Newsletter - #74 Your Action Needed For Rep. Ted Lieu's Letter; Nisha Ramachandran New CAPAC ED #74 Your Action Needed For Rep. Ted Lieu's Letter; Nisha Ramachandran New CAPAC ED Back View PDF July 22, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Rep. Ted Lieu delivered a bicameral coalition letter calling for an investigation into the DOJ's repeated, wrongful targeting of individuals of Asian descent for alleged espionage. July 29, 2021 On July 29, 2021, Rep. Ted Lieu delivered a bicameral coalition letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling for an investigation into the Department of Justice's "repeated, wrongful targeting of individuals of Asian descent for alleged espionage." "Over the years, multiple people who happened to be of Asian descent have been falsely accused by the Department of Justice of espionage," including the false accusations of spying alleged against Wen Ho Lee , Sherry Chen , Xiaoxing Xi , Anming Hu , and many others . "The common thread in every one of these cases was a defendant with an Asian surname — and an innocent life that was turned upside down." "No person should be viewed by our government as more suspicious because of the individual’s race. We thus request an update on the mandated implicit bias training and request an investigation to determine whether the Department of Justice has a written or unwritten policy, program, pattern or practice of using race (or other civil rights classifications such as religion, gender and national origin) in targeting people for arrest, surveillance, security clearance denials or other adverse actions. We also specifically request whether, under the 'China Initiative,' there is a written or unwritten policy, program, pattern or practice to target people based on their race, ethnicity or national origin." Rep. Ted Lieu delivered a bicameral coalition letter calling for an investigation into the DOJ's repeated, wrongful targeting of individuals of Asian descent for alleged espionage. Previous Next Rep. Ted Lieu Calls for Investigation of Racial Profiling of Asians

Racial Profiling Politicization of NIH Grant The EcoHealth Alliance has been studying human and animal infectious diseases for 20 years. When unconfirmed reports that Alliance funding had been sent to the Wuhan Institute of Virology emerged in April 2020, the National Institutes of Health cut all future funding toward their research project on bat-human virus transmission. The scientific community is expressing their fear and concern about the politicization of peer-reviewed science. Timeline The New York Times reported that 77 Nobel laureates has asked for an investigation into the cancellation of a federal grant to EcoHealth Alliance, a group that researches bat coronaviruses in China. The pre-eminent scientists characterized the explanation for the decision by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as “preposterous.” May 21 2020 The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) issued a press release and sent a letter of protest to the NIH Director on behalf of 31 scientific societies representing tens of thousands of members. The letter said the grant cancellation politicized science and concluded, “The action taken by the NIH must be immediately reconsidered.” May 20 2020 According to a report by the Daily Beast , "a military contractors’ report circulating on Capitol Hill claims to have evidence that COVID-19 escaped from a Chinese lab. It’s filled with information that’s just plain wrong." May 17 2020 CBS 60 Minutes broadcasted "Why it matters that the NIH canceled a coronavirus research grant " with the byline "Faulty allegations led to cutting $3.7 million dollars to ecologists studying coronaviruses. The ramifications may be felt in future pandemics." May 10 2020 Sarina Neote, ASBMB Science Policy Manager, expressed concerns about increasing fear within the scientific community of being targeted as a result of race or identify and the cancellation of the EcoHealth grant in the APA Justice conference call . She followed with an ASBMB position statement after the call and welcomes Asian American and other organizations to join the effort. May 4 2020 In a CNN opinion piece , Benjamin Corb, ASBMB Public Affairs Director, raised the question: Why did the NIH terminate a grant that supports leading research into how coronaviruses can be transferred from their natural host of bats to humans in the middle of a pandemic? "Politicizing peer-reviewed science is a dangerous threat to the independent American scientific enterprise and is the first step on a deeply concerning slippery slope. If Daszak's research can be stopped by funding cuts at the whim of the President, what other research grants in the future will be pulled because of the left or right leanings of any future president? What damage would such a decision have on the world-leading productivity and reputation of the National Institutes of Health? Science must remain independent and nonpoliticized if it is to be trusted and productive during this pandemic crisis and beyond," Corb said. Apr 30 2020 Politico broke the story that NIH told EcoHealth Alliance, the study’s sponsor on bat-human virus transmission for the past five years, that all future funding was cut. “At this time, NIH does not believe that the current project outcomes align with the program goals and agency priorities,” Michael Lauer, NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research, wrote in a letter to Dr. Pete Daszak, who is President of EcoHealth Alliance. Apr 27 2020 Please contact APA Justice Task Force facilitator Dr. Jeremy Wu at Jeremy.S.Wu@gmail.com or ASBMB Science Policy Manager Sarina Neote at sneote@asbmb.org if you would like to join this very important effort.

Haizhou Hu Previous Item Next Item

Lei Guan 关磊 Docket ID: 8:20-cr-00127 District Court, C.D. California Date filed: Sep 10, 2020 Date ended: July 26, 2021 Table of Contents Overview 2021/07/12 Document 220-1 Exhibit A Five “Visa Fraud” Cases Links and References Overview On July 23, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrest of four scientists from China on an alleged visa violation. A fifth scientist, Lei Guan, was arrested for similar charges in August 2020. Lei Guan came to Los Angeles to work as a researcher in UCLA’s Department of Mathematics in 2018. On August 29, 2020, Lei Guan was charged with destroying evidence and alteration of records to obstruct an FBI investigation. One count of visa fraud and one count of making false statements were added in subsequent superseding indictments. If convicted, he faced a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Lei Guan was detained for months at Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles awaiting trial. On July 23, 2021, DOJ motioned to drop their case against Lei Guan. U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald granted the motion to dismiss on July 26, 2021. The other four visa fraud cases were also dismissed at the same time. The five visa fraud cases including Lei Guan were identified under the China Initiative, but they were removed from the DOJ online report after their dismissals. 2021/07/12 Document 220-1 Exhibit A On July 12, 2021, a partially redacted draft FBI report appeared as part of an exhibit in a non-motion response filed in the case of Lei Guan. The lead draft report of the exhibit was titled “ Fourth Military Medical University Interviews and Arrests and Arrests Likely Had Minimal Impact in Mitigating Technology Transfer Threats from PRC Students ” and dated March 19, 2021. The 28-page exhibit includes a draft white paper that provides assessments on seven cases under the "China Initiative," including the five that were dismissed. The draft paper states that targeting of the researcher and students "likely had minimal, short-term positive impact on the technology transfer threat from PRC students, scholars, and researchers." In addition, "[o]nly two of the arrests has a nexus to technology transfer violations, ... and none included charges related to other counterintelligence concerns." The operation "likely contributed to the deterioration of the FBI's delicate yet valuable relationship with some US universities by not exercising more caution before approaching PRC students." Although there was strong advice against investigating and arresting students and researchers with the operation," several FBI field offices proceeded with visa fraud charges for individuals who met the criteria but did not meet the threshold for a high-priority technology transfer threat." "It is in the best national security interest of the FBI to strategically identify, target, and mitigate PRC technology transfer threats while also preserving educational opportunities in the United States for PRC students who do not pose a threat," said an unredacted portion of the FBI report. A footnote also stated that "the FBI does not consider clinical medicine an area of concern for PRC technology transfer." According to the exhibit, a FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst drafted the report as a response to a February 2021 award nomination. She was originally included as part of the award nomination but disagreed about the "high impact" the award's nomination claimed to have made. She did not think the arrest of the PLA students met the threshold for high impact at that time, as she assessed at an early stage the impact was minimal. The draft was a way for her to dispute the information contained in the awards packet. She removed herself from the award nomination. Five “Visa Fraud” Cases The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced visa fraud charges against four of five scientists from China on July 23, 2020. The fifth scientist, Lei Guan, was first charged in August 2020 for Destruction and Alteration of Records in a Federal Investigation with visa fraud charges added in September 2020. The announcement of the visa fraud cases coincided with the U.S. order to close China’s consulate in Houston, accusing it to be a "spy center" to conduct spying activities with local medical centers or universities. The five Chinese scientists are: Lei Guan (关磊), Visiting researcher (mathematics), University of California at Los Angeles Dr. Chen Song (宋琛) , Visiting researcher (neurology), Stanford University Dr. Juan Tang (唐娟) , Visiting researcher (cancer), University of California at Davis Xin Wang (王欣) , Visiting researcher (neurology), University of California at San Francisco Kaikai Zhao (赵凯凯) , Doctoral candidate (machine learning and artificial intelligence), Indiana University These five visa fraud cases were abruptly dismissed by DOJ in July 2021 without an explanation for the dismissals. Wyn Hornbuckle, a Justice Department spokesman issued a statement that said "[r]ecent developments in a handful of cases involving defendants with alleged, undisclosed ties to the People’s Liberation Army of the People’s Republic of China have prompted the department to re-evaluate these prosecutions... We have determined that it is now in the interest of justice to dismiss them.” On July 22, 2021, Reuters reported that there was "recently disclosed evidence of a report by FBI analysts that questioned if the visa application question on 'military service' was clear enough for Chinese medical scientists at military universities and hospitals." In another report by the Washington Post, an unnamed official was quoted to say that "the punishment for visa fraud typically does not exceed a year. That fact, combined with the prospect of prolonged litigation in several instances, led officials to assess that the interests of justice were best served by dropping the cases." Upon further research, defense attorneys for Dr. Juan Tang filed a Defendant's Trial Brief and Memorandum Supporting Dismissal at Trial on July 19, 2021. It included a section on "The FBI’s Deliberate Failure to Disclose Critical Exculpatory Evidence to the Court and to the Defense Warrants a Dismissal of this Ill-Conceived Indictment." "There is dissension in the FBI’s own ranks," the trial brief started. It cited that the government intentionally did not comply with the discovery order for the trial and highlighted that "... just days ago, a heavily redacted report dated for release four months ago, on April 1, 2021, which the government did not disclose to this Court when it ruled on Dr. Tang’s Motion to Dismiss." Exhibit A shows a FBI Background Note dated April 1, which includes a statement that investigations and expert interviews "suggest that the visa application form (DS-160) potentially lacks clarity when it comes to declaring one's military service or affiliation." DOJ motioned to dismiss Dr. Juan Tang’s case four days before the trial was to start on July 26, 2021. On July 12, 2021, a partially redacted draft FBI report appeared as part of an exhibit in a non-motion response filed in the case of Lei Guan. The 28-page exhibit includes a draft white paper that provides assessments on seven cases under the "China Initiative," including the five that were dismissed. The draft paper states that targeting of the researcher and students "likely had minimal, short-term positive impact on the technology transfer threat from PRC students, scholars, and researchers." In addition, "[o]nly two of the arrests has a nexus to technology transfer violations, ... and none included charges related to other counterintelligence concerns." The operation "likely contributed to the deterioration of the FBI's delicate yet valuable relationship with some US universities by not exercising more caution before approaching PRC students." Although there was strong advice against investigating and arresting students and researchers with the operation, "several FBI field offices proceeded with visa fraud charges for individuals who met the criteria but did not meet the threshold for a high-priority technology transfer threat." "It is in the best national security interest of the FBI to strategically identify, target, and mitigate PRC technology transfer threats while also preserving educational opportunities in the United States for PRC students who do not pose a threat," said an unredacted portion of the FBI report. A footnote also stated that "the FBI does not consider clinical medicine an area of concern for PRC technology transfer." According to the exhibit, a FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst drafted the report as a response to a February 2021 award nomination. She was originally included as part of the award nomination but disagreed about the "high impact" the award's nomination claimed to have made. She did not think the arrest of the PLA students met the threshold for high impact at that time, as she assessed at an early stage the impact was minimal. The draft was a way for her to dispute the information contained in the awards packet. She removed herself from the award nomination. In December 2020, John Demers, former head of the China Initiative at DOJ, and William Evanina, former chief of the counterintelligence branch at ODNI, attributed without supporting facts and evidence that more than 1,000 Chinese researchers from affiliated with China's People's Liberation Army fled the U.S. after the FBI conducted interviews in more than 20 cities and the State Department closed China’s Houston consulate in July 2020. Some of the visa fraud prosecutions were based on photos of the individuals in uniform. However, wearing a uniform does not always imply military service. There are two non-armed branches in the uniformed services of the United States, including the Public Health Service which is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps which is part of the Department of Commerce. Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #149 Events/Conferences; Update on Arrowood; Hateful Trump Name-Calling; New from the Fed #149 Events/Conferences; Update on Arrowood; Hateful Trump Name-Calling; New from the Fed Back View PDF October 7, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #98 Letter to AG; NYT Report; "Chinese Initiative" Cases; 12/06 Monthly Meeting; More #98 Letter to AG; NYT Report; "Chinese Initiative" Cases; 12/06 Monthly Meeting; More Back View PDF November 29, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #300 1/6 Monthly Meeting; 11/18 Meeting Summary; Ronnie Chan; Tom Friedman; WSJ Warning; + #300 1/6 Monthly Meeting; 11/18 Meeting Summary; Ronnie Chan; Tom Friedman; WSJ Warning; + In This Issue #300 · 2025/01/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · 2024/11/18 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary · The Past, Present, and Future of U.S.-China Relations · NYT Opinion: "I Never Felt Like This in China Before" · WSJ : Chinese Students in U.S. Warned to Stay Ahead of Second Trump Term · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/01/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, January 6, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Dr. Kai Li , Vice President, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), invited speakers are: · Congresswoman Judy Chu , Chair Emeritus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Judith Terayu , Executive Director, CAPAC · Sudip Parikh , Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Executive Publisher of the Science family of journals · Robert S. Chang , Executive Director, Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality, University of California Irvine School of Law · Paul L. Hoffman , Director of Civil Rights Clinic, University of California Irvine School of Law 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 APAJustice - Steven Pei 白先慎 , Vincent Wang 王文奎 , and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . ***** On December 18, 2024, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) issued a statement marking 80 years since the Supreme Court issued a ruling in the landmark case of Korematsu vs. United States, which ruled that Executive Order 9066 authorizing the relocation of over 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry to incarceration camps did not violate Japanese Americans’ rights. The court affirmed the conviction of Fred Korematsu , a Japanese American civil rights activist, who refused to relocate. In 2018, the Supreme Court rejected its 1944 decision in Korematsu with Chief Justice John Roberts writing that “Korematsu was gravely wrong the day it was decided” and “has no place in law under the Constitution.” Read the CAPAC statement: https://bit.ly/3DwWcTf .The Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality, established in 2009 by Professor Robert S. Chang at Seattle University School of Law, is dedicated to advancing justice and equality through research, advocacy, and education. Named after civil rights hero Fred Korematsu, the center focuses on combating discrimination, empowering communities to advocate for themselves, and training future lawyers committed to social justice. In July 2024, the Korematsu Center relocated to the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Law , continuing its mission under Professor Chang's leadership. This move aims to further the center's initiatives in promoting racial equity and social justice on a national scale. Professor Chang is part of the plaintiff's legal team in Jones Eagle LLC v. Ward (4:24-cv-00990) . On December 9, 2024, a District Court in Arkansas granted a preliminary injunction halting Arkansas officials from enforcing state laws restricting foreign ownership of land and digital asset operations within the state.Professor Chang has accepted the invitation to speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on January 6, 2025. 2024/11/18 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary Senator-elect Andy Kim made history as the 1st Asian American from New Jersey elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Now he set another record to become the 1st Asian American in the U.S. Senate from the East Coast. He has dedicated his life to serving the country. He worked as a career public servant under both under both Democratic and Republican administrations, having served at USAID, the Pentagon, the State Department, the White House National Security Council, and in Afghanistan as an advisor to Generals Petraeus and Allen. During the APA Justice monthly meeting on November 18, 2024, Senator-elect Kim said in a video that, at a time when we see so much hate and discrimination out in the public, he wanted to provide the kind of security, comfort, and reassurance to all Americans, including his seven- and nine-year-old children and his two elderly parents at a time of real concern. He said that we need to do a lot more fighting back against anti-Asian hate and discrimination, building the kind of coalition to step up against hate in all forms, taking on some of the different ways in which that fear is weaponized, like the China initiative and other efforts that are unfortunately going to be used going forward. These are difficult times. These are tough times. He hopes to be in a place in the U.S. Senate to be able to work alongside us to fight for the types of things that we all believe in. Senator Kim was sworn into the Senate on Monday, December 9, 2024. His video is posted at https://youtu.be/bBQ4Pq1iagY . Senator Kim welcomes people contacting his team by writing to info@andykim.com .A summary of the APA Justice 2024 November monthly meeting has been posted at: https://bit.ly/4iQMlbh . Read past monthly meeting summaries at: https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP The Past, Present, and Future of U.S.-China Relations On December 2, 2024, Ronnie Chi-Chung Chan 陳啟宗 and Lien-Hang T. Nguyen , a professor at Columbia University, discussed the historical context, current dynamics, and potential future developments in the relationship between the United States and China. The conversation delves into economic, political, and cultural aspects, providing insights into the complexities and challenges that have shaped and continue to influence interactions between the two nations. Columbia University Interim President Katrina Armstrong and University Professor Jeffrey Sachs gave introductory remarks.Ronnie Chi-Chung Chan is a prominent Hong Kong businessman and philanthropist. He serves as Honorary Chair of Hang Lung Properties and Chair Emeritus of the Asia Society. An alumnus of the University of Southern California, where he earned his MBA in 1976, Chan has held influential roles in various international organizations. His philanthropic endeavors are highly notable, particularly through the Morningside Foundation, which has made substantial contributions to educational institutions such as Harvard University and the University of Southern California. Chan is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Lien-Hang T. Nguyen is the Director of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University, and the Dorothy Borg Associate Professor of the History of American-East Asian Relations at Columbia's Department of History. Professor Nguyen specializes in the study of the United States in the world, with spatial focus on Southeast Asia and temporal interest in the Cold War. The Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University is a hub for the study of modern and contemporary East, Inner, and Southeast Asia at Columbia University. Its mission is to advance knowledge of East, Inner, and Southeast Asia, both across the University and among the public. "Studying is not just to get a job; studying is to make you a better person. Enjoy your education because studying itself is a joy," Chan said during the webinar. "I'm pessimistic but not passive. If you’re passive, you have no future. We must all do our part, even if it’s small, to try to make a difference. If we don't, the world is doomed."Watch the video at https://bit.ly/49RloQq (1:12:44) NYT Opinion: "I Never Felt Like This in China Before" On December 24, 2024, the New York Times published an opinion titled "I Never Felt Like This in China Before" by Thomas L. Friedman . The opinion examines the complexities and evolving nature of U.S.-China relations in the context of global politics. It underscores that the relationship is no longer just about competition but must also include elements of cooperation. While the U.S. and China are embroiled in a range of issues like trade imbalances, technological rivalry, and differing ideologies, the article suggests that these tensions should not overshadow the need for collaboration. The changing global landscape, with rising economic powers and shifting alliances, makes the U.S.-China dynamic crucial not only for both nations but for the stability of the global order.Friedman emphasizes the importance of addressing key challenges, such as the competition in advanced technologies and the battle for global influence. However, he also points out that areas like climate change and global health are issues that transcend national boundaries and require cooperation between the two superpowers. Rather than focusing solely on confrontational tactics, the article advocates for strategic engagement that acknowledges the necessity of cooperation in certain sectors, while also maintaining healthy competition in others. This balanced approach, the article argues, is vital for avoiding catastrophic outcomes, such as military conflicts or economic decoupling. "Excessive confrontation between the U.S. and China could lead to global instability, which would be detrimental not only to both countries but also to the rest of the world," Friedman said. "Fostering an environment of mutual respect and cooperation is essential for addressing the interconnected challenges of the modern world."Read the New York Times opinion: https://nyti.ms/3BYe0WZ . WSJ : Chinese Students in U.S. Warned to Stay Ahead of Second Trump Term According to the Wall Street Journal on December 26, 2024, Chinese students in the United States are being urged to return to campus before President-elect Donald Trump ’s inauguration on January 20, 2025, due to concerns over potential travel and visa restrictions. Universities such as the University of Houston and Rice University have sent out advisories, encouraging international students to return promptly to avoid disruptions. This guidance stems from uncertainty over possible policy changes under the new administration, especially given President-elect Trump’s track record of restrictive immigration measures during his first term. The concerns are particularly acute for Chinese students, who represent one of the largest groups of international students in the U.S. During Trump’s earlier presidency, various policies—including travel bans and tightened visa regulations—created significant barriers for international students from several countries. While no specific plans targeting Chinese students have been announced, the lingering memory of past restrictions has heightened anxiety among this community. Many students are worried about the possibility of being stranded abroad or facing delays in returning to their studies. This situation underscores the broader challenges faced by international students in the U.S., who must navigate a constantly shifting immigration landscape. International students contribute significantly to the U.S. economy and academic environment, yet they often find themselves caught in political crossfires. Universities are stepping up to provide support, recognizing the critical role these students play on campus and the stress they endure due to uncertain policy changes. Institutions are advising students to secure their legal status and ensure compliance with potential new regulations.The return-to-campus advisories also reflect growing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China. Over the years, Chinese students have faced increasing scrutiny in the United States amid allegations of intellectual property theft and national security concerns. These issues, coupled with domestic pressures to tighten immigration controls, have led to a more challenging environment for Chinese nationals pursuing education in the U.S. Universities, however, remain committed to fostering an inclusive environment and minimizing disruption for their students. Ultimately, the situation highlights the precarious position of international students in an era of shifting political priorities. While universities are taking proactive measures, the uncertainty surrounding U.S. immigration policies under the new administration adds an additional layer of difficulty for students. As the global landscape evolves, the need for stable and predictable policies to support international education becomes increasingly urgent, ensuring that students can continue their studies without undue fear of sudden policy shifts.Read the Wall Street Journal report: https://on.wsj.com/41T5tPU News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/01/05 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/01/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/01/15 Master Class: Maintaining the Effectiveness of Organizational Equity Initiatives in the Current Environment2024/01/16 Master Classes: Asian American Career Lessons2025/01/19 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/13-15 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting2025/02/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Breaking News : Passing of President Jimmy Carter According to the Carter Center and multiple media reports, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter passed away peacefully on December 29, 2024, at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100.President Carter is survived by his children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy ; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rosalynn , and one grandchild.Serving as the 39th President from 1977 to 1981, Carter's administration was marked by significant achievements, including the historic decision to establish formal diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China, Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, the SALT II treaty, and the establishment of the Departments of Energy and Education. Carter's commitment to U.S.-China relations extended beyond his presidency. He visited China multiple times and established a China Program within The Carter Center, aiming to promote dialogue and understanding between the two countries.There will be public observances in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., followed by a private interment in Plains, Georgia. The final arrangements for President Carter’s state funeral, including all public events and motorcade routes, are still pending. The schedule will be released by the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region at https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/statefunerals/ . Members of the public are encouraged to visit the official tribute website to the life of President Carter at www.jimmycartertribute.org . This site includes the official online condolence book as well as print and visual biographical materials commemorating his life. The Carter family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Carter Center, 453 John Lewis Freedom Parkway N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307. # # # 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 December 30, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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

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

Newsletter - #180 5/1 Meeting; Preemption of Real Property Discrimination; Vincent Chin; Cato Report; + #180 5/1 Meeting; Preemption of Real Property Discrimination; Vincent Chin; Cato Report; + In This Issue #180 2023/05/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting CAPAC Organizational Endorsement Form for Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act Vincent Chin Institute Launched - Rhetoric Can Result in Harm and Even Murder Cato Institute: Abandoning the US, More Scientists Go to China Activities and News for the Communities 2023/05/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, May 1, 2023, starting at 1:55 pm ET. Erika L. Moritsugu , Deputy Assistant to the President and Asian American and Pacific Islander Senior Liaison, will deliver a special video from the White House to start the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Brenna Isman , Director of Academy Studies, National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), will provide a brief description of the history, mission, and purpose of NAPA, its "Grand Challenges" campaign for public administration, and its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) efforts and commissioned studies. Paula Williams Madison , Paula Williams Madison, Former Print and TV Journalist, Retired NBCUniversal executive and GE Company Officer, Former Vice President of the Los Angeles Police Commission and owner of The Africa Channel, will provide a recap of the April 17 Roundtable and share the possible next steps for this important work that may have long-lasting impact to the AAPI community and the American society overall.Updates will be provided in the meeting by: Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); John Yang 杨重远 , President and Executive Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum.The virtual monthly meeting is by invitation only. If you wish to join, either one time or for future meetings, please contact one of the co-organizers of APA Justice - Steven Pei 白先慎 , Vincent Wang 王文奎 , and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . CAPAC Organizational Endorsement Form for Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act The Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act (draft) is sponsored by Rep. Al Green (TX-9) and co-led by Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28). We kindly ask that all organizations who would like to endorse do so by filling out the form here no later than Friday, May 5, 12pm ET. This form is for ORGANIZATIONAL endorsement only.As you may be aware, there are state laws throughout the U.S. that place restrictions on the acquisition or possession of real property in those states by citizens of foreign nations. These laws are often driven by concerns over commercial interests or national security. However, recent legislation introduced in states like Texas, South Carolina, and others include a flat prohibition on the purchase or acquisition of real property by the citizens of a select number of countries – Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China.We have seen policies like this before in our nation’s history – in the 1800s, when anti-Chinese sentiment culminated in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the creation of alien land laws, or during World War II when tensions with Japan led to the stripping of land ownership rights from Japanese immigrants and the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans. By refusing individuals from these foreign countries basic property rights, these bills take an unacceptable step toward xenophobia, nationalism, and discrimination. Therefore, the Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act would do exactly that – preempt at the federal level state laws that would seek to deny foreign citizens the right to acquire real property in the United States. Full text of the bill can be read here: https://bit.ly/3HjM8fG . Fill out the form to endorse the bill here: https://bit.ly/426n97q Please email Scott Bell ( scott.bell@mail.house.gov ), Nisha Ramachandran ( nisha.ramachandran@mail.house.gov ), and Casey Lee ( casey.lee@mail.house.gov ) if you have any questions. Six-City Rally to Protest Florida Senate Bill 264 and House 1355 On April 29, 2023, The Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAAJA) and a broad coalition of organizations led a state-wide rally to protest the Senate Bill 264 and House Bill 1355 in Gainesville, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Tallahassee, and Tampa. According to a joint press release , these bills violate the United States Constitution, the Florida State Constitution, the Fair Housing Act, and federal and state regulations that protect civil liberties and equal rights for all immigrants. By preventing Asian and other immigrants from owning real property, these bills unfairly discriminate against a specific group of people based on their national origin.The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and its regional affiliates issued a statement opposing the Florida bills , so did the United Chinese Americans . An online petition to End AAPI Hate and Discrimination in Florida has collected more than 27,000 signatures.At Orlando, WESH2-TV reported on the event; FCRTV佛州华语广播电视台 provided a livestreaming report (video 1:18:29). Snapshots from the rallies: Vincent Chin Institute Launched - Rhetoric Can Result in Harm and Even Murder According to NBC News on April 26, 2023, and Ethnic Media Services on April 28, 2023, the Vincent Chin Institute was launched on April 26, 2023, at a news conference at the Congressional Triangle in Washington, D.C. joined by Members of Congress Judy Chu , Grace Meng , Mark Takano , the Smithsonian Under Secretary for Education Monique Chism , the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center APAC Acting Director Yao-Fen You , and Helen Zia .The launch coincided with the release of the second edition of the Vincent Chin Legacy Guide which is available in Arabic , Bengali , Simplified Chinese , Traditional Chinese , and English . Additional versions in Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese will reportedly become available. The Legacy Guide was co-written by Helen Zia, which provides further education about the history of anti-Asian discrimination and racism in the United States.Excerpts of the Vincent Chin Legacy Guide recommendations include: Be prepared for anti-Asian incidents Engage your campus, community, church, workplace employee resource groups, social clubs and the like to educate and increase awareness to combat hate toward any people Reach out to local businesses Be a courageous ally Call on national, state and local leaders Support solidarity movements Demand that your state include curriculum about Asian Americans at the K-12 levels Connect the dots. Know your own Asian American stories and those of other marginalized people in America Stay informed Amplify the voices and stories of historically marginalized communities In 1982, the horrific baseball bat beating death of Vincent Chin on the eve of his bachelor party, and the miscarriage of justice that allowed his two white killers to be freed without spending a night in jail, ignited the modern Asian American civil rights movement and built a multiracial, multicultural coalition united for equal justice and human dignity which stands as a landmark of American history.Over 40 years later, Vincent Chin's story remains starkly relevant— especially in an era of sharp anti-Asian racism and Sinophobia. At the time, the economic rivalry between the US and Japan triggered targeted hate against Asian Americans, and was a direct cause of Chin’s death. At the launch, speakers drew parallels between the circumstances of Chin’s death and the anti-Asian racism today that puts all Asian Americans at risk. They highlighted how Chinese Americans are scapegoated for the COVID-19 pandemic; face proposed discriminatory legislation, such as alien land laws and Trump’s "China Initiative;" and are routinely suspected of spying for China. Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to congress, was also recently accused of being disloyal to the US by Texas Rep. Lance Gooden . These effects, though aimed at Chinese Americans, inevitably affect all Asian Americans. Chin, for instance, was killed in an era of anti-Japanese sentiment — despite being Chinese himself.Speakers contended that learning from the circumstances of Chin’s death is critical to prevent the same hate from threatening AAPI lives. Yet Chin’s story remains underdiscussed: It is rarely taught in schools, and the historical context surrounding it is often missing. Chu, for instance, frequently references Chin’s death when opposing anti-China rhetoric in Congress. Yet, she is consistently met with ignorance from other legislators on his story. "Each time we take on this fight… I talk about what happened to Vincent Chin. Some members of Congress are shocked because they never even heard of story,” said Chu. “Already, Asian Americans have been suffering three years of anti-Asian hate due to Trump calling Covid-19 ‘China virus’ and ‘kung flu,’” she said. “But now, the rhetoric and tension about the U.S.-China relationship comes on top of that, potentially escalating that violence. Today, the focus has shifted to extremists engaging in racial profiling of Chinese Americans.” “Today, over 40 years later, what we learned is that the rhetoric used around economic competition with Asian countries can result in harm and even murder of Asian Americans here at home,” Chu said. Read the Ethnic Media Services report at https://bit.ly/420wCNK . Read the NBC News report at https://nbcnews.to/42am6Ua . Visit the Vincent Chin Institute website at https://www.vincentchin.org/ Cato Institute: Abandoning the US, More Scientists Go to China According to the Cato Institute on April 11, 2023, The Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD)—an intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries—has published new data showing that the United States is losing the race for scientific talent to China and other countries. China’s strategy to recruit scientific researchers to work at China‐affiliated universities is working. In 2021, the United States lost published research scientists to other countries, while China gained more than 2,408 scientific authors. This was a remarkable turnaround from as recently as 2017 when the United States picked up 4,292 scientists and China picked up just 116. As Figure 1 shows, the rest of the OECD and China have both surpassed the United States for net inflow of scientific authors. The OECD data are not measuring the movement of non‐Chinese into China or non‐Americans into the United States. The OECD tracks inflows and outflows of published scientific researchers based on changes in institutional affiliation. If an author who was previously affiliated with a different country publishes another article in a new country, the new country will be credited as receiving a new research scientist. The OECD credits more Chinese scientists returning to China for the sudden reversal in Chinese and American inflows. This is a disturbing trend that started before the pandemic. In fact, it appears to coincide with the Trump administration’s “ China Initiative ”—more accurately titled the anti‐ Chinese initiative . Launched in November 2018, the Department of Justice’s campaign was supposed to combat the overblown threat of intellectual property theft and espionage. In reality, it involved repeatedly intimidating institutions that employed scientists of Chinese heritage and attempting malicious failed prosecutions of scientists who worked with institutions in China. U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling has even admitted that the initiative that he helped lead “created a climate of fear among researchers” and now says, “You don’t want people to be scared of collaboration.” If Chinese scientists are afraid to work in the United States, that means that the United States will not benefit from their discoveries as much or as quickly as China will. Although the Justice Department claims to have shut down its “China Initiative,” Cato colleagues doubt that Chinese scientists will be free from unjust scrutiny going forward. The U.S. National Institutes of Health is still bragging about having caused the firings of more than 100 scientists and shutting down research by over 150 scientists— over 80 percent of whom identify as Asian . The administration continues to maintain contrary to evidence that Chinese industrial espionage—by scientists working in the United States—is a significant threat to the country. Universities and U.S. companies think the far greater threat is losing out on talented Chinese researchers. If the United States wants to deal a blow to the Chinese Communist Party, it should start by trying to fix the damage that it has done in the last few years and liberalize immigration from China . Read the Cato Institute blog: https://bit.ly/3AJ9w28 News and Activities for the Communities 1. U.S.-China Scholarly Exchange Initiative A new report by the CSIS Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics recounts a groundbreaking U.S.-China scholarly exchange initiative that occurred during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Trustee Chair Scott Kennedy and Professor Wang Jisi of Peking University, founding president of Peking University’s Institute of International Strategic Studies (IISS), argue that although the deterioration in U.S.-China relations pre-dates the mutual physical isolation of the two countries from each other, renewing robust direct communication between the two societies is necessary, if not sufficient, to stabilizing ties. The report documents the goals and planning for their trips, the unique challenge of traveling during the pandemic, and their observations regarding developments within the two societies and with respect to the bilateral relationship. The report concludes by explaining how the reduction in connectivity has led to the creation of echo chambers, which has fed a vicious cycle further propelling the worsening of ties. They offer a set of five policy proposals intended to interrupt this dynamic, including restoring direct connections across the two societies and resuming and expanding dialogue between the two governments. Read the joint report at: https://bit.ly/3AAbguR Preceding their Breaking the Ice report launch, Scott Kennedy and Wang Jisi summarized their report in Foreign Affairs . They write that: "Whether one believes that the United States and China are destined to be adversaries, might somehow find a pathway back to greater cooperation, or will have a more complicated relationship, it should be clear that it would be better for people from both countries—government officials, business leaders, scholars, and ordinary citizens—to have a greater understanding of each other. And there is no better way to build such mutual understanding than through face-to-face interactions and visits in which people can observe each other’s societies and speak at length in formal and informal settings about their perspectives and experiences." Read the Foreign Affairs report: https://fam.ag/3ViNHQH 2 . Charles Lieber Sentenced to Time Served According to AP on April 26, 2023, former Harvard Professor Charles Lieber -- who was found guilty of concealing his affiliation with a Chinese recruitment program as part of the now-defunct "China Initiative" -- was sentenced to time served in prison (two days) and two years of supervised release with six months of home arrest. He has already paid a fine of $50,000 and restitution to the Internal Revenue Service of $33, 600.In December 2021, Lieber was found guilty of concealing his affiliation with the Wuhan University of Technology and his participation in China’s Thousand Talents Program, a program designed by the Chinese government to recruit high-level scientists, and failing to report payments on his taxes.Lieber’s case was one of the most notable to come out of the U.S. Department of Justice’s "China Initiative," started during the Trump administration in 2018 to curb economic espionage from China.Lieber's attorney Marc Mukasey stressed that Lieber was never charged with espionage-related offenses; was never accused of misusing grant money; there was no theft or trade secrets or intellectual property; and he did not disclose any proprietary research to the Chinese government or university.In February 2022 under the current administration, a decision was made to revamp the program and impose a higher bar for prosecutions after a review based on complaints that it compromised the nation’s competitiveness in research and technology and disproportionally targeted researchers of Asian descent. The federal government ended up dismissing multiple cases against researchers or had them thrown out by judges. Anqi Zhang , one of Lieber’s former doctoral students who is now doing post-doctoral work in chemical engineering at Stanford University, thinks her mentor’s motives have been misrepresented by the government. “He’s the best scientist and the best mentor in the world,” she said. “He’s a pure scientist, he worked very hard, and was focused completely on the science.”Read the AP report at: https://bit.ly/3oNTxND While making false statements to federal agents should not be excused, Professor Xiaoxing Xi of Temple University pointed out in his lecture to Iowa State University (video 58:52) on April 10, 2023, that the investigation of Professor Lieber started because there were "too many Chinese students in his lab." (time mark 22:24)According to Chemistry World on April 27, 2023, as a nanoscience pioneer, Lieber and his research group had received more than $15 million in grants from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Defense. Over his career, Lieber published more than 400 research papers, and he was the principal inventor on more than 50 patents. Lieber’s contributions to nanotechnology also earned him the Wolf Prize in Chemistry in 2012.Dozens of prominent scientists including many Nobel laureates spoke up for Lieber in a March 2021 open letter . They called the DOJ’s case against him "unjust" and urged the agency to drop it. Their letter also described Lieber as "one of the great scientists of his generation" and warned that government actions against academic like him are having "a chilling effect" on international scientific collaboration.Lieber, who is living with advanced lymphoma and had been on paid administrative leave since his arrest, officially retired in February with little fanfare. Read the Chemistry World Explainer at https://bit.ly/3oUU9kR . Read the APA Justice webpage on Charlie Lieber at https://bit.ly/328FTJP Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF April 30, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #54 Comments To NIH; 04/05 Meeting Summary; "We Belong" Yellow Whistle Project #54 Comments To NIH; 04/05 Meeting Summary; "We Belong" Yellow Whistle Project Back View PDF April 12, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter