Remarks on June 6 Forum and Goals · National Academies Roundtable Capstone Workshop · Dr. Tam Dao Update on Research on Research Security (RoRS) Workshop · Anti-Asian Hate Incident with Columbia University Vice President for Communications · News and Activities for the Communities Dr. Neal Lane Remarks on June 6 Forum and Goals During the APA Justice monthly meeting on July 1, 2024, Dr. Neal Lane, Senior Fellow, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University; Former Director of Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), The White House; Former Director, National Science Foundation (NSF), shared his thoughts about the important dialogue that was held at Rice University on June 6, 2024. Dr. Lane's remarks followed Kei Koizumi , Principal Deputy Director of OSTP.The June 6 forum was a groundbreaking occasion where representatives from the FBI, Asian American communities, and academic institutions gathered for a vital discussion. Dr. Lane explained why this unique gathering may be one of the most significant hosted by Rice University. America’s economy, security, and well-being are deeply intertwined with advancements in science, technology, and private sector innovation. The U.S. heavily relies on researchers and STEM workers from Asia, particularly China. If these talented individuals decide not to come here or those already here choose to leave, it will severely impact our scientific and technological progress.Not long ago, that sentiment would have been unthinkable.If some foreign entity decided to find a way to cause America to fall backwards in science, technology, innovation, and economic growth, and simply become a weaker nation, the China initiative would be an ideal strategy. Even with its cancellation, so much damage has already been done.Existing policies, rules, and enforcement guidelines are not clear, and there appear to be communication gaps between the policy makers and those who must enforce the rules. Dr. Lane is encouraged by Kei's comments that the guidelines will be coming out of the White House soon. It is hard for those of us who are not there working on this problem in real time to understand the scope of what the challenges are.It is an understatement that policy makers do not always get it right. We have just heard some of the matters that Congress is dealing with right now, and that the White House is pushing back on.That was the reason Dr. Lane felt the June 6 Forum was so important. The fact that the FBI, with some risk, was reaching out to the Asian community, meant that there was a real chance to begin a much-needed dialogue.It brought together leaders from the FBI’s Houston Field Office and Washington headquarters, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, and members of the Asian and academic communities. Discussions covered the China Initiative, issues with students at the border, the complex landscape of research security, and the ongoing need to balance research security with attracting and retaining top talent.Rice University's Office of Innovation, led by Vice President of Innovation Paul Cherukuri , spoke at the Forum. Key participants included representatives from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, the ACLU of Texas, the Asian American Scholar Forum, the Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition, and APA Justice.Although Customs and Border Protection representatives were invited, they did not attend. The Forum was moderated by Dr. Steven Pei and attended by about 75 in person, with over 400 joining virtually. One major takeaway was the commitment from FBI leadership, particularly Jill Murphy , Deputy Assistant Director for counterintelligence in Washington, and Alamdar Hamdani , the US. Attorney for the Southern district of Texas. They both said that they are committed to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, and they acknowledge the potential link between the rise of hate crimes against Asians and the unfortunate portrayal of Asian Americans as being untrustworthy and here to steal intellectual property.Jill Murphy emphasized that the initiative was never intended to harm Asians and reassured us that the FBI takes anti-Asian bias seriously.One objective of the Forum was that it would pave the way for potential collaborations between the FBI and Asian communities and other cities, such as San Francisco. We are very happy to learn that FBI leadership in San Francisco, Robert Tripp , and U.S. Attorney from the Northern District of California, Ismail Ramsey , will be meeting with Asian American community there to hold similar discussions.Another goal of the Forum was to encourage the Government to maintain open lines of communication with the Asian community and advocate better coordination research security efforts.As we have heard from Kei, the White House OSTP is working hard to clarify research security policies for universities, researchers and funding agencies. One of OSTP’s many tasks is to manage the National Science and Technology Council. which is chaired by the President. The OSTP Director, Arati Prabhakar , sits on the President's Cabinet. OSTP works with federal agencies to coordinate the complex funding and research security landscape and reduce the time consuming paperwork and other administrative tasks, many of which simply waste money and researchers’ time.In her annual State of Science talk a week ago, Marcia McNutt , President of the National Academy of Sciences, reminded us that on average, surveys show that researchers spend 40% of their research time, not teaching time, on administrative tasks. And now, with new research security requirements being imposed by Congress, the burden could be even greater.OSTP is the place in the White House that keeps a focus on protecting the U.S. research enterprise while dealing sensibly and seriously with research security that can require pushing back on unhelpful, even damaging actions by Congress and some agencies. The challenge is formidable and exhausting, and it takes time.Regarding the border issues, Dr. Lane suggested that perhaps OSTP could convene meetings with officials of Homeland Security, and Customs and Border Protection in particular, to discuss the problems that some Chinese students are having as they try to re-enter the country.During the George W. Bush administration after 9/11, Jack Marburger was Director of OSTP. The office played a key role in establishing the Science and Technology Directorate of the newly formed Department of Homeland Security.Now might be a good time to renew the partnership between OSTP and Homeland Security. It is not easy. If you look at the organization chart for Homeland Security, you find lots of offices and the directorate and connections between offices of all government organizations can be very difficult. OSTP can perhaps make some of those connections a little easier for the folks who are working very hard within that department.On our part, as concerned Asian, Asian American, and academic and larger science communities, it will require patience and strong support of positive efforts that are underway, such as what Kei described in continuing dialogue with the White House and Federal agencies, including law enforcement.The unprecedented meeting on June 6 was a good start. The job now is to keep the momentum going. Dr. Lane is confident that APA Justice will continue to do its part. A summary for the July 1 APA Justice monthly meeting is being prepared at this time. Watch the June 6 Forum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csqLJo869ZY (1:55:23) Additional reading: 2024/07/04 Science Editorial: American academic freedom is in peril 2024/07/04 Yahoo/Fortune: Washington’s scrutiny of Chinese and Chinese-American scientists is hurting their productivity—and global scientific cooperation 2024/06/27 VOA: Reports of visa checks, deportations worry Chinese STEM students in US 2024/05/30 Baker Institute for Public Policy: An Urgent Call for Clear and Fair Law Enforcement Guidelines and Procedures for Research Security National Academies Roundtable Capstone Workshop Although she was still recovering from COVID, Dr. Karla Hagan, Senior Program Officer and Staff Director of the National Academies Roundtable, gave an update on the Roundtable and the upcoming capstone workshop during the APA Justice monthly meeting on July 1, 2024.The Roundtable was created four years ago under the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. It brought together the law enforcement and intelligence communities with the research community in academia and industry. The Roundtable held 14 meetings in total, including five regional meetings outside of Washington DC in Maryland, Boston, Chicago, Stanford, and Texas. After four years of work, there will be a capstone workshop on July 16 and 17, 2024. It is a public event open to attendance in person or virtually. A public proceeding will also be published following the event. The Roundtable included members from across academia, government, and industry. It is focused on research security. It was pulled together at a time when law enforcement and academia were farther apart than they are now although there is still a long way to go.The capstone workshop will not only summarize the four years of Roundtable work, including impacts that Federal policies are having and concerns heard from the communities, but also to examine some of the potential next steps.Not too surprisingly, the discussions of the APA Justice monthly meeting are also some of the themes coming out of the Roundtable. All of us are invited to join the capstone workshop. Registration to attend and additional information about the National Academies capstone workshop are posted here: https://bit.ly/3z0PnY7 Dr. Tam Dao Update on Research on Research Security (RoRS) Workshop The National Science Foundation (NSF) launched the Research on Research Security program in 2023. It was inspired by a JASON report on research security. The report raised critical questions such as: What should research security look like? How should it be studied? What areas need a deeper understanding?On May 23 and 24, 2024, Rice University, in partnership with multiple organizations, hosted a groundbreaking global workshop on May 23 and 24, 2024, to explore the emerging field of Research on Research Security (RoRS).During the APA Justice monthly meeting on June 3, 2024, Dr. Tam Dao, Assistant Vice President for Research Security, Office of Research Security, Rice University, provided background information and outlined the workshop's two primary objectives: 1. Identifying Key Areas for Further Understanding : The workshop aimed to pinpoint specific areas within research security that require deeper understanding. The goal was to generate research questions and testable hypotheses to guide NSF’s funding priorities in this field. 2. Building a Community of Practice : NSF also sought to create a community of practice that could pursue these research opportunities once the requests for proposals are issued. NSF emphasized the importance of not only creating a research roadmap but also engaging scientists across various disciplines to apply for grants in this area. For the workshop, Tam and Rice University brought together a diverse group of experts from across the United States and overseas, including participants from Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, and the United Kingdom. These experts represented fields ranging from STEM to public policy, economics, business, social sciences, and law, offering a broad perspective on research areas needing further exploration.Ideas were collected from the virtual session. They were then bucketed for the in-person workshop.The workshop materials, including notes and videos, were organized into several thematic buckets, with the first focusing on national security and the cross-cutting clusters identified in the JASON report. Key themes included: · Defining the Scope of the Problem : Assessing the true scale and scope of research security issues and determining how to study them effectively. · Data Access : Addressing the challenges of accessing and utilizing relevant data. · Policy and Governance : Examining the impact of policies at individual, institutional, and societal levels. · Risk Assessment in the Research Enterprise : Developing models to assess and quantify risks associated with research activities in face of the challenge of defining and understanding the different perspectives of risk. · International Collaboration : Understanding how policies affect international research collaborations and comparing approaches across different countries. Some hurdles identified included data access, especially when dealing with classified information, and the need for innovative methods to share and analyze sensitive data. The integration of social scientists with experts in hard sciences was seen as crucial for advancing research in this area.One of the biggest challenges is encouraging researchers to engage in this new field. NSF expressed concerns that despite generating research questions, scholars might hesitate to shift their focus to research security due to a lack of familiarity. Therefore, a key message from the workshop was to motivate the scholarly community to pursue these research grants.The workshop’s findings will be compiled into a report for NSF, with a planned delivery by the end of July or early August. NSF is eager to move forward quickly, likely driven by the requirements of the CHIPS and Science Act, which mandates progress in this area.Overall, the workshop marked a significant step toward understanding and improving research security, fostering collaboration among scientists, and addressing the critical challenges identified. A summary for the June 3 APA Justice monthly meeting is being finalized. Read the Rice News report on RoRS: https://bit.ly/45ForsU Anti-Asian Hate Incident with Columbia University Vice President for Communications According to NBC News on June 24, 2024, Ben Chang , Columbia University’s spokesperson and vice president for communications, was on his way to work on June 17 when a man approached him just a few blocks from school, began yelling at him and hit him with a metal water bottle. Chang told NBC News that during the altercation, the man told him to “go back to your f‐‐‐‐‐‐ country” and continued following him for some time after the assault.So far, no arrests have been made, but the New York Police Department (NYPD) said the Hate Crime Task Force was notified about the attack. “It’s important to report what happened both in my own case, but also for overall, trying to make sure this sort of thing doesn’t happen in the future,” Chang said. “I’m born and raised in the D.C. area. My mom grew up in West Virginia. We don’t get much more American and apple pie. And that’s jarring.”Chang, 52, said the confrontation was unprompted, that he didn’t speak to the man or bump into him. As the man yelled at him, Chang said he attempted to ignore him and kept walking, but the man then struck him anyway. Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/3XLVQ3n . Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/3XReR4l Stop the Hate Event from San Francisco On June 22, 2024, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association organized Stop the Hate event in San Francisco. The event raised awareness on education, awareness, safety, protection and prevention of hate crimes with emphasis on the elderly people, assaults, theft, drugs and homelessness. Police Commissioner Larry Yee served as moderator for the event and the speakers included Mayor London Breed , District Attorney Broke Jenkins and Police Chief Bill Scott . Ding Ding TV served as a media partner on the event and livestreamed it to its audience. Over 100 people watched the event live. Watch a video of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFkXHI7chWQ (1:27:16). News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/07/10 2024 Asian American Voter Survey Press Briefing2024/07/11-12 National AAPI Leadership Summit2024/07/13 APIAVote: Presidential Town Hall, Philadelphia PA2024/07/15 APIAVote: RNC Convention, AAPI Briefing &Reception, Milwaukee, WI2024/07/16-17 National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable - Capstone2024/07/27-28 Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony2024/08/04 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/08/05 APA Justice Monthly MeetingThe Community Calendar has moved. Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. 2024 Asian American Voter Survey Press Briefing WHAT: 2024 Asian American Voter Survey Press Briefing WHEN: July 10, 2024, 1:00 pm ET WHERE: Virtual event HOSTS: APIAVote, APIA Data, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC, AARP DESCRIPTION: Leaders from APIAVote, APIA Data, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC, and AARP will present findings from their bi-annual Asian American Voter Survey, the longest-running longitudinal survey of AAPI voters. Since 2012, this comprehensive, multilingual survey has revealed what issues matter most to this rapidly growing part of the electorate and how those issues impact their voting habits. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/4bD2c8E 3. Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony WHAT: Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony WHEN: July 27, 2024, 8:30 am - 9:00 pm PT WHERE: In-person fee event at Stanford Memorial Auditorium, 551 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305 HOST: Asian American Scholar Forum DESCRIPTION: The Inaugural Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony will honor the transformative contributions by the Asian American pioneers, and will bring together some of the most distinguished minds in the fields of energy, artificial intelligence, life sciences, and leadership. Nobel Prize laureates Steven Chu and Randy Schekman and Turing Award laureate Raj Reddy will deliver keynote speeches and former Stanford president and Turing Award laureate John Hennessy and distinguished industry leader Eric Yuan will engage in fireside chats, providing a unique platform for intellectual exchange and inspiration. The winners of the “Youth Ambassador for Science” competition will also be recognized at the Symposium. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3XLApPN 4. Vince Fong Elected to U.S. Congress According to AP on June 3, 2024, Republican Vince Fong of California was sworn into Congress after winning a special election to complete the remainder of the term of deposed former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy . Fong was a member of the California State Assembly before running for the House. He was backed by former President Donald Trump and McCarthy. Fong’s swearing-in gives Republicans a 218-213 majority. Read the AP report: https://bit.ly/45TZ8DJ 5. Committee of 100: 2025 Annual Conference and Gala The Committee of 100 will host its next annual conference and gala at Fairmont Century Plaza, Los Angeles, on April 24-26, 2025. Back View PDF July 8, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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

Webinars APA Justice offers a curated collection of recorded discussions and presentations that explore critical issues affecting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities and broader justice concerns. Featuring expert insights on topics such as the China Initiative, racial profiling, alien land laws, warrantless surveillance, and civil rights advocacy, these webinars provide historical context, policy analysis, and community perspectives. Explore series China Initiative US-China Relations Warrantless Surveillance 2020-2022 China Initiative The China Initiative webinar series highlights a critical set of conversations examining how the U.S. Department of Justice’s China Initiative disproportionately targeted Chinese American and Asian immigrant scientists, researchers, and scholars—often conflating national security fears with racial profiling and discriminatory practices. Capstone Town Hall: The End of The "China Initiative" Learn more >> 5. The Mistrial of Professor Anming Hu under the "China Initiative" Learn more >> 4. Legal Resources and Policy Advocacy - How to Combat Racial Profiling Under the “China Initiative” Learn more >> 3. Building Coalition Against “China Initiative” Discrimination - Fighting racial targeting of Asian Americans and communities of color, past & present Learn more >> 2. Policy Needs for U.S. Science and Scientists Learn more >> 1. The Human and Scientific Costs of The "China Initiative" Learn more >> US-China Relations APA Justice, the Committee of 100 (C100), and the US-China Education Trust (USCET) have come together to host a continuing joint webinar series focused on the intersection of U.S.–China relations and the civil rights and civil liberties of Asian American and immigrant communities. As geopolitical tensions increasingly impact domestic policies, public discourse, and community experiences, this series brings together thought leaders, legal experts, journalists, and advocates to examine emerging challenges, share informed perspectives, and explore constructive paths forward. 3. Geopolitics, Identity, and the Fight for Civil Rights Learn more 2. Bridging Nations: Global Competition for Talent & International Students Learn more 1. Bridging Nations: People-to-people Exchange in U.S.-China Relations Learn more Warrantless Surveillance APA Justice has hosted webinars on warrantless surveillance to examine its legal foundations, policy implications, and real-world impact on civil rights and civil liberties, especially on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. These programs are designed to inform and engage the community on how surveillance authorities—often justified on national security grounds—can disproportionately affect Asian American and immigrant communities. These webinars aim to promote greater transparency, accountability, and informed public dialogue on the balance between security and constitutional protections. Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know Learn more Perils of Warrantless Surveillance: The Case for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Reform Learn more All Webinars Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know Watch Read More A Dialogue Between the Academic & Asian American Communities and the FBI Watch Read More 3. Geopolitics, Identity, and the Fight for Civil Rights Watch Read More 2. Bridging Nations: Global Competition for Talent & International Students Watch Read More 1. Bridging Nations: People-to-people Exchange in U.S.-China Relations Watch Read More China Initiative: Past and Present 中国行动的前世今生 Watch Read More 2. Fair Housing Rights & Alien Land Laws: Challenges and Advocacy for the Asian American Community Watch Read More 1. From Past Prejudice to Present Policy: The Impact of Land Ownership Exclusion Laws on Diverse Communities Watch Read More 2. Historical Re-Hash - Alien Land Law and SB147 Watch Read More 1. A Call to Stop Senate Bill 147 and All Alien Land Laws Watch Read More Perils of Warrantless Surveillance: The Case for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Reform Watch Read More Reflecting on Prof. Gang Chen’s Case & Looking Ahead to the Future of the China Initiative Watch Read More Capstone Town Hall: The End of The "China Initiative" Watch Read More 5. The Mistrial of Professor Anming Hu under the "China Initiative" Watch Read More 4. Legal Resources and Policy Advocacy - How to Combat Racial Profiling Under the “China Initiative” Watch Read More 3. Building Coalition Against “China Initiative” Discrimination - Fighting racial targeting of Asian Americans and communities of color, past & present Watch Read More 2. Policy Needs for U.S. Science and Scientists Watch Read More 1. The Human and Scientific Costs of The "China Initiative" Watch Read More

Newsletter - #225 Section 702; Pushback Alien Land Bills; Carter Center; "China Initiative" Revival; + #225 Section 702; Pushback Alien Land Bills; Carter Center; "China Initiative" Revival; + In This Issue #225 · Reminder: Community Briefing on Section 702 of FISA · Asian American Groups Pushed Back Against 17 GOP Governors on Alien Land Bills · China Focus, the Carter Center and Conference for 45th Anniversary of U.S.-China Relations · Over 40 Organizations Oppose Appropriations Proposal to Reinstate the China Initiative · News and Activities for the Communities Reminder: Community Briefing on Section 702 of FISA WHAT: Webinar - Community Briefing on Section 702 of FISA: Sweeping Reforms to Warrantless Surveillance Initiative WHEN: December 12, 2023, 2-3 pm ET/11-12 noon PT HOSTS: Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), Advancing Justice | AAJC, APA Justice, Brennan Center for Justice, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) MODERATOR: Eri Andriola , Associate Director of Policy & Litigation, AASF SPEAKERS: · Noah Chauvin, Counsel, Liberty & National Security, Brennan Center for Justice · Joanna YangQing Derman, Director of Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights, and National Security, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, AASF · Andy Wong, Managing Director of Advocacy, CAA DESCRIPTION: The briefing will feature civil rights, national security, and policy experts, who will break down what Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is and how it impacts Asian American communities. Panelists will discuss the key reform bills at play, including the Government Surveillance Reform Act (GSRA) and the Protecting Liberty and Ending Warrantless Surveillance Act (PLEWSA), and how the Asian American community and advocates can get involved on this issue. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/41ejxkG Breaking News: Do not miss the opportunity to attend the community briefing and learn how it may impact us individually and collectively for years to come. As early as Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson will bring a significant expansion of warrantless surveillance, known as the FISA Reform and Reauthorization Act ( H.R.6611 ), to the House floor. This bill, dubbed "PATRIOT Act 2.0," poses a significant threat to privacy. Among other things, it vastly widens the scope of businesses eligible to be compelled to give the government access to their systems without a warrant and grossly expands warrantless surveillance of all people seeking to travel to the U.S. Read more from the Brennan Center on this radical expansion of Section 702. Asian American Groups Pushed Back Against 17 GOP Governors on Alien Land Bills According to AsAmNews on December 7, 2023, several Asian American groups including APA Justice push back a letter from 17 Republican governors calling on President Joe Biden to crack down on Chinese ownership of private land in the U.S.The letter instigated by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders called on Biden and congressional leaders to use “all available tools to prevent continued acquisition of American lands by adversarial foreign governments and entities.” “Committee of 100 believes that if such restrictions become law, they will make it difficult, if not impossible, for individuals in the U.S. on long-term visas to purchase a home and are likely to lead to direct discrimination against any individuals of Chinese American or AAPI descent,” said the Committee of 100. Florida has already enacted a law that bans ownership in the state by Chinese citizens. A lawsuit against the Florida state law is ongoing. The Congressional Research Service says 14 other states have enacted similar laws with more than 20 states considering their own bills. “As Americans, we are all concerned about national security but when elected officials whip up fear painting an entire group whether based on race, ethnicity and or national origin, you have to ask what is the real agenda and purpose,” Cynthia Choi , a founder of Stop AAPI Hate and co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action said. APA Justice has been tracking various state alien land bills and local media reports across the nation, but have not found substantive factual evidence to support the rhetoric of security threats of foreign land ownership in the U.S. by China. Farm Progress reported that China has only 19 acres in Nebraska out of 800,000 acres of Nebraska land that are owned or controlled through leases by foreign entities. Canada is the largest foreign holder of land in the state and in the nation. Investigate Midwest reported that the only Oklahoma land owned by a Chinese company is a combined 2,571 acres held by Smithfield Foods, a large pork producer that moved into the state several years ago." says while foreign landownership in Nebraska has spiked in recent years, Chinese landowners have not contributed to that increase.A bill introduced by Rep Judy Chu (D-CA) and Rep Al Green (D-TX) would ban states from enacting such laws based on citizenship and race. The Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act would move that authority to the federal government.Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/3t1A3YD China Focus, the Carter Center and Conference for 45th Anniversary of U.S.-China Relations China Focus, headed by long-time China expert Dr. Yawei Liu , is the primary team at the Carter Center working on issues related to China. Dr. Liu has been in charge of the Center’s China program for over two decades. While adapting to the demands of the 21st century, the Carter Center remains committed to preserving the legacy of President Jimmy Carter and Deng Xiaoping ’s historic decision to normalize diplomatic relations between the United States and China.The Carter Center’s China Focus fosters greater dialogue, exchange, and critical reflection on the past, present, and future of U.S.-China relations. The China Focus produces original scholarship that provides action-oriented insights for advancing U.S.-China engagement. The China Focus organizes a range of activities designed to enhance mutual understanding of American and Chinese interests.The China Focus engages the U.S. and China online. The Center publishes two websites focused on bilateral relations and U.S.-China public opinion. These are the English- and Chinese-language U.S.-China Perception Monitor websites. Content includes a wide variety of interviews with American and Chinese scholars, insightful analyses of U.S.-China relations, surveys of Chinese public opinion, profiles of key opinion leaders in the bilateral relationship, translations of influential commentaries into English or Chinese, and more. Conference for 45th Anniversary of U.S.-China Relations On January 9, 2024, the Carter Center, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and the U.S.-China Business Council will host a public in-person event to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Through keynote speeches and panel discussions, the event will bring together experts to discuss the legacy, controversies, and future of U.S.-China engagement. For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/46SW8pO Over 40 Organizations Oppose Appropriations Proposal to Reinstate the China Initiative According to a press release by the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), 45 organizations led by AASF and a coalition of Asian American and allied partners who worked to end the Department of Justice’s “China Initiative” sent a letter to Congress on December 7, 2023, to oppose legislative language that would reinstate the “China Initiative” in the House version of the FY 2024 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill ( H.R. 5893 ) and any future iterations of the Initiative. The proposal would reverse the decision to end the “China Initiative”—a devastating program ended last year that raised serious concerns of racial profiling and targeting of Asian Americans and immigrants, particularly of Chinese descent.Read the coalition letter to Congress here: https://bit.ly/41dhn4C News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2023/12/10 Rep. Gene Wu 's Weekly town hall meeting2023/12/12 Community Briefing on Section 702 of FISA2023/12/13 APIAVote In-Person Event: Taste of Democracy2023/12/15 Webinar on Voices of AAPI Communities2023/12/17 Rep. Gene Wu 's Weekly town hall meetingVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. APAPA National Unity Awards Gala Among others, Rep. Grace Meng received the Community Champion Award and Professor Xiaoxing Xi was honored for his Unity & Resilience during the APAPA National Unity Awards Gala on December 9, 2023. 3. APIAVote In-person Event: Taste of Democracy WHAT: In-person Annual Event on Taste of Democracy WHEN: December 15, 2023, 1:00 pm ETWHERE: 700 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, 6th Floor, Washington DCDESCRIPTION: An annual year-end event to celebrate APIAVote accomplishments in getting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders out to vote. The evening will also include a presentation of the Beacon of Democracy award. HOST: APIAVoteREGISTRATION: https://apia.vote/ToD2023 4. APIAVote Webinar: Unveiling Insights from New AAPI Data/AP-NORC Survey WHAT: Webinar on Voices of AAPI Communities: Unveiling Insights from New AAPI Data/AP-NORC Survey WHEN: December 15, 2023, 1:00 pm ET/10:00 am PTDESCRIPTION: Learn about AAPI views on voting rights, threats to democracy, and trust in political institutions. This poll is conducted by AAPI Data and AP-NORC.HOSTS: APIAVote, AAPI Data, Asian American Journalists Association REGISTRATION: https://apia.vote/dec23poll 5. California Teenager Who Passed Bar Exam at 17 is Now Practicing Attorney According to the Guardian on December 8, 2023, Peter Park , now 18, enrolled in the Northwestern California University School of Law at age 13 and graduated earlier this year, has become the youngest person to ever pass California’s bar exam and is now working as a practicing attorney. The Tulare county district attorney’s office announced that Peter Park, a Korean America, learned last month at 17 that he had passed the rigorous exam on his first attempt in what officials described as a “legal history making moment”. In July 2023, 51.5% of the 7,555 people who took the exam passed. Park has been a law clerk with the office since August after completing law school. Read the Guardian report: https://bit.ly/47Re3yz . Read also the Washington Post : https://wapo.st/47R9hRQ 6. Conference on Social Progress Since Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act 80 Years Ago (CRCEA80) The CRCEA80 Conference was held at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC on December 5, 2023. More than 400 individuals attended the event. Speakers included US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Reps Judy Chu and Ted Lieu . · Video summary of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ucBsUaVw9I (5:18) · Office of The U.S. Trade Representative: Remarks by Ambassador Katherine Tai at Event Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act · U. S. Department of State: 戴琪大使在《排华法案》废除 80 周年纪念活动上的讲话 Back View PDF December 11, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #205 9/11 Meeting; No to Discriminatory Laws; March on Washington; "A Life Well Lived;" + #205 9/11 Meeting; No to Discriminatory Laws; March on Washington; "A Life Well Lived;" + In This Issue #205 2023/09/11 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Tell Congress NO To Discriminatory Land Laws; Is China Really Buying Up U.S. Farmland? NPR Interview UCA on March on Washington Vigil Honors "A Life Well Lived" at The University of North Carolina News and Activities for The Communities 2023/09/11 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, September 11, 2023, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); John Yang 杨重远 , President and Executive Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed and invited speakers include: Clay Zhu 朱可亮 (confirmed) , Partner, DeHeng Law Offices 德恒律师事务所; Founder, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance 华美维权同盟, to report on the latest developments of the lawsuit against Florida's discriminatory alien land law Deborah Seligsohn (confirmed) , Senior Associate (non-resident), Center for Strategic and International Studies; Assistant Professor, Villanova University on the case for US-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA) https://bit.ly/3OMc8En Steve Kivelson (confirmed), Prabhu Goel Family Professor of Physics Luke Blossom Professor, Stanford University, on the joint letter with Professor Peter Michelson to President Joe Biden and members of the National Security Council on renewing the STA https://bit.ly/44xTNPX Sudip Parikh (invited) , Chief Executive Officer and Executive Publisher Science Family of Journals at AAAS, on moving open science, basic research, and US-China collaboration forward in today's environment. Ting Wu (invited) , Advisor, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Office of the Chief of Staff, The White House, on the letter to the President and more The virtual monthly meeting is by invitation only. If you wish to join, either one time or for future meetings, please contact one of the co-organizers of APA Justice - Steven Pei 白先慎 , Vincent Wang 王文奎 , and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org On August 24, 2023, Stanford University Professors Steven Kivelson and Peter Michelson sent a letter to President Joe Biden and the Members of the US National Security Council to express their strong support for renewing the Agreement Between the United States and China on Cooperation in Science and Technology , which was signed by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Chinese Premier Deng Xiaoping on January 31, 1979. Their letter was endorsed by over 1,000 faculty and scholars from many US universities including multiple Nobel Laureates, members of the National Academies, and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Read the letter: https://bit.ly/44xTNPX . Read the APA Justice coverage: https://bit.ly/3E9NmI8 Tell Congress NO To Discriminatory Land Laws; Is China Really Buying Up U.S. Farmland? NPR Interview 1. Tell Congress NO To Discriminatory Land Laws On August 25, 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) put out a call for the public to tell Congress: Say NO to Discriminatory Land Laws."Dangerous laws are being introduced at the state and federal level right now that use 'national security' as an excuse to discriminate against immigrants from China. In Florida, for example, Governor DeSantis has banned many Chinese immigrants from buying a house in much of the state – a move that is both unconstitutional and unfortunately, not new."This type of 'alien land law' should sound alarm bells for all of us. From the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, to the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans, to the ongoing post-9/11 surveillance of Black and Brown communities – we’ve seen how such racist policies created under the guise of 'national security' are racist and used to scapegoat entire communities."We cannot allow history to repeat itself: Tell your Members of Congress to speak out against any law that falsely equates Chinese people with the Chinese government."Thanks to ACLU, take one easy step to tell Congress NO to discriminatory land laws at https://bit.ly/3qRsFOh 2. CNBC: Is China Really Buying Up U.S. Farmland? According to NBC News on August 26, 2023, state and federal lawmakers are pushing to regulate foreign ownership of U.S. real estate because of fears that Chinese entities are creating a national security risk by amassing swaths of U.S. farmland, some of it near sensitive sites.A review by NBC News of thousands of documents filed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), however, shows very few purchases by Chinese buyers in the past year and a half — fewer than 1,400 acres in a country with 1.3 billion acres of agricultural land. In fact, the total amount of U.S. agricultural land owned by Chinese interests is less than three-hundredths of 1%.But the review also reveals a federal oversight system in which reporting of foreign ownership is lax and enforcement minimal. NBC News was able to review filings on foreign purchases and leases of agricultural land, meaning both farm and forestry land, from 35 states since Jan. 1, 2022. The vast majority of the transactions were European wind power companies leasing land from U.S. farmers to build wind turbines. One Italian wind company disclosed 40 new leases of farmland in just one rural Illinois county. The same company had leases in at least four other states.In those 35 states, NBC News found 11 purchases by Chinese entities that had been reported to the USDA from Jan. 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.Several of the disclosures were not recent sales, and at least one was a repeat of a previous disclosure. Another was not reported to the government till it had been revealed in the media.Historically only about 3.1%, or 40 million acres, of the nation’s 1.3 billion acres of agricultural land has been owned by foreigners. Almost half of the foreign-owned land is forest. USDA records show that a third of the 40 million foreign-owned acres are held by Canadian interests, while Chinese interests hold less than 400,000 acres.In the name of national security, members of Congress have called for tougher laws to regulate foreign land purchases, criticizing existing efforts by the USDA to police disclosure.In late July, the Senate passed a ban on China, Russia, North Korea and Iran buying American agricultural land, but it’s unclear if the amendment will make it into the final defense spending bill that will go to a vote in Congress this fall.Read the NBC News report: https://cnb.cx/3sGWSAk 3. NPR: Slew of new landownership bills are reminiscent of anti-Asian Alien Land Laws On August 28, 2023, National Public Radio (NPR) talked with legal expert Edgar Chen , Special Policy Adviser for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), about the recent slew of legislation aimed at restricting U.S. land ownership for Chinese citizens and businesses.The following are excerpts of his responses:"Fear of so-called malign influence by the Chinese Communist Party over American agriculture or fear that China will use land for spying purposes has often been cited as the basis for introduction of these bills. But to be clear, several of these bills, as introduced, also placed restrictions on the ability of ordinary Chinese citizens to purchase residential real estate, like condos."In Florida, a law recently enacted there would prevent persons from certain countries that are deemed adversaries to the U.S. from purchasing agricultural land, land near military bases or critical infrastructure and - so most habitable areas. And that would ban persons from countries like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela or Cuba from doing so. But that Florida law has an entire separate section dedicated to restricting those from China. And that law even has higher penalties for those violating the Chinese section than for other sections. So there are felony provisions for violating the Chinese section of the Florida law and misdemeanors for the other sections."The Chinese spy balloon in February of this year doesn't help matters. That provided a tangible illustration of the ongoing geopolitical threat posed by China. But again, these laws that we've seen introduced do nothing to address that particular threat head on. I don't see how banning someone from buying a condo in the downtown area will address that particular threat."The problem is there is a false moral equivalency that equates ordinary Chinese citizens, even those with no ties to the Chinese Communist Party, as essentially being agents of those regimes. So these laws assume that if you immigrate from China, your loyalty is to China. And that's extraordinarily harmful to the broader Asian American community in this country."This country has already seen this movie before. We've experienced the discriminatory effects of these laws. The court that recently upheld the Florida law cited to a widely discredited 1923 precedent which contains language about those who are eligible for citizenship and therefore entitled to purchase property. And that 1923 Supreme Court precedent says that Natives of European countries are eligible. Japanese, Chinese and Malays are not. That is the type of case law that is being cited to. And as an Asian American and as a lawyer, I'm stunned that the court would continue to rely on a case that contains so much discriminatory reasoning. "As legal precedent, those alien land laws helped set the groundwork for the incarceration of Japanese Americans during the Second World War. So for the Asian American community, we have seen this. This slippery slope has already come and, we thought, gone."Listen to the interview and read the entire transcript at: https://n.pr/45Sa4k6 . Follow APA Justice coverage of Alien Land Bills at: https://bit.ly/43epBcl UCA on March on Washington According to a summary report on the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington by United Chinese Americans (UCA), several hundred members and partners joined the March at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC on August 26, including nine members of its Board of Directors. UCA made customized placards and banners such as "We Belong Here", "Against Asian Hate", "One Common Dream" and wore unified UCA T-Shirts. At the same time, as a symbol of anti-Asian hate, thousands of Yellow Whistles were distributed on the spot. The Yellow Whistles were described as "a symbol of self-preservation and solidarity in the fight against racism and anti-Asian violence," and feature a yellow color that "has been used as a symbol of hateful mentality against Asians." Haipei Shue 薛海培 , UCA President, was invited to have a cordial and in-depth conversation with Martin Luther King III and his daughter-in-law, Arndrea Waters King , and discussed the development of the American civil rights movement and cooperation.Haipei Shue remarked afterwards: "Today, I participated in the historic 60th anniversary March on Washington. I met with the King family and had a good talk. I expressed my gratitude from the Chinese community, telling them that without the March on Washington in 1963 and the vigorous civil rights movement in the 1960s, there would be no immigration law reform in 1965, and thus many Chinese would not be able to settle down in the United States today. I further told his family about the current difficult situation faced by the Chinese community such as the 'China Initiative' and the discriminatory alien land bills, as well as UCA outreach to various ethnic groups, including NAACP and the Jewish community. The King family is very interested in connecting with UCA to continue bilateral communications. The Chinese community was often absent in the past social and political movements in the United States. Today, more than 100 people from over ten states participated in this March with high visibility. It is a significant milestone worthy of everyone's pride! UCA calls for the launch of a new civil rights movement of our generation! Thanks again for the participation and concern of friends from far and near!" Steven Pei 白先慎 , Founding Chair of UCA, said, "Chinese Americans have a long history of civil rights movement, such as the Yik Wo v. Hopkins case in 1886." From participating in the previous March on Washington and building intercultural partnerships, advocating for the creation of racial studies, to participating in the Black Lives Matter protests, the Asian American community does not stop for civil rights for all. Early in the 2020 pandemic, UCA hosted a summit of Asian, Black and Jewish community leaders to discuss the challenges each community faces and ways to work together to address injustice. Chen Jian 陈健 , Founding Director of UCA came to the Lincoln Memorial early in the morning to provide logistical support. She said that "we Chinese Americans are facing various challenges at present. But we firmly believe that, as Martin Luther King Jr. conveyed, the dream of equality and justice must be inherited by each of us. This mission transcends skin color, transcends background, and is integrated into the veins of our great country. Let us work together to overcome difficulties and write a better and more inclusive future."Read the UCA report: https://bit.ly/47WGV9d . Read APA Justice's coverage of the 2023 March on Washington: https://bit.ly/3OVojxs Vigil Honors "A Life Well Lived" at The University of North Carolina According to the University of North Carolina (UNC) on August 31, 2023, thousands wore ribbons and lit candles at the Dean E. Smith Center service in memory of Zijie Yan 严资杰 , a brilliant, soft-spoken faculty member and nanoscience researcher killed in a campus shooting.The vigil at the Smith Center allowed the Carolina community to come together to process the fear and uncertainty caused by the shooting and resolve to be “Carolina Strong” in the wake of the tragedy.“His loss will be deeply felt by all those who knew him and loved him,” Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz said to the mourners, who included Yan’s mother and two young children. “Dr. Yan left this world a better place for his brilliance, his commitment and the lives that he affected. That’s a life well lived and a life ended far, far too soon.”An estimated 5,000 faculty, staff, students and community members attended the vigil, and another 10,000 watched the livestream from the Smith Center. Many wore blue ribbons and held candles that were handed out at the Smith Center entrance. Music professors played somber selections on cello and violin as mourners filled the seats. Leah Cox , vice provost of equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, reminded audience members of the mental health resources available for faculty, staff and students. “Let us never forget that we are truly one Carolina where hope always triumphs over fear, where inclusivity arises above difference,” she said.According to the South China Morning Post on August 30, 2023, a doctoral candidate Tailei Qi 齐太磊 , 34, was charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm on educational property. He was ordered held without bail until his next scheduled court appearance on September 18.Read the UNC report: https://unc.live/45BgVP4 . Read the South China Morning Post report: https://bit.ly/3PnoLGa United Chinese Americans (UCA) issued the following report in Chinese: 8月30日星期三晚，大约五千名北卡罗来纳大学（UNC）教堂山分校校园和社区成员，聚集在史密斯中心（Dean E. Smith Center）举行烛光守夜活动，纪念两天前在校园不幸遇害的严资杰教授。校长古斯基维奇（Kevin M. Guskiewicz）在讲话中表示，“所有认识他和爱他的人，都会对他的去世深感悲痛，严以他的才华、他的承诺以及他所带来的影响，让这个世界变得更美好，这样一个美丽的生命如此戛然而止，令人痛心。”音乐系教授演奏了大提琴和小提琴的忧郁音乐，陪伴在场的人们凭吊和追思。据报道，身为纳米科学研究人员，严是一位才华横溢、为人谦和的教授，有两个年幼的孩子。2005年在华中科大以计算机和材料工程本科双学位毕业后，严先后在纽约和芝加哥攻读硕士、博士和做博士后研究，2019年起在UNC担任副教授。他生前所在的艺术与科学学院、应用物理科学系系主任丁格曼斯（Theo Dingemans）回忆说，严是他见过的最友善的人之一，也是一位杰出的科学家，“他的研究计划突破了纳米科学的界限……我确信，这些研究最终将改变世界。”枪击案凶嫌齐太磊是严教授手下的博士在读学生，被控一级谋杀罪和在教育场所持有武器，不得保释，这两项罪名都是重罪，但目前对于动机尚没有确切的信息。根据2010年中国媒体的报道，他是河南省高考状元之一，家境拮据，父母务农，他在武汉大学读物理学，在进入UNC之前与路易斯安那州立大学获得材料科学与工程硕士学位。凶杀案引起华人社区的热议，有一些猜测是在背后存在长期的心理问题，呼吁学生注重精神健康并善用相关资源。 News and Activities for The Communities Mark Your Calendar - National API Elected Officials Summit API Coalition and Civic Leadership USA (CLUSA) will convene the Inaugural National API Elected Officials Summit on November 18-19, 2023, immediately following The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Meeting. This summit aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences, ideas, and the establishment of enduring relationships geared towards mutual support. The event will be held at The Westin St. Francis Hotel, 335 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102. Hundreds of current Asian Pacific Islander (API) elected officials, representatives from APEC member countries and regions, and the world's top business AANHPI elected officials will participate in the event. Contact Andy Li, President of API Coalition and CLUSA, at andy.j.li@gmail.com or (860)-263-9540 for additional details. APA Justice has also posted the event at its newly created Community Calendar: https://bit.ly/45KGyga Back View PDF September 4, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #8 United States V. Tao Amicus Brief Sign On Request #8 United States V. Tao Amicus Brief Sign On Request Back View PDF August 7, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter