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Newsletter - #405 8/3 Monthly Meeting; Nicholas Platt; Re-identification Risk; IM Pei's Dallas City Hall #405 8/3 Monthly Meeting; Nicholas Platt; Re-identification Risk; IM Pei's Dallas City Hall In This Issue #405 · 2026/08/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · In Memoriam: Ambassador Nicholas Platt (1936–2026) · Ban "Noise" in Census Data Means Less Data and Undermines a Key Defense Against Re-Identification · A Monument to Dallas's Healing Faces Wrecking Ball: I.M. Pei's City Hall · News and Activities for the Communities 2026/08/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held today, Monday, August 3, 2026, starting at 1:55 pm ET. Regular updates will be provided by: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) We are honored to welcome the following distinguished invited speakers: · Tam Dao , Associate Vice President of Public Safety and Research Security, Rice University · Kenny Evans , Fellow in Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Rice University · Roger Innes , Distinguished Professor, Biology, Indiana University We regret that Sarah Stalker-Lehoux (National Science Foundation) will not be able to join us this month. We are pleased to announce that Rebecca Keiser , Acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy at NSF, will speak at our next monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 . Note this is earlier than our usual schedule, since the standard meeting date of September 7 falls on Labor Day, a federal holiday. 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 - Vincent Wang 王文奎 and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . In Memoriam: Ambassador Nicholas Platt (1936–2026) APA Justice joins the broader community in mourning the passing of Ambassador Nicholas Platt , who died on July 23, 2026, at age 90. A distinguished American diplomat and longtime bridge-builder between the United States and Asia, Platt spent more than five decades shaping the relationship between the two regions — first as a career Foreign Service officer, and later as the transformative fifth president of the Asia Society. A Diplomatic Career Spanning Asia Born in New York City on March 10, 1936, to architect Geoffrey Platt and Helen (née Choate) Platt, Nicholas Platt entered the U.S. Foreign Service in 1959. After training in Chinese at the State Department Language School and in Taichung, Taiwan, he began his career in Asia as a China analyst at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong from 1964 to 1968. Platt's career placed him at the center of some of the most consequential moments in U.S.-Asia relations. As a young diplomat, he accompanied President Richard Nixon on the historic 1972 trip to Beijing that opened U.S.-China relations. Over a 34-year diplomatic career, he went on to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Zambia (1982–1984), the Philippines (1987–1991), and Pakistan (1991–1992), along with senior postings in Canada, China, Hong Kong, and Japan. Twelve Years Leading the Asia Society In 1992, Platt became the fifth president of the Asia Society, a role he held for 12 years until 2004. Asia Society's own tribute describes his tenure as a period of dramatic institutional growth, during which he expanded the organization's programming and public profile substantially. In 2000, Platt launched a New York program series on Asian social issues that brought attention to underexamined challenges — including women's rights, HIV/AIDS, and environmental issues — while seeking common ground between Asia and the United States. In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, he mobilized the organization's resources across disciplines to help the public and policymakers understand root causes and responses in the region, positioning Asia Society to meet growing demand for information about Afghanistan and Pakistan. Even after stepping down as president in 2004 and becoming President Emeritus, Platt remained deeply engaged with the organization — speaking frequently at its programs, attending events, and offering counsel to its leadership for years afterward. A Lasting Legacy Asia Society Philippines, reflecting on Platt's passing, called him a leader whose "visionary leadership and lifelong commitment to strengthening ties between the United States and Asia left an indelible mark on the organization and on generations of leaders across the region." Platt is survived by his three sons, Adam Platt , the New York Magazine restaurant critic, actor Oliver Platt , and Nicholas Platt Jr ., an investment banker. His wife, Sheila Maynard Platt , passed away in 2018. APA Justice extends its condolences to Ambassador Platt's family, friends, and colleagues at the Asia Society and across the diplomatic community. His decades of work fostering understanding between the United States and Asia leave a legacy that continues to inform the work of many organizations. Read the Asia Society tribute to Ambassador Nicholas Platt: https://bit.ly/4g7xwl7 Ban "Noise" in Census Data Means Less Data and Undermines a Key Defense Against Re-Identification A little-noticed June 4, 2026 directive from the Department of Commerce is drawing sharp criticism from statisticians and demographers, who say it strips the Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis of the modern privacy tools needed to protect respondents' identities while still releasing usable data — forcing a return to cruder, less accurate methods. What the Directive Does The order bans the Census Bureau and BEA from using "noise infusion" — a technique that modifies datasets by adding carefully calibrated random values — across their statistical products, including preparations for the 2030 census. Statistician Daniel Aaronson wrote that the directive "bans essentially all modern techniques for preserving privacy in large datasets." In noise infusion's place, the directive requires agencies to rely on two older, blunter techniques: "coarsening" (rounding or aggregating data, such as reporting age in five-year bands instead of single years) and outright suppression of data for small populations. Economist Ron Jarmin , who retired in May after 33 years at Census, including two stints as acting director, said noise infusion "allows us to produce much more granular data on surveys," including on economic activity and jobs — capability the new policy eliminates. Statistician Sallie Keller , who recently returned to the University of Virginia after four years as Census's chief scientist, called the shift "a throwback to the 1970s," warning it will produce "incomplete and inaccurate data." Beth Jarosz of Georgetown University's Massive Data Institute said the impact will fall hardest on small communities: "Neighborhood-level data is at risk. Rural communities' data may be not publishable," with counties of only a few hundred residents potentially losing data coverage entirely. John Abowd , former Census chief scientist under both the first Trump and Biden administrations, said the order will force a complete redesign of 2030 census redistricting data plans — "not just the confidentiality protections." Jarosz also criticized the process itself, noting the directive bypassed the normal expert review and public feedback process: "This new order upends all of that. It takes the public out of the process. It takes the experts out of the process." Why Noise Infusion Exists in the First Place Noise infusion is not a bureaucratic technicality — it exists because of a well-documented, real technical threat: re-identification attacks, in which researchers or bad actors cross-reference "anonymized" data against outside information to unmask individuals within a dataset that was never supposed to reveal who they are. The classic empirical demonstration of this risk dates to 2002, when computer scientist Latanya Sweeney showed that 87% of the U.S. population could be uniquely identified using just three pieces of information: ZIP code, birth date, and sex. To prove the point, she targeted a supposedly anonymized database of Massachusetts state employees' medical records — records the state's own governor, William Weld , had publicly assured the public were fully de-identified. Sweeney purchased the Cambridge, MA voter rolls for $20, cross-referenced them against the medical data, and identified Weld's own record: only six voters in Cambridge shared his birth date, only three of those were male, and only one lived in his ZIP code. She mailed the governor his own medical records to demonstrate the vulnerability. The core lesson of that research directly parallels the Census debate: the more "distinctive" or granular a piece of information is (an exact age, a specific location, a rare combination of characteristics), the easier it becomes to link supposedly anonymous records back to a real person using outside data sources — exactly the risk that random noise, deliberately injected into statistical releases, is designed to obscure. Coarsening and suppression, the two methods the new Commerce directive leaves in place, address this risk far more bluntly: by hiding or aggregating data rather than mathematically calibrating uncertainty into it, which is why experts like Keller and Jarmin warn they sacrifice far more data usefulness for the same amount of privacy protection. Why This Matters The Census Bureau adopted noise-based differential privacy for the 2020 census specifically because advances in computing power and the growing availability of commercial and voter-file data made older anonymization approaches increasingly vulnerable to exactly this kind of attack. Rolling back noise infusion now, critics argue, does not just risk cruder data — it risks reopening privacy vulnerabilities that the field spent years working to close, at precisely the moment when the tools to exploit them (large commercial datasets, computing power, and cross-referencing techniques like those Sweeney demonstrated) have only grown more powerful and accessible. What's Next It remains to be seen whether the directive will be revised in response to expert criticism, or whether litigation or congressional pushback — similar to what we have covered regarding the OMB grantmaking rule elsewhere in recent issues — will emerge as the Census Bureau begins redesigning its approach ahead of the 2030 count. Census data disaggregation has historically been a significant issue for accurately counting and serving Asian American and Pacific Islander subpopulations. Links and References · 2026/07/20 Science : Scientists attack ban on adding ‘noise’ to U.S. census data and many surveys · 2026/06/12 NPR : A Trump push to cut 'statistical noise' could mean less data from the Census Bureau · 2018/12/05 AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings: Re-Identification Risk in HIPAA De-Identified Datasets: The MVA Attack A Monument to Dallas's Healing Faces the Wrecking Ball: I.M. Pei's City Hall Dallas City Hall — the dramatic inverted-pyramid landmark designed by Committee of 100 founder I.M. Pei 貝聿銘 — is now at risk of demolition, as the city weighs its future amid a preservation battle that has drawn national attention and become an early flashpoint in Dallas's 2027 mayoral race. A Building Born From Tragedy Then-Mayor J. Erik Jonsson commissioned Pei to design Dallas City Hall in the 1960s, hoping a bold new civic building could help the city move past the trauma of President Kennedy's assassination and project confidence in its future. Completed in 1978, the Brutalist landmark became a symbol of renewal for a city reeling from tragedy — and remains the only government building I.M. Pei designed in a career that also produced the Louvre Pyramid, the John F. Kennedy Library, and the Bank of China Tower. Now Facing an Uncertain Future Dallas is currently weighing several options for the building's fate: moving city government elsewhere, selling the site, demolishing it outright, or funding repairs that estimates suggest could exceed $500 million. City staff is expected to present leasing options for council consideration by August 26. The site is also in the process of receiving local landmark designation and is seen by preservationists as a potential centerpiece of a revived civic center alongside City Hall Plaza and the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. The building has become the focus of a growing preservation campaign. DOCOMOMO US, an organization dedicated to Modern Movement architecture, lists it among the nation's most threatened examples of modern architecture, and the World Monuments Fund included it in its Irreplaceable America program marking the Declaration of Independence's 250th anniversary. Debate over its fate has drawn large crowds to Dallas City Council meetings, and a legal coalition has formed to examine potential negligence in the building's maintenance. A Son's Appeal to Save His Father's Legacy Architect Li Chung "Sandi" Pei 贝礼中 — I.M. Pei's son and a Committee of 100 member — has spent months publicly urging the city not to let his father's building go, culminating in an open letter to Dallas officials. "A city hall is never just an office building," Sandi writes. "It is the physical expression of a city's character — its values, its aspirations, and its belief in democratic life." He argues that the building was created "at one of the most painful moments in the city's history," designed expressly to embody "the authority and openness of representative government" at a time when Dallas needed a symbol of transparency and renewed democratic confidence. Sandi directly challenges the case for demolition, writing that a proposal to replace City Hall with a commercial entertainment complex would "confuse the market value of land with the immeasurable value of civic identity," and that deferred maintenance "is not a justification for demolition." He points to preservationists — including the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and DOCOMOMO US — who have already underscored the building's significance, adding: "Dallas City Hall helped the city heal and move forward. To lose it now would be to forget the very purpose it was built to serve." Why This Matters I.M. Pei's work has become a lasting icon of Chinese American excellence in American civic and cultural life, and Dallas City Hall stands as a rare example of that legacy applied directly to the architecture of American democracy itself — the only government building he ever designed. Its potential loss would be more than an architectural one; it would erase a visible marker of Asian American contribution to how American civic institutions are physically expressed and experienced. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/08/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2026/08/05 C100: The Impact of AI on Asian American Careers in Technology 2026/08/07-09 AASF: Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony 2026/08/26 C100: An Advice and Networking Event (Technology) 2026/09/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2026/09/03 C100: Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Hao Jiang TianVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. C100: Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Hao Jiang Tian WHAT : Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Hao Jiang Tian WHEN : September 3, 2026, 6:00-7:00 pm ET WHERE : Webinar HOST : Committee of 100 Moderator: Peter Young , Chair of the Conversations Initiative and Committee of 100 New York Regional Chair and Board Member Speaker: Hao Jiang Tian 田浩江 , World renown opera singer, Founder and Artistic Director of iSing! DESCRIPTION : The event will feature Hao Jiang Tian, a world renown opera singer and the founder and artistic director of iSing!, which for 15 years has trained Western and Chinese singers for careers in opera. He is also a Committee of 100 member. Hao Jiang Tian, internationally renowned bass, has sung more than 1,400 performances of 50 operatic roles worldwide. The only Chinese singer to have appeared at the Metropolitan Opera for 20 seasons in 26 different operas, Tian has been highly acclaimed for his performances in leading bass roles at major opera houses around the world. Tian is also the founder and Artistic Director of the iSING! International Young Artists Festival. Celebrating its 15th anniversary, iSING!‘s mission is to train Western singers to perform in Chinese while nurturing outstanding young Chinese singers for careers on the world’s leading opera stages. REGISTRATION : https://c100-9-3-2026.eventbrite.com # # # 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 APA Justice website at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF August 3, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #109 Gang Chen Speaks Out; 01/30 Webinar; "We Are All Gang Chen;" End "China Initiative"+ #109 Gang Chen Speaks Out; 01/30 Webinar; "We Are All Gang Chen;" End "China Initiative"+ Back View PDF January 27, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #281 Rejecting China Consensus; Balanced Policies; Alarm on Anti-Asian Laws; Newsletters; + #281 Rejecting China Consensus; Balanced Policies; Alarm on Anti-Asian Laws; Newsletters; + In This Issue #281 · The Case Against the China Consensus · A Program for Progressive China Policy · China in the Heartland: Building a Balanced Approach · Anti-Asian Laws in America - Past, Present, and What's Coming · APA Justice Newsletters Web Page Moving to New Website · News and Activities for the Communities The Case Against the China Consensus Jessica Chen Weiss is David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, a Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute Center for China Analysis, and a former member of the U.S. State Department’s Policy Planning Staff.In Jessica Chen Weiss's latest article on Foreign Affairs on September 16, 2024, "The Case Against the China Consensus," she critiques the prevailing U.S. approach to China, emphasizing open-ended competition without a clear definition of success.Weiss argues that bipartisan rhetoric increasingly treats China as an existential threat, pushing aside nuanced debate and overshadowing diplomatic and cooperative opportunities. She warns that such a zero-sum mindset risks escalating tensions, including a potential conflict over Taiwan, and could undermine U.S. values and interests. "If policymakers overplay competition with Beijing, they risk more than raising the likelihood of war and jeopardizing efforts to address the many transnational challenges that threaten both the United States and China. They also risk setting the United States on a path to what could become a pyrrhic victory, in which the country undermines its own long-term interests and values in the name of thwarting its rival," wrote Weiss.Instead, Weiss advocates for a balanced strategy that combines credible deterrence with diplomacy, economic integration, and cooperation on shared global challenges. She stresses the importance of pragmatic engagement and avoiding policies that isolate the U.S. from Chinese innovation and global supply chains. As for the issue of Taiwan, Weiss wrote, "deterrence, particularly in the Taiwan Strait, can be achieved only with the backing of strong diplomacy that combines credible threats and credible assurances. And both deterrence and prosperity require some degree of economic integration and technological interdependence." The article highlights the need for a strategic recalibration in U.S.-China relations, focusing on coexistence rather than dominance, and emphasizes the risks of overplaying competition, which could harm both nations' long-term prosperity and security. "U.S. policymakers should seek a more durable basis for coexistence, striking a careful balance to ensure that efforts to address the real threats from China do not undermine the very values and interests they aim to protect, " Weiss wrote.In her article, Weiss especially pointed out the negative impact of deteriorating bilateral relations on Chinese Americans. She wrote, "People born in China or of Chinese descent should not be categorically treated as a fifth column in the United States; the diaspora has been a hotbed for resistance, which is precisely why the Chinese Communist Party is so bent on monitoring and intimidating it. And if the United States were to go so far as to enact bans or visa restrictions on the basis of national origin, it would compromise the very principles of nondiscrimination and equality before the law that embody the American ideal "Read the Foreign Affairs article: https://fam.ag/3TzhV21 . Juan Zhang , editor at US-China Perception Monitor, contributed this report. A Program for Progressive China Policy During the APA Justice monthly meeting on September 9, 2024, Sandy Shan , Director, Justice Is Global, and Tori Bateman , Director of Advocacy, Quincy Institute, gave a joint presentation on Quincy Institute Brief #62 , "A Program for Progressive China Policy." Sandy Shan began the discussion by highlighting the urgency for a constructive U.S. policy toward China. She emphasized the need to move away from the current confrontational and hawkish stance, which has exacerbated tensions between the two nations and fueled xenophobia against Asian and Asian American communities in the U.S. The forum took place as the House launched “China Week,” underlining the timeliness of the conversation.The Quincy Institute brief was authored by Jake Warner and co-produced by Justice Is Global and the Institute for Policy Studies. It reflects five years of dialogue among progressive groups, drawing on the expertise of specialists in climate, labor, peace, and Asian Pacific American communities. The brief seeks to address gaps in current U.S. policies, dominated by nationalist and militaristic rhetoric, by offering a more thoughtful framework for dealing with China's rise.The brief acknowledges legitimate concerns about China’s actions, including its human rights record and the impact of its policies on American workers. However, it warns that a confrontational approach risks empowering authoritarian forces in both the U.S. and China while undermining broader progressive goals like global economic equity and environmental sustainability. Instead, the brief advocates for a policy that reduces geopolitical tensions and promotes shared prosperity.Tori Bateman expanded on this framework, describing the Quincy Institute’s transpartisan focus on foreign policy. She expressed concern about the growing hawkish rhetoric on Capitol Hill, especially during "China Week." Tori emphasized that while many bills address real issues, they often fail to solve underlying problems and instead increase tensions. The Quincy Institute is engaging with lawmakers to promote a more balanced approach, urging Congress to focus on areas like climate cooperation and educational exchanges instead of exclusionary policies. A summary for the September 2024 monthly meeting is being prepared and will be posted at https://www.apajustice.org/ after review by the speakers. Past monthly meeting summaries are available at https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP .Read the Quincy Institute brief at https://bit.ly/3T2XJVY China in the Heartland: Building a Balanced Approach On October 10, 2024, the U.S. Heartland China Association (USHCA) and the Kansas University (KU) Department of Political Science will co-host a hybrid event on "China in the Heartland: Building a Balanced Approach."As China’s influence grows around the world, skepticism in the United States grows in tandem with it. Evidence of this is seen throughout the Heartland of America, where anti-China legislation and rhetoric have grown over the years. Professor Jack Zhang of the KU Department of Political Science will be joined by Susan Thornton , Vice Chair of the U.S. Heartland China Association and a retired senior U.S. diplomat with decades of experience in Eurasia and East Asia, and Kyle Jaros , an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame, for a discussion on building a balanced approach for relations with China.In June 2024, the 4th Annual U.S.-China Agriculture Roundtable was held in China for the first time. Co-organized by USHCA and multiple Chinese partners, the broad-based bilateral agricultural platform drew senior leaders spanning government, trade, business, education, and think tanks from both countries to convene around the theme: Global Food Security and Agricultural Cooperation. Major American agriculture players and producers of soy, rice, corn, sorghum, dairy, and beef from 9 different states were among those who traveled to China to participate.First launched in 2021, the annual U.S.-China Agriculture Roundtable honors three legendary agriculture scientists who made significant contributions to our world: Norman Borlaug , Yuan Longping , and George Washington Carver . USHCA launched the first U.S.-China Agriculture Roundtable virtually with the belief that U.S.-China cooperation is essential for our planet to successfully deal with the critical global challenges of our time. The 4th Annual U.S.-China Agricultural Roundtable reinforced the ongoing agriculture partnership between China and the U.S. while elevating the importance of collaboration to tackle global challenges through sustainable practices, technological innovation, and educational exchanges. Amid global food security concerns, this collaboration serves as a vital demonstration of international cooperation to enhance global food stability and foster understanding. Given both the U.S. and China’s pivotal roles as leading agricultural producers, consumers, and importers, sustained dialogue between the two nations is crucial for shaping resilient food systems and protecting food security worldwide.The in-person portion of the October 10 event is at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS 66045. Watch the event online at https://bit.ly/3zkTyhT . Min Fan , Executive Director of USHCA, has accepted our invitation to speak at the next APA Justice monthly meeting to be held on Monday, October 7, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET. Anti-Asian Laws in America - Past, Present, and What's Coming On September 8, 2024, Texas State Representative Gene Wu hosted a Town Hall on "Anti-Asian Laws in America - Past. Present, and What's Coming." During the Town Hall, State Rep. Gene Wu outlined the resurgence of anti-Asian and anti-immigrant laws, particularly targeting Chinese and Japanese communities, in states like Texas. He referenced a history of such laws, dating back to the late 1800s, which banned immigrants from owning property, participating in business, and obtaining citizenship. Though many of these laws were repealed by the 1960s, new legislation in Texas and other states mirrors these discriminatory laws, signaling a renewed threat to Asian Americans.State Rep. Gene Wu emphasized that current laws echo historical patterns, portraying Asian immigrants as spies or traitors without evidence. Project 2025, a comprehensive conservative policy document that focuses heavily on China, mentions China 800 times compared to Russia’s 100 mentions. Project 2025 seeks to impose restrictions on Chinese nationals and Asian Americans, particularly in areas of land ownership, business, and education.The community was urged to wake up to this threat, as these new legislative efforts have already been introduced in multiple states. For instance, Texas has established new committees solely to push bills that restrict Chinese land ownership and educational access, following a broader national trend. This is compared to past laws that targeted Japanese Americans during World War II, even when most were U.S.-born citizens. The urgency is underscored by Project 2025's broader intent to reshape national security policy with a disproportionate focus on China, while impacting Asian Americans domestically.State Rep. Gene Wu has accepted our invitation to speak at the next APA Justice monthly meeting to be held on Monday, October 7, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET.Watch State Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall: https://bit.ly/4edgbDV (50:44). Read his presentation: https://bit.ly/3ZzweHR APA Justice Newsletters Web Page Moving to New Website As part of its continuing migration to a new website under construction, we are moving the Newsletters webpage to https://www.apajusticetaskforce.org/newsletters . Content of the existing website will remain, but it will no longer be updated. We value your feedback about the new web page. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events:2024/09/23 Media Training for Election Season2024/09/23 President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI Public Meeting 2024/09/25 C100: State of Chinese American Survey 2024 2024/09/25-26 APAICS Technology Summit2024/09/26 White House Initiative AA& NHPI Policy Summit2024/09/27 The War for Chinese Talent in America: The Politics of Technology and Knowledge in Sino-U.S. Relations2024/09/29 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/02 C100: Asian American Career Ceiling Initiative2024/10/06 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/10/08 Media Training for Election Season2024/10/10 China in the Heartland: Building a Balanced ApproachThe Community Calendar has moved. Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Committee of 100 Next Generation Leaders Program Class of 2025 Committee of 100, a non-profit organization of prominent Chinese Americans, announced that applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Next Generation Leaders (NGL) class. The 2025 NGL class will be announced and spotlighted at Committee of 100's 2025 Conference & Gala, which will take place in Los Angeles in April 2025. Launched in 2014, Committee of 100's NGL program convenes an exceptional group of change-makers and rising leaders from diverse sectors, leveraging a collective sense of service and purpose to elevate the impact of each individual. Currently, there are over 200 NGL alumni across a multitude of sectors who make up a vibrant and diverse network. Individuals who demonstrate a remarkable history of professional and personal excellence and are between 25-40 years old are encouraged to apply. To apply for the Committee of 100 Next Generation Leaders Class of 2025, click here . Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) can be found here . The deadline to submit applications is January 10, 2025 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. 3. Incoming and Outgoing Executive Directors of WHIAANHPI Helen Beaudreau has been appointed as the incoming Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), succeeding Krystal Ka‘ai , who held the position since May 2021. Back View PDF September 23, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Timeline Back to China Initiative Prev Next Table of Contents Overview FBI Director’s Profiling Approach NIH’s Own “China Initiative” Criminalizing China The Ethnic Targeting of Chinese Scientists Links and References Overview On November 1, 2018, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Session announced the launch of the China Initiative to combat national security threats and economic espionage emanating from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). “This Initiative will identify priority Chinese trade theft cases, ensure that we have enough resources dedicated to them, and make sure that we bring them to an appropriate conclusion quickly and effectively.” Sessions said. President Donald Trump fired Sessions less than a week later, but the China Initiative remained in operation for 1,210 days until it was ended by the Joe Biden Administration on February 23, 2022. The Department of Justice (DOJ) had no definition of what constitutes a China Initiative case. DOJ created an online report on what it considered to be Chinese Initiative cases. The online report was last updated on November 19, 2021, three months before the initiative officially ended. According to MIT Technology Review , there have been 77 known China Initiative cases impacting 162 individuals. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the cases, MIT Technology Review concluded that the initiative had increasingly charged academics with “research integrity” issues. Nearly 90% of the defendants charged were of Chinese heritage, lending credence to wide-spread allegations that scientists and researchers of Chinese origin were racially profiled and targeted under the China Initiative despite denials by the government. The DOJ China Initiative cases included only indictments and prosecutions. It did not include investigations or surveillance by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and other federal law enforcement agencies and grant agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH ran its own China Initiative. By March 23, 2023, a year after the official end of the China Initiative, NIH’s own “China initiative” had upended hundreds of lives and destroyed scores of academic careers. In contrast to the very public criminal prosecutions of academic scientists under the China Initiative, NIH’s version was conducted behind closed doors. FBI Director’s Profiling Approach The first thunder of the New Red Scare came on February 13, 2018, when FBI Director Christopher Wray testified in a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing and targeted all students, scholars and scientists of Chinese origin as a national security threat to the United States. Wray responded to a question in the hearing, “I think in this setting I would just say that the use of nontraditional collectors, especially in the academic setting, whether it’s professors, scientists, students, we see in almost every field office that the FBI has around the country. It’s not just in major cities. It’s in small ones as well. It’s across basically every discipline.” Asian American advocates were outraged by Wray’s presumption that every Chinese professor, scientist, and student was guilty of collecting intelligence for the Chinese government until proven innocent. Conflating the stereotype of “perpetual foreigners” and the loyalty of Asian Americans to the United States, Wray pledged to pursue a “whole-of-society” approach to address the threat of China. His use of the term “non-traditional collectors” for spies parallelled “thousand grains of sand” during the prosecution of Dr. Wen Ho Lee and “fifth column” in referral to Japanese Americans during World War II. Qian Xuesen, also known as Hsue-shen Tsien, a founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, became a victim of the Second Red Scare during the Cold War era, facing accusations of “communist sympathies” despite his contributions to American scientific advancement. Fourteen Asian American community organizations wrote to Wray on March 1, 2018, and called for “an opportunity to discuss how well-intentioned public policies might nonetheless lead to troubling issues of potential bias, racial profiling, and wrongful prosecution.” Wray never responded to the letter. References and Links Wikipedia: Qian Xuesen 2020/02/02 The Intercept: The FBI’s China Obsession - The U.S. Government Secretly Spied on Chinese American Scientists, Upending Lives and Paving the Way for Decades of Discrimination 2019/12/31 Bloomberg: As China Anxiety Rises in U.S., Fears of New Red Scare Emerge 2019/07/20 New York Times: A New Red Scare Is Reshaping Washington 2018/03/23 Huffington Post: FBI Director Defends Remarks That Chinese People In U.S. Pose Threats 2018/03/08 Washington Post Opinion: America’s new — and senseless — Red Scare 2018/03/01 14 Coalition Organizations: Coalition letter to FBI Director Wray 2018/03/01 Committee of 100: Community Organizations Call for Meeting with FBI Director Christopher Wray Regarding Profiling of Students, Scholars, and Scientists with Chinese Origins 2018/02/27 Asia Times: FBI director’s grave mistake on targeting Chinese-Americans 2018/02/16 纽约都市新闻网: 华裔议员严厉谴责Rubio和Wray针对中国学生的极端言论 2018/02/15 CAPAC: CAPAC Members on Rubio and Wray’s Remarks Singling Out Chinese Students as National Security Threats 2018/02/14 Inside Higher Ed: The Chinese Student Threat? 2018/02/13 Advancing Justice | AAJC: FBI Director’s Shock Claim: Chinese Students Are a Potential Threat 2018/02/13 U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence: Hearing on Global Threats and National Security 2016/05/25 60 Minutes: Collateral Damage 2015/05/10 New York Times: Accused of Spying for China, Until She Wasn’t 2000/09/14 New York Times: Statement by Judge in Los Alamos Case, With Apology for Abuse of Power . 1999/12/11 Washington Post: China Prefers the Sand to the Moles 1964/02/02 New York Times: F.B.I. Chief Warns of Red China Spies NIH’s Own “China Initiative” According to the Science Magazine, Francis Collins, the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sent a missive to more than 10,000 institutions on August 20, 2018, asserting that "threats to the integrity of U.S. biomedical research exist" and highlighted the failure to disclose "substantial resources from other organizations, including foreign governments." Collins wrote that "in the weeks and months ahead you may be hearing from [NIH] regarding … requests about specific … personnel from your institution." Dubbed as NIH’s own “China Initiative,” NIH began sending letters to dozens of major U.S. research universities in March 2019, asking them to provide information about specific faculty members with NIH funding who are believed to have links to foreign governments that NIH did not know about. Universities reportedly scrambled to respond to the unprecedented queries. Some academic administrators worry the exercise could cast a chill over all types of international scientific collaborations. Others fear that the inquiry may become a vehicle to impugn the loyalty of any faculty member—and especially any foreign-born scientists—who maintain overseas ties. At some institutions, every researcher flagged by NIH was Chinese American. The vaguely worded letters did not contain specific accusations, nor did it explain any aspect of the process. By March 23, 2023, a year after the official end of the China Initiative, Science reported that NIH’s “China initiative” has upended hundreds of lives and destroyed scores of academic careers. In contrast to the very public criminal prosecutions of academic scientists under the China Initiative, NIH’s version was conducted behind closed doors. 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. 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. In only 14 of the 246 cases—a scant 6%—did the institution fail to find any evidence to back up NIH’s suspicions. 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 Michael Lauer, NIH deputy director for 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 (UCSD), 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. References and Links 2024/03/29 University of Michigan News: US universities secretly turned their back on Chinese professors under DOJ’s China Initiative 2023/02/23 Science: Pall of Suspicion 2019/03/01 Science: NIH letters asking about undisclosed foreign ties rattle U.S. universities Criminalizing China The name of China Initiative by itself is problematic. "Using 'China' as the glue connecting cases prosecuted under the Initiative's umbrella creates an overinclusive conception of the threat and attaches a criminal taint to entities that possess 'China-ness,' based on PRC nationality, PRC national origin, Chinese ethnicity, or other expressions of connections with 'China.,'" Professor Margaret Lewis wrote in her article "Criminalizing China" in 2020. Her article further contends that, when assessed in light of the goals of deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation, and retribution, it is worrisome that the prosecution and punishment of people and entities rests in part on a connection with “China.” A better path is to discard the “China Initiative” framing, focus on cases’ individual characteristics, and enhance the Department of Justice’s interactions with nongovernmental experts. Margaret K. Lewis, Criminalizing China , 111 J. Crim. L. & Criminology 145 (2020). https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/jclc/vol111/iss1/3 The Ethnic Targeting of Chinese Scientists On November 19, 2020, The China Project produced a video titled “ The China Initiative: The ethnic targeting of Chinese scientists and the subsequent brain drain .” (7:30) The China Project talked to lawyers, academics, and victims of the China Initiative for their perspective. Many Chinese and Chinese American researchers feel that the program has placed a target on their back, and that they are being unfairly targeted for their Chinese ethnicity. There are also critics who say the Initiative has done little more than drive talent away from the U.S. Jump to: Overview FBI Director’s Profiling Approach NIH’s Own “China Initiative” Criminalizing China Ethnic Targeting of Chinese Scientists 1. DOJ launched China Initiative November 1, 2018 Timeline Contents Department of Justice: Information About The Department of Justice's China Initiative and A Compilation of China-Related Prosecutions Since 2018 . (last updated November 19, 2021). Margaret K. Lewis, Criminalizing China , 111 J. Crim. L. & Criminology 145 (2020). 2021/12/02 MIT Technology Review: The US crackdown on Chinese economic espionage is a mess. We have the data to show it. 2020/11/19 The China Project: The China Initiative: The Ethnic Targeting of Chinese Scientists and the Subsequent Brain Drain . (video 7:30) 2020/10/30 The China Project: Scientists in the Crosshairs: What should Chinese and Chinese-American researchers do amid U.S. crackdown on ‘China ties’? (video 21:04) 2018/11/07 New York Times: Jeff Sessions Is Forced Out as Attorney General as Trump Installs Loyalist 2018/11/01 Department of Justice: Attorney General Jeff Sessions Announces New Initiative to Combat Chinese Economic Espionage 2018/11/01 Department of Justice: Attorney General Sessions Announces Criminal Enforcement Action and New Initiative to Combat Chinese Economic Espionage (video 36:37) Links and References Timeline Known Cases Impacted Individuals

Newsletter - #129 Biden Signs Bill to Create Museum; Norm Goes Home to San Jose; Catch Up with the News #129 Biden Signs Bill to Create Museum; Norm Goes Home to San Jose; Catch Up with the News Back View PDF June 14, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #7 Houston Community Calls For Help; Responses To August 3 Questions #7 Houston Community Calls For Help; Responses To August 3 Questions Back View PDF August 5, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #323 4/7 Meeting; Texas Rallies; US Science; Profiling Scholars/Students; Litigations; More #323 4/7 Meeting; Texas Rallies; US Science; Profiling Scholars/Students; Litigations; More In This Issue #323 · 2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · First Report on Texas Tri-City Rallies Against Alien Land Bills · The Decline of Science in the U.S. under Trump 2.0 · Chinese Scholars/Students Face Heightened Scrutiny and Profiling · Latest on Litigations Against Trump's Executive Actions · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, April 7, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates by Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), invited and confirmed speakers are: · Mark Takano , First Vice Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Member, U.S. House of Representatives · Erwin Chemerinsky , Dean, Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley · Cindy Tsai , Interim President, Committee of 100 · X. Edward Guo 郭向东 , President, Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering (AAASE) 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 . Congressman Mark Takano will make his remarks via recorded video on unprecedented challenges to our communities.In a recent opinion published by the New York Times , Dean Erwin Chemerinsky raised an alarming question: if Trump defies the Courts, then what? He also commented on President Trump's unprecedented demands on Columbia University. He will share his thoughts on these recent developments and more.The Committee of 100 (C100) is a nonprofit leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans dedicated to advancing U.S.-China relations and promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in American society. On April 25-26, 2025, it will host its annual conference and gala in Los Angeles to share insights on the state of Chinese Americans and the current and future condition of the U.S.-China relationship. Interim President Cindy Tsai returns to update us on recent developments with C100 and the annual event. Professor X. Edward Guo, Stanley Dicker Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Medical Sciences at Columbia University, is current President of Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering (AAASE). Professor Guo will introduce AAASE and comment on recent developments in higher education and research communities. First Report on Texas Tri-City Rallies Against Alien Land Bills On March 28, 2025, United Chinese Americans (UCA) issued a press release announcing protest rallies to be held in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Texas. Asian Pacific American communities, alongside other ethnic groups, are mobilizing against Texas Senate Bill 17 (SB 17) and House Bill 17 (HB 17)—legislations that seeks to ban or restrict real estate ownership by certain foreign nationals under the guise of national security. A letter co-signed by Texas and national AAPI organizations reminds state legislators that the 59th Texas Legislature abolished the previous version of alien land laws in 1965 in a bipartisan effort. The letter states. "These bills are unconstitutional and discriminatory, as they target individuals based on their nation of origin. In other words, individuals are being denied their rights not for anything they have done, but simply because of where they come from." The letter urges lawmakers not to repeat past mistakes that echo historical injustices. Representative Gene Wu 吴元之 , chair of Texas House Democratic Caucus, points out that "The Texas Senate listened to our community's repeated pleas for fairness and respect, and instead they gave us more discrimination by passing SB 17 that puts us even closer to repeating the forced internment of Asian Americans 80 years ago. Our community must respond and mobilize, otherwise we will be welcoming this hate and suffer no less." Meanwhile, organizers of the Houston rally—Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC) and United Chinese Americans (UCA)—are placing ads in the Houston Chronicle to amplify this call to action. UCA Action is also running print and digital ads in the Austin American-Statesman, San Antonio Express-News and Dallas Morning News to highlight the protest letter and mobilize public support. The tri-city rallies started in Austin at the Texas Capitol Grounds East Steps on March 29, 2025. According to CBS-19 , elected officials, including Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin), State Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D-Austin) and Austin City Council Member Mike Siegel of District 7, spoke against HB 17 and SB 17 at the rally.“Ultimately this fight, in my eyes, is about who gets to be American,” said Daniel Wang . “I think America is great and has been great and was made great by its promise that, you know, we welcome everyone who wants to come here and contribute.”SB 17 passed the Texas Senate on March 19. A public hearing for HB 17 will be held on April 3 in the Texas House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans Affairs Committee. The meeting starts at 10:30 a.m. APA Justice will report on March 30 rallies in Dallas and Houston and continuing developments in the next newsletter. The Decline of Science in the U.S. under Trump 2.0 According to multiple media reports, the United States has experienced a notable decline in scientific research and development under Trump 2.0, marked by significant policy shifts and funding reductions. One of the administration's early actions was a freeze on federal grants, leading to widespread uncertainty within the scientific community. This freeze has disrupted ongoing research projects and hindered the initiation of new studies. The Trump administration has imposed substantial funding cuts to prominent universities, which are heavily reliant on federal research grants. These cuts have compelled institutions to make difficult decisions, including reducing graduate student admissions and implementing hiring freezes, thereby affecting the future landscape of American research and innovation.Environmental and climate science programs have faced particularly severe setbacks . The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has undergone significant budget reductions and staff layoffs, undermining its capacity to enforce environmental regulations and conduct critical research. Climate science initiatives at agencies like NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have experienced funding cuts, impeding efforts to monitor and address climate change. The administration has also appointed conspiracy theorists skeptical of established scientific consensus to key positions, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointment to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which has announced plans to cut 10,000 full-time employees across health agencies on top of 10,000 employees who have left voluntarily, shrinking the workforce from about 82,000 full-time employees to 62,000. On March 28, 2025, the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration pushed out Peter Marks , the nation’s top vaccine regulator and an architect of the U.S. program to rapidly develop coronavirus vaccines amid a worsening U.S. outbreak of measles. “It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies,” Marks wrote in his resignation. He was offered the choice to resign or be fired. He opted to resign, with an effective departure date of April 5.These collective actions have prompted widespread concern among scientists and researchers, leading to organized protests such as the " Stand Up for Science 2025 " rallies. These demonstrations reflect the scientific community's alarm over policies as undermining scientific integrity and progress. These policies have prompted many scientists to consider relocating abroad. According to Nature on March 27, 2025, more than 1,200 scientists who responded to an online poll — three-quarters of the total respondents — are considering leaving the United States following the disruptions prompted by Trump. Europe and Canada were among the top choices for relocation. The trend was particularly pronounced among early-career researchers. Of the 690 postgraduate researchers who responded, 548 were considering leaving; 255 of 340 PhD students said the same. According to Science on March 17, 2025, Emma , an early-career chemist, withdrew from a faculty position at the University of Mississippi due to concerns over the Trump administration’s impact on higher education, including threats to federal funding and diversity initiatives. Her decision reflects a broader trend of U.S.-based researchers seeking opportunities abroad as uncertainty grows over academic stability. Countries like France and China are actively recruiting displaced scientists, with initiatives such as Aix Marseilles University’s “Safe Place for Science” and direct outreach from researchers like Yi Rao at Peking University.However, while some nations welcome this talent shift, financial constraints in countries like Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands may limit their ability to absorb U.S. researchers. Experts warn that Trump’s policies could trigger a broader exodus from global science, as universities face funding cuts and instability. Although legal challenges may delay the full impact, the trend suggests a potential loss of scientific talent, with no clear destination for displaced researchers. Chinese Scholars/Students Face Heightened Scrutiny and Profiling Under Trump 2.0, Chinese and Asian scholars and students have faced heightened scrutiny and profiling. Visa Restrictions and Deportations Republican members of Congress and the Trump administration have intensified visa restrictions, notably through the Stop CCP VISAs Act, introduced by Representative Riley Moore (R-WV). This proposed legislation aims to halt the issuance of student visas to Chinese nationals, citing concerns over espionage and intellectual property theft. International students have also become targets of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leading to detentions and deportations from college campuses. Notable cases include students from Columbia and Cornell universities, sparking protests and legal actions by organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). Scrutiny of Chinese Students and Scholars Republican members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), chaired by Representative John Moolenaar (R-MI), has targeted Chinese students in U.S. universities under the pretense of national security. In March 2025, the committee sent letters to presidents of six universities, requesting detailed information about their Chinese student populations and research activities. Without substantive facts and evidence, the committee alleges that the CCP has established a systematic pipeline to embed researchers in leading U.S. institutions, providing them direct exposure to sensitive technologies with dual-use military applications. Impact on Higher Education Institutions Universities with significant Asian and Asian American populations have faced increased scrutiny over international collaborations, especially those involving Chinese researchers. For example, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh has highlighted potential impacts due to proposed federal funding cuts and restrictions on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These measures threaten the region's economy and its identity as an innovation hub. Challenges to Diversity Initiatives By diverting resources to investigate and potentially sue universities implementing diversity programs, the Trump administration threatens to reverse progress toward educational equity. This move has been criticized as an attempt to exploit divisions among communities of color and disrupt policies that help marginalized groups gain access to higher education. Rise in Anti-Asian Sentiment Following President Trump's 2024 election, there has been a marked increase in anti-Asian hate, particularly in online spaces. Between November 2024 and January 2025, anti-Asian slurs and threats of violence surged, with South Asian communities being disproportionately targeted. This rise in xenophobic rhetoric has created a hostile environment for Asian American students and scholars, affecting their sense of safety and belonging within academic institutions. Latest on Litigations Against Trump's Executive Actions As of March 30, 2025, the number of lawsuits against President Donald Trump 's executive actions reported by the Just Security Litigation Tracker has grown to 152 (3 closed cases). These are some of the latest developments: · Block on Alien Enemies Act Deportations Extended . On March 27, 2025, the legal team led by ACLU, Democracy Forward, and the ACLU of the District of Columbia filed a motion to extend the Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) set to expire on March 29 for 14 days, claiming that good cause exists to extend the TROs. On March 28, the Court ordered the extension of the TROs until April 12, 2025. · Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility . In the case of State of California v. U.S Department of Education (1:25-cv-10548) , eight states challenge the Department of Education’s decision to terminate approximately $250 million in federal grants under the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development programs. On March 24, Judge Myong J. Joun granted Plaintiffs’ request to extend the TRO until April 7. On March 26, the government appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to vacate the order by the district court and issue an administrative stay. In the case of Chicago Women in Trades v. Trump (1:25-cv-02005) , U.S. Judge Matthew Kennelly for the Northern District of Illinois granted a Temporary Restraining Order to block the implementation of two of Trump's DEI Executive Orders. · Actions Against Law Firms Blocked. On March 28, 2025, the law firm WilmerHale sued the Executive Office of the President and several government agencies over Trump’s March 27 executive order (EO) terminating government contracts, denying members of the firm access to federal employees, and suspending employees’ security clearances. U.S. Judge Richard Leon of the District of Columbia granted the law firm’s request to temporarily block several sections of the EO. In a separate lawsuit Jenner & Block LLP v. U.S. Department of Justice (1:25-cv-00916) , U.S. Judge John Bates of the District of Columbia also granted the Temporary Restraining Order to temporarily block several sections of the EO. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar 2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/04/13 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/04/15 China Connections: A Conversation with Emily Feng2025/04/24-26 Committee of 100 Annual Conference and Gala2025/04/27 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/05/12-14 APAICS Annual Summit and GalaVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Temporary Injunction on Florida State Law (SB846) On March 28, 2025, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against a Florida law known as SB846 that essentially bans international students from China and six other countries. This is a milestone victory for racial equity and academic freedom as other red states and the Congress are considering similar discriminatory laws. The lawsuit Yin v. Diaz (1:24-cv-21129) is led by Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance 华美维权同盟 (CALDA), ACLU Florida, and Perkins Coie. Clay Zhu 朱可亮 , Co-Founder of CALDA, gave an update at the APA Justice monthly meeting on March 3, 2025: https://bit.ly/4iOexLD 3. CAPAC Chair Meng Statement on the Anniversary of United States v. Wong Kim Ark Decision On March 28, 2025, Rep. Grace Meng 孟昭文 , Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, released a statement marking the 127th anniversary of the United States v. Wong Kim Ark decision upholding birthright citizenship as a constitutionally protected right:“Today marks 127 years since the landmark United States v. Wong Kim Ark decision that affirmed birthright citizenship to anyone born in our country, including those born to immigrant parents. This was established by the Supreme Court, even as the Chinese Exclusion Act and anti-Asian sentiment was in full force in the 1800s, because the Constitution made clear that ‘all persons’ born in the United States means ‘all persons.’“Despite this century-old legal precedent, President Trump issued an unlawful executive order to revoke birthright citizenship and eliminate the core principle that has allowed millions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to become U.S. citizens. It is a flagrant violation of the Fourteenth Amendment and the President’s oath to protect and defend the Constitution. “This is nothing more than a desperate attempt to sow division and stoke xenophobic sentiment for political gain. We will not allow this administration to trample over the Constitution and redefine who is American. I vow to fight tooth and nail against this unlawful action and to protect the principles that have made our country into what it is today.” # # # 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 March 31, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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