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1. Bridging Nations: People-to-people Exchange in U.S.-China Relations 2025-2026 Global Tensions Local Dimensions Thursday, October 16, 2025 From the ping-pong diplomacy that preceded formal diplomatic ties in the 1970’s to the robust educational exchanges that flourished in the reform era in the 1990’s, people-to-people connections have provided continuity during periods of political tension in the U.S.-China relationship. Yet in today's environment of strategic competition, people-to-people engagements, such as academic partnerships, student exchanges, business networks, and diaspora community ties, are increasingly restricted in the name of national security. Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, whose families and networks often span both countries, increasingly find themselves in the crosshairs. This webinar will focus on the past, present, and future of people-to-people ties between the United States and China, as well as the implications for AAPI communities and U.S. policy. At a time of strained U.S.-China ties, and a concurrent rise in incidents of profiling and violence directed toward the AAPI community in the United States, this discussion will explore how U.S. foreign policy intersects with domestic policy and rights. About the Co-Hosts C100 is a nonpartisan leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, science, and the arts. Founded in 1990 by I.M. Pei 貝聿銘 and other distinguished leaders, C100 works to advance the full participation of Chinese Americans in U.S. society and to foster constructive dialogue between the United States and Greater China. As Cindy noted, global interactions have direct consequences for AAPI communities at home. USCET , founded in 1998 by Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch 張之香 , is a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit dedicated to promoting mutual understanding between the United States and China through education and exchange. USCET strengthens American Studies in China, supports professional development for educators, and creates dialogue among students, scholars, and policymakers. Rosie noted that USCET’s first-ever public statement was issued to express concern over proposed restrictions on international student visas. APA Justice , advocate of over 10 years for fairness, equity, and justice for Asian Americans and beyond, is also a co-host of this series. Event Recap: Commitee of 100 U.S.-China Education Trust 20251016 JointWebinar1.jpg 20251016 Webinar1.jpg Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #334 6/2 Monthly Meeting; Influence of Hate & Extremism; CAPAC Concerns in U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students; Wu Chien-Shiung #334 6/2 Monthly Meeting; Influence of Hate & Extremism; CAPAC Concerns in U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students; Wu Chien-Shiung In This Issue #334 · 2025/06/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Influence of Hate and Extremism Grow; Attacked Asian Professor Speaks Out · CAPAC Expressed Concerns in the U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students · Chinese Students at Harvard Cancel Flights, Scramble for Legal Help After Trump Ban · U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Plans for Expanded Social Media Screening · Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Harvard Foreign Student Ban Amid Escalating Clash · Wu Chien-Shiung: The Chinese-American Physicist Who Changed Science But Was Denied the Nobel · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/06/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, June 2, 2025 , starting at 1:55 pm ET . In addition to updates by Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), invited speakers are: · Judy Chu , Member, U.S. House of Representative · Aki Maehara , Professor, Historian, East Los Angeles College · Ya Liu , Member, North Carolina House of Representatives · Juanita Brent , Member, Ohio House of Representative · Christina Ku and Gerald Ohn, Co-Founders, Asian American Civil Rights League · Brian Sun , Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright · Edgar Chen , Special Policy Advisor, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) 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 . Influence of Hate and Extremism Grow Despite Numbers Decline; Attacked Asian Professor Speaks Out The Associated Press recently reported that the number of hate and extremist groups in the United States slightly declined in 2024, but not because their influence is waning—in fact, the opposite may be true. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), whose annual Year in Hate and Extremism report was released Thursday, many white nationalist, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti-government ideologies have become increasingly mainstream, infiltrating politics, education, and public discourse. The SPLC counted 1,371 hate and extremist groups in 2024, down 5% from the previous year. Of these, 533 were active hate groups, a continued decline from the 1,021 peak in 2018. But researchers cautioned against reading this as progress. “The trends have slightly sort of gone up and down but let’s just say generally, since our tracking, have increased,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “And that’s not just on a total numbers level but also on a per capita.” One reason for the drop, the SPLC says, is that extremist views are being adopted more widely, reducing the need for formal group structures. These include calls for bans on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, opposition to LGBTQ+ visibility, and the rise in book bans. Anti-government groups rose to 838, with many believing the federal government is “tyrannical.” The SPLC also noted a rise in male supremacist hate groups, growing from nine to 16 in 2024. These groups promote strict gender roles and misogyny. Their emergence coincides with Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the first woman of color to win a major party’s presidential nomination. “We saw intense vilification, the claiming of demonization of Harris,” Rivas said, adding that far-right online spaces falsely portrayed women as unqualified to lead. The report’s release coincided with the public appearance of Aki Maehara , a 71-year-old Japanese American professor at East Los Angeles College who survived a violent hate crime in April. Maehara held a press conference on May 22 at the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles to speak publicly about this violent incident he experienced, which is being investigated as a possible hate crime. On April 29, while riding his electric bicycle home in Montebello, Maehara was struck from behind by a car. The driver reportedly shouted anti-Asian slurs, including “Go back to Ch—k-land,” before fleeing the scene. Maehara sustained multiple injuries, including a concussion, fractured cheekbone, neck injury, and extensive bruising. “I am wanting to add my voice to efforts to address fascist, racist violence,” Maehara said during this press conference. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to assist with Maehara's medical expenses and recovery, raising over $82,000 as of May 27. A change.org page was also set up with the title “Demand Justice for Professor Aki Maehara: Fully Investigate This Hate Crime.” Despite being injured, Maehara has returned to teaching his course on racism in the U.S. and is considering donating part of the nearly money raised for his recovery to other victims of hate violence. “All of your support, concern and care has helped to speed up my healing,” he told supporters. Watch the full YouTube interview with Professor Maehara: Decolonizing Academia: An interview with Professor Aki Maehara, Historian, Activist In this interview, Maehara shared his experiences growing up in East LA, intergenerational trauma, Vietnam and more. CAPAC Expressed Concerns in the U.S. Revoking Visas for Chinese Students In response to Secretary Rubio saying that the U.S. will “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese students, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) issued a statement pressing concerns: “The wholesale revocation of student visas based on national origin — and without an investigation — is xenophobic and wrong. “Turning these students away —many of whom simply wish to learn in a free and democratic society — is not just shortsighted but a betrayal of our values.” According to New York Times , Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the students who will have their visas canceled include people with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and those studying in “critical fields.” He added that the State Department was revising visa criteria to “enhance scrutiny” of all future applications from China, including Hong Kong. The move was certain to send ripples of anxiety across university campuses in the United States. China is the country of origin for the second-largest group of international students in the United States. Chinese Students at Harvard Cancel Trips, Scramble for Legal Help After Trump Ban According to Reuters , Chinese students at Harvard University were left reeling on Friday after the Trump administration blocked the school from enrolling international students, triggering panic, canceled flights, and widespread legal uncertainty. The administration’s order—citing allegations that Harvard had coordinated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), among other claims—would force current foreign students to transfer to other institutions or risk losing their legal status. The policy could potentially be expanded to include other universities as well. Zhang , a 24-year-old PhD student in physics, said the Chinese student community felt particularly vulnerable. “I think the Chinese community definitely feels like a more targeted entity compared to other groups,” he said. Fearing escalation, friends even advised him to avoid staying at his apartment in case of immigration enforcement action. “They think it’s possible that an ICE agent can take you from your apartment,” he said, requesting anonymity for safety reasons. The uncertainty caused immediate disruptions. Zhang Kaiqi , a 21-year-old master’s student in public health, had packed his bags for a flight back to China when the order hit. “I was sad and irritated. For a moment I thought it was fake news,” he said. He canceled the flight—losing both money and a summer internship with a U.S. NGO in China. Many students were especially concerned about losing visa-linked internships vital for future graduate school applications. Others scrambled for legal advice. Two Chinese students said they were added to WhatsApp groups where panicked peers shared updates and legal tips. One transcript showed a lawyer advising students not to travel domestically or leave the country until official school guidance was issued. A federal judge issued a two-week restraining order, temporarily freezing the ban. The Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned the action, warning it would damage the U.S.’s international credibility and pledging to protect the rights of Chinese students abroad. “It will only damage the image and international credibility of the United States,” the ministry said. Some Chinese families are now reconsidering the U.S. as an education destination. “It’s likely to be a final nudge toward other destinations,” said Pippa Ebel, an education consultant based in Guangzhou. Incoming Harvard master’s student Zhao , 23, said she may defer or transfer if the situation doesn’t improve. “It’s really disturbed my life plans. I had planned to apply for my U.S. visa in early June, and now I’m not sure what to do,” she said. U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Plans for Expanded Social Media Screening According to Politico , Associated Press , NPR , and others, the U.S. State Department has temporarily halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students, signaling a further tightening of the Trump administration’s approach toward international students. The pause, which does not affect applicants with already scheduled interviews, comes as the government prepares to implement more stringent screening of applicants' social media activity. According to a diplomatic cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by The Associated Press, consular sections have been instructed not to add "any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity" until new guidance on expanded vetting is issued. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce defended the move during a Tuesday briefing, saying, “We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that’s coming here, whether they are students or otherwise.” The suspension, first reported by Politico , adds to a growing list of measures targeting foreign students. Just last week, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, a decision that was swiftly challenged in court and is now temporarily blocked. Earlier this year, the administration also revoked the legal status of thousands of international students, prompting legal battles and widespread concern. Critics argue these measures risk disrupting academic plans and damaging U.S. higher education institutions that rely heavily on international students for both diversity and revenue. Many foreign students pay full tuition, helping universities offset declining federal funding. An anonymous U.S. official told the Associated Press that the current halt is temporary, but uncertainty looms. “This kind of broad suspension without clarity creates a chilling effect on applicants and institutions alike,” the official noted. With the summer and fall terms approaching, the prolonged visa delays could significantly impact enrollment and campus life across the country. Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Harvard Foreign Student Ban Amid Escalating Clash According to Associated Press , CNN , Reuters , New York Times , and others, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from barring Harvard University from enrolling international students—a move the university called unconstitutional retaliation for resisting federal demands. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs temporarily halted the policy, which threatened to strip Harvard of its ability to host international students, who make up roughly a quarter of its student body. In its lawsuit, Harvard argued that the administration’s actions violated the First Amendment and would have an “immediate and devastating effect,” warning that the measure could force thousands of students to transfer or lose legal immigration status while damaging the university’s global standing. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the school said in its filing. A New York Times report sheds light on the escalating conflict between Harvard and the Trump administration. According to the report, the conflict escalated after the Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, demanded extensive data on international students, including coursework, disciplinary records, and even video footage of student protests. While Harvard provided data it was legally required to share, it pushed back on the broader demands, calling them vague, politically motivated, and beyond the scope of federal law. The administration accused Harvard of fostering an unsafe campus environment and alleged links to the Chinese Communist Party—claims the university firmly denied. Former Harvard President Lawrence Summers condemned the government’s actions on X (formerly Twitter), calling them “madness” that risks alienating future global leaders. This confrontation reflects a broader campaign by the Trump administration to reshape the U.S. higher education, with elite universities accused of promoting "woke" ideologies, tolerating antisemitism, and resisting conservative values. Multiple federal agencies—including the Departments of Justice, Education, Health and Human Services, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission—have launched investigations into Harvard, focusing on admissions practices, compliance with the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling, and foreign funding disclosures. Harvard’s legal team contends that universities have a constitutionally protected right to manage their academic communities free from government interference, citing case law that protects not just students and faculty, but institutions themselves. Wu Chien-Shiung: The Chinese-American Physicist Who Changed Science But Was Denied the Nobel In May, during AAPI Heritage Month, the South China Morning Post published a feature story on Wu Chien-Shiung , the legendary Chinese American physicist whose groundbreaking work helped shape modern science—despite a lifetime of discrimination and under-recognition. Born in 1912 in a small village near Shanghai, Wu rose to become one of the most influential experimental physicists of the 20th century. Known as the "Queen of Physics," she played a critical role in the Manhattan Project, helping solve complex problems in uranium enrichment. Her expertise was so well regarded that when Enrico Fermi encountered a technical obstacle, the advice he received was simply: “Ask Miss Wu.” Yet, despite her pivotal contributions, Wu was excluded from the 1957 Nobel Prize awarded to Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen-Ning Yang for their theory of parity violation—an idea her meticulous experiments had confirmed. Many scientists and historians have since argued that Wu deserved a share of that honor, if not a Nobel Prize of her own. As an Asian woman in a white male-dominated field, Wu endured systemic discrimination throughout her career. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover even referred to her as “he” in vetting documents, reflecting both racial and gender bias. She was routinely paid less than her male counterparts and had to fight for basic professional respect. Still, she persisted. Later in her life, Wu became a fierce advocate for women in science. “The traditional role of wife and mother and dedicated scientist are compatible,” she once declared, challenging both cultural and institutional barriers. She urged young girls to pursue science and questioned the belief that physics was only for men. Beyond her scientific achievements, Wu also played a quiet diplomatic role. She advised against Taiwan’s nuclear weapons ambitions and helped foster China’s scientific development during a time of strained U.S.-China relations. Though she was omitted from the recent film Oppenheimer and denied the Nobel recognition she deserved, Wu Chien-Shiung’s legacy has only grown. She has been honored with a U.S. postage stamp and a towering statue in her hometown. Wu passed away in 1997, but today she is remembered as one of the greatest experimental physicists of her era—a pioneer whose brilliance and resilience continue to inspire new generations. News and Activities for the Communities APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/05/29 U.S. v. Wen Ho Lee - 25 Years Later2025/06/01 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/06/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/06/03 The Second Annual State of the Science Address2025/06/15 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/06/15-18 2025 Applied Statistics Symposium2025/06/16-24 Discover China 2025: Summer Youth Exchange to the Greater Bay Area2025/06/29-30 2025 ICSA China ConferenceVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF May 29, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #383 3/24 Webinar on Mass Surveillance; Timeline Visualization; Sign On; Museum Update; + #383 3/24 Webinar on Mass Surveillance; Timeline Visualization; Sign On; Museum Update; + In This Issue #383 · 03/24 Webinar: Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know · Timeline Visualization of U.S. Mass Surveillance · Action Alert: Sign On to Coalition Letter on FISA Section 702 Reauthorization · Politico : Federal Judges Across the Country Blame ICE and DOJ Leadership · Update from National APA Museum Commission · News and Activities for the Communities 03/24 Webinar: Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know WHAT : Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know WHEN : March 24, 2026, 7:00 pm ET WHERE : Webinar CO - HOSTS: APA Justice, Asian American Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum, Committee of 100 Moderator : Michael German , Retired Fellow, Brennan Center for Justice Speakers: · Kaohly Her , Mayor, St. Paul, Minnesota · Saira Hussain , Senior Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation · Xiaoxing Xi , Laura H. Carnell Professor of Physics, Temple University · John Yang , President and Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC DESCRIPTION : Masked, heavily armed federal agents are roaming through American neighborhoods aggressively targeting anyone they feel does not belong, often using race and ethnicity as a factor to determine who is selected for arrest, detention, and deportation. News reports indicate that Immigration agents are using advanced technological tools and electronic surveillance authorities to create and exploit vast intelligence databases to further the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy. Adding urgency to these concerns, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — one of the government's most powerful surveillance tools — is set to expire on April 20, 2026, and the outcome of its reauthorization will have profound implications for the civil liberties of all Americans. This lawless approach to immigration enforcement has a direct effect on AAPI communities. US law enforcement and intelligence agencies have long treated Asian Americans unfairly as a suspect community. Our earliest immigration laws, like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, singled them out for disparate treatment based on their race and national origin, and the Trump administration has repeatedly threatened to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, last used to intern Japanese Americans during World War II. The webinar will provide an update of the current situation, and explain how this immigration crackdown is fueled by technological innovations and electronic surveillance powers originally developed to protect Americans from foreign terrorists, now turned inward to target Americans. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3N5BbEy ***** On March 10, 2026, U.S. Representative Grace Meng 孟昭文 , Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, led a virtual press conference with the Minnesota State Asian Pacific Caucus and Minnesota-based community organizations to highlight the devastating impacts of the Trump administration’s immigration policies on Asian communities. CAPAC Chair Meng was joined by Minnesota State Representative Ethan Cha , Chair of the Minnesota Asian Pacific Caucus; Minnesota State Representative Liz Lee , Secretary of the National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators; Xay Yang , Executive Director of Transforming Generations; Quyen Đình , Executive Director of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC); Chhaya Chhoum , Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Freedom Network (SEAFN); and ThaoMee Xiong , Executive Director of the Coalition of Asian American Leaders. Watch a video of the virtual press conference here: https://bit.ly/4lu1VeM Timeline Visualization of U.S. Mass Surveillance As Congress prepares to decide the fate of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act before its April 20, 2026 expiration, APA Justice has published a comprehensive interactive timeline tracing the history of warrantless surveillance in the United States — and the AAPI community's place within it. We thank Madeleine Gable , Communications Associate, for its development. The timeline, available at https://bit.ly/MassSurveillanceTimeline , tells a sobering story that stretches across more than five decades. The Foundation: From Katz to FISA The modern legal framework for surveillance began with the Supreme Court's landmark 1967 Katz v. United States decision, which redefined what constitutes a "search" under the Fourth Amendment. A decade later, the Watergate scandal — and the revelation that President Richard Nixon had abused intelligence powers for political purposes — led directly to the enactment of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in 1978, which was intended to place judicial oversight over national security surveillance for the first time. After 9/11: The Surveillance State Expands The September 11 attacks fundamentally transformed the scope of government surveillance. Months afterward, President George W. Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to conduct warrantless surveillance of international phone calls and emails involving people inside the United States — a dramatic departure from FISA's framework. Congress later codified this expansion through the Protect America Act of 2007 and then the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which established Section 702 as a permanent legal authority. Though nominally targeting non-U.S. persons abroad, Section 702 has become, in practice, a significant source of warrantless access to Americans' communications — a fact dramatically confirmed by Edward Snowden 's disclosures in 2013. In 2024, Congress again re-authorized Section 702, and expanded the government's power to use the data collected through 702 for vetting immigrants and non-US citizens traveling to the US. The AAPI Community in the Crosshairs The timeline makes clear that the AAPI community has never been a bystander in this history — it has been a target. The 1999 case of Dr. Wen Ho Lee 李文和 , a Los Alamos scientist falsely accused of spying for China, foreshadowed a pattern of racial profiling under national security authorities that would intensify in the years ahead. In 2015, APA Justice was founded specifically in response to a wave of prosecutions of innocent Chinese Americans accused of espionage — cases that were subsequently dismissed without explanation or apology. In 2017, Temple University Professor Xiaoxing Xi 郗小星 filed a civil rights lawsuit challenging the government's use of FISA and the FBI's targeting of Asian American scientists — a case that sits at the heart of the surveillance reform debate today. That same year, APA Justice launched its FISA Watch website, and a coalition of Asian American organizations urged Congress to reform Section 702 before its expiration. A Pattern of Reauthorization Without Reform Despite persistent advocacy, Congress has repeatedly reauthorized Section 702 without meaningful reform. In April 2024, the House passed a two-year extension while narrowly rejecting — by a 212-212 tie — a warrant requirement that civil liberties advocates consider essential. The resulting Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA) extended Section 702 only until April 20, 2026. FBI Director Kash Patel abruptly shut down the Office of Internal Auditing in May 2025 — a watchdog agency created specifically to oversee Section 702 compliance. The 2026 Reauthorization: A Critical Moment — Now with an AI Dimension With the April 20, 2026 deadline now weeks away, the stakes could not be higher — and a troubling new dimension has emerged. Section 702's reach has expanded well beyond its original purpose, and the same surveillance infrastructure is now being deployed in service of the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda — turning tools built to monitor foreign terrorists inward against American communities. What is new and alarming in this reauthorization cycle is the intersection of Section 702 with artificial intelligence (AI). See below for a coalition letter being organized at this time. Watch the timeline visualization at https://bit.ly/MassSurveillanceTimeline in 2D or 3D. Action Alert: Sign On to Coalition Letter on FISA Section 702 Reauthorization Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Stop AAPI Hate, and the Asian American Scholars Forum are urging community partners and allies to sign on to an important coalition letter calling for meaningful reform of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) as it expires on April 20, 2026. Section 702 was enacted in 2008 to authorize intelligence agencies to collect communications from non-U.S. persons located outside the United States without a warrant. Over the past 15 years, however, it has undergone significant mission creep and has become a substantial source of warrantless access to the communications of American citizens — raising serious concerns about government surveillance overreach. Asian Americans and Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities are likely overrepresented in data collected under Section 702, increasing the risk that these communities will be subjected to "backdoor searches" that further infringe on their privacy. This is not an abstract concern — it reflects a persistent legacy of racial profiling and discrimination against these communities in the name of national security, from the Chinese Exclusion Act to the post-9/11 surveillance dragnet. Congress should not reauthorize Section 702 without first requiring the government to obtain a warrant before searching for Americans in Section 702 data, along with other critical reforms. The coalition letter addresses the alarming intersection of Section 702 and artificial intelligence. It responds directly to recent reporting by the New York Times that the Department of Defense is requiring AI companies it contracts with to allow their technology to enable mass domestic surveillance through the use and analysis of commercial bulk data on Americans — including geolocation and web browsing data. The letter urges lawmakers not to reauthorize FISA Section 702 without closing the data broker loophole and enacting other substantive reforms. The FISA 702 reform coalition urge all community organizations and allies to review and sign on to this letter as soon as possible: https://bit.ly/3P3l0rV . The reauthorization of Section 702 without adequate reform would leave AAPI communities — and all Americans — vulnerable to the same unchecked surveillance powers that are already being used to fuel the Trump administration's mass deportation crackdown. The time to act is now. Deadline to sign on to the letter is Close of Business, Friday, March 13, 2026. Please reach out to Joanna YangQing Derman at jderman@advancingjustice-aajc.org or Dennis Jing at djing@advancingjustice-aajc.org if you have any questions about the letter to Congress or sign on form. Politico : Federal Judges Across the Country Blame ICE and DOJ Leadership According to Politico on March 10, 2026, a striking pattern has emerged in federal courtrooms across the country: judges who are furious over missed deadlines, defied court orders, and stonewalling in immigration cases are going out of their way to distinguish between the Justice Department's front-line attorneys and the political leadership directing them — and they are placing the blame squarely on the latter. The Trump administration's mass deportation push has triggered a deluge of emergency lawsuits from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees, overwhelming court dockets and exposing a chaotic and often lawless enforcement operation. DOJ line attorneys have been thrust into courtrooms without adequate information, sometimes unable to reach their ICE counterparts, and asked to defend detention practices that judges have overwhelmingly ruled illegal. Some have resigned or been fired, further straining already understaffed offices. The frustration on the bench has been pointed and public. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz , a George W. Bush appointee in Minnesota, wrote in a recent opinion that his colleagues had been "extraordinarily patient with the government attorneys, recognizing that they have been put in an impossible position" — placing blame instead on an administration that sent thousands of ICE agents to Minnesota "without making any provision for handling the hundreds of lawsuits that were sure to follow." In New Jersey, U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz was equally direct after the Justice Department acknowledged dozens of court order violations: "The main problem is on ICE's side of the line. In response to the Court's order as to going-forward compliance measures, nothing came back from ICE. Nothing about how it might improve its internal processes. Or its training. Or its supervision. … No commitment to do anything at all. And no statement of 'regret.'" The pattern is consistent across jurisdictions. In West Virginia, a Clinton appointee praised DOJ line attorneys as "responsive and professional" while noting that "the problem lies in the attorneys' clients, federal government actors, who have offered no evidence that they have seen or even care about the legal rulings of this district." In Pennsylvania, a judge ruling on an unrelated matter similarly took care to exempt front-line DOJ staff from his criticism of administration leadership. For the AAPI community, this matters. The same ICE enforcement machine that is flouting court orders nationwide is the one that has been racially profiling Asian Americans, conducting warrantless surveillance, and threatening to invoke the Alien Enemies Act. The judiciary is pushing back — but as these cases make clear, the courts can only do so much when the administration treats judicial oversight as an obstacle rather than a constraint. Read the Politico report: https://politi.co/4b5dUfb Update from National APA Museum Commission During the March 2 APA Justice monthly meeting, Co-Chair Chiling Tong 董继玲 and Executive Director Krystal Ka'ai gave a joint presentation about the bipartisan, congressionally appointed Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture. The commission, created through legislation authored by CAPAC Chairwoman Grace Meng 孟昭文 , is charged with delivering a comprehensive plan of action to the U.S. Congress and the President that will lay the groundwork for Congressional authorization of a national museum dedicated to honoring the achievements, progress, and lasting impact of Asian Pacific Americans. The Commission is currently accepting public comments through June 30, 2026 that can be submitted online at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfftgwX_3tTV-RLfvL2pkD8-Msc5n98xoNe5R6EHWclpcXX6w/viewform . Learn more about the Commission and sign up for one of their upcoming listening sessions at https://nationalapamuseum.org/ News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/03/17 Equity Pulse: Is Your Citizenship at Stake? 2026/03/24 Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know 2026/03/25 The Perpetual Foreigner Stereotype: New Data on Asian American Experiences 2026/04/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2026/04/08 Perspectives on Careers in Arts and Entertainment 2026/04/14 Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Anla ChengVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. AAUC Town Hall: In Challenging Times, Our Voices Matter WHAT : In Challenging Times, Our Voices Matter WHEN : March 19, 2026, 1:00 pm ET WHERE : Online Town Hall HOST: Asian American Unity Coalition DESCRIPTION : Many Asian Americans are feeling the weight of today’s global conflicts, especially with the war in Iran. The news is painful and the uncertainty is real, leaving us searching for clarity and a sense of grounding. At moments like this, it becomes even more important to remember who we are as a community and the role we have played and continue to play in shaping America’s values, resilience, and moral leadership. REGISTRATION: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/pEMGKU_qQMCxjFNlwkatDw#/registration # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF March 12, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #41 Meeting Summary; Franklin Tao; Gang Chen; Science Honors And Policy; More #41 Meeting Summary; Franklin Tao; Gang Chen; Science Honors And Policy; More Back View PDF February 8, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #158 Congressional Reception; 01/09 Meeting; Arrowood; Haoyang Yu; Thomas Keon; More News #158 Congressional Reception; 01/09 Meeting; Arrowood; Haoyang Yu; Thomas Keon; More News In This Issue #158 Justice for Sherry Chen 陈霞芬 Congressional Reception 2023/01/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Update on the Arrowood Nomination The Intercept Report on The Case of Haoyang Yu 于浩洋 Purdue University Northwest Chancellor Thomas Keon Asian American and Scientific Community News Justice for Sherry Chen 陈霞芬 Congressional Reception On December 13, 2022, "Justice for Sherry Chen Congressional Reception" was held on Capitol Hill in honor of her historic settlement and in appreciation for the many elected officials, community organizations and leaders, and grass-roots individuals who supported her 10-year fight for justice. Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Judy Chu and Whip Ted Lieu led the opening remarks. They also led the first Capitol Hill press conference on Sherry's case going back to May 2015. During the 10-year span, Sherry courageously stood her ground and won three judicial battles - having her unjust criminal case dropped by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2015, winning the appeal to reverse the discriminatory termination of her employment against the Department of Commerce (DOC) in 2018, and settling the lawsuit against DOJ and DOC with a historic amount of over $1.5 million in 2022. In addition to CAPAC, Sherry was helped by the leadership of Maryland State Senator Susan Lee who mobilized the Asian American and scientific communities nationwide in successfully calling for a congressional hearing on racial profiling and the plight of Asian American scientists. Sherry gave a compelling testimony in the 2021 Congressional Roundtable titled “Researching while Chinese American: Ethnic Profiling, Chinese American Scientists and a New American Brain Drain” chaired by Rep. Jamie Raskin of the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and joined by CAPAC. The YouTube video of the Roundtable has received more than 14,000 views. Sherry was also helped by an investigation led by Senator Roger Wicker which revealed abuse and misconduct at multiple levels of the DOC stemming from the rogue Investigations and Threat Management Service, including the profiling of DOC Asian American employees for as many as 15 years. Dozens of participants came from as far as California and across the U.S. to join the event. More descriptions and photos about the reception are being added to the APA Justice webpage on Sherry Chen at: http://bit.ly/APAJ_Sherry_Chen The LinkedIn post of MIT Technology Review report on Sherry Chen and her historic settlement has received over 48,000 views so far: http://bit.ly/3GZCOxQ Watch the Chinese-language report by Voice of America on the 2015 Capitol Hill press conference (美议员怀疑陈霞芬间谍案有族裔因素) here: https://youtu.be/CBsEx-A_yUw (video 2:43) 01/09/2023 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, January 9, 2023. Invited speakers to help us bring in the new year are: Judy Chu, Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American (Invited) Sherry Chen, Hydrologist, U.S. Department of Commerce (Confirmed) Haipei Shue, President, United Chinese Americans (Invited) Vincent Wang, Chair, Ohio Chinese American Association; Co-organizer, APA Justice (Confirmed) Patrick Toomey, Deputy Director, and Ashley Gorski, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU (Invited) John Trasvina, Civil Rights Attorney; Former Principal Legal Advisor, Department of Homeland Security; Former Dean of the University of San Francisco School of Law (Confirmed) John Yang, President and Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC 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, Vincent Wang, and Jeremy Wu - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . Read past monthly meeting summaries here: https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP . Update on the Arrowood Nomination The 117th Congress ended on January 3, 2023, without action by the Senate on the nomination of Mr. Casey Arrowood to become the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee.We are grateful to the Senate Judiciary Committee senators and staff who heard concerns from Asian Americans in Tennessee and throughout the nation about Mr. Arrowood's record carrying out the “China Initiative” and unjustly prosecuting University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) Professor Anming Hu 胡安明. Throughout 2022, we expressed our serious concerns to Congress and the White House about Department of Justice attorneys refiling charges that the trial judge concluded "no rational jury" would convict.The Biden Administration has the option to renominate Mr. Arrowood in the 118th Congress, an action the Asian American community will continue to steadfastly oppose.The White House has three additional options instead of renominating Mr. Arrowood for the position of U.S. Attorney: Nominate the current U.S. Attorney Francis (Trey) Hamilton, III for the position Do not nominate anyone for the position and permit Mr. Hamilton to remain in office Restart the entire process and nominate someone other than Mr. Hamilton or Mr. Arrowood The Arrowood nomination was unacceptable and remains unacceptable because of his involvement in the conduct of the investigation of Professor Hu, bringing the faulty charges, and intending to refile the charges that prompted Judge Varlan to issue an acquittal. According to the following chronological records, Mr. Hamilton is the current U.S. Attorney who was appointed by the U.S. District Court of Eastern Tennessee, not the White House. Mr. Hamilton will serve in this capacity until the vacancy is filled by a Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed nominee. In his role of Acting U.S. Attorney at that time, Mr. Hamilton might have an even larger role than Mr. Arrowood in the decision to approve or direct the prosecutorial actions against Professor Hu. For example, Mr. Hamilton reportedly joined the presentation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to UTK with Mr. Arrowood in September 2019, in which the FBI made false accusations of Professor Hu of being a spy for China and an agent of China's military. 2017/11/21 Mr. James Douglas Overbey sworn in as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee2018/11/01 Department of Justice (DOJ) launched the now-defunct "China Initiative"2020/02/25 Professor Anming Hu indicted with Mr. Casey Arrowood as the lead prosecutor2021/01/20 The Joe Biden administration began2021/02/28 Mr. Overbey resigned2021/03/01 Mr. Trey Hamilton became Acting US Attorney 2021/06/07 Professor Hu became the first academic to go to trial under the "China Initiative"2021/06/16 Mistrial of Professor Hu declared2021/06/17 Reps. Ted Lieu, Mondaire Jones, and Pramila Jayapal requested DOJ/OIG investigation2021/07/30 DOJ announced its intent to retry Professor Hu2021/09/09 Professor Hu acquitted of all charges2021/12/26 Mr. Hamilton appointed US Attorney by the U.S. District Court of Eastern Tennessee2022/02/23 DOJ ended the “China Initiative”2022/08/01 White House nominated Mr. Arrowood to be US Attorney2023/01/03 The Arrowood nomination expired without action by the Senate The Intercept Report on The Case of Haoyang Yu 于浩洋 On December 22, 2022, The Intercept published "CHIPPED AWAY: A Competitor Put the FBI on Haoyang Yu's Trail. The Investigation Didn't Go as Planned." According to the report, Massachusetts engineer Haoyang Yu, who came under investigation after a competitor told the FBI that his semiconductor chip company "smells a bit fishy." A sprawling, four-agency federal investigation ensued. Believing they had a sensitive technology case involving China, where Yu was born, agents mounted a hidden camera outside his home, rifled through his trash, and followed his wife as she brought their kids to and from sports practice. But the investigation didn't go as planned. An attempted sting failed. Nor did the investigation uncover solid evidence of crimes involving China. In June, a jury acquitted Yu of 18 of 19 charges. His lawyers are now asking a federal judge to throw out the last charge, arguing that Yu, a US citizen, was targeted because of his ethnicity at a moment when the Justice Department was charting plans for the fraught "China Initiative."Read more about The Intercept report: https://bit.ly/3vc59dh . Read more about the story of Haoyang Yu: https://bit.ly/APAJ_HaoyangYu Purdue University Northwest Chancellor Thomas Keon According to CNN on December 23, 2022, the Purdue Board of Trustees issued a formal reprimand to Purdue University Northwest (PNW) Chancellor Thomas Keon in response to a racist comment he made during a commencement ceremony on December 10, 2022. The board’s chair, Mike Berghoff, called Keon’s statements “extremely offensive and insensitive.” The decision to reprimand Keon, rather than dismiss him, has spurred criticism from other faculty. In an open letter addressed to the trustees, PNW Faculty Senate Chairman Thomas Roach further called on the university to dismiss the chancellor. “We are not demanding his removal to punish him, we require his removal because he is not qualified to represent us,” wrote Roach. He called Keon’s ongoing role “an insult to the Asian community.” “This decision by the board of trustees is negligent and unacceptable, and your explanation for your inaction insults our intelligence,” he went on. The PNW Faculty Senate cast a vote of no-confidence for the chancellor. Keon received 20 votes of confidence and 135 votes of no-confidence. His “inexcusable behavior caused national and international outrage” and insulted the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, including faculty, staff, and students at Purdue Northwest, the Faculty Senate said in an open letter sent to Keon. On December 16, 2022, the PNW chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) condemned Chancellor Keon's remarks in a press release. According to the statement, Chancellor Keon's response "suggests, at best, a highly troublesome level of ignorance, insensitivity, and lack of judgement on his part. But it is more than any personal racism by one particular university official; it suggests the all-but-complete ignorance of the institutionalized racism faced by Asians and other peoples of color in this country." The statement concludes that " the time has come for Chancellor Keon to resign, or else to be removed by the Purdue University Board of Trustees, so that a leader better attuned to what it takes to engage multiple constituencies with respect–not ridicule–can be found." According to an opinion by Diverse Education , PNW Chancellor Keon's mockery of an "Asian" language is "emblematic of a wider problem in American higher education." Multiple Asian American organizations are outraged and continue to call for Keon's resignation, including the Japanese American Citizens League and an open letter demanding accountability from Purdue University: https://bit.ly/3vtyjVG . Asian American and Scientific Community News and Activities Science Calls for Appointment of NIH Director Now. On December 16, 2022, Science published an editorial titled "Appoint a new NIH director, now." There has been a failure to confirm a new director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since Francis Collins stepped down a year ago. According to the editorial, Lawrence Tabak has been the interim NIH director, but it is time for some new faces after the lengthy Collins administration. Tabak was an NIH deputy director and the deputy ethics counselor under Collins. It’s unclear who or what is holding up the nomination. Is the White House simply incapable of deciding whom to nominate, or more likely, has it been distracted by other matters? Either is possible, but both are indefensible. The editorial concludes that "[t]he Biden campaign leveraged the support of the scientific community to win the presidency. Leaving the most visible science position open for a year is a betrayal of that support. President Biden must personally intervene to correct this now." APA Justice nominated Dr. David D. Ho 何大一 to the White House as a candidate to become the 17th NIH Director in November 2021. Read more about the Science editorial: https://bit.ly/3VgpHMh Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions (SCCEI). On December 1, 2022, SCCEI published a brief on "What Is the Impact of U.S.-China Tensions on U.S. Science?" revealing that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) investigations into hundreds of U.S. scientists in two years (2019-2020) have brought about a 1.9% decline in the publication rate and a 7.1% decline in the citation rate of U.S. scientists with collaborators in China, compared with U.S. scientists who had collaborated with scientists in other countries. The adverse effects of the investigations were observed across many U.S. institutions of higher education, particularly salient for scientists of Asian heritage, fields that receive more funding from the NIH, and fields with a higher concentration of U.S.-China collaborations. In fields more affected by the NIH investigations, the U.S. and China both produced fewer publications during 2019 and 2020 compared to the rest of the world, suggesting that U.S.-China political tensions affect overall scientific progress. Qualitative interviews with 12 scientists suggest that a reluctance to start or continue collaborations with China partners and the resulting loss in research talent and access to labs and equipment may drive longer-term declines in publication quality and quality. The study was based on publication records of 102,000 medical and life scientists in the U.S. between 2010 and 2020. On December 9, 2022, the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) hosted a webinar where SCCEI authors presented their methodology and findings of the study. Read more about the SCCEI study at https://stanford.io/3YWoLje . Watch the CSIS video and dsicussions here: https://bit.ly/3hSZdTJ 2,200 Chinese Exclusion Act Case Files Digitized and Now Online . Initially set to ban immigration of Chinese laborers to the United States for ten years, the Chinese Exclusions Act was extended and expanded to all Chinese persons and became permanent law in 1902. It was repealed in 1943. Under the leadership of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congress condemned the discriminatory laws in 2012. According to Federal News Network on December 27, 2022, more than 2,200 Chinese Exclusion Act case files held by the National Archives at Riverside, California, are now available online in the National Archives Catalog, thanks to a collaboration with the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California. The project began in 2018. Professors and students from California State University, San Bernardino, and the University of California at Riverside joined the team. National Archives at Riverside staff trained the student interns, who digitized 56,507 documents using donated scanners. These records document the movement of Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans in and out of the United States during the exclusion era. Around 10 percent of Riverside’s Chinese Exclusion Act case files have been digitized. 692 citizen archivists have transcribed over 25,000 pages of the records so far. Read more at https://bit.ly/3I2iMn7 Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF January 3, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #343 8/4 Meeting; No China Initiative; Heartland to China; Court Defiance; Denaturalization #343 8/4 Meeting; No China Initiative; Heartland to China; Court Defiance; Denaturalization In This Issue #343 · 2025/08/04 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · 1100+ University Faculty on Harm of Revival of China Initiative · Support the 2nd Heartland Leaders Delegation to China – October 2025 · How the Trump Administration is Defying the Courts · DOJ Prioritizing Denaturalization · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/08/04 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, August 4, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates from: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) We are honored by and welcome the following distinguished speakers: · Al Green, Member, U.S. Congress (invited) · Munira Abdullahi , Member, Ohio House of Representatives · Guangya Liu , Member, North Carolina House of Representatives · Min Fan , Executive Director, US Heartland China Association 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 . 1100+ University Faculty on Harm of Revival of China Initiative In a letter addressed to House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro , Stanford Professors Steven Kivelson and Peter Michelson , on behalf of over 100 Stanford faculty and more than 1,000 faculty and senior research staff nationwide, urge Congress to reject efforts to reinstate the Department of Justice’s China Initiative. The professors argue that the initiative, originally launched to counter intellectual property theft by the Chinese government, instead produced unintended and damaging consequences for the U.S. scientific community and broader national interests. They contend that the China Initiative disproportionately targeted scientists of Chinese descent, fostered a climate of fear and suspicion in academia, and discouraged international collaboration. As a result, it had a chilling effect on global scientific exchange and pushed highly trained researchers—especially in STEM fields—to leave the U.S. or avoid coming altogether. This, the letter argues, played into the hands of the Chinese government more than it thwarted espionage, effectively weakening American leadership in science and innovation. Professors Michelson, Kivelson, and their colleagues emphasize that immigrant scientists are a cornerstone of the U.S. innovation ecosystem. Nearly half of the U.S. STEM PhD workforce is foreign-born, with Chinese nationals making up a significant portion. They note that approximately 90% of Chinese STEM PhDs trained in the U.S. choose to stay, often contributing to cutting-edge research and development in academia and industry. While affirming the importance of protecting national security and intellectual property, the authors advocate for a more balanced, targeted approach to risk management—one that avoids casting suspicion broadly on scientists based on ethnicity or nationality. They cite both the 2022 decision by the DOJ to end the China Initiative and the National Academies' recommendation to reduce its lingering harmful effects as evidence of broad expert consensus. The letter stresses that reviving the China Initiative would not serve U.S. interests and would instead jeopardize the country's ability to attract top global talent. The professors urge Congress to prioritize American competitiveness and innovation by fostering a welcoming and inclusive research environment rather than reviving policies that undermine it. The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) issued a strong statement of support for the letter, emphasizing that the China Initiative was not only discriminatory but counterproductive to U.S. innovation and national security. AASF warned that reviving the program would drive away critical global talent, weaken scientific progress, and harm the very competitiveness it purports to protect. Executive Director Gisela Perez Kusakawa stated, “Reinstating the China Initiative would be a grave mistake, not only from a civil rights perspective, but also for America’s future as a global leader in science and technology.” AASF reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all scholars while supporting efforts to maintain U.S. scientific leadership through openness, fairness, and international collaboration.A parallel effort led by Stop AAPI Hate and over 60 civil rights, academic, and advocacy organizations—including APA Justice—echoed these concerns in a joint letter to the same congressional leaders. They urged Congress to remove language in the FY 2026 appropriations bill that would effectively reinstate the China Initiative through the DOJ’s National Security Division. The coalition emphasized the discriminatory nature of the initiative, highlighting its history of racial profiling, unjust prosecutions, and chilling effects on scientific research. They cited high-profile cases such as those of Drs. Anming Hu and Gang Chen as emblematic of the initiative’s failure and harm, and warned that any reinstatement would reverse hard-won progress in civil rights, undermine trust in government, and diminish America’s leadership in science and technology. Support the 2nd Heartland Leaders Delegation to China – October 2025 U.S. Heartland China Association (USHCA) is organizing the 2nd Heartland Leaders Delegation to China this October to attend the Yangtze-Mississippi Regional Dialogue (YMRD) in Wuhan, Hubei Province. USHCA invites the Chinese American community to nominate local leaders to join this important delegation and support their travel and participation. The Chinese American community has always been a bridge between the U.S. and China - championing dialogue, trust, and enduring relationships. As U.S.-China relations deteriorated over the past decade, Chinese Americans often found us stuck in the middle of two global powers. At this critical junction, people-to-people exchanges are among the most effective ways to restore mutual understanding and trust. In recent years, vital exchange programs have been cut, including the Fulbright program and funding for fact-finding travels to China for U.S. congressional staff and lawmakers. Despite all these challenges, U.S. Heartland China Association launched a new exchange program: the Yangtze-Mississippi Regional Dialogue (YMRD), a groundbreaking initiative that builds people-to-people and region-to-region connections between the Mississippi River Basin community and the Yangtze River Basin of China. 2023: Strong Beginning launched by Six U.S. Mayors . The inaugural Yangtze-Mississippi Exchange took place in Shanghai in 2023, where a delegation of six U.S. mayors met with their Chinese counterparts. This was the first U.S. Mayors Delegation to visit China post pandemic ( Press Release , Video recap ) and a powerful demonstration of what’s possible when regional leaders engage globally directly. 2024: Building Momentum in Memphis . The Yangtze-Mississippi Exchange, renamed as Yangtze-Mississippi Regional Dialogue (YMRD), was held in Memphis , with American mayors hosting more than 30 Chinese delegates from Shanghai, Chongqing, Hubei, and Jiangxi. Local leaders from both countries led key discussions on topics such as climate resilience, climate smart agriculture, and green transportation. The dialogue in Memphis underscored how cities are playing an essential role in advancing practical cooperation with Chinese peers. 2025: Charting the next phase in Wuhan . The 3rd YMRD will be held in Wuhan on October 29-30, 2025. Delegates will have an opportunity to not only visit China (Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuhan) but also to leverage the foundation laid by two prior dialogues to engage with their peers on topics of shared interest in a key region of China. Why Your Support Matters The success of this dialogue depends on the strength of the U.S. delegation and support from the local community as USHCA is dealing with significant funding cuts like many nonprofits in this space. YMRD needs the support of the Chinese American community now more than ever. Here is how you can help: · Nominate local leaders (mayors, county executives, head of local chamber of commerce, business leaders) to join the delegation. · Connect USHCA with local stakeholders interested in exchange and cooperation. · Sponsor or help fund delegate participation and programming. At its core, the Yangtze-Mississippi Regional Dialogue is about local leadership driving global impact. With your help, we can ensure more voices are at the table, and that meaningful relationships continue to grow across the Pacific. Let’s build the future from the ground up—through shared values, mutual respect, and real-world collaboration. Min Fan 范敏, Executive Director of USHCA, has accepted an invitation to speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on Monday, August 4, 2025 . For more information or to offer support, please contact Min Fan at mfan@usheartlandchina.org How the Trump Administration is Defying the Courts Author: Madeleine Gable, APA Justice Communications Associate According to recent analysis from The Washington Post , the Trump administration is accused of defying court rulings in roughly a third of the more than 160 lawsuits it has lost, raising concerns about its disregard for judicial authority in the U.S. Of the 337 lawsuits filed against the administration since the beginning of Trump’s return to office, courts have ruled against the administration in 165 of the lawsuits. In 57 of those cases, the Post found that the administration is accused of defying or frustrating court oversight. The Trump administration has routinely defied court rulings, provided false information, withheld evidence, quietly circumvented court orders, and devised pretexts to pursue actions that have been blocked. Such conduct is unprecedented for any presidential administration and threatens to undermine the judiciary’s rule as a check on the executive branch. As of yet, no judge has taken punitive action to force compliance. Legal analysts are unsurprised as courts are typically slow to begin contempt proceedings for noncompliance. Furthermore, the judicial system cannot enforce their own rulings — that authority remains with the U.S. Marshals Service. Judges are concerned the U.S. Marshals will not comply with court directives, as an entity of the executive branch whose director is appointed by the president. Immigration cases have seen the most resistance, as evidenced in the case of Kilmar Abrego García . The Supreme Court ordered the government to facilitate his return after the administration deported him to a notorious prison in El Salvador despite a court order forbidding his removal to that country. He remained there for almost two months. The administration also clashed with Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg who ordered that deportation flights to El Salvador be turned around. The administration disregarded the order. According to a whistleblower complaint filed by fired Justice Department attorney Erez Reuveni , Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove told staffers that a judge might try to block them, and that it might be necessary to tell a court “f— you’’ and ignore the order. The Trump administration also disregarded the order of U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher , a Trump appointee, to facilitate the return of a Venezuelan man who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador. Other problematic cases regard cuts to federal funding and the workforce. Such clashes involved layoffs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the freezing of all federal grants and loans by the White House Office of Management and Budget, and a ban on transgender people in the military. Judge Boasberg remains the only judge to actively pursue sanctioning the administration for its conduct. The contempt proceedings he instigated were paused without explanation by an appeals court panel three months ago. On January 21, 2025, Just Security started a Litigation Tracker on Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions . The number of cases it is tracking closely resembles Washington Post ’s report although it treats over 100 lawsuits involving the removal of F-1 foreign student visa registration as one. The New York Times also maintains a tracker on Lawsuits against Trump’s Agenda in topical order. The administration’s pattern of disregarding judicial rulings undermines a fundamental principle of democratic governance: that no branch of government is above the law. When court orders are ignored without consequence, it erodes public confidence in the judiciary’s ability to serve as a check on executive power. DOJ Prioritizing Denaturalization Author: Madeleine Gable, APA Justice Communications Associate According to an internal memo published online on June 11, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is aggressively prioritizing denaturalization cases and expanding the criteria necessary for pursuing denaturalization cases. The memo lists 10 categories of priority for such cases. Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate wrote that denaturalization will be among the agency’s top five enforcement priorities for the civil division. This renewed focus reflects a broader historical pattern. As NPR explains, denaturalization was heavily employed during the McCarthy era of the late 1940s and early 1950s to revoke the citizenship of individuals who concealed criminal convictions or affiliations with prohibited groups—such as Nazis or communists—on their naturalization applications. According to a report published by Cassandra Robertson , a law professor at Case Western Reserve University, there were about 22,000 cases of denaturalization filed a year during the McCarthy era. In 1967, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that found denaturalization “inconsistent with the American form of democracy, because it creates two levels of citizenship.” Between 1990 and 2017, the DOJ filed an average of 11 denaturalization cases per year. However, the practice saw expansion under the Obama administration as they began using new digital tools to find potential denaturalization fraud cases going back decades. Denaturalization grew even more prevalent during President Trump's first term. Irina Manta , a Hofstra University professor and co-author of the report with Robertson, found an average of 42 denaturalization cases filed per year during President Trump’s first term and an average of 16 per year filed during President Biden’s term. The first Trump administration sought to significantly expand the government’s use of denaturalization and chose to file denaturalization cases via civil courts rather than criminal. In 2018, the Trump administration created a new office within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services dedicated to reviewing and initiating denaturalization proceedings against thousands of individuals. Denaturalization, the legal process of revoking U.S. citizenship from a naturalized immigrant, carries significant consequences. Once stripped of citizenship, the individual returns to the immigration status they held before becoming a U.S. citizen. Afterwards, they may face deportation if they do not have lawful immigration status and/or serve jail time if denaturalization was due to a criminal conviction. According to the DOJ memo, there are two grounds for denaturalization: 1. Procurement of naturalization by concealing a material fact or by willful misrepresentation 2. Illegal procurement of naturalization In M aslenjak v. United States in 2017, the Supreme Court unanimously held that only an illegal act that played a role in an individual’s procurement of U.S. citizenship could be grounds for criminal denaturalization. This decision narrowed the scope under which an individual could be denaturalized. According to Robertson, the especially concerning aspect of the DOJ memo is that it directs the federal government to pursue denaturalization efforts via civil litigation. In civil proceedings, the individual subject to denaturalization is not entitled to an attorney, and there is a lower burden of proof for the government to reach. Robertson insists that pursuing denaturalization via civil litigation violates due process and infringes on the rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. Sameera Hafiz , policy director of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, is especially concerned with the expanded criteria of which crimes put an individual at risk of denaturalization. According to the memo, expanded criteria include national security violations and acts of fraud against individuals or against the government, such as Paycheck Protection Program loan fraud or Medicaid fraud. Hafiz says this is synonymous with “trying to create a second class of U.S. citizens,” where U.S. citizens born in the country are safe and those who were not are at risk of losing their citizenship. The memo also gives U.S. attorneys broader discretion to determine eligible denaturalization cases. Steve Lubet , professor emeritus at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, said the memo grants the federal government “wide discretion” on deciding whom to target, calling the categories “so vague as to be meaningless.” Lubet also raised concerns about the impact of denaturalization on families, particularly children who received U.S. citizenship through a parent whose naturalization was later revoked. Robertson remains concerned about the prioritization of denaturalization as “there just aren’t very many cases that fit within the framework of priorities.” This will cause the administration to focus on “people who have not committed any serious infraction, or maybe any infraction at all.” Concerns remain that the government’s aggressive denaturalization efforts could lead to the revocation of U.S. citizenship of many individuals who made minor or unintentional mistakes in their application. Many of the questions are vague, broad, and unclear. In addition, courts have not specified what constitutes an offense material to the individual obtaining citizenship and could be the basis for a denaturalization proceeding. The focus on denaturalization is the latest effort by the Trump administration to reshape the immigrant landscape in the U.S. Since his return to office, President Trump has also sought to end birthright citizenship and curtail refugee programs. The Denaturalization Fact Sheet produced by the National Immigration Forum is a concise, informative document that explains what denaturalization is, the legal grounds for it, and how the process works. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/07/24 2025 ILF Scholarship & Awards Gala2025/07/25 From Classroom to Commerce: The Value of Chinese Students to American Business2025/07/25-27 Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony 2025/07/28 (Digital) Travel Safety and Security Training2025/07/29 C100 Conversations – “Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes” with Linda Chao Yang2025/07/29 From Heartland to Mainland: 2025 Future Ag Leaders Delegation2025/07/29 Bridging Generations of U.S.-China Education Exchange: American Scholars to China2025/07/31 (Digital) Travel Safety and Security Training2025/07/31-08/10 Asian American International Film Festival2025/08/02-07 2025 Joint Statistical Meetings2025/08/04 APA Justice Monthly MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Travel Safety & Security Training on July 28 and 31, 2025 Are you currently overseas and traveling back to the United States later this summer? The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is offering a one-hour information session with the Democracy Security Project (DSP) on how you should mitigate both cyber and physical vulnerabilities while traveling. The team at DSP will offer practical and pragmatic solutions on a number of subjects like handling your devices, data privacy, and border security best practices.The same session is offered twice, on July 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET and July 31 at 10:00 a.m. ET. Register and receive the Zoom information at: · Register for the July 28 meeting here . · Register for the July 31 meeting here . For more information on the event, please email: · AFT Union Leadership Institute ( uli_support@aft.org ) · AFT Higher Education Division ( highereddept@aft.org ) # # # 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 24, 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 - #309 TX New Year; Trump Order Blocked; Senate Hearing; Town Hall/Webinars/Training; Science #309 TX New Year; Trump Order Blocked; Senate Hearing; Town Hall/Webinars/Training; Science In This Issue #309 · Texas Officially Recognizes Lunar New Year · NYT : Temporary Order Blocks Trump's Directive · Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on "Malign PRC Influence" · ACLU Town Hall; Webinars for Feds; Training for Non-Profits · Trump Administration Upends U.S. Science · News and Activities for the Communities Texas Officially Recognizes Lunar New Year On January 29, 2025, the Texas House of Representatives officially recognized Lunar New Year, highlighting its significance across various Asian cultures. Representative Gene Wu emphasized the inclusivity of the term "Lunar New Year," noting that the celebration is widely observed. Joining Wu, Representative Angie Chen Button shared traditions associated with the holiday, advising to wear one's best outfit, enjoy good food, and avoid working too hard on that day. Representative Hubert Vo highlighted the symbolism of the Year of the Snake, urging members to "adapt to these new times, renew our commitment to the people of Texas, and seek wisdom with all our endeavors." The resolution's adoption underscores Texas's recognition of its diverse cultural heritage and the importance of inclusivity. Resolution 52 was introduced by Reps. Gene Wu, Angie Chen Button, Hubert Vo, Salman Bhojani , and Suleman Lalani . Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/3Q3wfhj NYT : Temporary Order Blocks Trump's Directive According to the New York Times , on Januay 31, 2025, Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ordered the Trump administration to keep taxpayer dollars flowing to 22 Democratic-leaning states for all congressionally approved government programs, including those that could run afoul of President Trump ’s ideological tests. The 13-page decision is a temporary but significant victory for the Democratic attorneys general from those states and the District of Columbia, who sued the administration in U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. The order applies only to the states that filed the lawsuit. In that sense, it may create a divide between Democratic states that will continue to have funds flowing and Republican states that will still face uncertainty.The order requires the administration not to “pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate” taxpayer money already allocated by Congress. Judge McConnell did not specify an expiration date, which adds an obstacle to Mr. Trump’s plans to aggressively reshape the government around his own agenda. Another federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued an earlier administrative stay on Tuesday blocking the initial order from the White House Office of Management and Budget to freeze as much as $3 trillion in federal money while the review for ideological compliance continued. That stay was set to expire on February 3, 2025.The Trump administration has sent conflicting signals about the freeze, rescinding the memo that ordered it but signaling that the review of the ideological tilt of previously funded federal programs would continue.“This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze,” the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt , said on January 29, in a social-media post that was introduced as evidence in the lawsuit. She added that the president’s executive orders “on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.”Judge McConnell’s order countermanded that claim, calling out Leavitt’s statement and requiring the Trump administration not to reintroduce the freeze “under any other name or title.”Read the New York Times report: https://nyti.ms/3Cl0AEY Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on "Malign PRC Influence" On January 30, 2025, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing titled "The Malign Influence of The People's Republic of China at Home and Abroad: Recommendation for Policy Makers." The Committee is chaired by Senator Jim Risch (R-ID). The Ranking Member is Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).Four witnesses testified at the hearing: · Peter Mattis , President, The Jamestown Foundation, Washington, D.C. ( testimony ) · Jeffrey Stoff ; Founder, Center for Research Security and Integrity, Herndon, VA ( testimony ) · Melanie Hart , Senior Director, Global China Hub, Atlantic Council, Washington, D.C. ( testimony ) · Jennifer Lind , Associate Professor of Government, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH ( testimony ) According to a video posted at https://bit.ly/3PZYY6M , the hearing covered a wide-ranging issues on the malign influence of China. Senator Risch was particularly focused on purported malign Chinese influence on American higher education campuses. He said at one point, "the Chinese students are not studying ancient Greek history, they're here with the STEMs and the national security issues and everything else. And each and everyone of them, whether they like it or not, is an agent of the Chinese Communist Party. When they go back, we all know they get debriefed and any information they've garnered here in the United States becomes the property of the Chinese Communist Party."This offensive statement perpetuates the harmful stereotype of Asians—specifically Chinese students—as perpetual foreigners by unfairly assuming disloyalty based solely on national origin, reinforcing xenophobic narratives that have historically led to discrimination, exclusion, and government overreach. It echoes past rhetoric about "non-traditional collectors," the "thousand grains of sand" theory, and "fifth columns"—all of which have repeatedly been debunked. While national security concerns are legitimate, addressing them requires evidence-based policies, not sweeping generalizations that stigmatize an entire group. The U.S. thrives on openness, academic exchange, and attracting global talent—values that must not be undermined by fear-driven rhetoric. As part of her comment at the hearing, Melanie Hart stated,"we need a scalpel for this and not a sledgehammer. It is in US national interest to keep the pipeline for student exchange open. We are in a pitched battle for global tech supremacy."As part of her written testimony, Jennifer Lind said, " let me conclude by noting that as we formulate our responses to Chinese malign influence operations, U.S. leaders should be thinking not only about this negotiation with Beijing, but also about whether our responses uphold our own values. Among our people number millions of Chinese American citizens. We find ourselves in a complex situation in that our adversary is already – at this early stage and in peacetime – harassing and coercing good Americans to work against their country on its behalf. "As U.S. leaders evaluate policy responses to Chinese operations, it’s helpful to think about similar situations in the history of U.S. national security policy, and to ask ourselves what we got right and wrong. U.S. leaders should have this conversation (as indeed the Committee is doing today) with members of America’s free and vibrant civil society: which sets us apart from authoritarian rivals and indeed is one of our country’s strengths. "In World War II, the U.S. government imprisoned Japanese American citizens in camps in violation of the U.S. Constitution. In the Cold War, the Red Scare of McCarthyism violated the rights and ruined the lives of many people. The aftermath of September 11, 2001 in some ways offers a more optimistic example. President George W. Bush made it crystal clear to Americans that we were not fighting a war against Islam, but against a terrorist group that had twisted Islam’s teachings. This kind of strong leadership was essential then and is essential today. "It is important for Americans to recognize that in the security competition with China lurk not only geopolitical dangers, but dangers to our people and values. As that competition becomes more intense, and as we get frustrated that an authoritarian society is exploiting our free one, while we protect ourselves against Chinese influence operations in the ways recommended here, we must also honor our own values. " ACLU Town Hall; Webinars for Feds; Training for Non-Profits WHAT: ACLU Town Hall: Fightinh Trump's First Attacks WHEN: February 4, 2025, 4:30 pm ET/1:30 pm PT WHERE: Virtual event HOST: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) DESCRIPTION: The town hall will focus on the ACLU's response to the Trump administration's very first actions in office, including attempts to end birthright citizenship, shut down the southern border to asylum seekers, ban health care for transgender youth, and dismantle the core principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The speakers will provide key insights into the ACLU's response to the Trump administration, from litigation to advocacy and grassroots organizing, as well as the crucial role states and cities have to play in protecting our freedoms. Importantly, more than just a briefing, the town hall will be a space for community and solidarity as we work to defend our democracy and advance the fight for justice and equality. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/4hwsZa4 ***** WHAT: Federal Employee Explainer Series HOST: Partnership for Public Service WHERE: Webinar series WHEN: 1. February 4, 2025, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET. What if my employment status changes?Description : Understanding reductions in force (RIF), probationary periods and administrative leave 2. February 6, 2025, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET. What are my rights as an employee?Description : Understanding employee rights and appeals: adverse actions, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and termination of employment 3. February 10, 2025, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET. What are my whistleblower rights?Description: Learn about whistleblower and anti-retaliation laws 4. February 12, 2025, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET. How might my benefits be affected?Description: Examining the impact of the recent executive orders on federal employee benefits ABOUT THE SERIES: · All sessions will be hosted via Zoom webinar. · All sessions will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube channel . · You will not be required to share your email or name when you join the session. · Hosts and panelists will be on camera. Participants will not have the ability to show themselves on camera. · Chat will be disabled, but you will be able to send questions anonymously through the platform. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/4gnnA3S ***** WHAT: Protecting Our Organizations: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Compliance Virtual Training WHEN: February 18, 2025, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET WHERE: Virtual event HOST: Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AADELF), New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI), and Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP DESCRIPTION: The training will discuss important steps that 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations can take regarding tax-exempt compliance and other practices to better protect themselves from audits or investigations that interfere with their ability to defend vulnerable communities. The training is intended for leadership (e.g., Executive Directors and Board members) and finance staff. Please email cjiang@aaldef.org with any questions. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/42FaITu Trump Administration Upends U.S. Science According to Science on January 30, 2025, President Donald Trump ’s new administration quickly issued a flurry of executive orders and other decisions, some with big implications for research and global health, sowing worry and confusion among many scientists. Grants Roller Coaster. The White House proposed but quickly rescinded an order to freeze large portions of federal spending, including research grants, based on alignment with Trump’s executive orders. The directive faced public backlash and was temporarily blocked by a judge. Despite its withdrawal, agencies must still comply with orders banning support for programs tied to “Marxist equity,” transgender issues, and Green New Deal policies. Critics warn this could politicize science and severely impact NIH-funded research. Banning Gender. A new executive order bans the use of “gender” in government publications, defines gender as strictly male or female, and prohibits funding for grants promoting “gender ideology.” Researchers fear NIH grants studying nonbinary health could be canceled. At least 400 such grants, totaling $235 million, are at risk, with nearly half focused on HIV/AIDS and many on transgender youth. DEI Demolition. An executive order ended government programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), halting university initiatives aimed at recruiting underrepresented minorities for the scientific workforce. U.S. research agencies canceled existing grants and future solicitations, impacting not only racial diversity but also support for disabled or economically disadvantaged researchers. The order labels DEI efforts as “illegal and immoral discrimination programs.” Some scientists plan to continue their work without using DEI language to avoid the crackdown, despite government calls for whistleblowers to report such actions. NIH Whiplash. The Trump administration imposed a halt on external communications, travel, purchases, and new experiments by NIH employees for a review, a move more extensive than similar past actions. Researchers were concerned this could disrupt in-house research, clinical trials, and the agency’s management of external grants. A few days later, acting Director Matthew Memoli outlined exceptions to the "pause," allowing for review and prioritization by the new team. AI Do-Over. Trump's executive order nullified Biden's October 2023 plan to promote safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence, arguing it would hinder innovation and impose excessive government control. Trump has directed aides to develop a new plan within 180 days to boost economic competitiveness, national security, and maintain U.S. leadership in AI. HIV Help at Risk. Trump's administration paused all foreign assistance for an 85-day review, potentially disrupting the timely distribution of lifesaving anti-HIV drugs to 21 million people in 55 countries through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. This program relies on contractors from the U.S. and other nations to manage funds.Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/3Q23EsG ***** According to Wired on January 31, 2025, the damage to federal medical research is already done. The Trump administration’s freeze on federal funding for research has disrupted vital medical studies, including clinical trials and grants for diseases like cancer and diabetes. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), which disperses $48 billion annually, has halted grant applications and reviews, leading to fears of a mass brain drain as researchers seek stable employment. While the freeze might end soon, the damage, including potential long-term impacts on public health and innovation, is already evident. This pause could undermine the U.S.'s global leadership in medical research.Read the Wired report: https://bit.ly/42DbdgV News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/02/04 ACLU Town Hall: Fighting Trump's First Attacks2025/02/04 Federal Employees: What if my employment status changes?2025/02/06 Federal Employees: What are my rights as an employee?2025/02/10 Federal Employees: What are my whistleblower rights?2025/02/12 Federal Employees: How might my benefits be affected?2025/02/13 China Initiative: Impacts and Implications2025/02/13-15 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting2025/02/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2025/02/18 Protecting Our Organizations: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Compliance Virtual Training2025/02/23 World Premier of "Quixotic Professor Qiu" with Xiaoxing Xi2025/03/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/03/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Chinese American Family Lost in DC Plane Crash According to the New York Times on February 1, 2025, Kaiyan Mao , Yu Zhou , and their 16-year-old son Edward , a promising 16-year-old figure skater, a rising figure skating talent, were among those killed in the mid-air collision over the Potomac River. The Northern Virginia family had been deeply involved in Edward’s academic and skating pursuits, leaving an immense void in their community. Edward had been returning from a U.S. Figure Skating camp when the crash claimed 64 passengers and three crew members, including his close friend Cory Haynos and his parents. As investigators search for answers, Fairfax mourns, with tributes filling Edward’s school and home. His coach, Kalle Strid , remembered the family's unwavering support, saying, “They were not over the top, but they were always there.” 3. China Initiative: Impacts and Implications WHAT: “CHINA INITIATIVE:” Law, Science & U.S.-China Relations under the Trump Administration WHEN: February 13, 2025, 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm ET WHERE: Lunch Talk, WCC; 2012 Classroom, Harvard Law School HOST: China Law Association, Harvard Law School DESCRIPTION: The "China Initiative," launched under the Trump administration, led to investigations targeting Chinese American scientists, including the high-profile case of MIT Professor Gang Chen. As discussions about its potential revival emerge, this talk will explore the initiative's far-reaching legal and social consequences, its impact on the scientific community, and what its return could mean for U.S.-China relations. Join us to engage with leading experts on this timely and crucial issue. Lunch will be served. Sponsored by China Law Association. For more information, please contact Ying Zhou at yzhou@jd25.law.harvard.edu . REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/42FaITu # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF February 4, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #104 Lieber Verdict; Zaosong Zheng; Shaorong Liu; Upcoming Trials; 01/03 Meeting; Much More #104 Lieber Verdict; Zaosong Zheng; Shaorong Liu; Upcoming Trials; 01/03 Meeting; Much More Back View PDF December 27, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #73 Qing Wang Case Dropped; Feds Transparency; CAPAC in Action; 07/12 Meeting Summary #73 Qing Wang Case Dropped; Feds Transparency; CAPAC in Action; 07/12 Meeting Summary Back View PDF July 19, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #102 Census Bureau Leadership/Sherry Chen/Link to DOC Racial Profiling; Media Reports #102 Census Bureau Leadership/Sherry Chen/Link to DOC Racial Profiling; Media Reports Back View PDF December 16, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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