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United Chinese Americans (UCA) Raises Concerns For Chinese American Scientists as Collateral Damage in the Crossfire Between the United States and China Due to Deteriorating Relations April 25, 2019 On April 25, 2019, the United Chinese Americans (UCA) , a nationwide nonprofit and nonpartisan federation and a community civic movement, released a statement to raise concerns for Chinese American scientists as collateral damage in the crossfire between the United States and China due to deteriorating relations, including five appeals to address the current situartion. It was in response to the first wave of an aniticpated crack down targeting primarily Chinese American scientists at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. See links and reports about the MD Anderson story here. Link to full statement in English We call on the U.S. higher education and scientific communities to continue to uphold and strengthen scientific collaborations around the world so they may continue to benefit all mankind. We salute the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, the University of Michigan and the University of California at Davis for their efforts to uphold these principles and ideals as well as for their civil rights concerns for their faculty members and students, and call on more institutions to follow their example. We call on Chinese American scientists to continue to carry on the indispensable role they have played in maintaining America’s lead position in scientific research and global competitiveness. To this end, we fully endorse the strengthening of compliance efforts and ethical standards guiding scientific research and collaboration. We call on Chinese American scientists—indeed all scientists—to adhere strictly to all applicable laws, regulations and practices, and to cooperate in reporting any breaches to appropriate authorities. We call on Chinese American scientists – indeed, all Chinese Americans – to continue to strengthen U.S.-China people-to-people relations through scientific exchanges and educational efforts rather than retreating. An adversarial U.S.-China relationship is harmful to Chinese Americans, to the United States and China, and to the future of the world. Chinese Americans have a unique role to play as communicators, bridge builders and messengers of peace between the two peoples. We call on the Chinese government to earnestly protect U.S. intellectual property rights, as American scientists participate in its talent programs and other exchanges, and vigorously strengthen the standardization and transparency of those programs. The Chinese government should also improve its supervision and management of such programs, including sub-national ones, toughen two-way compliance requirements and enhance training to reduce or eliminate doubts and concerns other countries may have about such programs. Finally, we call on U.S. law enforcement agencies to strengthen internal training and safeguards to reduce implicit bias and discrimination, to enhance communication with Chinese American communities and to ensure that the freedom and civil rights of all Chinese Americans are rigorously protected. United Chinese Americans (UCA) Raises Concerns For Chinese American Scientists as Collateral Damage in the Crossfire Between the United States and China Due to Deteriorating Relations Previous Next UCA Raises Concerns For Chinese American Scientists

Headlined by “How Not to Cure Cancer – The U.S. is purging Chinese scientists in a New Red Scare,” investigative reports emerged on FBI and NIH nationwide activities targeting individuals of Asian descent, especially biomedical researchers in the Houston area. April 19, 2019 Table of Contents Overview MD Anderson Cancer Center Purge of Chinese Cancer Researchers Congressional Probe NIH’s China Initiative Links and References Overview In April 2019, the Houston Chronicle and Science collaborated to produce a series of alarming reports on the targeting of biomedical researchers of Asian descent in the Houston area led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). The MD Anderson Cancer Center is the first publicly known instance where NIH's inquiries have led an institution to invoke proceedings against researchers who allegedly have violated the rules. On Jun 19, 2019, Bloomberg Business published an investigative report titled “ The U.S. is purging Chinese scientists in a new Red Scare .” It identified the NIH and FBI for targeting ethnic Chinese scientists, including U.S. citizens, searching for a cancer cure. It provided the first account of what happened to Dr. Xifeng Wu 吴息凤. MD Anderson Cancer Center On April 19, 2019, Science reported that NIH inquiries about the foreign ties of specific NIH-funded researchers prompted at least 55 institutions to launch investigations. Five researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, part of the University of Texas system, were the first publicly known instances where NIH’s inquiries led an institution to invoke termination proceedings. Three senior researchers were ousted; one was under investigation; and one did not warrant termination. All were Chinese. MD Anderson had been working with the FBI for several years on undisclosed national security investigations, which included searches of faculty email accounts and in one instance, video surveillance. MD Anderson's actions, as well as the larger NIH and FBI efforts, added to concerns in the Chinese American science community that U.S. officials were targeting researchers for special scrutiny based on their ethnicity. On December 11, 2017, FBI received the cancer center's permission to obtain information from as many as 23 employee email accounts. The revelations fueled complaints that MD Anderson was targeting its Chinese and Chinese American scientists for special scrutiny and removal. Some of the center's critics counted 10 senior MD Anderson researchers or administrators of Chinese descent who had retired, resigned, or been placed on administrative leave in 17 months. Some of these researchers reportedly left of their own accord, but their supporters said that a toxic climate and the perception of racial profiling hastened their departure. Mien-Chie Hung, a researcher born in Taiwan left MD Anderson echoed that view of a brain drain as scientists left under a cloud of suspicion. Hung retired from his position as the cancer center's vice president for basic research to take a job as president of China Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan. He co-authored a letter to Science raising concerns about possible racial profiling at institutions across the country, expressing hope that "increased security measures will not be used to tarnish law-abiding scientists." Some researchers worried the campaign to root out foreign influence at MD Anderson would be counterproductive and prompted some researchers to leave the United States. "These are the top talents that foreign countries have been trying to recruit unsuccessfully," says Steven Pei, an engineering professor in Houston and a former chairman of the board of United Chinese Americans. By November 4, 2019, The New York Times reported 71 institutions, including many of the most prestigious medical schools in the United States, were investigating 180 individual cases involving potential theft of intellectual property. The cases began after the NIH, prompted by information provided by the FBI, sent 18,000 letters in 2018 urging administrators who oversee government grants to be vigilant. Purge of Chinese Cancer Researchers On June 13, 2019, Bloomberg Business published an investigative report titled “ The U.S. is purging Chinese scientists in a new Red Scare. ” It provided a first account of what happened to Dr. Xifeng Wu, an award-winning epidemiologist and naturalized American citizen. She quietly stepped down as director of the Center for Public Health and Translational Genomics at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Wu resigned in January 2019 after facing several months of investigation and was branded as an oncological double agent in an increasingly globalized world of cancer research. Her resignation, and the recent departures of three other top Chinese American scientists from Houston-based MD Anderson, stem from the China Initiative. Behind the investigation that led to Wu’s exit—and other such probes across the country—was the NIH, in coordination with the FBI. According to the Bloomberg Business report, the NIH, the world’s biggest public funder of basic biomedical research, wields immense power over the nation’s health-research community. It allocates about $26 billion a year in federal grants; roughly $6 billion of that goes to cancer research. In June 2019, NIH officials told the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance that the agency had contacted 61 research institutions about suspected diversion of proprietary information by grant recipients and referred 16 cases, mainly involving undisclosed ties to foreign governments, for possible legal action. Ways of working that had long been encouraged by the NIH and many research institutions, particularly MD Anderson, are now quasi-criminalized, with FBI agents reading private emails, stopping Chinese scientists at airports, and visiting people’s homes to ask about their loyalty. Wu had not been charged with stealing anyone’s ideas, but in effect she stood accused of secretly aiding and abetting cancer research in China, an un-American activity in today’s political climate. She had spent 27 of her 56 years at MD Anderson. A month after resigning, she left her husband and two kids in the U.S. and took a job as dean of a school of public health in China. In the early 2000s, MD Anderson forged “sister” relationships with five major cancer centers in China as part of an initiative to promote international collaborations. In 2015, China awarded MD Anderson its top honor for international scientific cooperation, in a ceremony attended by President Xi Jinping. Wu’s work, like a lot of the academic research now in danger of being stifled, is not about developing patentable drugs. The mission is to reduce risk and save lives by discovering the causes of cancer. Prevention is not a product. It is not sellable. Or stealable. “Historians will have to sort out whether Wu’s story and others like it marked a turning point when U.S. research institutions got serious about China’s avarice for American intellectual property, or a dangerous lurch down the path of paranoia and racial profiling. Or both. In any case, recent events in Houston and elsewhere indicate that Chinese people in America, including U.S. citizens, are now targeted for FBI surveillance,” the Bloomberg Business report said. Congressional Probe On February 20, 2020, The Hill reported that Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who chairs the House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) sent letters to NIH and FBI demanding documents about the two agencies' investigations into whether Chinese Americans were working as spies on behalf of China. While the two lawmakers acknowledged that there have been some confirmed cases of espionage, they questioned whether the focus on Chinese Americans amounted to racial profiling. In their letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Reps. Raskin and Chu pointed to sample cases of Sherry Chen, Professor Xiaoxing Xi and Dr. Wei Su and requested specific information of the FBI investigations and prosecutions involving theft or attempted threat of intellectual property, monitoring of Chinese students and scholars, communications with NIH, college and university security efforts, and counterintelligence training materials, covering the period of January 1, 2014 to the present. In their letter to NIH Director Francis Collins, Reps. Raskin and Chu requested specific information about mass mailings by NIH to 18,000 administrators, cases under NIH investigations and Office of Inspector General referrals, disclosure guidelines, and all communications with the FBI, covering the period of June 1, 2016 to the present. NIH’s China Initiative On March 23, 2023, over a year after the conclusion of the China Initiative, Science published an investigative report titled " Pall of Suspicion ," revealing that the National Institutes of Health's "China initiative" has disrupted hundreds of lives and destroyed numerous academic careers. For decades, Chinese-born U.S. faculty members were applauded for working with colleagues in China, and their universities cited the rich payoff from closer ties to the emerging scientific giant. But those institutions did an about-face after they began to receive emails in late 2018 from NIH. The emails asked some 100 institutions to investigate allegations that one or more of their faculty had violated NIH policies designed to ensure federal funds were being spent properly. Most commonly, NIH claimed a researcher was using part of a grant to do work in China through an undisclosed affiliation with a Chinese institution. Four years later, 103 of those scientists—some 42% of the 246 targeted in the letters, most of them tenured faculty members—had lost their jobs. In contrast to the very public criminal prosecutions of academic scientists under the China Initiative launched in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump to thwart Chinese espionage, NIH’s version has been conducted behind closed doors. Michael Lauer, head of NIH’s extramural research, says that secrecy is necessary to protect the privacy of individual scientists, who are not government employees. Universities consider the NIH-prompted investigations to be a personnel matter, and thus off-limits to queries from reporters. And the targeted scientists have been extremely reticent to talk about their ordeal. Only one of the five scientists whose cases are described in this article has previously gone public with their story. And only one has pushed back successfully, winning a large settlement against her university for terminating her. But a running tally kept by the agency shows the staggering human toll of NIH’s campaign. Besides the dismissals and forced retirements, more than one in five of the 246 scientists targeted were banned from applying for new NIH funding for as long as 4 years—a career-ending setback for most academic researchers. And almost two-thirds were removed from existing NIH grants. NIH’s data also make clear who has been most affected. Some 81% of the scientists cited in the NIH letters identify as Asian, and 91% of the collaborations under scrutiny were with colleagues in China. NIH is by far the largest funder of academic biomedical research in the United States, and some medical centers receive hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the agency. So when senior administrators heard Lauer [Michael Lauer, head of NIH’s extramural research] say a targeted scientist “was not welcome in the NIH ecosystem,” they understood immediately what he meant—and that he was expecting action. “If NIH says there’s a conflict, then there’s a conflict, because NIH is always right,” says David Brenner, who was vice chancellor for health sciences at the University of California, San Diego, in November 2018 when the institution received a letter from Lauer asking it to investigate five medical school faculty members, all born in China. “We were told we have a problem and that it was up to us to fix it.” In a panel discussion hosted by the University of Michigan in March 2024, Professor Ann Chih Lin, asserted that NIH made it clear that if they couldn’t resolve concerns regarding a faculty member and a grant, NIH would not only require universities to repay the grant, but also investigate universities’ entire portfolio of NIH grants. Fearing the loss of grant money, universities often approached the implicated professors and encouraged them to resign voluntarily or retire early. This strategy aimed to avoid a public disciplinary hearing or grievance process, which could bring unwanted attention to the case. Professors involved in such investigations typically refrained from discussing their cases to protect both themselves and the universities, often choosing to depart quietly. Jump to: Overview MD Anderson Cancer Center Purge of Chinese Cancer Researchers Congressional Probe NIH’s China Initiative Headlined by “How Not to Cure Cancer – The U.S. is purging Chinese scientists in a New Red Scare,” investigative reports emerged on FBI and NIH nationwide activities targeting individuals of Asian descent, especially biomedical researchers in the Houston area. Previous Next 3. Media Reports on Purge by NIH and FBI

Newsletter - #172 Alien Land Laws/Related Bills; Erika Moritsugu; US Academic Pre-eminence; John Liu; + #172 Alien Land Laws/Related Bills; Erika Moritsugu; US Academic Pre-eminence; John Liu; + In This Issue #172 Opposition to Alien Land Laws and Related Bills New York Times Features Erika Moritsugu Will China End U.S. Academic Pre-Eminence? NYS Senator John Liu and NYPD Officer Baimadajie Angwang News and Activities for the Communities Opposition to Alien Land Laws and Related Bills According to the San Francisco Standard on March 20, 2023, a committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (SFBOS) has voted to condemn Texas bill SB 147, which is authored by Texas Republican state Senator Lois Kolkhorst and seeks to prohibit citizens and government entities from four countries from buying real estate in Texas over alleged national security concerns.Because the bill targets certain immigrants based on their countries of origin, it has sparked backlash from Chinese American and other immigrant communities nationwide, renewing a vigorous debate on anti-Asian racism and xenophobia .At a meeting in San Francisco City Hall on March 20, 2023, the board’s Land Use and Transportation Committee voted unanimously to pass the resolution . Leading the effort was Supervisor Connie Chan , a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong. “This bill is dangerous and racist,” Chan said. “We must stand up for our community, not just here where we live, but also all across the nation.” She went on to compare the law with California's own Alien land laws during the early 20th century, which restricted Asian immigrants from property ownership.Representatives from Chinese for Affirmative Action, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and other activist groups spoke at the board meeting in support of the resolution. APA Justice and other organizations submitted letters of support to the SFBOS. If passed by the full board, San Francisco will send an official copy of the resolution to leaders in both Texas and California. After strong criticism, Kolkhorst, the Texas state senator, had already changed her bill by exempting permanent residents (green card holders) from the ban. Opponents of the Texas resolution still think it’s still unacceptable, even with the softened tone. Julie Tang , a retired San Francisco judge and a Chinese immigrant, said the amended bill doesn’t change its character.She said that classifying the group of Chinese, Russians, North Koreans and Iranians from buying properties is barring them from enjoying the equal rights that other Americans have, regardless of their citizenship.“That itself is discrimination,” Tang said. “And that in itself is illegal and unconstitutional.”Read the San Francisco Standard report: http://bit.ly/3Z6hexf Texas House Bill No. 4736. According to Yahoo News on March 15, 2023, a Texas State Republican representative introduced a bill to ban undocumented immigrants, along with citizens from China and North Korea, from being admitted to public colleges and universities in Texas. The bill also seeks to ban undocumented students from Iran and Russia. Read the Yahoo News report: https://yhoo.it/3TtnUnX Texas House Bill 2206. According to Texas Legislature Online, a Texas State Republican representative introduced a bill to prohibit the use of certain social media platforms developed or provided by China, Iran, North Korea or Russia. The bill was referred to the Texas House State Affairs Committee on March 9 and is scheduled to have a public hearing on March 22. Read the Texas Legislature Online: https://bit.ly/3n6Msan Texas House Bill 4736. According to Texas Legislature Online, a Texas State Republican representative introduced a bill to forbid education institutions to admit citizens of China, Iran, North Korea or Russia on March 10, 2023. Read the Texas Legislature Online: https://bit.ly/42qiqyn New York Times Features Erika Moritsugu On March 13, 2023, New York Times published a report titled "At White House, Asian American Liaison Juggles Celebrations and Crises," featuring Erika Moritsugu , the first White House A.A.P.I. liaison in charge of both promoting the community’s representation and responding to its tragedies at a time of rising racism.Erika Moritsugu was two days in to a visit to Park City, Utah, to celebrate the first community space for Asian Americans at the Sundance Film Festival when she was called away to Monterey Park, Calif., where a mass shooting on the eve of Lunar New Year ultimately left 11 people dead.Overdressed in the wool layers and puffer coat she had packed for her original trip, Ms. Moritsugu, 51, was forced to switch gears quickly: from cheerleading mode in ski country to caretaker in the suburbs of Los Angeles.“I can’t imagine how excruciating it must be, how painful and how hurtful this must be for those of you who have lost friends and neighbors and aunties and uncles and grandmas,” she said at a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting two days after the shooting in January, pausing to regain her composure. “I share my grief with you as we mourn the tragic death of our brothers and sisters.”“This work is so hard because it’s really, really important,” Ms. Moritsugu, the child of fourth-generation Japanese and fifth-generation Chinese immigrant parents, said in an interview. “People warned me when I was appointed that I would need to be very attentive and careful because this isn’t something that you can analyze with a clinical distance.” Ms. Moritsugu, who reports to the White House chief of staff, previously served in the Obama administration as an assistant secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. She also served for about six years as a senior Democratic aide on Capitol Hill, including for the late Senator Daniel K. Akaka of Hawaii and as legal counsel to Senator Tammy Duckworth . Between her time on Capitol Hill and her appointment to the White House, she worked for the Anti-Defamation League and the National Partnership for Women & Families. These days, she spends her time jetting to speaking engagements in cities across the country, between her office and the East and West Wings, and occasionally to Capitol Hill to chat with lawmakers and attend meetings of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. For too long, Asian Americans made up “an invisible story that was just swept under the rug or ignored and erased until someone needed to be scapegoated,” Ms. Moritsugu said. “It’s nearly impossible for us to be invisible anymore.”Read the New York Times report: https://nyti.ms/3n7lHlS Will China End U.S. Academic Pre-Eminence? According to an opinion by University of Texas Austin Professor Steven Mintz published by Inside Higher Ed on March 19, 2023, if any single theme can be said to dominate foreign affairs commentary in the United States, it’s the many threats to U.S. global pre-eminence: from climate change and extreme weather events. From cybersecurity attacks and disinformation campaigns. From threats to the dollar’s dominance as a global reserve currency. From economic espionage and intellectual property theft. From nuclear proliferation and infrastructure and supply chain attacks.Add another challenge to the list: China’s threat to American academic primacy.In 2010, the Columbia sociologist and former provost Jonathan Cole published The Great American University , a full-throated defense of the United States’ elite research universities. The book described these institutions as national treasures that were indispensable to the nation’s economic dynamism, technological prowess and global position as a great power.But Cole advanced two other arguments that made his book as cautionary as celebratory. The first was that the elite American research universities’ rise to global pre-eminence was a recent, highly contingent development that was largely a byproduct of the influx of foreign scholars during the 1930s and 1940s and the ravages wrought on European universities by World War II. The academy should be on notice: what can go up can also go down.His second key contention was that the elite research university—and therefore American pre-eminence—was far more fragile and vulnerable than the public or policy makers assumed. The list of challenges that he listed no doubt sounds familiar today: foreign competition for talent, restrictive visa policies, ideological constraints on academic inquiry, public disinvestment, endowment volatility and a misguided populist war against academic excellence.Now , a dozen years later, William C. Kirby , a former dean of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences and a professor of China studies and business administration, has written a worthy successor to Cole’s admonition. The central question that Kirby asks in Empires of Ideas: Creating the Modern University from Germany to America to China is summed up by a chapter title—“Can China Lead the World of Universities?” Spoiler alert: “Perhaps.”Professor Mintz's takeaways from Kirby’s book: Universities can improve rapidly. But they can also decline quickly. Decline came from without, but also from within: from campus politicization and polarization, from a retreat from high academic standards and from the failure to retain and hire the most promising and productive scholars. Ambition is important and sustained ambition can make a big difference. But ambition is not enough. Quality scholars, by themselves, are insufficient. Great universities aren’t just an agglomeration of productive scholars; they are intellectual leaders. The relationship between elite education and national power and world leadership is dialectical. No great power is without a great university and, conversely, great powers cultivate great universities. Great powers understand that intellectual and cultural leadership is a key component of power; they understand that great powers are pacesetters in culture and education. Great universities attract talent from around the world and when some of those graduates return home, they carry with them ideas that they learned overseas. But the relationship between elite education and national power takes other forms. Elite universities produce a disproportionate share of leaders, while the research that their faculty undertake informs government policy. In turn, these institutions depend heavily on government funding. Read the Inside Higher Ed opinion: http://bit.ly/42pIFox NYS Senator John Liu and NYPD Officer Baimadajie Angwang On March 18, 2023, New York State Senator John Liu and New York Police Department (NYPD) Officer Baimadajie Angwang joined an AAPI history in K-12 legislation event. State Senator Liu represents a broad area of northeast Queens. He is chairperson of the New York State Senate's Committee on New York City Education and has sponsored State Senate Bill S6359A that requires public elementary and high schools to provide instruction in Asian American history and civic impact.According to a report by Gothamist on May 26, 2022, State Senator Liu said in the introducing the bill that the anti-Asian sentiment may be fueled by long-standing “ignorance” of the political and historical contributions of AAPI people. “This anti-Asian hate that we've seen so much of, it didn't just happen the last couple of years. It's been happening ever since the beginning of this country, ever since the first Asian Americans arrived at our shores,” Liu said. “Asian Americans have been scapegoats for a lot of things in our entire history, whether it be economic recession, international warfare, global pandemic – we get blamed,” Liu said. “And the reason we get blamed, and therefore hated and attacked, is because of ignorance.”NYPD Officer Angwang is a naturalized U.S. citizen of Tibetan ethnicity who served in Afghanistan as a marine and an Army reservist. However, he still fell victim to the now-defunct "China Initiative" and was accused of spying for China. Although his case was dismissed in January 2023, Angwang's case still appears in the FBI Transnational Repression webpage. His story is told here: https://bit.ly/3RIqXId "Even in this room, there is a lot to write about," State Senator Liu before introducing Officer Angwang in the March 18 event. "When members of the Chinese American community get into certain positions of significance, whether it be Dr. Wen Ho Lee , we have a police officer Angwang here, it is easy to blame the Asian guy. This guy after serving in the NYPD for so many years, including the Flushing community, suddenly out of the blue, they accuse him of being a spy for China. He is my friend. This is the kind of things that our communities continue to go through. All this anti-China rhetoric now. I am an American and my loyalty is with the United States of America. But all this talk about China is having an impact on people like you. So we have to pay much more attention to what's happening."Watch the video of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu0FyFQc_6s (13:23) News and Activities for the Communities 1. The Summit Tunnel: Diversity and Pride in Building the American Nation The 1882 Foundation and Culture Caucus will host an event at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on Tuesday, March 21, starting at 6:00 pm ET. The Pacific Railroad Act was signed into law by President Lincoln in 1862. It set into motion a national effort to construct America’s first transcontinental railroad, and to undertake the century’s greatest engineering feat to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Through a short film, lecture, and discussion, the program will show the visual magnificence of the crossing and its monumental historical significance. It will discuss the shameful, continuous defacement of the site which has led the National Trust for Historic Preservation to list it as one of the nation’s most endangered historic places. Up to 2,000 Chinese workers lost their lives building the railroad. The site is a sacred place for them as it is for native Americans and pioneers who also sacrificed and struggled to build the American nation. Register for the event: https://bit.ly/3JsEP5r 2 . The President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders The President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) held its fifth public meeting at the White House on March 14, 2023. Commissioners deliberated and voted on additional recommendations to promote equity, justice, and opportunity for AANHPI communities for submission to President Biden. A final report is being prepared for expected release in October 2023. Watch the video of the meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uGaDQVTQXo (7:16:11) Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF March 21, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Community Responses The AAPI community's responses to AAPI issues. Our watchlist contains all of the most pertinent issues and legislations to the Asian American community. Check it out Our Watchlist See Congress's statements and actions regarding AAPI issues. Explore Congressional Actions Campaign to Oppose The Nomination of Casey Arrowood Read More 11. MIT Technology Review Investigative Reports Read More 9. Stanford Faculty Starts Nationwide Campaign to End China Initiative Read More 6. Letter to President-Elect Biden to End China Initiative Read More ASBMB Protests Racially Motivated Cancellation of Research Grant Read More Top Scientific Organizations Call for Fairer Treatment of Foreign-born Scientists Read More

APA Justice fully supports and is a partner with The Yellow Whistle Project , which officially launched on April 19, Patriots Day, 2021. The project was started by Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang and her husband Oscar Tang, Li-En Chong, Ken Tan, Anne Martin-Montgomery, and Cassandra X Montgomery in response to the anti-Asian hate and violence. In nature, yellow signals the advent of spring, bringing hope, optimism, and enlightenment. In America, yellow has been weaponized against Asians as the color of xenophobia. The whistle is a symbol of self-protection and solidarity in our common fight against historical discrimination, anti-Asian violence, and racial profiling. It has a universal purpose - to signal alarm and call for help - for all Americans. We are whistleblowing to fight back against the stereotype that Asians are a silent minority. We shall not remain silent, because we belong! In Minnesota in early January 2026, community members once again sounded whistles and brought attention to federal immigration enforcement after the fatal shooting of Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis. Her wife, Becca Good, stated: “We had whistles. They had guns. ” These events sparked weeks of protests, in which residents used whistles to monitor federal enforcement activities and draw attention to concerns about excessive use of force. Learn more Free whistles are being distributed through a network of outreach partners in New York City and throughout the continental U.S. Priority will be given to 501(C)3 organizations with demonstrated strong community ties. Distribution is managed by regional hubs, including APA Justice. The supply of whistles has been increased from 100,000 to 200,000 and now 500,000. The campaign is turning into a movement and a platform beyond the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. On September 5, 2021, Axios reported on How the yellow whistle became a symbol against anti-Asian hate. Read article See Yellow Whistle activities happening throughout the country The Yellow Whistle Campaign Make a Difference

Newsletter - #218 GSRA Makes Sweeping Section 702 Reforms; APEC Summit; Proposed H1-B Rule Change; More #218 GSRA Makes Sweeping Section 702 Reforms; APEC Summit; Proposed H1-B Rule Change; More In This Issue #218 · GSRA Introduced to Make Sweeping Section 702 Reforms · APEC Summit in San Francisco on November 11-17 · DHS Issues Proposed Rule to Modernize the H-1B Specialty Occupation Worker Program · News and Activities for the Communities GSRA Introduced to Make Sweeping Section 702 Reforms According to multiple media reports and statements, a bipartisan, bicameral bill was introduced on November 7, 2023, by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) that would rein in the U.S. surveillance state and significantly reform the laws the government uses to warrantlessly spy on Americans — including Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Known as The Government Surveillance Reform Act (GSRA), the 206-page bill would reauthorize Section 702 for four years.The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin , D-Wisc., Steve Daines , R-Mont., Mazie Hirono , D-Hawaii, Cynthia Lummis , R-Wy., Jon Tester , D-Mont., Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass., and Edward Markey , D-Mass.In the House, the bill is cosponsored by Reps. Andy Biggs , R-Ariz., Rep. Pramila Jayapal , D-Wash., Thomas Massie , R-Ky., Rep. Sara Jacobs , D-Calif., Rep. Nancy Mace , R-S.C., Rep. Judy Chu , D-Calif., Rep. Lloyd Doggett , D-Texas, Rep. Barbara Lee , D-Calif., Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., and Rep. Ted Lieu , D-Calif. The bill’s reforms include: · Protecting Americans from warrantless backdoor searches, ensuring that foreigners aren’t targeted as a pretext for spying on the Americans with whom they are communicating, and prohibiting the collection of domestic communications. · Extending similar reforms to surveillance activities under Executive Order 12333, including by limiting warrantless searches of Americans’ communications and prohibiting the targeting of foreigners as a pretext for surveilling Americans. It also limits the acquisition of Americans’ information as part of large datasets. · Requiring warrants for surveillance of Americans’ location data, web browsing and search records, including AI assistants like Alexa and Siri, vehicle data and by prohibiting the government from purchasing Americans’ data from data brokers. · Exceptions to ensure the government can continue to use Section 702 for defensive cybersecurity purposes, to assist in locating and rescuing hostages overseas and emergency provisions in cases where there isn’t sufficient time to get a warrant in advance. The bill has been endorsed by dozens of civil society organizations including Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) which are leading a coalition of Asian American organizations to oppose the renewal of Section 702 of FISA unless significant revisions are put into place. In addition, APA Justice supports an open letter to Congress prepared by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that individuals are urged to sign on: https://bit.ly/3EFkg3R .Additional coalition activities will be coming soon after the introduction of GSRA. Read the press statement by Senator Ron Wyden: https://bit.ly/3SxLn8V and watch the press conference: https://bit.ly/3u04gqS Links to some media reports and statements: · ACLU: Applauds Introduction of Bipartisan Government Surveillance Reform Act to Rein in Warrantless Government Surveillance · Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC: Calls the Government Surveillance Reform Act Much-Needed Reform to Curb Warrantless Government Surveillance of Asian Americans · Axios : Lawmakers unveil first bill to renew controversial surveillance program · Just Security : The Year of Section 702 Reform, Part IV: The Government Surveillance Reform Act · The Record : Bipartisan bill aims to have wide impact on federal surveillance efforts APEC Summit in San Francisco on November 11-17 The 2023 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, also known as APEC, will be held in San Francisco on November 11-17, 2023. It was founded in Canberra, Australia, in 1989 as an informal dialogue forum to promote regional economic integration . APEC's members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. They represent about 38% of the global population. Their economies account for about 62% of global GDP and almost half of global trade.The APEC Summit will host these 21 member economies from the Pacific Rim regions, including President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping . According to Reuters on November 8, 2023, Presidents Biden and Xi are expected to hold summit talks as they seek to stabilize tense ties by meeting in-person for just the second time in nearly three years. Exact timing and other logistical details have not yet been formally announced.Visit https://www.apec2023sf.org/ for more information about the APEC Summit. It includes an External Stakeholder Events web page on a number of concurrent side events for broader public or targeted audience engagement that are organized by a wide variety of leading business, civil society, or nonprofit groups unaffiliated with the official APEC 2023 program or the United States Government. DHS Issues Proposed Rule to Modernize the H-1B Specialty Occupation Worker Program On October 20, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would modernize the H-1B specialty occupation worker program by streamlining eligibility requirements, improving program efficiency, providing greater benefits and flexibilities for employers and workers, and strengthening integrity measures. The period to submit written comments closes December 22, 2023: https://bit.ly/49mYwYJ . News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2023/11/09 Quincy Institute: East Meets West Event 2023/11/09-12 NAPABA Convention2023/11/11 Association of Chinese Professionals 2023 MetroCon2023/11/12 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting2023/11/15 1990 Institute Media Narratives - Evaluating U.S.-China HeadlinesVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. 2023/11/09 Quincy Institute: East Meets West Event WHAT: East Meets West WHEN: Thursday, November 9, 8:30 am - 11:15 am Eastern TimeWHERE: Hybrid event; Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DCHOST: Quincy InstituteDESCRIPTION: Unpacking U.S.-China relations in the lead up to the Biden-Xi meeting at APEC REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3QsCtqN 3. 2023/11/15 Media Narratives - Evaluating U.S.-China Headlines WHAT: Media Narratives - Evaluating U.S.-China Headlines WHEN: Wednesday, November 15, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Eastern TimeWHERE: Virtual Teachers Workshop via ZoomHOST: The 1990 Institute SPEAKERS: · Kaiser Kuo, The China Project · Amy Qin, The New York Times · Bochen Han, South China Morning Post DESCRIPTION: The panel will delve into their first-hand experiences of their careers as journalists to highlight some of the complexities of news reporting in the context of U.S.-China relations. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/49kn1Wc 4. 2023/11/18 Inaugural Jimmy Carter Conversation on U.S.-China Relations WHAT: In-person event: Inaugural Jimmy Carter Conversation on U.S.-China Relations WHEN: Saturday, November 18, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Pacific Time, reception and dinner to follow (note: email confirmation required for dinner yawei.liu@cartercenter.org ) WHERE: Del Santo Reading Room, Lone Mountain Main Building 270, University of San Francisco, 2820 Turk Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118HOSTS: The Carter Center; University of San FranciscoSPEAKERS: · Max Baucus, Former U.S. Senator and Ambassador to China · Zoe Zongyuan Liu, Council on Foreign Relations · Orville Schell, Asia Society · Amy Celico, Albright Stonebridge Group · Ker Gibbs, University of San Francisco DESCRIPTION: Speakers will debate and discuss the legacy of U.S.-China relations and how to peacefully manage the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/40wINlD Back View PDF November 9, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #376 Message from Rep. Judy Chu; Gary Locke Honored; Chinese Americans; Science Reports; + #376 Message from Rep. Judy Chu; Gary Locke Honored; Chinese Americans; Science Reports; + In This Issue #376 · New Year Message from Rep. Judy Chu · Gary Locke Honored for His Public Service · U.S.–China Rhetoric Shapes the Lives of Chinese Americans · Science: Tables Turned and Brain Drain · News and Activities for the Communities New Year Message from Rep. Judy Chu In a Lunar New Year message to APA Justice during the monthly meeting on February 2, 2026, Congresswoman Judy Chu 赵美心 —Chair Emerita of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)—welcomed the Year of the Horse as a time to renew energy, focus, and commitment to the issues impacting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. Reflecting on her 2015 call to organize against the growing racial profiling of Chinese scientists and researchers, Rep. Chu credited that moment with helping catalyze the formation of the APA Justice Task Force. She expressed deep appreciation for APA Justice leaders, including Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 , Steven Pei 白先慎 , and Vincent Wong 王文奎 , whose sustained advocacy over the past decade has been critical in confronting discrimination, defending civil rights, and educating the community. Rep. Chu highlighted major civil rights battles of the past year, including efforts to block discriminatory state and federal laws restricting land ownership by Chinese and other immigrant communities under the guise of national security. She underscored her leadership in reintroducing the Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act with Rep. Al Green , removing discriminatory language from the defense spending bill, and preventing attempts to revive the xenophobic “China Initiative,” which disproportionately targeted Chinese and Chinese American scientists. She warned that national security must never be used as a pretext for racial profiling, particularly as renewed legislative and political efforts threaten hard-won progress. Looking ahead to 2026, Rep. Chu issued a stark warning about escalating threats under the Trump administration, citing attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion; the dismantling of the White House Initiative on AANHPI communities; assaults on language access; reckless public health decisions affecting hepatitis B prevention; and the terrorizing impact of aggressive ICE enforcement on immigrant families. She reaffirmed her commitment to accountability, transparency, and humane immigration reform, including her Visible Act and Reuniting Families Act . Closing on a note of resolve, Rep. Chu emphasized that organizations like APA Justice are indispensable partners in the fight ahead. “Together,” she affirmed, “we will keep fighting back and keep moving forward this Year of the Horse.” Amanda Yuen , Legislative Aide to Rep. Judy Chu whose portfolio includes issues affecting the AANHPI community, introduced the video. Watch the video of Rep. Chu’s new year message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcOcQG4mTH8 (12:04). G ary Locke Honored for His Public Service Former Washington Governor Gary Locke 骆家辉 was awarded the Elliott L. Richardson Prize by the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) on January 28, 2026, recognizing a career defined by public service, integrity, and historic firsts. Locke is the first Chinese American elected governor in the United States and the first Chinese American to serve as U.S. Secretary of Commerce. He received the biennial award alongside former Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. NAPA President and CEO James-Christian Blockwood praised both honorees, stating they “exemplify a model of leadership rooted in commitment, excellence and service that will inspire future generations of public servants.” Locke told AsAmNews that the honor came as a surprise. “It’s not something that I sought,” he said. “I’m very honored to have been selected and to be in the company of Janet Yellen… and also in the company of so many other very distinguished Americans who have received this award.” The prize honors the legacy of Elliott L. Richardson , the only individual to serve in four U.S. Cabinet positions, and is awarded to leaders who embody his principles of ethical public administration. Locke’s path to public office began not with political ambition but with community advocacy. Raised in Seattle’s Chinatown, he started his career as an attorney intending to help immigrant families with wills and legal documents. His work preserving Chinatown and expanding Asian American employment opportunities eventually led others to encourage him to run for office. “The more I thought about it, I said, why not me?” Locke recalled. “If we really care about the issues affecting our community… we need to be at the table helping set the policies and making the decisions.” He often cites his success within his family’s immigrant story. Locke has spoken passionately of his grandfather, who immigrated from China and worked as a houseboy in exchange for English lessons. “It took our family 100 years to move one mile and into the Governor’s Mansion,” he once commented. Reflecting more broadly, Locke said, “Our family’s story is really the story of so many other Asian Americans and really all Americans… wave after wave of people from all around the world… has made America great.” Looking back, Locke identifies several defining moments: being sworn in as governor, being singled out by President Clinton during a State of the Union address, and later serving under President Obama as Commerce Secretary and U.S. Ambassador to China. Yet his favorite memories remain the town halls across Washington State. “People would just come up on a microphone and just talk about their concerns,” he said. “Meeting people from all walks of life” was the most rewarding part of governing. Now, Locke serves as the chairman of Locke Global Strategies and on the executive board of the Committee 100. Committee 100 is an organization comprised of prominent Chinese citizens and Chinese Americans that aims to bridge the gap between the U.S and China and to promote the full participation of all Chinese Americans in American society. In keeping with the prize’s spirit, Locke is donating his award funds to the College Success Foundation, which provides college scholarships to foster youth. “I am really humbled by this award,” Locke said. “And I just hope that I’ve made people proud.” Gary Locke has made all of us proud. Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/4brvBGd . Watch the video posted by the National Academy of Public Administration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJuTVuVJdC0 (1:46:35). U.S.–China Rhetoric Shapes the Lives of Chinese Americans A ccording to The Hill on January 29, 2026, a new survey conducted by the Committee of 100 in collaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago finds that a majority of Americans (54 percent) believe President Trump’s rhetoric about China negatively affects how people of Chinese descent are treated in the United States. The findings highlight a strong public awareness that U.S.–China relations—and especially the language used by political leaders and the media—have real consequences for Chinese Americans’ daily lives, including their sense of belonging, safety, and mental health. Cindy Tsai , executive vice president and general counsel of the Committee of 100, emphasized this connection, noting the direct impact that rhetoric can have on whether Chinese Americans feel secure and accepted in their own country. The survey also demonstrates that precision in language matters: respondents reacted more positively toward Chinese Americans when news coverage attributed wrongdoing to the “Chinese government” rather than to “China” broadly, reinforcing the importance of distinguishing governments from people. Despite high levels of unfavorable views of China overall, majorities of Democrats and Republicans support closer U.S.–China cooperation on shared challenges, and only a small minority favor banning Chinese students and researchers from the United States. Together, these findings suggest broad bipartisan recognition that rhetoric and policy choices not only shape foreign relations but also profoundly influence how Americans perceive—and treat—fellow citizens and residents of Chinese descent. Read The Hill report: https://bit.ly/4qKP3Tb Science: Tables Turned and Brain Drain According to a Science opinion on January 29, 2026, for much of the past century, U.S. scientific leadership has been driven by major national research initiatives, often spurred by geopolitical competition. That dominance began to erode about two decades ago as China surged ahead in engineering and materials science, and more recently in medicine and biopharmaceuticals. Guided by long-term planning—especially its 14th Five-Year Plan—China has streamlined clinical trials, reduced costs, accelerated drug approvals, and dramatically expanded its drug development pipeline. As a result, China has reached parity with the U.S. in drug development, with one-third of new drugs licensed by major U.S. pharmaceutical companies now originating there. Despite these shifts, the U.S. response has been muted, reflecting policy drift rather than a coordinated national strategy. Industry leaders warn that this complacency risks ceding the future of life sciences. They argue the U.S. is prioritizing domestic manufacturing while neglecting the fundamental research that generates long-term value and innovation—effectively “outsourcing innovation.” Beyond economics, the essay urges the U.S. to rethink its zero-sum approach to China, recognizing science as a global public good. America’s historical strengths—sustained public funding and openness to global talent—are weakening, even as cooperation becomes more essential. As the author concludes, just as today’s devices combine American science and Chinese manufacturing, future life-saving medicines may reverse that equation unless the U.S. reengages strategically, collaboratively, and ambitiously. Read the Science opinion: https://bit.ly/4aoq8yZ According to a Science report on January 26, 2026, there was a significant loss of STEM Ph.D. employees in the U.S. federal government during Donald Trump 's presidency. In 2025, over 10,000 doctoral-trained experts in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), and health fields left their positions, accounting for 14% of the total STEM Ph.D. workforce in federal agencies. This exodus was part of a broader reduction in the federal workforce, with departures outnumbering new hires by a ratio of 11 to 1 across 14 research agencies analyzed. The National Science Foundation (NSF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy, and U.S. Forest Service were among the hardest hit, losing a significant percentage of their highly trained workforce. The reasons for these departures varied, with most leaving due to retirements, quitting, or buyout offers. While reductions in force (RIFs) accounted for some exits, other factors such as fear of being fired or disagreements with Trump administration policies also played a role. At NSF, nearly half of the departing STEM Ph.D.s were rotators—academics temporarily working at the agency—whose positions were largely eliminated. The loss of these experts resulted in a substantial reduction in federal work experience, with 106,636 years of experience lost in 2025 alone. The report underscores the impact of these losses on the affected agencies, which rely heavily on the expertise of STEM Ph.D.s for research and operations. It also provides detailed data analysis and visualizations to illustrate the trends. Read the Science report on the great government brain drain: https://bit.ly/3ZJPbGu News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/02/12 New York Regional Convening and Listening Session 2026/02/17 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative "Personal Marketing and Mentorship" 2026/03/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. 02/12 New York Regional Convening and Listening Session WHAT : New York Regional Convening and Listening Session WHEN : February 12, 2026, 3:30 - 6:00 pm ET WHERE : New York University, Kimmel Center, Rosenthal Pavilion, 60 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012 HOST : National Asian Pacific American Museum Commission DESCRIPTION : The National Asian Pacific American Museum Commission is continuing its listening tour across the country and will be in NYC next! We invite anyone interested in learning more about the work of the Commission—including community leaders, academic professionals, and youth—to join us and share your input on what a future National Asian Pacific American Museum could look like. Learn more at www.nationalapamuseum.org . REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/3ZhTQ2n 3. Celebrating 250: Building America’s Future Together WHAT : Celebrating 250 - Building America’s Future Together WHEN : May 12-14, 2026 · May 12-13: Legislative Leadership Summit: May 12-13 · May 13: 32nd Annual Awards Gala: May 13 · May 14: Military Leadership Appreciation Luncheon WHERE : TBD HOST : Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) DESCRIPTION : Join the APAICS community this May for our Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AA & NH/PI) Heritage Month events! This year's theme, "Celebrating 250: Building America's Future Together," is dedicated to honoring the deep-rooted legacy of AA & NH/PIs in our country and looking ahead to the future we're forging together. Learn More : https://bit.ly/4t6IgET # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF February 4, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #243 Florida Rally Today; AAJC Updates; History in California; Corky Lee; Mexico Brief; + #243 Florida Rally Today; AAJC Updates; History in California; Corky Lee; Mexico Brief; + In This Issue #243 · Rally Today: Florida Professors and Advocates Demand Board of Governors Address SB 846 · Advancing Justice | AAJC Updates from March APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Humanity in Confronting History in California · Fifty Years of Photographic Justice: Corky Lee’s Asian America · Mexico Files Amicus Brief; Chinese Crossing Southern Border · News and Activities for the Communities Rally Today: Florida Professors and Advocates Demand Board of Governors Address SB 846 On March 26, 2024, professors, students, and advocates will host a rally before the Florida Board of Governors meeting at the University of Florida. Asian American scholars and local and national community members will gather to demand that the Florida Board of Governors address their concerns with SB 846, which restricts Florida’s public colleges and universities from hiring graduate students and researchers from certain “countries of concern,” including China and Iran. The legislation, which took effect on July 1, 2023, further restricts Florida’s public colleges and universities from participating in partnerships or agreements with individuals or entities from these countries. It has raised concerns on academic freedom and impacts on the Asian American community not just in Florida but nationwide. The law has created confusion and a chilling effect on researchers, and could lead to broader harms on scientific innovation and the pipeline of scientific leadership in Florida and the U.S. At this rally, students and professors will share personal stories about the negative impact of the legislation on themselves, peers, and their local community, as well as the fearful environment that it has fostered especially at a time of increased anti-Asian hate and violence. National representatives are flying in from across the country to support local community members and to voice that what is happening in Florida could have a rippling effect across the country. Vincent Wang , Co-Organizer of APA Justice, will speak at the rally, which will be held at Reitz Union, North Lawn, University of Florida Gainesville Campus, on March 26, 2024, starting at 12 noon ET. The "We Belong" Yellow Whistles will be distributed during the rally. Please join.Read the media advisory: https://bit.ly/3PEyOq9 Breaking News: Academics challenge Florida law restricting research exchanges from prohibited countries like China According to AP on March 26, 2024, two graduate students from China whose studies were put on hold, and a professor who says he is unable to recruit research assistants, sued Florida education officials, trying to stop enforcement of a new state law which limits research exchanges between state universities and academics from seven prohibited countries.The law is discriminatory, unconstitutional and reminiscent of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which instituted a 10-year ban on Chinese laborers immigrating to the United States, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Miami. The new law also usurps the power of the federal government, which has exclusive authority over immigration, national security and foreign affairs, the lawsuit said.Read the AP report: https://bit.ly/3PEfkCd Advancing Justice | AAJC Updates from March APA Justice Monthly Meeting During the APA Justice monthly meeting on March 4, 2024, Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC, reported that the House cancelled a much anticipated vote on Section 702, the circumstances around which are highly problematic. The key takeaways include: 1. The House Intelligence Committee, led by Chairman Mike Turner , reneged on a pre-negotiated deal to move FISA reauthorization and reform to the House floor; 2. The House Judiciary Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over Section 702, submitted amendments to the base bill and testified in favor of their amendments while the House Intelligence Committee failed to even appear. Chair Turner and other House Intelligence Committee members also cryptically hinted at a so-called destabilizing foreign military capability that they heavily implied was related to Section 702, but it was later identified to be completely unrelated. Chair Turner undermined national security and wrongfully created national panic. It was clearly designed to scare members ahead of the plan to vote on Section 702, which was ultimately taken down. The White House and members of Congress and Civil Society have all been appalled at this behavior and issued statements to that effect. But in terms of next steps, Advancing Justice | AAJC will, in coalition with other AAPI organizations, prepare to defend against any efforts to jam Section 702 reauthorization into any imminent must-pass legislation. To that end, Joanna learned that 702 reauthorization is not in the first minibus and will continue to stay vigilant and monitor. Joanna deferred to Thông Phan to report on the state alien land laws. Advancing Justice | AAJC is tracking land-law-related language in the national security supplemental. It appears that a narrowly tailored version of the Rounds amendment was ultimately dropped, and the national security supplemental at the time of reporting looks to be less harmful.A summary for the 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 . Humanity in Confronting History in California According to AP , in May 2021, Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe had issued a formal apology for Antioch’s mistreatment of early Chinese immigrants, including the torching of Chinatown and driving out its residents, which has been documented by local newspapers and historians. Thorpe’s actions led to major cities like San Jose, Los Angeles and San Francisco passing similar resolutions.The 2021 apology has also led to local residents and historians delving deeper into the past and working to establish a Chinatown Historic District, complete with murals and museum exhibits highlighting the history and accomplishments of the community in Antioch.Before getting involved with the Antioch Historical Society and becoming committee chair for its Chinese History Project, Hans Ho said he had no idea a Chinatown once existed there. Chinese people were undoubtedly treated as second-class citizens, said Ho, who emigrated from Hong Kong in the 1960s. He was also one of the representatives from the Chinese American community to receive Thorpe’s apology, an act that moved him to tears.Chinese laborers were among the early population in Antioch, which was named in 1851. They likely numbered just under 100, said Lucy Meinhardt , an Antioch Historical Society Museum board member. They worked in farms, canneries and mines. They helped build river levees and established a Chinatown where the city’s downtown now stands. Today, the city of more than 111,000 is 25% white while Asians make up 12%. Hispanic and Black residents are 35% and 20% of the population, respectively. Even creating a space for some materials related to Chinese residents at the Antioch Historical Society Museum has gotten pushback. “(One board member) said that they wanted this to be an ‘American’ museum,” said Dwayne Eubanks , a past president of the historical society, who is African American. “I took umbrage to that.” He held up a picture of his father in his Army uniform and told the man: “This is an American.”On March 16, 2024, Eubanks, Meinhardt and Ho all attended the May We Gather event in Antioch, which organizers described as the first national memorial service and pilgrimage in response to anti-Asian violence. Attendees, including the three local residents, walked meditatively with Buddhist monks, nuns and lay leaders, around the city block where Antioch’s Chinatown stood 150 years ago.Read the AP report: https://bit.ly/49elUGm According to NBC News on March 6, 2024, In 1939, the Dongs, a Chinese American family in Coronado, California, found themselves unable to rent a house amid racially restrictive housing laws that favored white buyers and renters. Emma and Gus Thompson , a Black entrepreneurial couple in town, allowed the family to rent and eventually buy their Coronado property when nobody else would. Now, to thank the Thompsons for helping them get a toehold in American society, the Dongs are donating $5 million to Black college students using proceeds from the sale of the house. “It may enable some kids to go and flourish in college that might not have been able to otherwise,” Janice Dong , 86, said about the plan to sell the family home they later purchased, as well as an adjacent property. The Dong family will also work to have San Diego State University’s Black Resource Center named after Emma and Gus, who was born into slavery in Kentucky. Lloyd Dong Jr. , 81, said the Thompsons gave their family a start with the land, and it is time for them to do the same for others. “Without them, we would not have the education and everything else,” Lloyd Dong Jr. said. The Dong family’s roots in California date back to the late 19th century. Lloyd Dong Sr. was a farmer in the Central Valley before he moved to Coronado to become a gardener. In 1939, Gus and Emma Thompson gave the Dong family a place to stay, a promise to sell them the land and a chance to build a better life. It was a time in Coronado, a resort city known for its opulent hotel and white sand beaches on the San Diego Bay peninsula, when people living on the margins of society found it difficult to live within city limits. Racially restrictive housing covenants prohibited immigrants and people of color from renting and buying in Coronado.The Dong and Thompson families were on the same side of history. They were people trying to make it in a land that didn’t see them as full citizens. It wasn’t abnormal then to have marginalized individuals living together and supporting one another.Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/3vAdCL7 Fifty Years of Photographic Justice: Corky Lee’s Asian America Corky Lee 李扬国 (1947-2021), known also as "Asian American Photographer Laureate," was a Chinese American activist, community organizer, and photojournalist. He called himself an "ABC from NYC ... wielding a camera to slay injustices against APAs." Corky documented Asian American and Pacific Islander communities for fifty years, breaking the stereotype of Asian Americans as docile, passive, and, above all, foreign to this country. A selection of the best photographs from his vast collection will be officially released on April 9, 2024. It covers his start in New York’s Chinatown in the 1970s to his coverage of diverse Asian American communities across the country until his untimely passing in 2021. Read about the book: https://www.corkylee.org/about-1 . The link also provides information about a national book tour starting at the Chinese American Museum in Washington DC on April 11, and including New York events at the Asia Society on April 18 and Chinatown on May 4, as well as stops at Boston, Los Angeles, Oakland, Pasadena, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle. For more information, contact Tina Wang , National Book Tour Coordinator, at wangxintian0928@gmail.com . Mexico Files Amicus Brief; Chinese Crossing Southern Border According to CNN on March 21, 2024, Mexico is warning a federal US court in a friend-of-the-court brief that if its judges permit a controversial Texas immigration law known as SB 4 to take effect, the two nations would experience “substantial tension” that would have far-reaching consequences for US-Mexico relations.“Enforcement of SB 4 would inappropriately burden the uniform and predictable sovereign-to-sovereign relations between Mexico and the United States, by criminalizing the unauthorized entry of noncitizens into Texas from outside the county and creating diverging removal requirements between and among individual states and the national government,” they wrote in the brief. “Enforcement of SB 4 would also interfere with Mexico’s right to determine its own policies regarding entry into its territory, undermine U.S.-Mexico collaboration on a legal migration framework and border management, and hinder U.S.-Mexico trade,” the attorneys told the court.Mexico said it was backing the law’s challengers, which include the Biden administration. Its attorneys argued in the brief that the law – if allowed to take effect – “will be applied in a discriminatory manner.”Mexico’s 11 consulates in Texas have been ordered to provide protection and guidance and have made legal support available for any Mexican nationals across the state who “starts to have a problem,” under the new law, Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena said.Read the CNN report: https://cnn.it/497YaDR . According to a 60 Minutes report on February 4, 2024, about 37,000 Chinese nationals trying to escape repressive politics and a bleak economy, headed to the U.S. via the southern border in 2023. This is about 1.5% of the total of 2.5 million. It is an increase from 323 in 2021.According to the South China Morning Post on February 15, 2024, from a high of 2.2 million temporary visas granted to Chinese nationals in 2016, only about 160,000 were granted in 2022, a fall of more than 90%. This has led some Chinese citizens to take desperate measures to enter the US for a better life. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/03/26 Rally: Florida Professors and Advocates Demand Board of Governors Address SB 8462024/03/28 CSIS: U,S,-China Scholarly Recoupling: The Path Forward2024/04/02 AA and NHPI Higher Education Leadership Summit2024/04/07 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/04/08 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/04/17 Racially Profiled for Being A Scientist: A Discussion of the US DOJ's China Initiative2024/04/18 Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic JusticeVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. AA & NHPI Higher Education Leadership Summit WHAT: AA & NHPI Higher Education Leadership Development Summit WHEN: APRIL 2, 2024, 8:30 - 5:15 pm Pacific Time WHERE: UC Berkeley - Martin Luther King, Jr. Building, 2495 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA 94704 HOSTS: White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; U.S. Office of Personnel Management DESCRIPTION: The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) is dedicated to advancing educational equity and opportunity for all Americans. In 2024, we are continuing to bring together students, faculty, and administrators from across the country to highlight the critical role that Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs) play in increasing access to higher education and promoting workforce development. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3Vncrco Back View PDF March 26, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #193: 7/3 Meeting; Affirmative Action; Florida Law; Pew Study; Rice Names AVPs; More #193: 7/3 Meeting; Affirmative Action; Florida Law; Pew Study; Rice Names AVPs; More In This Issue #193 REMINDER: 2023/07/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Affirmative Action in College Admissions: What Have We Won? What Have We Lost? DOJ Says Florida Law is Unconstitutional Relatively Few Asian Americans Say They’re Well-informed About Asian History In The U.S. Rice University Names AVPs for Research Security, Technology Transfer News and Activities for the Communities Back View PDF July 3, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Waves of Immigrants Journey through the treacherous and brave path of the Asian Americans who came to the U.S. before us. At times, arriving freely and by choice. At times, arriving forcibly, coerced, or out of necessity. And for decades, excluded and barred from entry. Sometimes with a choice to stay, sometimes with no choice but to stay. Through the lens of the earliest surviving films and the eyes and pens of historical illustrators and photographers, see how, together as a community, they endured politics, imperialism, capitalistic development, and xenophobia. How their tenacity helped shape immigrant rights – not just for Asian Americans – but for many who are citizens of America today. Produced by 1990 Institute. Unfortunately, America has a long and complex history with race, and this includes racial discrimination and profiling people of Asian ethnicity. From the “Red Scare” after World War II to the modern-day U.S. Department of Justice “China Initiative,” Chinese American scientists, scholars, and students pose “whole-of-society” threats to fellow Americans. Today, the “China Initiative” has racially targeted Chinese Americans in overzealous prosecutions which have resulted in numerous dismissals. This history is important not only to law enforcement but for young future leaders of America that Maryland educates. Without an understanding of the history and contributions of groups such as Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, our country is bound to make the same mistakes that have roots in racial discrimination. While the United States is not a perfect nation, through our representative government we have the capacity to learn and improve from successes and mistakes. Our continuing success starts by educating our young people. We must ensure that like our government and our society, our history books are representative. They should represent the rich experiences of all Americans. We hope that as students learn this history, they create a kinder and more understanding classroom. We hope they see just how special it is that their classmates look different and have different backgrounds and are able to put this into historical context. This is where our better future lies. The APA Justice statement concludes by quoting President Reagan in his last presidential speech, “[y]ou can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American.” Let us go forth and teach the history of all Americans and understand the richness of all of our American histories. Illinois and New Jersey are the first two states to require teaching of Asian American history in public schools. On February 16, 2022, APA Justice submitted a statement to the Maryland Senate in strong support of SB 462 to develop and implement an expanded American history curriculum in Maryland public schools. In the statement, APA Justice expressed firm belief that studying history allows us to learn from the past and understand the present, from which we can strive to build a better future. Other than Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, we are a nation of immigrants. We came and continue to come from all corners of the world with different cultures and backgrounds. Some came earlier than others, and some came more willing than others. While some may seek to divide us, we must understand that our diversity is our strength, not our weakness. In fact, unique among the world’s nations, America’s strength comes from our diversity. While other countries are bound by ethnicity, Americans are bound together by a shared set of principles and ideals. In each of our own ways, we have contributed to the creation and the growth of this nation, fresh with purpose and ideals, as well as with fear and sacrifice. In order to empower our young people to be leaders in tomorrow's world, they must understand the history of all Americans. Asian American History is American History

Newsletter - #14 September 14 Meeting Agenda And Link To Join #14 September 14 Meeting Agenda And Link To Join Back View PDF September 9, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - Dcember 2025 Monthly Meeting Summaries Dcember 2025 Monthly Meeting Summaries 2025/12/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting APA Justice Meeting – Monday, 2025/12/011:55 pm Eastern Time / 10:55 am Pacific Time 1. Updates from CAPAC Speaker: Judith Teruya, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Judith.Teruya@mail.house.gov [not on record] 2. Update from Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC Speaker: Joanna YangQing Derman, Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC, jderman@advancingjustice-aajc.org · Advancing Justice | AAJC: Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program Joanna provided a policy update covering several key areas. She noted that AAJC continues to monitor developments related to the China Initiative and ongoing negotiations in the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations process, particularly with the extended January 30 deadline. On the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Joanna reported that both chambers have passed their versions of the bill and that AAJC has submitted its official letter to House and Senate Armed Services leadership. She highlighted the Rounds Amendment (No. 3810) as a major area of concern because it would broaden Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) reviews of foreign purchases of certain agricultural lands. She emphasized that AAJC is in active discussions with Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and others on the Hill to ensure civil rights safeguards are reflected in the final bill. Joanna also addressed Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s recent proclamation labeling The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) a “foreign terrorist organization” and “transnational criminal organization.” She stressed that AAJC views this as “an attempt to weaponize state power against a religious minority” and is working with interfaith and civil rights partners to oppose discriminatory actions. She noted that CAIR has already filed a federal lawsuit in response. She closed by expressing AAJC’s appreciation for the APA Justice community and said the organization looks forward to sharing a full 2025 wrap-up in the new year. 3. Update from Asian American Scholar Forum Speaker: Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), gpkusakawa@aasforum.org [not able to attend] 4. Update from Chinese American Citizens Alliance Speaker: Kin Yan Hui, National President, Chinese American Citizens Alliance Kin Yan Hui was recently elected to be National President of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (C.A.C.A.), He previously served as National Executive Vice President from 2023 to 2025 and as National Vice President for Membership from 2017 to 2023. He is also a Past President of the San Antonio Lodge. In his hometown of San Antonio, Kin serves as the Zoning Commissioner for the City of San Antonio’s District 6, representing 165,000 residents. He also sits on the Bexar County Civil Service Commission. A retired civil servant with over 35 years of service in the U.S. Department of the Air Force, Kin concluded his career in 2017 as Chief Engineer for four Air Force Cyber Weapon Systems. In that role, he led a team of more than 75 engineers and technical professionals developing and acquiring advanced cyber capabilities for the Air Force. Kin holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Houston, a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University, and was an Executive Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University. In his remarks, Kin offered a detailed overview of the organization’s 130-year history, its national footprint, and his vision for strengthening its role in the Chinese American community. Opening with characteristic humor—“As a good bureaucrat, I have to have PowerPoint slides, so please put up with that”—Kin set a collegial tone before walking the audience through C.A.C.A.’s mission: “to practice and defend Chinese American citizenship and to preserve our cultural and historical heritage, because without historical and cultural preservation, we are not a people.” Kin traced C.A.C.A.’s roots to 1895, when it was founded in San Francisco as the Native Sons of the Golden State. By 1915, it had reorganized under its current name and expanded nationally. He highlighted several moments of historic significance, including the organization’s advocacy for repealing the Chinese Exclusion Act, testimony before Congress in the 1940s, efforts that led to the War Brides Act and Chinese Alien Wives Act, and more recent achievements such as the 2012 Congressional Statement of Regret and the 2018 Congressional Gold Medal awarded to Chinese American World War II veterans. The medal project, Kin recalled, was a challenge—“It was during COVID, and we were having a very difficult time doing that”—but C.A.C.A. persisted and continues to locate families who were unaware of their eligibility. C.A.C.A. today includes 20 lodges and roughly 3,000 members, historically concentrated along the West Coast but growing rapidly in the South and Southwest. Kin emphasized that while the national board provides guidance and resources, “a lot of the work that’s being done is really at the lodge level.” His vision for the future focuses on restoring prominence, strengthening impact, and ensuring relevance nationwide. Conversations with community leaders, he noted, have helped sharpen that mission: “Not just for the C.A.C.A., but for the greater Chinese American community at large.” To support this vision, Kin outlined strategic goals: empowering lodges, improving messaging and partnerships, increasing membership, and defending birthright citizenship. Membership development will include a new pipeline, service recognition programs, and a youth advisory council—critical, he noted, because “we are all volunteers, with no paid staff, so we must appreciate every minute we get from volunteers.” On birthright citizenship, Kin recounted internal skepticism from some members who believed constitutional rights were secure. His response was grounded in risk management: “The risk may be low, but the severity is so high that we have to address it.” C.A.C.A. will establish a dedicated project team to prepare for and respond to potential policy threats. Kin concluded by reaffirming C.A.C.A.’s long-standing role and future direction: “I just want to introduce the organization…and give you a glimpse into what we are planning to do in the next two years.” He expressed gratitude for the chance to connect with allied organizations and strengthen shared commitments to civil rights, community empowerment, and cultural preservation. 5. Updates from American Civil Liberties Union · Speaker: Patrick Toomey , Deputy Director, National Security Project, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Patrick returned to provide an in-depth briefing on two major areas of ongoing ACLU litigation: the challenge to Florida’s discriminatory housing law (SB 264) in Shen v. Simpson, and the national-security–related litigation surrounding the federal government’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. Both issues, he noted, remain of high importance to Asian American communities and immigrant-rights advocates across the country. Patrick began by reminding the audience that the ACLU is engaged in a wide range of immigration and civil rights litigation, including work related to birthright citizenship, which had been referenced earlier in the meeting. For purposes of this briefing, however, he focused on the two cases in which he is personally involved. I. Shen v. Simpson – Florida’s SB 264 Housing Restrictions Patrick first summarized developments in Shen v. Simpson, a challenge to Florida’s SB 264, a law that restricts property ownership by immigrants from China and six other “countries of concern.” The law prohibits non-citizens and non-green-card-holders from these countries from buying property in large parts of Florida, with only narrow exceptions. The ACLU—together with AALDEF, CALDA, the DeHeng Law Firm, Quinn Emanuel, and the ACLU of Florida—represents four individual Chinese immigrant plaintiffs and a real estate company that serves primarily Chinese clients. On November 4, 2025, a divided panel of the Eleventh Circuit declined to issue a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of SB 264, which Patrick described as “disappointing.” Much of the decision turned on the court's ruling that the plaintiffs lacked "standing" to challenge the law's main restriction on property purchases. However, he highlighted an important clarification in the ruling: the court narrowed the law’s application and found that it does not apply to certain Chinese immigrants who live in Florida and intend to remain there indefinitely. That clarification, he explained, provides meaningful—but limited—relief to affected communities. He emphasized the broader context. SB 264 echoes a long history of “alien land laws” targeting Asians and other immigrant groups under the guise of national security. The ACLU views the law as part of a nationwide resurgence of discriminatory state-level property restrictions, which mirror policies from the early 20th century. Looking ahead, Patrick explained that next steps remain uncertain. The Eleventh Circuit must first issue a formal order returning the case to the district court. Once that occurs, the ACLU and the state defendants will submit a status update proposing a schedule for next steps in the case. He assured the audience that updates will be provided as the litigation team decides how to move forward in light of the Eleventh Circuit's decision. II. Alien Enemies Act Litigation Patrick then turned to the ACLU’s ongoing challenges to the federal government’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 statute allowing deportation of nationals from countries with which the U.S. is at war. In March of this year, he explained, the government used the Act to deport hundreds of Venezuelan nationals. These individuals were transported first to El Salvador and detained in the notorious “Terrorism Confinement Center,” before later being transferred to Venezuela. These individuals had no opportunity to contest their designation or removal under the AEA. 1. The Fifth Circuit Case (for individuals still in the U.S.) The ACLU represents Venezuelan nationals who remain in the United States and continue to face potential deportation under the Act. In June, the ACLU argued the case before a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit, which issued a 2–1 decision ruling the government’s use of the Act unlawful. The government then requested an en banc hearing before the full Fifth Circuit, which was granted. Briefing is underway, and oral argument is scheduled for late January. Because the case raises significant questions about executive power and wartime authorities, Patrick noted that Supreme Court review is likely. Importantly, deportations under the AEA are currently paused while the litigation proceeds. 2. District Court Litigation in Washington, D.C. (for individuals already deported) A second challenge focuses on those who were removed in March with no due process. The ACLU is seeking a new preliminary injunction that would allow deported individuals the opportunity to bring habeas and due-process claims that they were unable to pursue before being transported out of the country. Toomey noted that this group was deported “under cover of darkness,” without notice, hearings, or the ability to consult counsel. These cases, he stressed, raise profound constitutional questions about due process, wartime authority, and the treatment of immigrant communities. Both remain active and will likely continue into 2026. Conclusion Patrick closed by encouraging attendees to stay engaged as litigation moves forward. He invited follow-up questions through the chat or by email and reaffirmed the ACLU’s commitment to defending the civil rights and liberties of immigrant communities targeted by discriminatory laws and emergency powers. The outcomes of these cases, he noted, will have significant implications for Asian American communities, Venezuelan immigrants, and the broader legal landscape governing immigration enforcement. 6. Update from National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Speaker: Edgar Chen , Special Advisor, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Edgar Chen, Special Policy Advisor for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), provided an overview of NAPABA’s recent annual convention and the organization’s broader civil-rights–focused work. He began by thanking APA Justice for the opportunity to share updates and participated in discussion of Florida’s SB 264 during the Q&A. Edgar explained that NAPABA represents more than 80,000 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students across the United States, with additional Canadian affiliates. Each year, NAPABA convenes members in a different host city for its annual convention. The 2025 gathering took place in Denver, Colorado, and was NAPABA’s second-largest convention ever, with over 2,800 attendees. He noted that last year’s Seattle convention reached a record 3,400 attendees and featured Governor Gary Locke as an opening speaker. Edgar highlighted several elements of the Denver convention that intersect with current civil rights issues. Responding to earlier panel discussion about the federal Community Relations Service (CRS), he noted that CRS — often called “the nation’s peacemakers” — has historically had four directors of Asian American descent: Grand Lum, Rose Ochi, Justin Locke, and Julius Nam. Grand Lum participated in a Denver panel on alternative dispute resolution. Edgar also connected other speakers’ points to NAPABA’s recent work, noting, for example, that NAPABA included the Congressional Gold Medal for Chinese American WWII veterans as part of its 2018 lobby-day agenda. NAPABA’s continuing legal education offerings at the convention spanned more than 43 breakout sessions covering emerging and specialized practice areas, including artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, healthcare law, tariffs, and even Asian American leadership in the outdoor and skiing industries — a nod to the Colorado setting. From this broad program, Edgar emphasized several civil rights sessions that were most relevant to the APA Justice audience. These included programming on birthright citizenship, such as a reenactment of the landmark Wong Kim Ark case; discussions about discrimination against Pacific Islander women; sessions addressing sexual violence; and a program on language access in the wake of the recent rescission of the Clinton-era executive order guaranteeing federal language-access services. The convention also explored book bans and the erosion of intersectional identities in public education and discourse. Edgar personally moderated a panel on immigration enforcement featuring Greg Chen of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He summarized the panel’s key conclusion: the central issue currently shaping immigration outcomes is “discretion,” particularly the growing use of negative discretion across U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and other parts of the federal immigration system. He stressed that, beyond ICE, these shifts have implications for refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable communities — especially in the context of the recent shooting in Washington, D.C., which has further intensified national debate over immigration policy and public safety. The convention also featured a major plenary session with Justice Goodwin Liu of the California Supreme Court and Ajay Mehrotra of the American Bar Foundation. They discussed the “Portrait Project,” a data-driven analysis of AANHPI representation in the legal profession and the barriers that impede career advancement. The research identifies three persistent barriers: lack of mentorship, limited networking infrastructure, and insufficient development of soft skills that are rarely taught in law school but crucial to professional success. Edgar emphasized that first-generation lawyers in particular face challenges in navigating these unwritten rules of the legal profession, and that part of NAPABA’s mission is helping to close these gaps. He also noted that NAPABA honored several Trailblazers this year, including Committee of 100 member Alan Tse and Rutgers Law Professor Rose Cuison-Villazor, both widely recognized for their leadership and contributions to civil rights and legal scholarship. The convention concluded with a gala featuring an in-depth conversation between actor Rich Ting and journalist Katie Fang — a session Edgar described as especially compelling. Looking ahead, Edgar announced that the next NAPABA convention will take place in Los Angeles, where attendance could reach 5,000 members. He invited APA Justice participants and interested community members to follow upcoming announcements about the 2026 program. 7. Q&A and Discussions 8. Next Meeting The next monthly meeting will be held on Monday, January 5, 2026, starting 1:55 pm ET/10:55 am PT Back View PDF December 1, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter