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Newsletter - #397 Maryland Reps at 6/1 Meeting; 6/3 Webinar; ICE Sprayed Andy Kim; CBS Radio Shut Down + #397 Maryland Reps at 6/1 Meeting; 6/3 Webinar; ICE Sprayed Andy Kim; CBS Radio Shut Down + In This Issue #397 · Maryland House Speaker and Delegates to Speak at APA Justice Monthly Meeting on June 1 · June 3 Joint Webinar: Geopolitics, Identity, and the Fight for Civil Rights · Senator Andy Kim Sprayed by ICE · “Good Night, and Good Luck”: CBS Radio Shuts Down · News and Activities for the Communities Maryland House Speaker and Delegates to Speak at APA Justice Monthly Meeting on June 1 A racist video titled "ChiCom of the Year Award," featuring Maryland Delegates Mark Fisher and Brian Chisholm , was published in early May 2026. It drew widespread bipartisan condemnation from elected officials and community leaders. Watch the WBAL-TV report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd7ZXlGo7wA (2:45). Speaker Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk and Delegate Chao Wu will speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on June 1, 2026. Maryland Delegate Lily Qi , Chair of the Maryland Legislative Asian American & Pacific Islander Caucus, will also give brief remarks. In addition to the regular speakers: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) We are also honored to welcome these distinguished invited speakers: · Cindy Tsai , Executive Vice President & General Counsel; Committee of 100 · Justin Sadowsky , Legal Director, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance 华美维权同盟 (CALDA) · Haipei Shue 薛海培 , President, United Chinese Americans Cindy Tsai will provide an update on Committee of 100’s comprehensive database and interactive map tracking alien land bills at both the state and federal levels. Justin Sadowsky will discuss ongoing litigation challenging alien land laws in Texas, Florida, and other states where CALDA is involved. Haipei Shue will report on United Chinese Americans’ grassroots organizing efforts opposing alien land legislation nationwide. Hope Atuel , CEO and Executive Director for Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA), will lead off the Q&A and discussion session. The monthly meetings are by invitation only and closed to the press. If you wish to join, either one time or for future meetings, please contact one of the co-organizers of APA Justice - Vincent Wang 王文奎 and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . June 3 Webinar: Geopolitics, Identity, and the Fight for Civil Rights WHAT : Geopolitics, Identity, and the Fight for Civil Rights WHEN : June 3, 2026, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET WHERE : Webinar HOSTS : Committee of 100, US-China Education Trust, APA Justice Moderator : Joanna Derman , Director, Asian American Advancing Justice | AAJC Speakers: · Edgar Chen , Senior Policy Advisor, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association · Frank Wu , President, Queens College DESCRIPTION: The third webinar in this series, co-hosted by the Committee of 100, US-China Education Trust, and APA Justice, examines the downstream effects of U.S. foreign policy through both a historical and contemporary lens. Drawing parallels across time, the conversation will explore how periods of international strain have influenced domestic policies and legal interpretations—from immigration restrictions to citizenship rights—and how these dynamics continue to evolve today. The session will explore how narratives of rivalry and suspicion can translate into real-world consequences for communities with heritage ties to countries at the center of geopolitical tension. We will discuss the tradeoffs policymakers face and provide a nuanced understanding of how national priorities intersect with civil liberties. REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/3PxYwQt or scan QR code Senator Andy Kim Sprayed by ICE According to 6ABC Philadelphia , CNN , The Guardian , and The Hill , on Monday, May 25, 2026, Senator Andy Kim visited the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, following a hunger and labor strike initiated by detainees. Detainees and their families were protesting conditions within the facility, citing poor food, lack of due process, and limited medical care. After going inside to inspect the conditions and speak with detainees, Senator Kim emerged to find a highly volatile standoff between demonstrators and armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. When ICE officials prepared an armored vehicle and a convoy to move through the crowd of civilians, Kim stepped between the two groups to negotiate a peaceful resolution. During the clash, federal agents fired pepper balls and chemical spray into the crowd. Senator Kim was caught in the spray, resulting in a burning throat and eyes, and required first aid on the scene. Following the incident, Kim publicly condemned the escalation and the conditions at the facility, stating he would continue to push for accountability. Rep. Grace Meng , Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, issued a statement regarding conditions at the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility and the pepper spraying of U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) by ICE agents: “Members of Congress have a constitutional right and a duty to conduct oversight of federal detention facilities, particularly when lives are at stake. Over the past several days, members of the New Jersey congressional delegation visited the Delaney Hall detention facility and heard disturbing accounts from detained individuals and their families, including reports of inedible food, denial of medical care, and barriers to due process. “During one of these visits, ICE deployed an armored vehicle and a line of armed agents who tackled civilians and fired pepper balls and pepper spray into the crowd—including at CAPAC Executive Member Senator Andy Kim. It is a disgrace and an abuse of power that should alarm every American. If this is how ICE responds to elected officials, it raises grave concerns about how detainees are being treated behind closed doors. “These inspections are more important than ever amid mounting reports of abuse and civil rights violations in federal detention centers. CAPAC members will not be intimidated, and will continue exercising our oversight authority to demand accountability from this lawless agency.” Read the CAPAC statement: https://bit.ly/4dOxYSS “Good Night, and Good Luck”: CBS Radio Shuts Down CBS News Radio permanently signed off on May 22, 2026, ending a legendary 99-year broadcast run. Parent company Paramount Skydance shuttered the network amid deep budget cuts, leaving its remaining 26 staffers unemployed and roughly 700 affiliate stations scrambling for alternative news feeds. Founded in the late 1920s by William S. Paley , CBS Radio revolutionized modern journalism. Its airwaves brought Americans some of history’s most critical moments, from Edward R. Murrow ’s gripping World War II field reports to the immediate coverage of the JFK assassination and 9/11. The network closed its final broadcast with Murrow’s iconic sign-off: "Good night, and good luck." In a report on May 24, 2026, The Spokesman-Review traces the rise and closure of CBS News Radio — the historic network shaped by legendary broadcaster Edward R. Murrow, a graduate of Washington State University (WSU). The report emphasizes Murrow’s enduring legacy in broadcast journalism. Murrow became famous for his courageous World War II reporting from London during the Nazi Blitz and later for exposing the horrors of the Buchenwald concentration camp. But the article especially highlights his role in confronting McCarthyism during the 1950s Red Scare. Murrow used his CBS broadcasts to challenge the fear-driven tactics and accusations of Senator Joseph McCarthy , whose anti-Communist crusade damaged careers, intimidated institutions, and threatened democratic freedoms. Through careful reporting and direct examination of McCarthy’s own words and methods, Murrow helped expose the abuses of McCarthyism and contributed to turning public opinion against the Red Scare. WSU journalism dean Bruce Pinkleton described Murrow’s work as an example of how journalism protects democracy by holding power accountable. Former CBS correspondent Lawrence Pintak similarly argued that Murrow established the ethical standard for broadcast journalism. The article also connects Murrow’s anti-McCarthy legacy to present-day concerns about media consolidation, political pressure on news organizations, shrinking local journalism, and threats to press independence. Several interviewees warned that the loss of independent journalism and concentration of media ownership could weaken democratic accountability in ways reminiscent of past periods of political intimidation and conformity. Ultimately, the article portrays the closure of CBS News Radio not simply as the end of a broadcasting institution, but as a symbolic moment in the broader struggle over journalism’s role in defending democratic values, public accountability, and freedom from political fear campaigns such as McCarthyism. Read The Spokesman-Review Report: https://bit.ly/4fedINa News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/06/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2026/06/02 Third Annual “State of The Science” Address 2026/06/03 Webinar: Geopolitics, Identity, and the Fight for Civil Rights 2026/06/10 Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Calvin Tsao 2026/06/27-28 From Crisis to Coalition: Lessons from the Front Lines in Minneapolis/St. Paul 2026/06/28-07/01 UCA: 2026 Chinese American ConventionVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Appeals Court Ruling on Yanping Chen v. Federal Bureau of Investigation, et al. On May 22, 2026, the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia denied the petition by former Fox reporter Catherine Herridge asking the court to reconsider its previous decision, meaning the original decision stands. Previously, the court dismissed Herridge's motion to unseal certain records as 'moot' (no longer relevant). Now, the court has vacated (undone) that dismissal and sent the motion back to the district court for consideration under a specific local rule. The Freedom of the Press Foundation wanted to join the case to argue for unsealing records. The court dismissed this motion as no longer necessary, but said the Foundation can file a new motion in the district court if it wants. Read the Appeals Court ruling: https://bit.ly/4dKUrln . Read the Yanping Chen case story: https://www.apajusticetaskforce.org/impacted-persons/yanping-chen # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the APA Justice website at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF May 29, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #407 9/1 Monthly Meeting; NSF Rules Need Clarity; Getting Tech for US-China; AASF Symposium #407 9/1 Monthly Meeting; NSF Rules Need Clarity; Getting Tech for US-China; AASF Symposium In This Issue #407 · 2026/09/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Rice University Experts Warn NSF's Research Security Rules Need Clarity · Getting Tech Right: U.S. China Policy for a New Era · AASF 2026 Frontier & Pioneer Symposium · News and Activities for the Communities 2026/09/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, starting at 1:55 pm ET. Please note that this is a change from the first Monday of each month due to Labor Day being a federal holiday. 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 KusGisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) We are honored to welcome the following distinguished speakers: · Rebecca Keiser , Acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy, National Science Foundation (NSF) · Sudip Parikh , Chief Executive Officer, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and Executive Publisher, Science Journals · Catherine “Cate” Johnson , Deputy Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy, Association of American Universities (AAU) The virtual monthly meeting is by invitation only. It is closed to the press. If you wish to join, either one time or for future meetings, please contact one of the co-organizers of APA Justice - Vincent Wang 王文奎 and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . DOJ Ruling Adds a New Front to NSF's Policy Upheaval According to Science on August 20, 2026, The Department of Justice's August 12 ruling — finding three long-running NSF diversity programs unconstitutional and ordering an end to $104 million in congressionally appropriated funding — adds another significant policy shift to an agency already reshaping its research security rules. Advocates, including mathematician Freeman Hrabowski and Representative Grace Meng , warn the ruling will undercut U.S. competitiveness in STEM talent development. Taken together with NSF's new research security rules restricting international collaboration, this ruling signals an agency navigating simultaneous pressure on two fronts — who it funds and with whom recipients may work — with implications likely to be felt across the research community, including AAPI scientists and institutions. Rice University Experts Warn NSF's Research Security Rules Need Clarity At APA Justice's August 2026 monthly meeting, Dr. Kenny Evans (Fellow in Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Rice University) and Dr. Tam Dao (Associate Vice President of Public Safety and Research Security, Rice University) offered a detailed, on-the-ground assessment of NSF's new research security policy — one that both praised the underlying concept of research security while sharply criticizing how NSF is implementing it. The Core Argument: Right Idea, Wrong Approach Kenny opened by framing research security as reasonable in principle — protecting research from misappropriation and foreign interference is a legitimate goal. His central critique is that NSF's new policy gets the approach wrong. Rather than being researcher-centered — helping scientists collaborate safely while staying in the U.S. — Kenny argued the policy mirrors the Department of War's blanket securitization model, treating fundamental science broadly as a security risk rather than addressing specific, evidenced threats. Kenny identified three core problems with NSF's approach: · No clarity on how it interacts with existing frameworks . NSPM-33 and the CHIPS and Science Act exempt universities with under $50 million in research funding from certain compliance requirements — an exemption notably absent from NSF's new guidance, potentially expanding the number of covered institutions from roughly 180 to as many as 1,800. · The blanket approach itself . Treating all science as inherently a security risk is, in Kenny's view, fundamentally the wrong framework. · No demonstrated evidence of effectiveness . Kenny said there is no clear evidence these policies are working, improving safety, or responding to a sufficient volume of actual research security incidents to justify restrictions this broad. A Policy Landscape Shaped by Leadership Vacuum Kenny connected NSF's approach to the leadership instability — NSF has lacked a Senate-confirmed director since early in the administration, which he said has left a vacuum allowing greater White House control over internal NSF operations, including award reviews and alignment with OMB's uniform guidance. He also drew a direct line to the OMB rule covered in our recent issues, noting that OMB's proposal extends the logic of the Wolf Amendment (which restricts bilateral U.S.-China activities via OSTP and NASA, notably keeping China off the International Space Station) to nearly all federally funded science and a much broader set of countries. (Note: About 88-95% of the 497,000 total comments submitted to the OMB rule change were reportedly opposed, underscoring the scale of concern across the research community.) Rice's Operational Reality: Ambiguity Everywhere Dr. Tam Dao followed with a practical account of how Rice University is actually interpreting NSF's Dear Colleague Letter — and flagged that much of its language remains operationally undefined, leaving universities to guess at compliance: · Scope of "collaboration" is unclear : Does the restricted-entity ban apply only to the specific NSF-funded grant, or extend to a researcher's other, non-NSF funding and activities? · Full severance vs. grant-specific restriction : NSF says it will follow the Department of War's approach, which reportedly requires researchers to fully cut ties with restricted entities before receiving funding — raising the question of whether NSF intends the same complete severance, rather than a narrower restriction tied only to the funded project. · No clarity on retrospective review : DOW reportedly reviews researchers' past collaborations going back 4–5 years and allows explanations or mitigation of flagged relationships. NSF's letter does not address whether it will do the same, and Tam's own reading is that such explanations likely would not be considered sufficient under NSF's approach. · Inconsistent restricted-entity lists across agencies : NSF reportedly maintains around 12 separate restricted-entity lists that do not fully align with those used by DOE, NIH, ARPA-H, or other agencies — creating significant confusion for researchers who hold multiple federal grants. · Undefined "research support" : It remains unclear whether something as informal as hosting a visiting student or having a lab conversation with someone from a restricted entity would count as prohibited support, even if that person isn't formally part of the NSF-funded project. Tam also raised a broader concern about lost flexibility: many valuable collaborations are low-risk but high-benefit — for instance, accessing specialized technical expertise unavailable domestically — and the new rules eliminate researchers' ability to make individualized, evidence-based risk/benefit judgments, even in cases where a collaboration would clearly benefit the U.S. more than the foreign partner. Tam said Rice's near-term priority is awareness and education. The university is proactively informing faculty — particularly those with long-standing, deeply personal international collaborations built over decades — that changes take effect in October, and has begun the complex work of helping them audit existing collaborations, materials purchases, and international relationships against the various restricted-entity lists. Why This Matters for the APA Community Kenny and Tam's presentation offers a valuable, concrete complement to the policy-level coverage APA Justice has provided on NSF's China collaboration ban and the OMB grantmaking rule — showing how the ambiguity in these policies translates into real compliance burdens and uncertainty for researchers and institutions, including the many scientists of Chinese and Asian descent whose international collaborations are most directly affected. Rice's experience may be broadly instructive for how other universities are — or should be — approaching this transition ahead of the effective date. A summary of the August 2026 APA Justice monthly meeting summary is being prepared at this time. Getting Tech Right: U.S. China Policy for a New Era WHAT : Getting Tech Right: U.S. China Policy for a New Era WHEN : September 11, 2026, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm ET WHERE : In-Person Event: 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001 HOST : Johns Hopkins SAIS Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF) DESCRIPTION: This is an in-person event convening experts and leaders in the private and public sectors to examine the full landscape of U.S.-China technological relations — with a focus on AI, EVs, and biotech, among other technologies. The forum will consider where technology ties with China pose genuine security risks and where such connections might advance American prosperity, peace, and stability. One goal of the conference is to understand how China’s technology ecosystem actually works, including the role of government and private business. Based on this more granular and accurate foundation, participants will assess where and how the two countries can connect securely amid low trust. Can the American and Chinese tech stacks be secure and interoperable without unacceptable vulnerabilities? Finally, how are both societies navigating the shared sense of precarity that rapid technological change is producing? What common guardrails and approaches to AI safety and governance are needed? REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/4xfZPUO AASF 2026 Frontier & Pioneer Symposium The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), in partnership with Stanford University's Asian American Research Center, convened its 2026 Frontier & Pioneer Symposium from August 7–9 at Stanford — a three-day gathering that drew over 2,000 registrants and nearly 90 speakers, moderators, and session leaders, marking AASF's fifth anniversary and third annual symposium. It honored scientific pioneers amid a turbulent year for science and research. Three-Day Program The program opened August 7 with the Frontier Symposium, continued August 8 with the Pioneer Symposium & Ceremony, and closed August 9 with a Policy Forum held in partnership with the Hoover Institution's program on the U.S., China, and the World. Featured speakers included Nobel laureates Steven Chu 朱棣文 , Syukuro Manabe , Randy W. Schekman , Samuel C. C. Ting 丁肇中 , and Carl Wieman ; Fields Medalist Terence Tao 陶哲轩 ; AI pioneers Jeff Dean and Fei-Fei Li 李飞飞 ; National Academy of Engineering President Tsu-Jae King Liu 劉金智潔 ; former NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan ; and former OMB Deputy Director Nani A. Coloretti , among many others from academia, industry, and government. Honoring Pioneers, Past and Present AASF presented the 2026 Asian American Pioneer Medal to five honorees: Dr. Louise T. Chow 周芷 , for discovering RNA splicing; Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany (posthumous), for pioneering fiber optics; Dr. Syukuro Manabe , for transforming climate science; Professor Terence Tao 陶哲轩 , for advances spanning prime-number theory to compressed sensing; and Professor Samuel C. C. Ting 丁肇中 , for discovering the J/ψ particle and revealing the charm quark. The Asian American Justice Medal went to two trailblazers, both honored posthumously: Senator Hiram Fong 鄺友良 , first Chinese American and first Asian American United States Senator, and Larry Itliong , honored for his labor rights activism. Science at the Frontier Sessions spanned artificial intelligence, quantum computing, energy, and the life sciences. Louise T. Chow 周芷 revisited her discovery of RNA splicing and its lasting impact on gene expression research. Steven Chu 朱棣文 discussed progress and unresolved challenges in battery storage, solar power, and climate. Yi Cui 崔屹 , the symposium's Program Co-Chair, highlighted advances in silicon-anode batteries and grid-scale storage. Jeff Dean , in his first public appearance since leaving Google after 27 years, discussed AI's growing role in accelerating scientific discovery. Fei-Fei Li 李飞飞 explored AI's evolution toward spatial and physical intelligence, while urging the audience to preserve human agency as a design principle. Terence Tao 陶哲轩 examined how AI is reshaping mathematical research, and Samuel C. C. Ting 丁肇中 reflected on five decades of experimental physics, from the J/ψ discovery to his ongoing search for dark matter aboard the International Space Station. Research and Mentorship Roundtables held over lunch on August 7 and 8 gave students and early-career researchers direct access to leading scientists and AASF Fellows in smaller, cross-generational settings. A Policy Forum Confronting the Moment The symposium's third day turned directly to the political headwinds facing American science, from the OMB grantmaking rule to NSF's leadership upheaval and the broader research "brain drain." The Policy Forum was jointly organized by the Hoover Institution and AASF. The co-chairs of the forum were Glenn Tiffert , Distinguished Research Fellow & Co-Chair of the Program on the US, China, and the World at the Hoover Institution, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF). Dr. Karen Korematsu , daughter of the Late Civil Rights Icon Fred T. Korematsu , and Founder and President of the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, delivered the opening keynote. The Policy Forum examined federal research funding, civil rights and science, U.S.-China competition, and public service leadership, featuring Sethuraman Panchanathan ; Nani A. Coloretti ; Reps. Ted Lieu and Sam Liccardo; former Rep. Mike Honda ; Arun Majumdar , Inaugural Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University; Steven Chu 朱棣文 ; Margaret (Maggie) Lewis , Professor, Seton Hall Law School; Gang Chen 陈刚 , Carl Richard Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering, MIT; Keith Yamamoto , Vice Chancellor for Science Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Francisco; Jason Liang , Trial Lawyer and Founding Partner, Liang Ly LLP; and Graham Webster , Editor-in-Chief of the DigiChina Project, Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation. Coming at a moment when we have reported extensively on threats to the research enterprise — from the OMB rule's restrictions on international collaboration to reports of prominent scientists departing U.S. institutions for opportunities abroad — this symposium offered a striking counter-narrative: a celebration of Asian American scientific achievement at the highest levels, convened by the same community organizations, including AASF fellow Peter Michelson 's network, that have been most vocal in defending the research ecosystem this year. The gathering's scale and caliber of honorees underscore what the Asian Pacific American community stands to lose if current funding and immigration pressures continue to drive talent away. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/08/26 C100: An Advice and Networking Event (Technology) 2026/09/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2026/09/03 C100: Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Hao Jiang Tian 2026/09/11 Getting Tech Right: U.S. China Policy for a New EraVisit 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 APA Justice website at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF August 24, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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Reflecting on Prof. Gang Chen’s Case & Looking Ahead to the Future of the China Initiative 2022 Gang Chen Acquittal Sunday, January 30, 2022 On January 30, 2022, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), Advancing Justice| AAJC, APA Justice, and the Brennan Center for Justice co-hosted a webinar titled "Reflecting on Professor Gang Chen's Case and Looking Ahead to the Future of the China Initiative." The goal of this webinar is to examine the attempted prosecution of Prof. Chen in order to challenge the injustices resulting from the Justice Department’s “China Initiative.” We hope to educate lawyers, journalists, policy makers, academic leaders, and community members about the harmful impacts of the “China Initiative,” so that they can better contribute to the effort to bring the initiative to an end. Webinar 20220130G.jpg Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #265 Meeting Summaries; OSTP Guidelines; Scientists Speak Up; CAPAC and AASF Updates; + #265 Meeting Summaries; OSTP Guidelines; Scientists Speak Up; CAPAC and AASF Updates; + In This Issue #265 · June and July 2024 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summaries Posted · Updates on OSTP Guidelines by Kei Koizumi · Observations and Remarks by Impacted Scientists · Updates from Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus · Updates from Asian American Scholar Forum · News and Activities for the Communities June and July 2024 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summaries Posted Summary for the June 2024 APA Justice monthly meeting has been posted here: https://bit.ly/45Zilni . Summary for the July 2024 APA Justice monthly meeting has been posted here: https://bit.ly/3Wc9NX0 . We extend our heartfelt thanks to the speakers who shared their valuable insights and reports during our monthly meetings, including regular speakers: · Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), nisha.ramachandran@mail.house.gov · Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), gpkusakawa@aasforum.org and invited speakers and commentators: · Tam Dao , Assistant Vice President for Research Security, Office of Research Security, Rice University · Haipei Shue , President, United Chinese Americans · Anming Hu , Professor, University of Tennessee at Knoxville · Kei Koizumi , Principal Deputy Director for Science, Society, and Policy, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), The White House · Neal Lane , Senior Fellow, Baker Institute; Former Director of OSTP; Former Director, National Science Foundation · Xiaoxing Xi , Laura H. Carnell Professor of Physics, Temple University · Gang Chen , Carl Richard Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Karla Hagan , Senior Program Officer, Staff Director for National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,and Medicine Updates on OSTP Guidelines by Kei Koizumi In August 2021, the White House tasked OSTP with setting clear rules for research security and researcher responsibility. It charged OSTP with protecting America’s research security while ensuring policies do not fuel xenophobia or prejudice. As part of the OSTP effort, the NSF commissioned two studies by JASON, an independent group of scientists with unique expertise that advises the U.S. government on national security matters related to science and technology. · 2024/03/21 JASON Report: Safeguarding the Research Enterprise · 2021/08/10 White House: Clear Rules for Research Security and Researcher Responsibility o Protect America’s Security and Openness; Be Clear; Ensure Policies Do Not Fuel Xenophobia or Prejudice · 2019/12 JASON Report: Fundamental Research Security During the July 1 APA Justice monthly meeting, Kei Koizumi , Principal Deputy Director for Science, Society, and Policy, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), The White House, was hoping to share the final version of a research security standards document requested by Congress and outlined in a presidential memorandum. This document aims to provide universities and Federal research agencies with clear guidelines on running research security programs. Unfortunately, its release has been delayed.Kei remains hopeful that it will be released in the coming days, offering clarity to the Asian American research community and universities on how to maintain an open, international, collaborative research enterprise in the U.S. while protecting against foreign government exploitation.A key element of this document is the longstanding prohibition against actions that exacerbate anti-Asian bias or prejudice. Implementing the final guidance will be a collaborative effort for all of us. Meanwhile, Congress is considering legislation that would force the Department of Justice to reinstate the China Initiative. In addition, OSTP is reviewing proposals in draft intelligence and national defense bills that would prohibit citizens of certain countries, specifically the People's Republic of China, from visiting or working in Federal and national laboratories, regardless of their visa or visitor status.The administration will oppose this legislation, as it did with reinstating the China Initiative in last year’s Appropriations Bill.This is where our community must play defense against some harmful ideas circulating in Congress. With this being an election year, opposing bad legislation is even more challenging than usual.Kei is grateful that Dr. Neal Lane and a coalition hosted the FBI Forum and that the National Academies will soon complete its important work on research security through the Roundtable.Kei is also eager to hear from us, particularly at the state level. He is concerned about bills and laws in various states that restrict Asian Americans, especially Chinese Americans, from buying property or impose extra screening to participate in academic environments at many state universities.Read Kei's comments in the July 1 monthly meeting summary: https://bit.ly/3Wc9NX0 . UPDATE: On July 9, 2024, the White House OSTP released Guidelines for Research Security Programs at Covered Institutions. The 10-page Guidelines is posted here: https://bit.ly/3xQgRzj . ".... federal research agencies should implement research security policies in a way that treats everyone equally under law, without xenophobia, prejudice, or discrimination, a principle reinforced by the CHIPS and Science Act. The law also requires that research security activities be carried out in a manner that does not target, stigmatize, or discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin," the Guidelines said. REMINDER: The National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable Capstone Workshop will be held on July 16-17, 2024, in Washington DC and virtually. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3z0PnY7 . Register to attend the workshop: https://bit.ly/3VirGle . Observations and Remarks by Impacted Scientists Professor Xiaoxing Xi is a naturalized American citizen who has lived and worked in the U.S. for 35 years. On May 21, 2015, the U.S. government charged Professor Xi for scheming to violate a non-disclosure agreement by sharing U.S. company technology with Chinese entities. Professor Xi committed no crime and was supported by affidavits from leading scientific experts, as well as one of the inventors of the U.S. company technology himself. On September 11, 2015, the government dropped all charges against Professor Xi without an apology or explanation. With support of ACLU, Professor Xi and his family filed a civil lawsuit against the U.S. government in 2017. He is the recipient of the 2020 Andrei Sakharov Prize, a distinguished honor within both the human rights advocacy and scientific communities. Professor Xi joined the meeting from Europe, where he gave a slide presentation on his personal experiences as an impacted scientist. He recounted the traumatic events of May 2015, when armed FBI agents raided his home, held his wife and daughters at gunpoint, and arrested him for a crime he did not commit. This ordeal had a profound and lasting impact on his career and his family's lives, as well as on Professor Gang Chen and others who were also falsely charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ).Many of these cases were dropped, although it is rare for the DOJ to drop cases. In his presentation to the OSTP community briefing in January 2022, Professor Xi attributed the problem to policies that diminish the U.S.'s ability to attract talent and fuel xenophobia against Asian Americans. He highlighted that the FBI Director referred to Chinese scientists and academics as "non-traditional collectors," suggesting they act as spies without formal training on behalf of the Chinese Government. This term, used during Congressional testimonies, portrays anyone with connections to China as a “whole-of-society” threat to the U.S. Professor Xi believes this is the root cause of the cases targeting Chinese scientists.In the spirit of rebuilding trust with the FBI, as seen in the June 6 Forum in Houston, Professor Xi suggests that the FBI Director and leadership should publicly affirm that “ all Chinese scientists are not non-traditional collectors ” and should not label them as suspected spies. This is essential to restore trust.There have been persistent attempts to reinstate the China Initiative. As long as the assumption that Chinese scientists are suspected of espionage prevails, the China Initiative is still active, leading to more such activities.In February 2023, the DOJ established the Disruptive Technology Strike Force to enforce export control laws and investigate and prosecute criminal violations of these laws. As more institutions are added to the entity list, interactions with scientists from these institutions will increase. These Chinese institutions include the Institute of Physics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the University of Science and Technology, which are equivalent to Caltech and MIT in the U.S. In March 2023, Science Magazine asked the OSTP Director, Dr. Arati Prabhakar , if Chinese-born scientists working in the United States have been unfairly persecuted as agents of the Chinese Communist Party and are owed an apology from the government. Dr. Prabhakar responded, "I’m not in a position to comment on that. I don’t know enough about it." This response raised concerns about policymakers' commitment to addressing the plight of scientists. Dr. Prabhakar has since provided additional clarifications, and Science Magazine has updated its story.However, Dr. Prabhakar has repeatedly stated that "the world has changed." This statement gives Professor Xi a clear perspective on the direction of U.S. Government science policy, despite reports and recommendations from the scientific community on how to protect U.S. technology from China.For example, in September 2022, the National Academies released a report on Protecting U.S. Technological Advantage. It emphasized that in today’s interdependent, global innovation system, the greatest threat is the potential weakening of the U.S. innovation ecosystem. Protecting and strengthening this ecosystem is more important than protecting specific technologies, which can be ineffective and self-damaging.The innovative ecosystem requires openness and the ability of the U.S. to attract scientists from around the world.The 2024 JASON report also emphasizes openness and transparency. It advises the National Science Foundation (NSF) to adopt a dynamic approach for identifying potentially sensitive research topics as they arise, rather than maintaining a comprehensive list of sensitive areas. The NSF should proceed with caution before adding access or dissemination controls to grants or contracts. But that is not what the policy makers, including the White House, are doing. The CHIPS and Science Act includes provisions that prohibit Federal funding for participants in malign foreign talent recruitment programs sponsored by countries of concern, with a definition codified as 42 USC 19237 (4). This situation creates a chilling effect, where people, including Professor Xi, may avoid collaborating with scientists from China for fear of being considered part of a malign foreign talent recruitment program and being barred from Federal funding. In two February 2024 documents, OSTP provided guidelines on a long list of international collaborations not considered part of a foreign talent recruitment program, including memberships in the Royal Society, sabbaticals at University of Oxford or McGill University, and receiving the Nobel Prize. However, it did not clarify whether sabbaticals in China or memberships in the Chinese Academy of Sciences would be considered part of a malign foreign talent recruitment program. Professor Xi seeks clarification in the new OSTP guidelines expected to be released soon.Can a scientist collaborate with China? NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan stated in a post on X, “By working together with our international like-minded partners to strengthen and scale collaborations … we will supercharge powerful global innovation ecosystems.”So, openness has conditions. While we want openness and collaboration with like-minded partners, this does not extend to people from countries of concern. The Deputy Secretary of State recently expressed a desire to see more Chinese students studying humanities and social sciences in the U.S., but not particle physics. He suggested that students from India could fill the gap in science studies.The message from policymakers is clear: no collaboration with scientists in China and no Chinese students in STEM. This stance contradicts the recommendations of the National Academies report and the JASON report.A possible explanation is the OSTP Director’s response to Science Magazine: "The world has changed." The U.S. and China, once at peace, are now at war. These conflicts include trade wars and geopolitical wars in technology, which have been ongoing and could escalate to military wars. During the last major conflict with an Asian country, the U.S. government interned 120,000 Japanese persons. We are now at war with China. We are now at risk of similar internment. Labeling all Chinese scientists as suspected spies is akin to suggesting that Japanese Americans during WWII signaled incoming warplanes from Japan. This underscores the importance of ongoing efforts by allies in OSTP, the scientific community, and interactions with the FBI, CAPAC, and Congress to push back and prevent a repeat of such internment. Persistent mistrust and xenophobia against Chinese and Asian American scientists are fueled by policies and rhetoric that unfairly label them as spies. Professor Xi calls for a change in these policies, advocating for a more inclusive and supportive environment that values the contributions of all scientists, regardless of their ethnic background, as the scientific community has already recommended.In conclusion, Professor Xi underscored the importance of openness and international collaboration in maintaining the United States' leadership in science and technology. He criticized restrictive policies that hinder collaboration with scientists from China and warned against the long-term damage such policies could cause to the nation's innovation ecosystem. Professor Xi’s presentation is posted at https://bit.ly/3W3SN5f . His remarks are included in the July meeting summary: https://bit.ly/3Wc9NX0 . ***** Gang Chen , Carl Richard Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, joined the meeting from Taiwan, expressing his gratitude to Professor Xi for his courage in speaking out and to Kei Koizumi and Neal Lane for their insightful comments. Professor Chen, himself a victim of the misguided China Initiative, finds it disheartening to witness persistent efforts to reinstate the initiative, whether under its original name or disguised under a different one. He emphasized the findings of the National Academies report, which highlighted that the greatest threat to the U.S. is the weakening of its innovation ecosystem. The China Initiative and similar U.S. policies have driven away many talented individuals, diminishing the country's appeal not only to researchers of Chinese origin but to scientists in general. The CHIPS and Science Act's definition of a malign foreign talent program is so broad that it could potentially label many CEOs of major U.S. companies as participants in such programs. There is widespread uncertainty about how these rules will be applied, but those in academia feel particularly targeted. Many are afraid to attend conferences or give seminars in China. Universities share this fear as well. A faculty member recounted to Professor Chen that during a visit to his family in China, he asked a University Security Officer if he could meet his colleagues and friends at a local university. The officer suggested holding the meeting off-campus, highlighting the tense atmosphere. Such policies are detrimental to scientific exchange and ultimately harm the U.S. innovation ecosystem. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, has been tracking new researchers by country every year. Before 2018, the U.S. consistently gained new researchers each year, with over 2,000 new researchers in 2018 alone. However, since then, the trend has reversed, and by 2021, the U.S. experienced a net loss of new researchers. This trend is strong evidence of the damaging effect of the China Initiative. Professor Chen's remarks are included in the July meeting summary: https://bit.ly/3Wc9NX0 . Updates from Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus During the June APA Justice monthly meeting, Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), reported that May, the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, was likely the busiest month of the year for CAPAC. She was pleased to have met many of us during this time.Congress is gearing up for a busy legislative summer, particularly in the House. The Agriculture Committee has begun the mark-up of the next Farm Bill. The appropriations process is also underway, moving towards mark-ups after members submitted their priorities. In addition, the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is in progress.CAPAC is closely monitoring civil rights issues for Asian Americans, especially regarding research security and land and property ownership. There are efforts to reinstate the China Initiative, which CAPAC is actively tracking. Nisha encouraged everyone to stay vigilant and collaborate with CAPAC members on these issues across various committees. She expressed special thanks to Asian American Scholar Forum and Advancing Justice | AAJC for their partnerships.Nisha also mentioned a Bloomberg article about students being turned away at Dulles Airport and other ports of entry, highlighting this growing issue. CAPAC is tracking these developments and needs the community’s support to balance all interests.Finally, June is National Immigrant Heritage Month, and CAPAC will be uplifting immigrant stories throughout the month.As Nisha was about to provide an update from CAPAC during the July monthly meeting, she was called away. Casey Lee , Policy Director for CAPAC, stepped in to report on a critical issue closely monitored by CAPAC. The Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2025 underwent its subcommittee markup. According to the Appropriations Committee’s press release, the China Initiative is included once again in the accompanying report language for the bill. The legislative process will proceed to a full committee markup, scheduled for July 9. CAPAC, along with many of our champions such as Rep. Grace Meng , will ensure it is monitored very closely.We are once again witnessing an attempt to revive the China Initiative in Congress. CAPAC will continue to oppose this effort. Casey encouraged the community to reach out to CAPAC with any questions and expressed appreciation for the advocacy and voices present at the monthly meeting. Updates from Asian American Scholar Forum During the July APA Justice monthly meeting, Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), highlighted the ongoing engagement of AASF with the White House, Congress (particularly CAPAC), and various Federal agencies, emphasizing the contributions of Asian American scholars to American society. This engagement has garnered nearly 400 million potential views through its news coverage. AASF's top priority is ensuring that issues facing Asian American scholars remain at the forefront for national leaders.Not all AASF activities are publicly visible; some occur behind closed doors, such as roundtable discussions with the National Science Foundation and university leaders. These efforts include a briefing to the Department of Homeland Security Subcommittee on Foreign Malign Influence in Higher Education, contributing to their recent subcommittee report. AASF anticipates another significant effort with Federal agencies will soon be made public.AASF consistently recommends greater transparency, clarity, and ongoing feedback from the Asian American scholar community to Federal agencies. Their efforts aim to change perspectives within the Federal government, media, and public while also building a community. AASF aims to establish a permanent non-profit organization to protect the rights of Asian American scholars and celebrate their excellence and contributions.On July 27, 2024, AASF will co-host the inaugural Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony with Stanford University. This public event will also feature roundtables and listening sessions with Federal government representatives on July 28. Distinguished speakers, including Nobel Laureates Steven Chu and Randy Shekman , Turing Award Laureate Raj Reddy , former Stanford President John Hennessy , and industry leader Eric Yuan , will participate. CAPAC Chair Judy Chu will open the Symposium and ceremony. Register for the Symposium and Ceremony here: https://bit.ly/3XLApPN . In addition, AASF is co-hosting a Presidential Town Hall with APIAVote and other partners in Philadelphia on July 13, ahead of the upcoming November elections. The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act on June 14, which includes provisions related to research security, potentially restricting collaboration for researchers and universities receiving Department of Defense (DOD) funding. AASF will focus on the conferencing stage as the Senate considers its version of the bill next.Regarding the Appropriations Bill, AASF is leading efforts with nearly 50 organizations, including APA Justice, to oppose restrictive language in this must-pass bill. They will closely monitor the July 9 markup session. AASF is also promoting the Youth Ambassador Science Video Competition, encouraging participation to highlight the involvement of the next generation in their efforts. Visit the AASF website and subscribe to the AASF newsletter at AASF .Gisela reported on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and AASF's commitment to ensuring that Asian American scholars have a voice by monitoring the bill and gathering feedback from AASF members and the Asian American scholar community on issues like research security. AASF is keeping a close eye on HR 1398, the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from the CCP Act, which attempts to revive the China Initiative and increase scrutiny of the scholar community. AASF plans to make a strong statement highlighting the exhaustive attempts by the House to reinstate the China Initiative, emphasizing the need for Congressional members to reconsider these efforts. This is crucial for the Asian American scholar community and the country, which benefits from the contributions of immigrant talent in science and technology. Gisela can be reached at gpkusakawa@aasforum.org . News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/07/11-12 National AAPI Leadership Summit2024/07/13 APIAVote: Presidential Town Hall, Philadelphia PA2024/07/15 APIAVote: RNC Convention, AAPI Briefing &Reception, Milwaukee, WI2024/07/16-17 National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable - Capstone2024/07/17 C100 Career Ceiling Summit: Creating a Level Playing Field2024/07/25-28 Leadership Convention by NAAAP (National Association of Asian American Professionals) 2024/07/27-28 Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and CeremonyThe Community Calendar has moved. Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Committee of 100 Career Ceilings Summit: Creating a Level Playing Field WHAT: Committee of 100 Career Ceilings Summit: Creating a Level Playing Field WHEN: July 17, 2024, 11:00 am - 2 pm ET WHERE: Webcast HOST: Committee of 100 MODERATOR: Peter Young , Chair of the Initiative and Committee of 100 Member DESCRIPTION: · 11:10 am ET: Fireside Chat ( Ngan Nguyen , Senior Vice President, Global Diversity & Talent Management, Citi) and Open Discussion: “The Future of DEI: Can it Pivot?” · 12: 30 pm ET: Keynote Speech: “Lessons Learned” ( Cecilia Stanton Adams , CEO of The Diversity Institute) · 1:00 pm ET: Town Hall Discussion: “Breaking Through Career Ceilings: Choices and Solutions” ( Adrian Kwok , Associate Partner, McKinsey, Co-Head of the Asian DEI Group and Frank Wu , President, Queens College, Leading expert on Asian American Career Ceilings) REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3WgevmT 3. New Book: "The War for Chinese Talent in America" A new book authored by Dr. David Zweig , has just been released with the title of "The War for Chinese Talent in America: The Politics of Technology and Knowledge in Sino-U.S. Relations."Dr. Zweig is Professor Emeritus, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Distinguished Visiting Professor of Taipei School of Economics and Political Science, National Tsinghua University, Taiwan, and Vice-President of the Center for China and Globalization (Beijing). He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard in 1984-85. For 15 years, he directed the Center on China’s Transnational Relations at HKUST.To overcome their “brain drain,” some developing countries employ the “Diaspora Option,” encouraging their overseas nationals to use the knowledge they gained abroad to help their motherland. Since the mid-1990s, China’s party/state has vigorously used an extensive array of programs and incentives to persuade ethnic Chinese living in America to transfer their technological knowhow back home. Many Chinese working abroad facilitated this flow, some to strengthen their former homeland, others from self-interest. In 2018, the Trump Administration declared war on these efforts. Employing a McCarthy-like campaign called the “China Initiative,” the government investigated Chinese scientists across the U.S. Many individuals were arrested, only to have their cases dropped. Still, hundreds had their research disrupted or lost their jobs. This book documents China’s ‘no-holds-barred’ effort to access U.S. technology and America’s vigorous counterattack and its efforts to disrupt the transfer of U.S. technology to China. Six case studies include stories of unknown victims of that campaign whose cases were never made public. It highlights how the war has undermined Sino-American scientific collaboration and triggered the outflow of some top Chinese talent from America and back to China.For more information and to order the book, visit: https://bit.ly/45ZqFDz 4. New Book Chapter: "New Red Scare - The China Initiative" A chapter titled "New Red Scare - The China Initiative," authored by Steven Pei , Jeremy Wu , and Alex Liang , has just been released in the book "Communicated Stereotypes at Work."Steven Pei is an electrical engineering professor at the University of Houston. He is also Founding Chair of United Chinese Americans and a co-organizer of the APA Justice Task Force. Jeremy Wu retired from the U.S. federal government, He is Founder and Co-Organizer of the APA Justice Task Force, a Senior Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, and a Member of the Committee of 100. Alex Liang was Fox International Fellow at the Australian National University. He is a second-year student at Harvard Law School.The FBI has a long history of surveillance of ethnic Chinese scientists in the U.S. McCarthyism, the Economic Espionage Act, and more recently the China Initiative were initiatives adversely impacting Chinese and Chinese Americans living in the United States. The cases of Qian Xuesen , Wen Ho Lee , Sherry Chen , and Xiaoxing Xi were the precursors and indicators of an implicit and explicit bias against Asian Americans questioning their “loyalty” to the United States. Why is it that time and again Chinese Americans are falsely accused of being spies for China? The stereotypes of Asian and Chinese scientists as “disloyal” stem from the perpetual foreigner trope. The key here is that most of them were U.S. citizens. They are as much an American as any other American, yet their “loyalty” is perceived as less trustworthy. This stereotype has harmful, life-altering consequences for them and their families.For more information and to order the book, visit: https://bit.ly/4c7v61x 5. Erratum On July 8, 2024, APA Justice newsletter Issue #264 misspelled the name of the President of the National Academy of Sciences. It should be Marcia McNutt . The corrected newsletter is posted here: https://bit.ly/4eWRZXa Back View PDF July 11, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Warrantless Surveillance This item is connected to a text field in your content manager. Double click the dataset icon to add your own content. The numbers Calls per hour 111 Feedback submitted 22 Average feedback per call 21 As of May 28, 2023, there are 33 states known to have introduced some form of alien land and property bills in the current or recent legislative session. A few have passed and signed into state law; some have died; others are still pending. State-by-state links to the legislations and a companion map are provided below as community resources. They are collected from multiple sources including research by APA Justice, Advancing Justice | AAJC, Committee of 100, National Agricultural Law Center, Project South, media reports, and crowdsourcing. Due to the dynamic nature of these developments, we plan to update the information periodically. We anticipate the introduction or continuation of alien land and property bills into future state legislative sessions. Title Oct. 4th 2023 Tracking Bills Read More Latest developments

Newsletter - #18 09/30 Webinar Reminder; 10/05 APA Justice Meeting; More Webinars #18 09/30 Webinar Reminder; 10/05 APA Justice Meeting; More Webinars Back View PDF September 29, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #225 Section 702; Pushback Alien Land Bills; Carter Center; "China Initiative" Revival; + #225 Section 702; Pushback Alien Land Bills; Carter Center; "China Initiative" Revival; + In This Issue #225 · Reminder: Community Briefing on Section 702 of FISA · Asian American Groups Pushed Back Against 17 GOP Governors on Alien Land Bills · China Focus, the Carter Center and Conference for 45th Anniversary of U.S.-China Relations · Over 40 Organizations Oppose Appropriations Proposal to Reinstate the China Initiative · News and Activities for the Communities Reminder: Community Briefing on Section 702 of FISA WHAT: Webinar - Community Briefing on Section 702 of FISA: Sweeping Reforms to Warrantless Surveillance Initiative WHEN: December 12, 2023, 2-3 pm ET/11-12 noon PT HOSTS: Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), Advancing Justice | AAJC, APA Justice, Brennan Center for Justice, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) MODERATOR: Eri Andriola , Associate Director of Policy & Litigation, AASF SPEAKERS: · Noah Chauvin, Counsel, Liberty & National Security, Brennan Center for Justice · Joanna YangQing Derman, Director of Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights, and National Security, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, AASF · Andy Wong, Managing Director of Advocacy, CAA DESCRIPTION: The briefing will feature civil rights, national security, and policy experts, who will break down what Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is and how it impacts Asian American communities. Panelists will discuss the key reform bills at play, including the Government Surveillance Reform Act (GSRA) and the Protecting Liberty and Ending Warrantless Surveillance Act (PLEWSA), and how the Asian American community and advocates can get involved on this issue. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/41ejxkG Breaking News: Do not miss the opportunity to attend the community briefing and learn how it may impact us individually and collectively for years to come. As early as Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson will bring a significant expansion of warrantless surveillance, known as the FISA Reform and Reauthorization Act ( H.R.6611 ), to the House floor. This bill, dubbed "PATRIOT Act 2.0," poses a significant threat to privacy. Among other things, it vastly widens the scope of businesses eligible to be compelled to give the government access to their systems without a warrant and grossly expands warrantless surveillance of all people seeking to travel to the U.S. Read more from the Brennan Center on this radical expansion of Section 702. Asian American Groups Pushed Back Against 17 GOP Governors on Alien Land Bills According to AsAmNews on December 7, 2023, several Asian American groups including APA Justice push back a letter from 17 Republican governors calling on President Joe Biden to crack down on Chinese ownership of private land in the U.S.The letter instigated by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders called on Biden and congressional leaders to use “all available tools to prevent continued acquisition of American lands by adversarial foreign governments and entities.” “Committee of 100 believes that if such restrictions become law, they will make it difficult, if not impossible, for individuals in the U.S. on long-term visas to purchase a home and are likely to lead to direct discrimination against any individuals of Chinese American or AAPI descent,” said the Committee of 100. Florida has already enacted a law that bans ownership in the state by Chinese citizens. A lawsuit against the Florida state law is ongoing. The Congressional Research Service says 14 other states have enacted similar laws with more than 20 states considering their own bills. “As Americans, we are all concerned about national security but when elected officials whip up fear painting an entire group whether based on race, ethnicity and or national origin, you have to ask what is the real agenda and purpose,” Cynthia Choi , a founder of Stop AAPI Hate and co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action said. APA Justice has been tracking various state alien land bills and local media reports across the nation, but have not found substantive factual evidence to support the rhetoric of security threats of foreign land ownership in the U.S. by China. Farm Progress reported that China has only 19 acres in Nebraska out of 800,000 acres of Nebraska land that are owned or controlled through leases by foreign entities. Canada is the largest foreign holder of land in the state and in the nation. Investigate Midwest reported that the only Oklahoma land owned by a Chinese company is a combined 2,571 acres held by Smithfield Foods, a large pork producer that moved into the state several years ago." says while foreign landownership in Nebraska has spiked in recent years, Chinese landowners have not contributed to that increase.A bill introduced by Rep Judy Chu (D-CA) and Rep Al Green (D-TX) would ban states from enacting such laws based on citizenship and race. The Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act would move that authority to the federal government.Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/3t1A3YD China Focus, the Carter Center and Conference for 45th Anniversary of U.S.-China Relations China Focus, headed by long-time China expert Dr. Yawei Liu , is the primary team at the Carter Center working on issues related to China. Dr. Liu has been in charge of the Center’s China program for over two decades. While adapting to the demands of the 21st century, the Carter Center remains committed to preserving the legacy of President Jimmy Carter and Deng Xiaoping ’s historic decision to normalize diplomatic relations between the United States and China.The Carter Center’s China Focus fosters greater dialogue, exchange, and critical reflection on the past, present, and future of U.S.-China relations. The China Focus produces original scholarship that provides action-oriented insights for advancing U.S.-China engagement. The China Focus organizes a range of activities designed to enhance mutual understanding of American and Chinese interests.The China Focus engages the U.S. and China online. The Center publishes two websites focused on bilateral relations and U.S.-China public opinion. These are the English- and Chinese-language U.S.-China Perception Monitor websites. Content includes a wide variety of interviews with American and Chinese scholars, insightful analyses of U.S.-China relations, surveys of Chinese public opinion, profiles of key opinion leaders in the bilateral relationship, translations of influential commentaries into English or Chinese, and more. Conference for 45th Anniversary of U.S.-China Relations On January 9, 2024, the Carter Center, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and the U.S.-China Business Council will host a public in-person event to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Through keynote speeches and panel discussions, the event will bring together experts to discuss the legacy, controversies, and future of U.S.-China engagement. For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/46SW8pO Over 40 Organizations Oppose Appropriations Proposal to Reinstate the China Initiative According to a press release by the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), 45 organizations led by AASF and a coalition of Asian American and allied partners who worked to end the Department of Justice’s “China Initiative” sent a letter to Congress on December 7, 2023, to oppose legislative language that would reinstate the “China Initiative” in the House version of the FY 2024 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill ( H.R. 5893 ) and any future iterations of the Initiative. The proposal would reverse the decision to end the “China Initiative”—a devastating program ended last year that raised serious concerns of racial profiling and targeting of Asian Americans and immigrants, particularly of Chinese descent.Read the coalition letter to Congress here: https://bit.ly/41dhn4C News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2023/12/10 Rep. Gene Wu 's Weekly town hall meeting2023/12/12 Community Briefing on Section 702 of FISA2023/12/13 APIAVote In-Person Event: Taste of Democracy2023/12/15 Webinar on Voices of AAPI Communities2023/12/17 Rep. Gene Wu 's Weekly town hall meetingVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. APAPA National Unity Awards Gala Among others, Rep. Grace Meng received the Community Champion Award and Professor Xiaoxing Xi was honored for his Unity & Resilience during the APAPA National Unity Awards Gala on December 9, 2023. 3. APIAVote In-person Event: Taste of Democracy WHAT: In-person Annual Event on Taste of Democracy WHEN: December 15, 2023, 1:00 pm ETWHERE: 700 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, 6th Floor, Washington DCDESCRIPTION: An annual year-end event to celebrate APIAVote accomplishments in getting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders out to vote. The evening will also include a presentation of the Beacon of Democracy award. HOST: APIAVoteREGISTRATION: https://apia.vote/ToD2023 4. APIAVote Webinar: Unveiling Insights from New AAPI Data/AP-NORC Survey WHAT: Webinar on Voices of AAPI Communities: Unveiling Insights from New AAPI Data/AP-NORC Survey WHEN: December 15, 2023, 1:00 pm ET/10:00 am PTDESCRIPTION: Learn about AAPI views on voting rights, threats to democracy, and trust in political institutions. This poll is conducted by AAPI Data and AP-NORC.HOSTS: APIAVote, AAPI Data, Asian American Journalists Association REGISTRATION: https://apia.vote/dec23poll 5. California Teenager Who Passed Bar Exam at 17 is Now Practicing Attorney According to the Guardian on December 8, 2023, Peter Park , now 18, enrolled in the Northwestern California University School of Law at age 13 and graduated earlier this year, has become the youngest person to ever pass California’s bar exam and is now working as a practicing attorney. The Tulare county district attorney’s office announced that Peter Park, a Korean America, learned last month at 17 that he had passed the rigorous exam on his first attempt in what officials described as a “legal history making moment”. In July 2023, 51.5% of the 7,555 people who took the exam passed. Park has been a law clerk with the office since August after completing law school. Read the Guardian report: https://bit.ly/47Re3yz . Read also the Washington Post : https://wapo.st/47R9hRQ 6. Conference on Social Progress Since Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act 80 Years Ago (CRCEA80) The CRCEA80 Conference was held at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC on December 5, 2023. More than 400 individuals attended the event. Speakers included US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Reps Judy Chu and Ted Lieu . · Video summary of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ucBsUaVw9I (5:18) · Office of The U.S. Trade Representative: Remarks by Ambassador Katherine Tai at Event Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act · U. S. Department of State: 戴琪大使在《排华法案》废除 80 周年纪念活动上的讲话 Back View PDF December 11, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #145 AAU Meeting; 9/12 Monthly Meeting; NSF Request for Comment; Prof Xi's Appeal; FOIA #145 AAU Meeting; 9/12 Monthly Meeting; NSF Request for Comment; Prof Xi's Appeal; FOIA Back View PDF September 15, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #153 APA Justice Comments; 11/07 Meeting; National Law Journal; Chemistry World; AAAS #153 APA Justice Comments; 11/07 Meeting; National Law Journal; Chemistry World; AAAS Back View PDF November 1, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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

Newsletter - #393 Monthly Meeting Today; APA Heritage Month; NSB Fired by Trump; SCOTUS Case; FISA 702+ #393 Monthly Meeting Today; APA Heritage Month; NSB Fired by Trump; SCOTUS Case; FISA 702+ In This Issue #393 · APA Justice Monthly Meeting Today · May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month · Entire National Science Board Fired by Trump · Supreme Court Case Affecting the Rights of 12.8 Million Green Card Holders · More on FISA Section 702 · News and Activities for the Communities APA Justice Monthly Meeting Today APA Justice will hold its monthly meeting today, May 4, 2026, starting at 1:55 pm ET. We are honored that Congressman Dave Min will lead off the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with opening remarks. Elected in 2024 to represent California’s 47th Congressional District in the heart of Orange County, Rep. Min is the son of Korean immigrants and a proud graduate of California public schools. He previously served in the California State Senate from 2020 to 2024. Prior to his public service, he was a law professor at the University of California, Irvine. 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 also honored by the following distinguished speakers: · Robert Underwood , former CAPAC Chair; President Emeritus, University of Guam; Co-Founder, Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) · Madalene Mielke , President and CEO, Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) · Martin B. Gold , Partner, Capitol Counsel, LLC The virtual monthly meeting is by invitation only. It is closed to the press. If you wish to join, either one time or for future meetings, please contact one of the co-organizers of APA Justice - Vincent Wang 王文奎 and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . ***** The 1882 Project was a national grassroots effort advocating for U.S. Congressional resolutions formally expressing regret for the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The successful campaign led to the House and Senate passing these historic resolutions in 2012. During the monthly meeting, Martin B. Gold, pro bono attorney for the 1882 Project, will offer his perspective on how the milestone of the 2011 and 2022 Congressional regret of the discriminatory Chinese exclusion legislation. Ted Gong , Executive Director of The 1882 Foundation, will give brief comments following Marty’s remarks to open the Q&A and discussion session. The 1882 Foundation evolved from the 1882 Project, dedicated to educating the public about the history and ongoing impact of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. On July 4, 2026, The 1882 Foundation will host an event to unveil a mural of Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee 李彬華 at the Chinatown in Washington D.C. Dr. Lee attended Barnard College and later earned a Ph.D. in Economics from Columbia University in 1921, becoming the first Chinese woman in the United States to earn a doctorate in economics. Her academic work and public advocacy reflected her belief that education and civic participation were essential to a thriving democracy. In the 1910s, Lee became an activist for women's suffrage, and participated in the 1912 New York City women's suffrage parade, where she rode on horseback. In 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, granting American women the right to vote. Yet Mabel herself could not vote —barred from citizenship under the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Watch the NBC4 report about the mural: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgwbaJzQ-h0 (2:50) May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Did you know May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and · President Jimmy Carter signed the resolution to create the Asian Pacific American Heritage Week in 1978? · Representatives Frank Horton and Norman Y. Mineta introduced the House resolution and Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga introduced the Senate resolution? · President George H. W. Bush expanded the celebration from a week to a month in 1990? · Hiram Fong 鄺友良 was the first Asian American U.S. senator, serving from Hawaii from 1959 to 1977? · Dalip Singh Saund was the first Asian American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving from California from 1957 to 1963? Patsy Mink was the first Asian American elected to the House. serving from Hawaii (1965–1977 and 1990–2002)? · George Ariyoshi was the first Asian American to serve as a U.S. governor, holding office in Hawaii from 1974 to 1986? · Bing cherry was developed by Ah Bing in the mid-1850s? · Dr. Sammy Lee was the first Asian American man and Vicki Draves was the first Asian American woman to win Olympic gold medals, both achieving this at the 1948 London Summer Olympics? Visit the website hosted by The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: https://asianpacificheritage.gov/ . Entire National Science Board Fired by Trump According to Science on April 25, 2026, President Donald Trump abruptly dismissed all 22 members of the National Science Board (NSB), which governs the National Science Foundation. Because the NSB sets policy and approves major spending, the move marks a sharp break from longstanding governance norms and raises concerns about NSF’s independence. Former member Keivan Stassun says the action follows a pattern of sidelining the board, particularly by the Office of Management and Budget, which directed major initiatives without required NSB approval. Tensions intensified after the board opposed a proposed 55% budget cut. Critics, including Rep. Zoe Lofgren and former NSB chair Victor McCrary , warn the firings could politicize oversight. With NSF lacking a permanent director since Sethuraman Panchanathan stepped down, and reports that board directives were already being ignored, the decision deepens concerns about weakened governance and accountability. Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/48CvOEr In a report by the American Institute of Physics on May 1, the White House justified its mass firing of the NSB by citing constitutional concerns tied to the United States v. Arthrex decision. The ruling requires that decisions by non–Senate-confirmed officials be reviewable by a Senate-confirmed authority, and the administration argues the NSB’s structure may no longer comply. The White House says it plans to work with Congress to update the law but has not detailed how. Former board member Julia Phillips said the NSB had already adjusted its role to emphasize advisory recommendations rather than binding decisions to align with the ruling. Democrats, including Zoe Lofgren and Maria Cantwell , dispute the constitutional rationale and argue the firings undermine scientific governance. The move adds to instability at the National Science Foundation, which lacks a confirmed director, faces proposed budget cuts, and has seen staffing and operational disruptions—prompting concern across the scientific community about U.S. research leadership. Association of American Universities President Barbara Snyder said the firings leave NSF “rudderless,” and the American Association for the Advancement of Science issued a statement calling the move “destabilizing.” The Association of Public Land-Grant Universities said it was “dismayed” by the firings . Union of Concerned Scientists CEO Gretchen Goldman criticized the firings as an “unseemly political maneuver” aimed at limiting independent science. The American Chemical Society said it is “deeply concerned” by the firings and connected them to what it called a “troubling recent trend to dissolve scientific advisory bodies.” Since returning to power in 2025, the Trump administration has dissolved or merged more than 100 scientific advisory committees, according to a recent analysis by Nature. Other scientific societies that issued statements critical of the firings include: the American Astronomical Society, the National Academy of Education , the American Society for Microbiology, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, the Biophysical Society , and the American Institute of Biological Sciences . (AAS is an AIP member society) Read the AIP report: https://bit.ly/4cXgTWx Supreme Court Case Affecting the Rights of 12.8 Million Green Card Holders The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case of Blanche v. Lau on April 22, 2026, with a decision expected by early July. The case addresses when a returning lawful permanent resident (LPR) can be treated as an “applicant for admission” rather than a returning resident with presumptive entry rights. The case arises from the experience of Muk Choi Lau , a green card holder who faced a pending trademark counterfeiting charge in 2012. After traveling abroad, he was “paroled” into the United States instead of being formally admitted—placing his legal status in question. At issue is the evidentiary standard required at the border. The government argues it can defer proof of a disqualifying crime to later removal proceedings. Lau contends that LPRs are entitled to admission unless the government has clear and convincing evidence at the time of reentry that they committed a disqualifying offense. A report by Just Security highlights the broader stakes, warning that the government’s position could allow border officials to deny reentry and place green card holders in legal limbo based on pending charges or suspicion, potentially without timely judicial review. The report also questions the case’s factual basis and argues it may not warrant such sweeping legal change. The Court’s decision could have far-reaching implications for more than 12 million green card holders, shaping whether—and under what conditions—their status can be challenged when they return to the United States. Read the Just Security report: https://bit.ly/3ORY8fj More on FISA Section 702 On April 30, 2026, CNBC reported that on April 30 the House and Senate passed a 45-day extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. The surveillance program, allowing the U.S. to collect the communications of foreigners, even when interacting with U.S. citizens, was due to expire at the end of April 30. The extension sets up further debate on the controversial spy program when the House and Senate return from a pre-planned recess in mid-May. On April 29, 2026, The Hill reported that the House passed a bill to extend Section 702 of FISA for three years and includes modest reforms, such as expanded oversight, stricter internal review of searches involving Americans, and increased penalties for misuse. However, the bill faced significant opposition from privacy-focused lawmakers in both parties, who object to the lack of a warrant requirement for accessing Americans’ data. Political dynamics have also shifted, with fewer Democrats and more Republicans supporting renewal compared to prior votes. The legislation now heads to the Senate, where its path is uncertain—particularly due to an added provision blocking a central bank digital currency, which some senators oppose. The debate highlights ongoing tensions between national security priorities and civil liberties protections. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/05/04 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2026/05/11 Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Steven Chu 2026/05/12-14 Celebrating 250 - Building America’s Future Together 2026/05/13 The Model Minority Trap: How ‘Positive’ Stereotypes Harm Asian Americans 2026/06/01 APA Justice Monthly MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Unveiling of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee Mural WHAT : Unveiling of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee Mural WHEN : July 4, 2026 WHERE : Chinatown Archway on H Street, Washington DC HOST : The 1882 Foundation DESCRIPTION: Mabel Ping-Hua Lee 李彬華 was a Chinese American suffragist, scholar, and community leader who believed that democracy depends on equal opportunity for all. FOR MORE INFORMATION : Visit https://1882foundation.org/Mabel/ # # # 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 4, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter