Newsletter - #75 5 "China Initiative" Cases Dropped; Combating Racial Profiling; Yellow Whistles #75 5 "China Initiative" Cases Dropped; Combating Racial Profiling; Yellow Whistles Back View PDF July 26, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #17 "China Initiative" Webinar Opens; "Black Eye" Of DOJ; Who Is Sirous Asgari; WeChat #17 "China Initiative" Webinar Opens; "Black Eye" Of DOJ; Who Is Sirous Asgari; WeChat Back View PDF September 25, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #197 Special Edition: Florida Court Hearing and An Emerging New Coalition and Movement #197 Special Edition: Florida Court Hearing and An Emerging New Coalition and Movement In This Issue #197 This is a Special Edition to cover the court hearing on the emergency motion for preliminary injunction to block Florida's new discriminatory housing law and a new movement emerging from the protests and rallies against the legislation in front of the courthouse. July 18, 2023 - A New Movement Emerges Florida State and Local Leadership Meet The Attorneys for The Plaintiffs National and Community Organizations Support and Leadership Color Yellow, Playbooks, and Tracking Hate Federal Level Support and Leadership July 18, 2023 - A New Movement Emerges According to NBC News and multiple media reports on July 18, 2023, as U.S. District Court Judge Allen Winsor heard arguments for more than two hours on a motion to block Florida’s new law that prohibits Chinese citizens from owning land in the state, multi-racial, multi-state, and multi-generational protesters rallied against the legislation, slamming Gov. Ron DeSantis for the discriminatory measure.An unusually large crowd packed the federal courthouse in Tallahassee indicating strong interest in the case. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawyer Ashley Gorski said Florida’s law is extreme and amounts to blanket discrimination against Chinese citizens by equating them to the Chinese Communist Party. She said there is no evidence that Chinese nationals pose a security threat. “This law is unjustified, unfair, and unconstitutional,” said Gorski. “This is a highly unusual law,” she told Judge Winsor. “Florida’s law is truly extraordinary.”In June, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest in support of the injunction. In the statement, federal attorneys propounded that provisions within the legislation violate the Fair Housing Act, as well as the Equal Protection Clause within the U.S. Constitution.The protesters, led by several Asian American civil rights groups, gathered outside the Tallahassee courthouse in support of the group of Chinese immigrants who sued the state over the law, which went into effect July 1. Echo King 金美声 , president of the nonprofit group Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAAJA), which helped spearhead the rally, told NBC News that the law could have chilling effects. “This will legalize Asian hate,” King said. “People will have a reason — legally they have a law backing them up — to hate. … I can’t even imagine what kinds of hate crimes will increase.” Local Asian American groups were joined by several national organizations, including Chinese for Affirmative Actions (CAA), Stop AAPI Hate, United Chinese Americans (UCA) as well as representatives of the Iranian and Latino American leaders and out of state community leaders who traveled from Alabama, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Tennessee and Texas to support the plaintiffs. In their suit, the plaintiffs, who are in part represented by ACLU, argued that the law is a form of housing discrimination and in violation of the Fair Housing Act.“Today we gather here to condemn Florida’s ‘alien land law’ and to reject the dangerous trend of anti-Asian scapegoating,” said Nicholas Gee , advocacy manager for nonprofit group Chinese for Affirmative Action, referring to 20th century laws , which were later deemed unconstitutional, that prohibited Asian immigrants from owning land. “This law is not just an attack on the property rights of individuals of Chinese descent; it is a stark reminder of the discriminatory practices of the past that we have fought so hard to overcome.” Protesters also argued that the “overbroad” law plays on harmful stereotypes portraying all Chinese immigrants as working for the Chinese government. “They have no evidence proving that these people coming from [China] and living in the U.S. have anything to do with national security issues,” King said. The complicated terms of the law, King said, could lead to racial profiling out of fear of possible repercussions. “There’s no clear definition,” she said. “This law subjects both buyer and seller to civil and criminal penalties, so the sellers will be very reluctant to sell to any Chinese people because they can’t tell if their house is in the restriction zone and they cannot tell if the buyer is from the restricted category. The law is very complicated and confusing.”Drawing parallels between the Trump-era China initiative — a security program aimed at addressing Chinese economic espionage that was heavily criticized for racial profiling — as well as then-President Donald Trump ’s “China virus” rhetoric amid the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, King said that legislation is likely to similarly stoke anti-Asian hate. She also noted that the legislation could have a larger impact on many groups across the Asian diaspora, not just Chinese Americans. Florida is among several states — including Montana, Arkansas, Idaho and Tennessee — that have considered or proposed legislation restricting Chinese nationals from owning land. But not all have been implemented.In Texas, a similarly controversial bill known as Senate Bill 147 died in the state House in May. “There’s people who are asking if they need to get out of the state, like right now,” Democratic Texas state Rep. Gene Wu 吳元之 , who represents a heavily Chinese district, told NBC News in March. “I have never seen the Chinese community this active and this motivated in my entire adult life. The community is inflamed right now. They are enraged.”Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/3Y3kzye Sinovision assigned two reporters to provide an onsite report (12:49), which covered four segments in Chinese: background and overview, inside the courtroom, outside the courtroom, and interviews with the organizers and protesters from diverse backgrounds, including real estate agents, a university professor, and local Chinese community groups from Alabama, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and others states 佛州政府限制包括华人在内的7个国家公民在当地购买不动产的SB264法案5月初州长德桑蒂斯签字成为新法后，居住在当地的4位中国籍公民和1家主要服务华人的房地产公司迅速提起诉讼，并向佛州北区联邦法院申请临时禁令。周二下午，法院就此案召开公众听证。记者邱洪辉和鄢田去到现场进行全程跟踪报道。 Additional media reports: AP News: Florida ban on property purchases by citizens of China and some other countries is challenged AsAmNews : In Florida, protestors rally against discriminatory alien land law bill CBS News: Florida's Chinese land ownership law debated News Service Florida: Chinese Land Ownership Law Debated ; Orlando Sentinel ; Tampa Bay Times ; Tampa Free Press ; WGCU Tallahassee Democrat: Florida's Chinese land ownership law debated in court as protesters gather outside The Capitolist: Federal judge hears arguments over Chinese property ownership limitations WPTV: Injunction sought against Florida law banning foreign nationals from buying land Photo Album: Readers are urged to send their photos of the protest to contact@apajustice.org so that they can be added and shared at https://bit.ly/3Q7SqEk Florida State and Local Leadership Florida State Representative Anna Eskam ani spoke at the press conference in front of the courthouse. Born and raised in Orlando, Rep. Eskamani is the daughter of working-class immigrants who came to Florida from Iran in search of the American Dream. Anna went to Orange County Public Schools and then to the University of Central Florida. She earned dual degrees as an undergrad and graduate student, works as a nonprofit professional and is now getting her PhD in Public Affairs.According to the Capitolist , Florida House Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell weighed in on the matter on July 18, stating that the Senate bill crosses the line from security to discrimination and should be thrown out by the courts. “How can Governor DeSantis call this the ‘free state of Florida’ when he’s interfering with the rights of a community to buy a home here?” Said Driskell. “We cannot give in to this kind of fear, hate, or bigotry. The Chinese people are not the Chinese government, and we must reject the unjust and un-American idea that they should be subject to a separate set of rules than the rest of us.” The press conference and protests in front of the courthouse were organized by Echo King 金美声 , President of Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAAJA) , a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization whose work is to advocate for and advance justice and equality for the AAPI community and all Floridians, and Jenny Liu 刘洁 , President of The Yick Wo Institution 益和学会. Allegra "Ally" Harpootlian , Communications Strategist, ACLU, was also on the ground as part of the organizing efforts. The Yick Wo Institution is a new non-profit public policy organization registered in Washington, DC. The organization’s name pays tribute to the historic legal battle fought by a Chinese immigrant in the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act, eventually reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. According to Wikipedia , Yick Wo v. Hopkins , decided on May 10, 1886, was the first case where the Supreme Court ruled that a law that is race-neutral on its face, but is administered in a prejudicial manner, is an infringement of the Equal Protection Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The landmark case ultimately led to the establishment of the fundamental principle that discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, and alienage is in direct violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. Yick Wo was a laundry facility owned by Lee Yick. Lee Yick immigrated from China to California in 1861. After 22 years of managing the facility, provisions set out by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors said that he could not continue to run it in a wooden building. He continued to operate his laundry and was convicted and fined ten dollars for violating the ordinance. He sued after he was imprisoned in default for having refused to pay the fine. The Supreme Court held that while the law was not discriminatory, it had been applied with "an evil eye and an unequal hand" in singling out Chinese laundry business owner Lee Yick. The Yick Wo Institution takes on a new battle against Florida Senate Bill 264 with the same dedication of its namesake in addition to other issues. Meet The Attorneys for The Plaintiffs In addition to Ashley Gorski of ACLU who presented the plaintiffs' arguments and rebuttals, attorneys Clay Zhu 朱可亮 of DeHeng Law Offices and Bethany Li of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) were also present in the courtroom and spoke at the press conference. A full list of all the attorneys for the plaintiff, defendant, and amicus is located here: https://bit.ly/3QfUiL0 . Madeleine K. Rodriguez of Foley Hoag LLP, Robert S. Chang of Ronald A. Peterson Law Clinic of Seattle University School of Law, Gabriel J. Chin of UC Davis School of Law, and Rose Cuison-Villazor of Rutgers Law School are Counsels for Amici Curiae for 19 Racial Justice Centers, Affinity Bar and Professional Associations, and Civil Rights Advocacy Organizations in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction . National and Community Organizations Support and Leadership Dr. Sergio Lira , President of Greater Houston LULAC and Vice President of Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC), and his wife Mrs. Maria Lira , Chaplain of Greater Houston LULAC Council, flew in from Houston to speak at the press conference. Sergio spoke in English and Maria in Spanish. Professor Steven Pei 白先慎 , Co-Organizer of APA Justice and Founding Chair of UCA, also flew in from Houston to support the protests. Nicholas Gee , Advocacy Manager, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and Stop AAPI Hate, flew in from California and spoke at the press conference. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) issued a statement to support the Florida lawsuit and rally against S.B. 264, stating that "[w]e are proud that Iranian Americans will join and speak out against this xenophobic law, and we look forward to celebrating when it is overturned... NIAC emphatically supports these efforts in challenging and working to overturn xenophobic laws in the United States. Alien land laws from over 100 years ago had no place in the fabric of U.S. society then, and they certainly have no place in that same fabric today." Myriam Sabbaghi is NIAC National Organizing Director. Haipei Shue 薜海培 , President of UCA Chair, rode the "Freedom Bus" from Orlando to Tallahassee to attend the event. UCA released a Chinese-language report 全美华人维权代表聚集佛州首府听证会声援对SB264的起诉 , including a short video about the "Freedom Bus" ride.The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) serves to eliminate housing discrimination and ensure equitable housing opportunities for all people and communities through its education and outreach, member services, public policy, advocacy, housing and community development, tech equity, enforcement, and consulting and compliance programs. It is working with a law firm, Relman Colfax PLLC, on SB 264 and alien land laws generally. Two attorneys from Relman Colfax, Reed Colfax and Zoila Hinson , reportedly attended the preliminary injunction hearing.National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) reached out to the heads of all of the NAPABA chapters in Florida and encouraged members to attend the rally, including four affiliate organizations in Florida - Tampa Bay, Southern Florida (Miami), Orlando, and Jacksonville. NAPABA is one of the 19 organizations filing an amicus brief in support of the preliminary injunction which was announced in a June 14 statement . Color Yellow, Playbooks, and Tracking Hate Participants were encouraged to wear yellow as a symbol of unity at the press conferences and rallies. In nature, yellow is the color of daffodils and sunflowers, signaling the advent of spring, bringing hope, optimism, and enlightenment. In America, yellow has been weaponized against Asians as the color of xenophobia. In partnership with the Yellow Whistle Project (TYW), the Committee of 100 (C100) distributed hundreds of Yellow Whistles with the message of "We Belong" for the event. C100 is a non-partisan leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, and the arts founded by I.M. Pei 貝聿銘 , Yo-Yo Ma 马友友 , Oscar Tang 唐騮千 , Henry Tang 邓兆祥 . Shirley Young 杨雪兰 , and Chien-Shiung Wu 吳健雄 . C100 is currently chaired by Gary Locke 骆家辉 . Interim President and Executive Director is Cindy Tsai .C100 is leading the effort to develop "playbooks" on building a national network on media communications and legislative advocacy with Paula Madison , retired NBCUniversal executive, Helen Zia 谢汉兰 , Founder of the Vincent Chin Institute, like-minded organizations, and grassroots groups. In partnership with NAPABA, TYW, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Asian American Education Project, C100 is also urging the communities and the public to report incidents of anti-Asian hate. Reporting incidents of hate makes a difference. It helps lawmakers understand what is happening to our community and helps us get the resources we need to better protect you and others.When you report an incident to NAPABA, it will evaluate your submission, and if it determines that your situation may be suitable for legal help, they can provide a referral for appropriate pro bono assistance. Report incidents to NAPABA at https://www.napaba.org/page/ReportaHateCrime . Federal Level Support and Leadership On May 25, 2023, Reps. Al Green and Judy Chu , Chair of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), introduced H.R.3697 - Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act . The bill preempts at the federal level state laws that would seek to deny foreign citizens the right to acquire real property in the United States.Concerned organizations and individuals are urged to contact and express their support of H.R. 2697 to their congressional representatives (two senators, one representative, and appropriate committee members).Inquiries about H.R. 3697 may be made to CAPAC Executive Director Nisha Ramachandran at nisha.ramachandran@mail.house.gov and CAPAC Policy Advisor Casey Lee at Casey.Lee@mail.house.gov Read more coverage of the discriminatory alien land bills by APA Justice at: https://bit.ly/43epBcl Back View PDF July 24, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #341 Dr. Jane Wu; Class Action Injunction; Farmland Ownership; AI Summit; Affirming DEIA; + #341 Dr. Jane Wu; Class Action Injunction; Farmland Ownership; AI Summit; Affirming DEIA; + In This Issue #341 · Dr. Jane Wu's Estate Sues Northwestern University · New Nationwide Injunction Blocking Birthright Citizenship Executive Order · Agriculture Department on Chinese Ownership of American Farmland · ACLU AI Summit: Civil Rights in a Digital Age · Congressional Caucus Leaders Affirming DEIA as American Values · News and Activities for the Communities Dr. Jane Wu's Estate Sues Northwestern University Madeleine Gable, APA Justice Communications Associate, contributed to this report.According to the Daily Northwestern , NBC , South China Morning Post , and multiple media reports, Dr. Jane Ying Wu 吴瑛 's family, acting through her estate, filed a civil lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court alleging that the Northwestern University discriminated against her and contributed to her suicide. She was a tenured professor at Northwestern's Foenberg School of Medicine.As a Chinese-born neuroscientist, Dr. Wu, a naturalized U.S. citizen, conducted influential research on neurodegenerative diseases. Her work was derailed following investigations by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) tied to her Chinese background, part of the defunct "China Initiative." During this period, her lab space, funding, and team were stripped, even after NIH formally cleared her after investigations from 2019 to 2023.Following the NIH’s investigation and Northwestern’s subsequent efforts to block her work, Dr. Wu suffered from a loss of vision as a result of a stroke she had under the stress of the investigation. She also experienced depression and obsessive behavior, but she was still able to work. In May 2024, Northwestern University handcuffed and removed Dr. Wu from her office, using her emotional disability as a “pretext” to evict her. The school then partially shut down her laboratory, dismantled her research team, reassigned her grants to white male colleagues, and committed her involuntarily to psychiatric care—actions taken without family consultation. Tragically, Dr. Wu passed away by suicide on July 10, 2024, two weeks after her release from the hospital.The lawsuit claims institutional discrimination based on her national origin, sex, and disability, citing violations of the Illinois Human Rights Act and seeking both compensatory and punitive damages.In an email, Northwestern University said that its heart goes out to the family, but it “vehemently denies” the allegations in the suit. The school “plans to file a motion to dismiss it before our next pleading is due in early September” and declined to provide further details on specific allegations.Following the one-year anniversary of her mother’s passing, Dr. Wu’s daughter, Elizabeth Rao 饶婕 , opened up for the first time in an exclusive interview on the devastating impact of her mother’s treatment on their family and her own life.Rao describes her mother as a melophile, enjoying a wide variety of music from Tanya Tucker to Taiwanese pop musician Teresa Teng , and Dr. Wu ardently enjoyed spending time with her two children.Rao’s fondest memories of Dr. Wu are of her as a parent. She describes Dr. Wu as the opposite of strict and demanding, through their various moves from St. Louis to Nashville, and finally to Chicago. In each of those cities, Dr. Wu “turned simple houses into warm homes.” Rao fondly recalls holding hands with her mother while watching movies or singing along to music during long drives. “She made sure that my brother and I had got not only a great education but also got to do all the stuff of a quintessential American childhood. Sports, road trips, dance classes, choir, you name it,” Rao said.Finally, Rao articulates the lesson her mother left with their family: “her upstanding morals and conviction to fight against injustice.”Dr. Wu's case highlights broader consequences of the “China Initiative” era, as it fostered bias and mistrust toward Chinese American academics. Her tragic death and the lawsuit by her estate bring attention to serious concerns about discrimination tied to national origin and gender, university responses to federal racial profiling, and the potentially catastrophic impact of institutional mistreatment on individuals' well-being. Gisela Perez Kusakawa , executive director of the Asian American Scholar Forum, said that universities must be places of “community, support and fairness, not fear and coercion”. “We urge institutions of higher education to adopt meaningful safeguards, to prioritise mental health, and to reaffirm their commitments to non-discrimination, justice, and fairness,” she said. “Dr. Wu’s story shows us how the effect of unjust investigations into Chinese American scholars does not just end careers, it can end lives. We stand with Dr. Wu’s family and all those demanding justice and systemic change.”Read the Jane Ying Wu story at this APA Justice web page: https://bit.ly/JaneYingWu New Nationwide Injunction Blocking Birthright Citizenship Executive Order Author: Madeleine Gable, APA Justice Communications Associate According to CNN , LAist , NBC , and multiple media reports, U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante of the District of New Hampshire issued a new injunction blocking President Trump’s executive order (EO) seeking to end birthright citizenship for the children of foreign visitors and undocumented immigrants. The lawsuit Barbara v. Trump (1:25-cv-00244) was brought on behalf of a pregnant immigrant, immigrant parents, and their infants and had sought class action status for all babies and their parents who would be affected by the EO nationwide. Petitioner “Barbara” is a citizen of Honduras living in New Hampshire. Petitioner “Sarah” is the daughter of petitioner “Susan,” a citizen of Taiwan. They live in Utah. Petitioner “Matthew” is the first child of petitioner “Mark,” a citizen of Brazil. Mark resides in Florida and is in the process of applying for lawful permanent status. Matthew was born in Florida in March 2025, and has received a U.S. passport. Mark’s wife does not have lawful status in the United States.The plaintiffs’ lead attorney is Cody Wofsy , the deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project.“We're asking the court to protect the constitutional rights of our specific class members who happen to be babies located all over the country,” said Aarti Kohli , executive director of the Asian Law Caucus, part of the coalition of civil rights groups filing the lawsuit.Laplante’s decision is significant, given the Supreme Court’s recent decision. Just two weeks ago on June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled to narrow the use of nationwide injunctions, limiting the ability of lower courts to block federal policies for the entire country while litigation is pending. Effectively, this made the Supreme Court the only court in the country with the authority to block presidential policies nationwide. While the Supreme Court did not rule on the constitutionality of President Trump’s executive order seeking to limit birthright citizenship, they did pause the order for 30 days, clearing the way for the order to go into effect in the 28 states that have not challenged it. This would create a patchwork system in which each state has different rules regarding citizenship. However, the Supreme Court’s ruling kept intact the ability of plaintiffs to seek a widespread block of orders through class action lawsuits. As Laplante granted class action status to the lawsuit, he was able to issue a preliminary injunction blocking the EO from being enforced against any child born after February 20. Laplante only granted class action status to the children who would be affected by the restrictions, not the parents.During the hearing, Laplante insisted that “the deprivation of U.S. citizenship and an abrupt change of policy that was longstanding … that’s irreparable harm.” He added that birthright citizenship is “the greatest privilege that exists in the world.”Laplante paused the order for several days, granting the Trump administration ample time to appeal his decision. Agriculture Department on Chinese Ownership of American Farmland Author: Madeleine Gable, APA Justice Communications AssociateAccording to the New York Times and the Washington Post , the Department of Agriculture released a seven-point national security plan on July 9, 2025, enhancing public disclosures of foreign ownership of farmland, enacting steeper penalties for false filings, and working with Congress and states to ban purchases of farmland by foreign adversaries. Agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins claimed that American agriculture is “under threat from criminals, from political adversaries and from hostile regimes that understand our way of life as a profound and existential threat to themselves.” Rollins points specifically to the ownership of American farmland by Chinese nationals, and she advocates for the use of presidential authority to reclaim farmland currently owned by foreign entities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke highly of the plan, insisting “no longer can foreign adversaries assume we’re not watching and we’re not paying attention and we’re not doing something about it — because we are.” Hegseth called the defensive aspects of the plan “common sense.” This follows a recent trend of growing concern over foreign ownership of American farmland. In 2023, the Senate voted to block businesses based in China from acquiring American farmland. According to a recently released report by the Committee of 100 , U.S. Congress is currently considering 15 such bills and 25 states have passed bills restricting foreign property ownership. Of the bills that have been passed in the 25 states into law, 2 bills single out Chinese citizens and prohibit non-permanent residents from owning any form of property in the state: Florida’s SB 264 (2023), and West Virginia’s HB 2961 (2025). At least two lawsuits have been filed against Florida’s SB 264: · SHEN v. SIMPSON (4:23-cv-00208) . A group of individual Chinese plaintiffs argue that SB 264 is discriminatory under the Fair Housing Act and the 14th Amendment, vague, and conflicts with federal law. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily halted the enforcement of SB 264 against the Chinese plaintiffs while the case proceeds. · National Fair Housing Alliance, Inc. v. Secretary of Commerce (1:24-cv-21749) . The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA), and others, allege fair housing discrimination. In 2023, foreigners owned nearly 45 million acres of farmland in the U.S., accounting for about 3.5% of all agricultural land in the country but a 70% increase from a decade earlier. Canadians owned about a third while China held 270,000 acres or about 0.6%. The Agriculture Department’s plan also includes a myriad of measures aimed to increase agricultural productivity and safety; only some are not concerned with foreign ownership. National Agricultural Law Center provides extensive information and resources on foreign ownership of agricultural land in the United States, offering resources like FAQs, legislative roadmaps, and webinars to help understand the complexities of this issue. ACLU AI Summit: Civil Rights in a Digital Age On July 10, 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) hosted its “AI Summit: Civil Rights in a Digital Age,” convening civil rights leaders, legal scholars, technologists, and philanthropists to examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping civil liberties—and how society must respond. Opening the event, ACLU General Counsel Terrence Dougherty traced today’s challenges back to the organization’s founding during the Palmer Raids of 1920, when the U.S. government targeted immigrants in mass warrantless arrests and deportations. Just as the ACLU then stood against unchecked state power, Dougherty warned that AI now presents similarly urgent threats—enabling new forms of surveillance, bias, and systemic inequality if left unregulated. Rather than embracing the Silicon Valley mantra to “move fast and break things,” the ACLU has built an in-house technology team to pursue a different path: ethical, transparent, and justice-centered AI. Dougherty emphasized that this summit aimed to bring together partners from across sectors to shape an AI future rooted in constitutional values and civil rights. In a fireside chat moderated by ACLU Chief Technology Officer Ijeoma Mbamalu , ACLU President Deborah Archer and Patrick J. McGovern Foundation President Vilas Dhar explored four central themes. It was followed by an afternoon session moderated by Marissa Gerchick , Data Science Manager at ACLU, with a team of specialists at ACLU. The four major themes were: 1. Balancing Innovation with Values : Innovation must serve justice, not just profit. Speakers urged civil society to actively shape AI, not merely react to it. That means centering community voices in system design and development, and reframing innovation to prioritize equity, agency, and dignity—especially for marginalized groups historically excluded from technological influence. 2. The Government’s Approach—Speed Over Safety : Panelists expressed concern that federal AI policy prioritizes rapid deployment over civil rights safeguards. While traditional laws like Title VII and the Fair Housing Act apply to algorithmic systems, their limitations reveal the urgent need for updated regulations. The shift away from federal oversight toward industry-led initiatives leaves a gap civil society must fill. 3. Bias, Inequality, and Civil Society’s Role : AI often magnifies entrenched discrimination—in hiring, housing, criminal justice, and beyond. The root issue is not only faulty technology but the systemic bias embedded in data and institutions. Civil rights organizations must fight for equitable access to AI infrastructure, tools, and education to prevent a deepening digital divide. 4. Building a Just and Hopeful AI Future : Looking forward, speakers called for community empowerment. Civil society must be not just watchdogs, but builders—co-creating technology that serves the public good. This includes public investment in ethical AI, grassroots innovation, and sustained legal and policy advocacy. Calls to Action The summit concluded with a series of actionable priorities for both internal ACLU efforts and broader societal engagement: · Community-Centered AI Development : Involve marginalized communities from the start—as co-designers, not passive recipients. Fund local expertise and create advisory structures that ensure ongoing input. · Philanthropy and Civil Society Responsibility : Fund not just oversight, but community-led AI solutions. Civil rights groups must lead in articulating a vision of technology that supports justice. · Stronger Legal and Regulatory Frameworks : While existing laws apply, new rules are needed to mandate algorithmic audits, transparency, and accountability. · Public AI Infrastructure : Invest in open-source tools, public data trusts, and academic partnerships to shift power away from monopolistic tech firms and toward the common good. · Ethical Innovation Culture : Shift from speed to intentionality. Evaluate AI through risk-based, mission-aligned frameworks that prioritize long-term equity over short-term gain. Watch the ACLU AI Summit video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul73KZfy5P0 (2:14:15) Congressional Caucus Leaders Affirming DEIA as American Values On July 10, 2025, six major Congressional Caucuses—the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Congressional Equality Caucus (CEC), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC), and the Congressional Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Caucus (DEIC) introduced a joint resolution affirming that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental to the American Dream and to our national prosperity, safety, and democracy. The resolution comes in response to growing attacks on DEIA programs and policies across the country. It calls on all levels of government, educational institutions, workplaces, and other organizations to uphold and promote inclusivity, remove barriers to opportunity, and ensure equal access to services and resources. "Every American deserves to have a fair shot at success, but for far too many in our country, this is simply not the reality. Millions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, along with other historically marginalized communities, continue to face discrimination in housing, healthcare, education, and employment," said Rep. Grace Meng, Chair of CAPAC. "Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility is about building a future where everyone can succeed and thrive. We will not let this administration sow division and roll back the progress we have made to ensure equal opportunity for all." On May 21, 2025, Senator Mazie Hirono led 11 of her Senate colleagues, including every Democratic member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, in introducing Senate Resolution 240 reaffirming the importance of DEIA as fundamental values in the United States. “Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are fundamental to our country’s history and culture,” said Senator Hirono. “Our diversity is one of our nation’s greatest strengths, as Americans from different backgrounds come together to move their communities and our country forward. As Donald Trump and Republicans attack marginalized communities across the country and attempt to erase their contributions from our shared history, I’m proud to lead this resolution reaffirming the importance of these values that truly make our nation great.” News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/07/25-27 Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony 2025/07/27 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/07/29 C100 Conversations – “Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes” with Linda Chao Yang2025/07/29 From Heartland to Mainland: 2025 Future Ag Leaders Delegation2025/08/02-07 2025 Joint Statistical Meetings2025/08/04 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/08/10 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. From Heartland to Mainland: 2025 Future Ag Leaders Delegation WHAT: From Heartland to Mainland: 2025 Future Ag Leaders Delegation WHEN: July 29, 2025, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm CT WHERE: Webinar HOST: US Heartland China Association Speakers: · Morgan Barba , Kansas State University · Imani Murphy , Tuskegee University · Parker Havard , Michigan State University · Samuel Martin , Iowa State University · Lauren Thornhill , Ohio State University · Nathan Unruh , Dickerson State University DESCRIPTION: As participants of the recent trip organized by USHCA, these delegates had a front-row-seat opportunity to observe and explore the impact of U.S.-China collaboration around agriculture as they visited Beijing and Zhengzhou, capital city of Henan Province. Hear the firsthand experiences of students as they delve into the complexities and opportunities in U.S.-China agricultural collaboration and the realities of on the ground engagement. REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/46GqqzN # # # 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 July 14, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #138 Oppose US Attorney Nomination; Racist Image; The China Trap; 8/1 Meeting Summary; More #138 Oppose US Attorney Nomination; Racist Image; The China Trap; 8/1 Meeting Summary; More Back View PDF August 22, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #258 6/3 Monthly Meeting; Chinese Students; Clear&Fair Law Enforcement; 6/6 Forum with FBI+ #258 6/3 Monthly Meeting; Chinese Students; Clear&Fair Law Enforcement; 6/6 Forum with FBI+ In This Issue #258 · 2024/06/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Bloomberg: Expulsions of Chinese Students Spread Confusion from Yale to UVA · An Urgent Call for Clear and Fair Law Enforcement Guidelines and Procedures for Research Security · 06/06: An Open and Public Community Forum with The FBI · News and Activities for the Communities 2024/06/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, June 3, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: · Tam Dao , Assistant Vice President for Research Security, Office of Innovation, Rice University, will report on the future of the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Research on Research Security program · Haipei Shue , President, United Chinese Americans, will report on the 2024 Chinese American Convention · Jeremy Wu , Co-Organizer, APA Justice, will preview an alpha version of a web page on the story of exonerated Professor Anming Hu · Anming Hu , Professor, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, will give an update of his situation and his family since the end of his ordeal under the China Initiative. 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 . Bloomberg: Expulsions of Chinese Students Spread Confusion from Yale to UVA According to Bloomberg on May 29, 2024, Customs agents at US airports have barred entry to at least 20 students and scholars with valid visas since November in ‘more insidious’ version of disbanded China Initiative. Susan , a second-year Ph.D. student in biomedical imaging at the University of Virginia, faced relentless questioning from a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent upon her return from visiting her parents in China. Accused of ties to the Chinese Communist Party, her student visa was abruptly canceled, forcing her to purchase a $1,400 ticket back to Beijing and barring her from the U.S. for five years. Her experience is part of a broader trend where at least 20 Chinese students from prestigious universities have had their visas revoked since November. The Chinese government and lawyers confirmed these accounts, highlighting the lack of transparency and public accountability in these decisions. These actions contradict the efforts to foster educational and cultural exchanges endorsed by U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping .The expulsions reveal internal divisions within the Biden administration, where Customs agents under the Department of Homeland Security are canceling visas approved by the State Department. The Biden administration ended the controversial China Initiative but has continued similar practices covertly, impacting Ph.D. students and researchers without public scrutiny. Susan and others, like Meng Fei , a fifth-year Ph.D. student at Yale, have faced racial and gender discrimination, with their exclusions linked to vague national security concerns under Presidential Proclamation (PP) 10043 . This proclamation targets students with alleged ties to Chinese military-civil fusion, yet the specifics remain undisclosed, causing confusion and fear among affected students. Universities like the University of Virginia and Yale are striving to support their students by seeking clarity and providing legal assistance. However, the ongoing lack of clear guidelines and coordination between federal agencies leaves many students in limbo, disrupting their academic and personal lives. As the U.S. grapples with balancing national security and academic freedom, the impact on foreign-born researchers like Susan underscores the need for transparent and consistent policies to ensure fairness and uphold the integrity of educational exchanges. Two years ago, the Biden administration ended a controversial Trump-era policy known as the China Initiative that purported to root out spies but resulted in more ruined careers than successful prosecutions. Now that program has been succeeded by a piecemeal effort — one that’s largely hidden from public view. Instead of targeting prominent academics, Customs agents are expelling Ph.D. and postdoctoral students, as well as company employees, by secret administrative actions with no public accountability or right to appeal. Marta Meng , founder of the Meng Law Group in Covina, California, who represents Susan and three other expelled students seeking to overturn their bans, said no reason was given to her clients or in transcripts of the airport interviews that she has reviewed. Dan Berger , Meng Fei's lawyer, said he can’t understand why his client would have been subject to PP 10043, as nothing in her background indicates ties to any of the banned universities or to state funding, and her visa was renewed by the State Department just last year. That’s a problem for learning institutions, said Toby Smith , who handles government relations and public policy at the Association of American Universities, which acts on behalf of 71 research universities including the University of Virginia, Yale and other schools with recently banned students. “Despite asking for additional clarity, the specific items that would result in visa denial for Chinese graduate students under Proclamation 10043 have never been disclosed to our universities,” he said. “So we have been left only to speculate as to what might spark such denials.” The secrecy makes what’s going on “much more insidious now,” said Gisela Perez Kusakawa , executive director of the Asian American Scholar Forum , a nonprofit organization that promotes academic freedom. “The end of the China Initiative wasn’t the end, they’re just not calling it that anymore,” said Ivan Kanapathy , senior vice president at Beacon Global Strategies, a national security advisory firm in Washington, and a former National Security Council official in the Trump administration. When the Biden administration ended the China Initiative, it said that a 2021 national security memorandum about vetting foreign students would remain in effect. It instructs the State Department to work with Homeland Security to ensure that the granting of visas reflects “the changing nature of risks” to US research. But it doesn’t specify what those risks are or how the agencies should be coordinating enforcement. “The question is, who is coordinating the whole thing, the guidelines and procedures for law enforcement,” said Steven Pei , an electrical engineering professor at the University of Houston and co-organizer of the Asian Pacific American Justice Task Force , which advocates against racial discrimination. “We are trying hard to balance national security, US competitiveness with China in high tech and civil rights,” he said. “But this top-level policy has not trickled down.”Read the Bloomberg report: https://bloom.bg/3wRL4O3 An Urgent Call for Clear and Fair Law Enforcement Guidelines and Procedures for Research Security Neal Lane* , Steven Pei* , and Jeremy Wu* posted a public commentary, calling for the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and other federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate their policies using comparable principles and set clear, fair guidelines and procedures. Our scientific success is rooted in core values, including collaboration, honesty, transparency, integrity, the fair competition of ideas, and the protection of intellectual capital. Some foreign entities do not share these values and are working to illicitly acquire our research and innovation. This necessitates laws – and law enforcement.But it is vital that law enforcement guidelines and procedures be clear and fair for maintaining public trust, upholding individual rights, and promoting accountability and consistency within the justice system. Otherwise, we can expect our competitive edge in science and technology to wane, as well as our standing as a leading democracy.With its sharp focus on research security, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has set a balanced path to guide policies of federal agencies that support research. There is a similar need for the FBI, HSI, and other federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate their policies using comparable principles and set clear, fair guidelines and procedures.Given OSTP’s unique role and capability within the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), it should also coordinate with all key law enforcement agencies to close the apparent gap in communication between national science and technology policy set by NSTC and agents at the forefront of law enforcement. In doing so, it can protect America’s security and economic competitiveness while minimizing the unintended negative impact and associated chilling effects on the science and technology community. * Dr. Neal Lane is Senior Fellow in Science and Technology Policy, Baker Institute, Rice University, and Former Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House. Dr. Steven Pei is Co-Organizer of APA Justice; Founding Chair of United Chinese Americans; and Professor at the University of Houston. Dr. Jeremy Wu is Co-Organizer of APA Justice; Member of Committee of 100; and Retired from the Federal Government. Read the full commentary: https://bit.ly/3yDRaSB 06/06: An Open and Public Community Forum with The FBI On June 6, 2024, the Baker Institute and the Office of Innovation at Rice University, the Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition, and APA Justice will co-host a hybrid forum titled " A Dialogue Between the Academic and Asian American Communities and the FBI ." Registration for in-person attendance and Zoom webinar is now open. In 2022, the Department of Justice ended its China Initiative — a strategy to counter Chinese espionage and threats to U.S. research security — after academic and civil rights groups raised concerns about bias and damage to the United States’ scientific enterprise. However, there were several recent media reports of border entry issues for Chinese graduate students and academic researchers who are green card-holders and even American citizens. This event brings together Jill Murphy, deputy assistant director of counterintelligence at the FBI, and the leadership of the FBI’s Houston field office for a dialogue with members of the academic and Asian American communities. It will examine gaps between national science and technology policy and its implementation. It will also explore the possibility of establishing a regular communication channel between the academic and Asian American communities with FBI field offices. Register to join the forum in person: https://bit.ly/4aFwvuK . Register to join the forum via Zoom: https://bit.ly/3wjg759 . News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/05/31 A Discussion on the History of Discrimination Against Asian Americans2024/06/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/06/06 A Dialogue Between Academic/AAPI Communities with The FBI2024/06/20 U.S.-China Relations: Untangling Campaign Rhetoric & Understanding Policy – Teachers Workshop2024/06/20-22 Social Equity Leadership ConferenceVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. MOCA Forum: A Discussion on the History of Discrimination Against Asian Americans WHAT: A Discussion on the History of Discrimination Against Asian Americans WHEN: May 31, 2024, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET WHERE: 215 Centre Street, New York, NY HOST: Museum of Chinese in America MODERATOR: Scott Wong. Reporter, NBC News SPEAKERS: · Christopher P. Lu, U.S. Representative to the United Nations for Management and Reform · Mark Takano, Member, U.S. House of Representatives DESCRIPTION: From the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese incarceration to recent hate crimes, a discussion on the history of discrimination against Asian Americans. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3yG2ltY 3. WHIAANHPI Celebrates 25th Anniversary On June 7, 1999, President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 13125 establishing a White House Initiative and presidential advisory commission dedicated to improving the lives of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Over the course of 25 years and five presidential administrations, the size and scope of these entities have evolved. But the full story of how they came to be has rarely been told. On May 17, 2024, The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) posted a documentary video titled "Lasting Legacies - The White House Initiative on AA and NHPIs Turns 25” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9nw4TL80yI (10:29) 4. Two New Pandas Coming to Washington DC According to multiple media reports, months after the nation’s capital bid an emotional farewell to its giant pandas, the National Zoo is expecting a renewed surge in panda-mania with the announcement that two more of the furry black-and-white icons will be coming to Washington DC.A fresh agreement had been struck with the Chinese government, and a pair of adult pandas would be arriving from China by the end of the year. The incoming pair are Bao Li and Qing Bao. Both are two years old.Pandas have been a symbol of U.S.-China friendship since Beijing sent a pair to the National Zoo in 1972, ahead of the normalization of bilateral relations. Later, Beijing loaned pandas to other U.S. zoos, with proceeds going back to panda conservation programs. Back View PDF May 31, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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

Newsletter - #215 C100 Visit; Senate Hearing on NIH Director; AAPI Voters Targeted; Andy Kim; AAUC Hub #215 C100 Visit; Senate Hearing on NIH Director; AAPI Voters Targeted; Andy Kim; AAUC Hub In This Issue #215 C100 Delegation Visits Washington DC Senate Hearing on NIH Director Nomination Asian Americans Say AAPI Voters are Targeted by New Laws Criminalizing Election Assistance Rep. Andy Kim Runs for New Jersey Senate Seat More on AAUC Asian American Pacific Islander Hub News and Activities for the Communities C100 Delegation Visits Washington DC A Committee of 100 (C100) delegation visited Washington DC on September 28-29, 2023. Highlights of the trip included meetings with · Rep. Rick Larsen, Co-Chair, U.S.-China Working Group · Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State · Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative · Erika Moritsugu, Deputy Assistant to the President and AANHPI Senior Liaison; Sarah Beran, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs, National Security Council; and Jenny Yang, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council for Racial Justice & Equity at the White House · Stapleton Roy, Former U.S. Ambassador to China and Robert Daly, Director of the Wilson Center's Kissinger Institute on China and the United States · Jill Murphy, Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) · Senior Staff to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell On September 28, C100 hosted a reception celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival with the co-hosts the US-Asia Institute and partners the Council on Korean Americans and the US-China Business Council on September 28, 2023. Joining the delegation in the reception were Congressman Rick Larsen, Congressional staffers, diplomats, and leaders in AAPI communities. C100 also co-hosted with the National Museum of Asian Art a private viewing of the exhibit: Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings on September 29, 2023. Read about the C100 visit and view a photo album at: https://bit.ly/3LYkTtk Senate Hearing on NIH Director Nomination On Wednesday, October 18, 2023, The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will hold a hearing on the nomination of Dr. Monica Bertagnolli to be the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The hearing starts at 10 am ET in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building, 50 Constitution Ave NE, Washington, DC. There will be no video broadcast for this event. Dr. Bertagnolli began work as the 16th director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on October 3, 2022. https://bit.ly/4039K0c According to a Science report titled " Pall of Suspicion " on March 23, 2023, NIH’s “China initiative” led by Dr. Michael Lauer has upended hundreds of lives and destroyed scores of academic careers. NIH sent emails in 2018 asking 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 now-defunct "China Initiative" launched in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump to thwart Chinese espionage, NIH’s version has been conducted behind closed doors.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 say a targeted scientist “was not welcome in the NIH ecosystem,” they understood immediately what he meant—and that he was expecting action.Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/3ZbJL4B Asian Americans Say AAPI Voters are Targeted by New Laws Criminalizing Election Assistance According to the Milwaukee Independent on October 13, 2023, for a century, the League of Women Voters in Florida formed bonds with marginalized residents by helping them register to vote and, in recent years, those efforts have extended to the growing Asian American and Asian immigrant communities. But a state law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in May would have forced the group to alter its strategy. The legislation would have imposed a $50,000 fine on third-party voter registration organizations if the staff or volunteers who handle or collect the forms have been convicted of a felony or are not U.S. citizens. A federal judge blocked the provision this week. But its passage reflects the effort by DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, and other GOP leaders to crack down on access to the ballot. Florida is one of at least six states, including Georgia and Texas, where Republicans have enacted voting rules since 2021 that created or boosted criminal penalties and fines for individuals and groups that assist voters. Several of those laws are also facing legal challenges. In the meantime, voting rights advocates are being forced to quickly adapt to the changing environment. Before the ruling in Florida, for instance, the League of Women Voters started using online links and QR codes for outreach. It removed the personal connection between its workers and communities and replaced it with digital tools that are likely to become a technological barrier.In states where penalties are getting tougher, the developments have sowed fear and confusion among groups that provide translators, voter registration help, and assistance with mail-in balloting — roles that voting rights advocates say are vital for Asian communities in particular. In a number of states, language barriers already hamper access to the ballot for a population that has been growing rapidly. Asian, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander populations grew 35% between 2010 and 2020, according to Census data. The new laws in mostly Republican-led states are seen by many voting groups as another form of voter suppression. “It’s specifically targeting limited English proficiency voters, and that includes AAPI voters,” said Meredyth Yoon , litigation director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Atlanta.In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill in June that raises the penalty for illegal voting to a felony, upping it from a misdemeanor charge that was part of a sweeping elections law passed two years earlier. Alice Yi , who is Chinese American, used to help translate in Austin, Texas, but said the new law isn’t clear about whether good faith mistakes will be criminalized and worries that she could get into trouble by offering assistance.But voting rights supporters like Ashley Cheng — also in Austin — remain committed to reaching Asian voters, despite the threat of jail time. Cheng, the founding president of Asian Texans for Justice, recalls discovering her mother was not listed in the voter rolls when she tried to help her vote in 2018. They never found out why she wasn’t properly registered. Advocates say this highlights flaws in the system and illustrates how volunteers are essential to overcoming them. James Woo , the communications director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, said he won’t even get his parents a drink of water while helping them with their ballots. “It’s simple things like that, which would have been like a conversation starter or just like helping them throughout the process, might be viewed as like something illegal I’m doing,” he said.Read the Milwaukee Independent report: https://bit.ly/3QfI44U Rep. Andy Kim Runs for New Jersey Senate Seat Rep. Andy Kim has announced his candidacy to become New Jersey’s next Senator. He would challenge incumbent Bob Menendez in the Democratic Senate primary next year. His entrance into the race came one day after federal prosecutors unsealed a staggering indictment against Menendez. Rep. Kim spoke at the APA Justice September 2021 monthly meeting. Prior to serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Kim worked as a career public servant. He served at USAID, the Pentagon, the State Department, the White House National Security Council, and in Afghanistan as an advisor to Generals Petraeus and Allen . Congressman Kim is a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).Read Rep. Kim's remarks at the APA Justice September 2021 monthly meeting: https://bit.ly/3kg687M . Watch his remarks in video: https://bit.ly/3ki3jmI (48:00 starting at 15:07). More on AAUC Asian American Pacific Islander Hub On October 13, 2023, Dr. S.K. Lo , Founder and President of Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC), provided additional information about its Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hub. The first phase (beta version) of the AAPI Hub was launched at the AAUC National Unity Summit in September. The goal of the Hub is to connect different AAPI communities with shared information to empower each other through collaboration.The AAPI Hub now contains shared information that includes census data from previous work done by the ESRI nonprofit program team as the first prototype in 2020. The census data includes voting powerbase down to each congressional district showing different AAPI community representations. It can also be shown down to precinct level as the map is expanded. Different maps show racial representation of each state, county and district. However, these maps have not been updated.The work done in 2022-2023 mainly focused on developing a comprehensive database for the AAPI communities. It was decided that the AAPI communities would be best described by the nonprofit organizations that many belong and that public information are available. Currently the AAPI Hub displays nearly 15,000 AAPI nonprofit organizations in all 50 states with administrative records data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The beta version of the AAPI Hub has these known limitations: 1. Incomplete data on all AAPI nonprofits which do not contain any of our search words that are commonly used to describe AAPI. To overcome this, AAUC relies on prior knowledge or crowd sourcing. 2. IRS data is updated monthly which needs to be updated correspondingly in the AAPI Hub. AAUC needs to develop a way to compare the filtered data with the new updated information using machine logic then manual determination. 3. Not all organizations have websites or Facebook pages or mission statements listed in their 990-return form. Often, AAUC can find the website through online search manually. The AAUC write-up also outlines the future directions of the AAPI Hub. Visit the AAUC AAPI Hub website: https://bit.ly/3FbmpEu . Read the AAUC write-up here: https://bit.ly/48SOGNI . Contact Dr. Lo at: sklo@asamunitycoalition.org News and Activities for the Communities 1. Community Calendar The APA Justice Community Calendar is located on the front page of the APA Justice website at https://www.apajustice.org/ . Upcoming Events: 2023/10/15 State Legislature 101 Training 2023/10/15 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting 2023/10/18 Senate Nomination Hearing of NIH Director 2023/10/22 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting 2023/10/25-26 President's Advisory Commission Meeting 2023/10/29 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. 2023/11/16: C100 Forum Debate WHAT: Hybrid in-person and virtual event: "Has the Chinese Economy Slowed Down Permanently, Temporarily, or It Depends?" WHEN: Thursday, November 16, from 5:00pm - 6:15pm Eastern Time WHERE: J Conference Bryant Park, 109 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018 HOST: The Committee of 100 MODERATOR: Peter Young, CEO and President, Young & Partners, C100 member SPEAKERS: · Stephen Roach, Professor, Yale University · Dan H. Rosen, Partner and Co-Founder, Rhodium Group · Shang-Jin Wei, Professor, Columbia University DESCRIPTION: Will the world’s second-largest economy and a critical part of global trade and manufacturing rebound with a strong manufacturing cost position, large investments in technology and the advanced education of millions of students, a potential surge in consumer spending, and continued investments in infrastructure by the government? Or, will high levels of debt, an overbuilt real estate sector, increasing government controls of the economy and technology, a shrinking population, and growing dissatisfaction on the part of those in the 18 to 30 year age bracket stifle growth on a long-term basis? REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3M0XcRd Back View PDF October 16, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #123 NBC Report; Summary to OSTP; Jury Verdict on Tao; CI Cases Update; COMPETES Conference #123 NBC Report; Summary to OSTP; Jury Verdict on Tao; CI Cases Update; COMPETES Conference Back View PDF April 8, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #110 01/30 Webinar on Gang Chen; 2/7 Monthly Meeting; Franklin Tao; Stop Anti-Asian Hate #110 01/30 Webinar on Gang Chen; 2/7 Monthly Meeting; Franklin Tao; Stop Anti-Asian Hate Back View PDF January 31, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #206 9/11 Meeting; Bill Richardson/Wen Ho Lee; NO Alien Land Laws; FISA Reform; More News #206 9/11 Meeting; Bill Richardson/Wen Ho Lee; NO Alien Land Laws; FISA Reform; More News In This Issue #206 2023/09/11 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Bill Richardson and Dr. Wen Ho Lee 李文和 Reminder: Tell Congress NO To Discriminatory Land Laws Sign-On Letter: Asian Americans for FISA Reform News and Activities for The Communities 2023/09/11 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, September 11, 2023, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); John Yang 杨重远 , President and Executive Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed and invited speakers include: Clay Zhu 朱可亮 (confirmed) , Partner, DeHeng Law Offices 德恒律师事务所; Founder, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance 华美维权同盟, to report on the latest developments of the lawsuit against Florida's discriminatory alien land law Deborah Seligsohn (confirmed) , Senior Associate (non-resident), Center for Strategic and International Studies; Assistant Professor, Villanova University on the case for US-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA) https://bit.ly/3OMc8En Steve Kivelson (confirmed), Prabhu Goel Family Professor of Physics Luke Blossom Professor, Stanford University, on the joint letter with Professor Peter Michelson to President Joe Biden and members of the National Security Council on renewing the STA https://bit.ly/44xTNPX Sudip Parikh (invited) , Chief Executive Officer and Executive Publisher Science Family of Journals at AAAS, on moving open science, basic research, and US-China collaboration forward in today's environment. Ting Wu (invited) , Advisor, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Office of the Chief of Staff, The White House, on the letter to the President and more The virtual monthly meeting is by invitation only. If you wish to join, either one time or for future meetings, please contact one of the co-organizers of APA Justice - Steven Pei 白先慎 , Vincent Wang 王文奎 , and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org On August 24, 2023, Stanford University Professors Steven Kivelson and Peter Michelson sent a letter to President Joe Biden and the Members of the US National Security Council to express their strong support for renewing the Agreement Between the United States and China on Cooperation in Science and Technology , which was signed by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Chinese Premier Deng Xiaoping on January 31, 1979. Their letter was endorsed by over 1,000 faculty and scholars from many US universities including multiple Nobel Laureates, members of the National Academies, and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Read the letter: https://bit.ly/44xTNPX . Read the APA Justice coverage: https://bit.ly/3E9NmI8 Bill Richardson and Dr. Wen Ho Lee 李文和 On September 1, 2023, Bill Richardson , 75, passed away in Chatham, Massachusetts. He was a Member of US House of Representatives (1983-1997), US Ambassador to the United Nations (1997-1998), Secretary of Energy (1998-2001), and Governor of New Mexico (2003-2011).Born in Pasadena, California, in 1947 to a Spanish-born mother and a Nicaraguan-born father, Bill Richardson grew up in Mexico City before attending boarding school in Massachusetts. In 2002, he became the only Hispanic leader of a US state when he won the New Mexico governorship.By any measure, Bill Richardson was an extraordinary American politician and diplomat. He won admiration for his commitment to securing the release of US citizens detained around the world, including journalists Laura Ling 凌志美 ( Lisa Ling 凌志慧 's sister) and Euna Lee 유나리 from North Korea in 2009 and basketball star Britney Griner from Russia last year. In 2011 he launched his non-profit foundation, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, where he renewed his work seeking the release of detained Americans. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times.Bill Richardson's tenure as Secretary of Energy was marred by the prosecution of Dr. Wen Ho Lee 李文和 , a Chinese American nuclear physicist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory who was wrongly accused of spying for China. Dr. Lee was later cleared of espionage charges and released with an apology from Judge James Parker, who passed away last year . Eventually, Dr. Lee won a $1.6 million settlement against the federal government and several news outlets for the accusation. While admitting to making some mistakes, Bill Richardson did not apologize for his role in the matter which remains a deep wound in the Asian American community.In a LinkedIn post, Parag Mehta , a staff member of the first White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) under the Clinton Administration in 1999, recalls his experience in working with Bill Richardson to draft an “apology” he could use in his confirmation hearings for Secretary of Commerce under the Obama Administration. Parag Mehta tried three times to craft language for the Governor. Each time, he was rebuffed because Bill Richardson did not want to use words like “sorry” or “apologize.” The issue became moot when he withdrew his nomination. Dr. Jeremy Wu , Founder and Co-Organizer for APA Justice, served as National Ombudsman and Director of the Office of the Ombudsman under Secretary Bill Richardson at the Department of Energy. References and Links: Wikipedia: Bill Richardson https://bit.ly/44AAe9S Wen Ho Lee with Helen Zia: My Country Versus Me: The First-Hand Account by the Los Alamos Scientist Who Was Falsely Accused of Being a Spy https://amzn.to/2MlV7Ak 2023/09/03 LinkedIn by Parag Mehta: Bill Richardson https://bit.ly/3Ps8foB 2000/01 Department of Energy: Final Report: Task Force Against Racial Profiling http://bit.ly/2T8UGvJ 2000/01/19 Department of Energy: Richardson Releases Task Force Against Racial Profiling Report and Announces 8 Immediate Actions https://bit.ly/3LnXoYy Reminder: Tell Congress NO To Discriminatory Land Laws On August 25, 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) put out a call for the public to tell Congress: Say NO to Discriminatory Land Laws."Dangerous laws are being introduced at the state and federal level right now that use 'national security' as an excuse to discriminate against immigrants from China. In Florida, for example, Governor DeSantis has banned many Chinese immigrants from buying a house in much of the state – a move that is both unconstitutional and unfortunately, not new."This type of 'alien land law' should sound alarm bells for all of us. From the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, to the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans, to the ongoing post-9/11 surveillance of Black and Brown communities – we’ve seen how such racist policies created under the guise of 'national security' are racist and used to scapegoat entire communities."We cannot allow history to repeat itself: Tell your Members of Congress to speak out against any law that falsely equates Chinese people with the Chinese government."Thanks to ACLU, take one easy step to tell Congress NO to discriminatory land laws at https://bit.ly/3qRsFOh Sign-On Letter: Asian Americans for FISA Reform Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) are reaching out to request your support for a critical issue that impacts our Asian American community – reforming Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which will expire at the end of this year unless Congress reauthorizes it. AAJC/AASF/CAA have included a draft letter (see link: https://bit.ly/3RbMIlh ) that is set to be shared with members of Congress regarding the urgent need for FISA reform. This letter highlights the concerning history of how Asian Americans have been disproportionately affected by national security programs that have often been fueled by bias, prejudice, and unchecked surveillance. The proposed reforms in the letter seek to ensure that such abuses do not continue and that our communities are treated fairly and justly.As a partner who shares concerns for the well-being and protection of our Asian American community, AAJC/AASF/CAA request your support by signing onto this letter by completing the sign-on form. The deadline to sign on is Thursday, September 7, at 5:00pm ET.For more information on FISA reform, check out the following resources: Advancing Justice-AAJC on FISA Section 702 reform ( https://bit.ly/464ca0l ) APA Justice webinar: "Perils of Warrantless Surveillance - The Case for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Reform" ( https://bit.ly/44ZCJ6o ) Foreign Affairs article: “The Coming Fight Over American Surveillance What’s at Stake as Congress Considers FISA Reform” ( https://bit.ly/3sGhQPN ) If you have questions about subsequent strategies surrounding Congressional outreach or require further information, please reach out to Andy Wong (CAA/Stop AAPI Hate) at andywong@caasf.org or Joanna Derman (AAJC) at jderman@advancingjustice-aajc.org . If you know a scholar who has been directly impacted and surveilled, please reach out to Gisela Perez Kusakawa at gpkusakawa@aasforum.org at AASF, which seeks to provide a voice to the Asian American and scholar community. News and Activities for The Communities 1. Current US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns Meets Former US Ambassador to China Gary Locke In a continuing series by the US mission in China, Ambassador Nicholas Burns meets with Ambassador Gary Locke 骆家辉 , the first Chinese-American Ambassador to China. Part 1. Ambassador Gary Locke shares what democracy means to him and reflects on government “of the people, by the people, for the people” (2:04) Part 2. Ambassador Gary Locke was not only the first Chinese American to serve as U.S. Ambassador to China, but also the first Chinese American governor in the continental U.S. He shares his experiences growing up and reflects on his decision to run for office. The United States is a nation of immigrants, and our diversity is a source of strength. (2:29) Part 3. Ambassador Gary Locke talks about how his immigration story and the greater story of U.S. immigration relates to democracy. (2:37) Part 4. Ambassador Gary Locke on how Americans and our government should promote democracy and democratic values in the world. (2:18) Part 5. Former U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke on why he is optimistic about the future of democracy globally and the potential of democratic values to elevate people all around the world. (1:41) Gary Locke is Chair of the Committee of 100 百人会. Watch Volume 4 of the series with Gary Locke: https://bit.ly/3PaKkZt 2. KTSF-TV26 Chinese Journal: Roles and Responsibilities of San Francisco FBI Field Office San Francisco FBI Field Office Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp and Supervisory Special Agent L. Wu were interviewed in the Chinese Journal 華人叢刋 program by KTSF-TV26. They discussed their roles and responsibilities, including matters such as national security, interaction with local law enforcement, human trafficking, financial fraud, and anti-Asian hate crimes. The San Francisco Field Office has 800 agents and staff members. It is one of 56 FBI field offices across the country. The interview was conducted in Cantonese and English. Part 1 interview: https://bit.ly/3PpYc3m (9:01) Part 2 interview: https://bit.ly/3Lc5KnG (8:40) Part 3 interview: https://bit.ly/3Lazy4d (4:18) 3. 2023/09/19 Is National Voter Registration Day September 19, 2023, is National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) . Volunteers and organizations from all over the country will hit the streets in a single day of coordinated field, technology, and media efforts to register as many eligible voters as possible. Since 2012, over 5 million Americans have been registered to vote through NVRD efforts. APIAVote has long been a partner of NVRD, and will partner again this year.Join APIAVote on Thursday September 7 at 4pm EST to learn more about NVRD and how to implement a successful voter engagement program so we can mobilize AAPIs to the polls and display our collective power across the country. Register for the event: apia.vote/NVRD2023 .APA Justice has also posted the event at its newly created Community Calendar: https://bit.ly/45KGyga 4. Motion Denied: Yanping Chen 陈燕平 vs FBI et al Dr. Yanping Chen 陈燕平 brought a Privacy Act lawsuit against multiple federal agencies and personnel for allegedly leaking information to journalist Catherine Herridge , who published a series of investigative reports about Chen’s affiliations with the Chinese military on Fox News Network in 2017. After discovery failed to identify the source of the alleged leak, Chen issued subpoenas to Herridge and Fox. Both non-parties then moved to quash these subpoenas on the grounds that requiring them to divulge their source or sources violated the First Amendment’s qualified privilege for journalists and a federal common law newsgathering privilege. Last month, the District Court partially denied Herridge’s motion and permitted Chen to depose her. Herridge responded by requesting that the Court certify that order for interlocutory appeal under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b) and stay the order pending appeal. On September 6, 2023, the Court denies Herridge's motions.Read APA Justice coverage of the case of Dr. Yanping Chen: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Yanping_Chen Back View PDF September 7, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #261 07/01 Monthly Meeting; Media Reports on Forum with FBI; Another NYPD Officer Fired; + #261 07/01 Monthly Meeting; Media Reports on Forum with FBI; Another NYPD Officer Fired; + In This Issue #261 • 2024/07/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting • SCMP: FBI Official Admits Mistakes, Vows to Improve Relations with Asian American Communities • AsAmNews: FBI, Asian American Civic Groups Hold Forum on Building Trust Post-China Initiative • Another NYPD Officer Fired Without Evidence of Guilt • News and Activities for the Communities 2024/07/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, July 1, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna YangQing Derman, Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: • Neal Lane, Senior Fellow, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University; Former Director of Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), The White House; Former Director, National Science Foundation • Kei Koizumi, Principal Deputy Director for Science, Society, and Policy, OSTP, The White House • Xiaoxing Xi, Laura H. Carnell Professor of Physics, Temple University, with invited comments by Kai Li, Paul M. Wythes and Marcia R. Wythes Professor in Computer Science, Princeton University; Vice Chair, Asian American Scholar Forum, and Gang Chen, Carl Richard Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Karla Hagan, Senior Program Officer, Staff Director for National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) 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. National Academies Roundtable Capstone Workshop The National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable Capstone Workshop on July 16-17, 2024, will present information the Roundtable has gathered since its inception in 2020 through 13 gatherings in Washington, DC and across the U.S. Dr. Karla Hagan will provide additional details about the workshop during the APA Justice monthly meeting on July 1, 2024. SCMP: FBI Official Admits Mistakes, Vows to Improve Relations with Asian American Communities According to the South China Morning Post on June 11, 2024, in an unusual public admission, a senior FBI official told an audience of Asian Americans that some of the bureau’s past actions have had a “negative impact” on the community but that “certainly was not the intent”. Jill Murphy, deputy assistant director of counter-intelligence at the FBI, took part in an open dialogue between agents of the top US law enforcement agency and the academic and Asian American communities when she spoke at Rice University in Houston on June 6. The event, sponsored by Rice’s Baker Institute and Office of Innovation, Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition, and Asian Pacific American Justice, marked a milestone as it brought together FBI officials, field agents, community leaders, activists and scientists for the first time in person and on a livestream. Amid criticism of the FBI’s role in the now-disbanded China Initiative and its lingering repercussions for individuals of Chinese ethnicity or with ties to China, the FBI is attempting an outreach effort with a clear message: we acknowledge past missteps and seek the community’s assistance in countering the Chinese Communist Party and its government. “We really need to spend time listening to you and your concerns, and we’re not always right, and we can always be better. We need open lines of communication,” said Murphy, who moved to Chinese counter-intelligence in 2010 and later served on the National Security Council. “I’m very cognizant of ensuring that we are opening our investigations on predicated facts or allegations of either things that threaten national security or federal criminal violations,” Murphy said. “It is very unusual that the FBI leadership is willing to attend a Zoom panel discussion that the whole country can watch anonymously,” said APA Justice, adding that the event was “a big step forward.” Gordon Quan, a former city council member in Houston and one of the community leader speakers at the event, said he hoped that Murphy’s “message comes through to the field staff.” “We believe in national security as well. But by the same token, don’t paint all Chinese with the same brush that you know China is a threat. And if you’re Chinese, you’re a possible threat,” Quan said. Neal Lane of the Baker Institute said in an email that there was “no quick fix” to the damage done by the China Initiative, which he said had hurt the careers of scientists and hurt families. “It will take an iterative process and dialogues like this recent one to make progress. Such events should be held all across the country,” said Lane, who participated in the June 6 event. Kelly Choi, a supervisory special agent at the FBI’s Houston field office, urged Asian Americans to collaborate with law enforcement agencies, whether reporting crimes to the FBI or local and state authorities. She recalled how after the US closed the Houston consulate within 72 hours in July 2020, some Asian Americans were not comfortable talking to the agents conducting routine interviews. Douglas Williams, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Houston field office, said the FBI wanted Asian Americans to trust the FBI “when something does happen in this community … that you feel comfortable calling us and that we can investigate it”. Read the South China Morning Post report: https://bit.ly/4cxC7Zx. Watch a video of the June 6 forum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csqLJo869ZY (1:55:23) left to right: Jill Murphy, Steven Pei, Neal Lane AsAmNews: FBI, Asian American Civic Groups Hold Forum on Building Trust Post-China Initiative On June 13, 2024, AsAmNews reported on a rare two-hour forum with the FBI in hopes of rebuilding trust from alleged discriminatory policies against Asian Americans. “We hope this forum will serve as a first step toward building a regular channel of communications between both of these groups,” said Sergio Lira, Vice President of Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition and a co-host of the forum. “And we hope the panel will provide clarity on the changing landscape of national research security policy, and its implementation.” Kelly Choi, Supervisory Special Agent for FBI Houston’s Field office, said bridging the gap between the Asian American community and the FBI is a major priority of the agency. “I know that some of the actions that have happened in the past have had a negative impact on this community. And that certainly was not the intent,” said Jill Murphy, the FBI’s Deputy Assistant Director for Counterintelligence. “The intent… was purely to stop the transfer of technology that’s incentivized by the government of China, and not to dampen the scientific work and the collaboration that makes the world a better place.” Advocates from the Asian American community and civic groups said they appreciated the agency’s openness to dialogue and feedback. Many stressed that Asian American scholars are still discriminated against even after the formal end of the China Initiative. “The China Initiative devastated the lives of numerous Asian American scholars engaging in everyday academic research and led to a measurable chilling effect on the community,” said Gisella Kusakawa, Executive Director of Asian American Scholar Forum. “We need protection and training to address racial bias, both implicit and explicit, as well as more scientific experts and thought leaders being included in the discussion with FBI, CBP and law enforcement,” she said. “And the last thing is, we need to keep in mind that we cannot have Asian American scholars be collateral damage while we take the time to try to get this right." David Donatti, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU, observes interrogations and deportations reflect how rights are at their “lowest point” on the border. He adds that the lack of clarity on policy from Customs and Border Protection (CBP), who controls the border, and how the FBI works with that agency can still create discriminatory situations today. “[Transparency is] not only sitting down at a table and having a dialogue, although it’s very important,” Donatti says. “It’s also having meaningful policies in place that are rigorous and clear, and easy to understand. And these policies should be subject to scrutiny.” FBI agents agreed that opening dialogue was essential for them to better protect the Asian American community. And ultimately, maintaining open lines of communication is critical to helping that process, said Murphy. “This partnership, this relationship is really important to the FBI. We need to strive to continue to learn and listen more,” she said. “To protect this community, we really need to spend time listening to you and your concerns. And we’re not always right. And we can always be better. We need open lines of communication.” Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/4b3jFGE Another NYPD Officer Fired Without Evidence of Guilt On May 21, 2024, Documented reported a veteran Chinese American police officer of 20 years was fired by the New York Police Department (NYPD) following an FBI spying investigation on February 16. According to the report, investigations by the FBI and the NYPD found that between the end of 2019 to the fall of 2021, Steven Li had helped a Chinese national named Sun Hoi Ying to connect with a person targeted by the Chinese government. Sun was alleged to have been paid by the Chinese government to come to the U.S. to conduct “Operation Fox Hunt,” a program pursued by China’s Ministry of Public Security to repatriate alleged Chinese fugitives, often by bypassing authorities in foreign countries where these people had settled. After he was introduced to Sun by an acquaintance, Li brokered meetings for Sun in New York with a person unnamed in the documents, who was accused of having embezzled money from a Chinese state-owned company before moving to the U.S. in 2001. NYPD’s internal investigation found Li was not guilty of the “foreign agent” related charges. There was no evidence to show that Li was aware that Sun was working for the Chinese government when the meetings took place, nor did it find that he took money from China or threatened the victim. Li was terminated less than a month after Angwang, an ethnic Tibetan NYPD police officer from China who was charged by the federal government under the China Initiative for working for China’s interests. Despite prosecutors dropping all charges against him, the NYPD continued its internal investigation against Angwang. He was fired for failing to show up at an internal interview, which his lawyers had told him was “unlawful” because the NYPD refused to share evidence with them in advance. At least 36 people have been charged for foreign-agent related violations benefiting China since 2020, topping any other country, while the number was five between 2009 to 2020, based on the DOJ’s announcements, an incomplete archive of federal court cases. This means for Chinese American cops, who often participate in community events, the risk of inadvertently stepping into a plot involving China and being accused of acting as a foreign agent is higher than ever. Michael Moy, a former NYPD detective, recommends Chinese American cops to not talk to anyone they don’t know at community banquets, and to not offer advice to any party of a dispute until the case is formally reported to the police. Read the full Documented article: https://bit.ly/44VTG2A. Juan Zhang, editor at US-China Perception Monitor, contributed to this report. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/06/20 U.S.-China Relations: Untangling Campaign Rhetoric & Understanding Policy – Teachers Workshop 2024/06/21 Trends in Research Funding and Award Recognitions for Asian Scholars in the United States 2024/06/20-22 Social Equity Leadership Conference 2024/06/27-30 UCA: 2024 Chinese American Convention Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. National Academies Roundtable Capstone Workshop WHAT: National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable - Capstone Workshop WHEN: • Day 1: July 16, 2024, 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET • Day 2: July 17, 2024, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. ET WHERE: Hybrid in-person and virtual event • In-person: National Academy of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution Ave NW, Washington D.C. 20418 • Virtual: coming soon HOST: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine DESCRIPTION: The National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable Capstone Event will provide an opportunity to present information the Roundtable has gathered since its inception in 2020 through 13 gatherings in Washington, DC and across the U.S. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3z0PnY7 REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3VirGle 3. C100/TAAF Anti-Asian Hate Tracker for New York City Launched On May 14, 2024, Committee of 100 (C100) and The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) jointly launched a database to report and track incidents of hate and bias against the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) New York City (NYC) community. The AAPI Hate Tracker is a collaborative project created by C100 and TAAF and supported by several NYC AAPI nonprofit partners, as part of the NYC Anti-Hate Collaborative. The database is funded by TAAF and C100, along with federal funding from a grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice. 4. Vincent Chin Legacy Guide On June 19, 1982, Vincent Chin was attacked in Highland Park, Michigan, by two white men who worked in the auto industry and were angry over what they perceived as the loss of American jobs to Japanese imports. He died four days later on June 23, 1982, at the age of 27. The killing was an egregious anti-Asian hate crime of the modern era. It galvanized Asian Americans across the entire country to fight for civil rights in a battle that continues today. Activist and author Helen Zia founded the Vincent Chin Institute two years ago and produced the Vincent Chin Legacy Guide as a reference and teaching tool in English and other languages. The Vincent Chin Legacy Guide is located here: https://bit.ly/3z88akk Back View PDF June 17, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter