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Newsletter - #378 2/26 Webinar; 2/24 Court Hearing; AAJC; Section 702; Alien Land Laws; FY26 R&D Funding #378 2/26 Webinar; 2/24 Court Hearing; AAJC; Section 702; Alien Land Laws; FY26 R&D Funding In This Issue #378 · 02/26 Webinar: Global Competition for Talent & International Students · 02/24 Hearing: Estate of Dr. Jane Wu v. Northwestern · Joanna YangQing Derman: Update from Advancing Justice | AAJC · Section 702 of FISA Expiring · Alien-ating Asians in 21st-Century Land Laws · Advocacy Works: FY26 Federal R&D Funding · News and Activities for the Communities Happy Year of the Horse! Wishing you strength, courage, and joy in every stride this year! (credit: JadeTime) 02/26 Webinar: Global Competition for Talent & International Students WHAT : Global Competition for Talent & International Students WHEN : February 26, 2026, 8:00 pm ET WHERE : Webinar HOSTS : APA Justice, Committee of 100, US-China Education Trust Moderator : Margaret K. Lewis 陸梅吉 , Professor of Law, Seton Hall University School of Law Speakers: · Fanta Aw , Executive Director and CEO of Association of International Educators (NAFSA) · Steven Chu 朱棣文 , Professor of Stanford University and former U.S. Secretary of Energy DESCRIPTION : As geopolitical competition intensifies between the United States and China, the flow of talent and students across borders has become a critical flashpoint. International students – particularly those from China – have enriched American universities, driven innovation, and strengthened people-to-people ties. Yet today, visa restrictions, security concerns, and shifting immigration policies are reshaping the landscape. At the same time, China and other nations are competing aggressively to attract global talent, transforming higher education into an arena of strategic competition. Chinese American students and scholars increasingly find themselves caught in the middle – facing heightened scrutiny, profiling, and questions about their loyalty. This webinar will examine how the U.S.-China relationship is affecting international student mobility, university partnerships, and the global competition for talent. What are the implications of competition for American universities, research ecosystems, and soft power? How are students and scholars navigating new restrictions and uncertainties? How can policies balance openness and U.S. competitiveness? REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/1-15email 02/24 Hearing: Estate of Dr. Jane Wu v. Northwestern Liz Rao , daughter of Dr. Jane Wu 吴瑛 , spoke at the APA Justice monthly meeting on February 2, 2026. Her remarks are off the record. The Cook County Circuit Court has scheduled an open hearing of the case of Estate of Dr. Jane Wu v Northwestern University on February 24, 2026, starting at 10:00 am CT. Location is Court Room 1906, Richard J Daley Center, 50 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602. For those who wish to attend and show support in honor of Dr. Jane Wu, please contact Valentina Dallona (she/her), Political Director, Justice Is Global, at vdallona@justiceisglobal.org . On February 12, 2026, The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), in partnership with the Federation of Asian Professor Associations (FAPA), announced that more than 1,000 faculty members joined a letter to Northwestern University demanding accountability in the case of Dr. Jane Ying Wu. Read the joint letter: https://buff.ly/GJBbu1r Joanna YangQing Derman: Update from Advancing Justice | AAJC During the APA Justice monthly meeting on February 2, 2026, Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, reported that AAJC briefed congressional offices on the status of discriminatory land laws, specifically focusing on ongoing litigation in Texas and Florida. AAJC maintains that property restrictions based on nationality or presumed foreign affiliations (targeting individuals from countries like China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia) raise profound civil rights concerns. Joanna emphasized that any federal legislation in this area must be narrowly targeted to avoid discriminatory impacts on the AAPI community. Joanna flagged the upcoming April 2026 expiration of Section 702 of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). She notes that Congress should not reauthorize Section 702 without sweeping reforms to ensure that it cannot be used as a domestic spying tool. As negotiations are currently underway, now is a critical window to advocate for: · Robust privacy protections and strengthened oversight. · Measures to prevent disproportionate impacts on civil liberties, particularly for AAPI individuals with international familial or professional ties. AAJC and the Surveillance Reform Coalition are actively engaging with members of Congress to balance national security with individual rights. Joanna warned that the community should expect "rapid-fire" requests in the coming months, including sign-on letters and call campaigns as legislative action accelerates. Section 702 of FISA Expiring Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is set to expire on April 20, 2026, giving Congress roughly two months to decide whether to renew, reform, or allow the surveillance authority to lapse. Section 702 permits the government to target non-U.S. persons abroad for intelligence purposes, but it can incidentally collect Americans’ communications. The government may also conduct warrantless “backdoor” searches of that data for information about Americans—an authority that has long generated bipartisan privacy concerns. During a classified Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, reported by CNN on February 9, 2026, lawmakers from both parties expressed frustration after FBI and NSA officials declined to clarify whether the Trump administration supports reauthorization. Although successive administrations have defended Section 702 as a vital national security tool, past FBI misuse and court findings of rights violations have intensified scrutiny. Civil liberties advocates continue to press for reforms, including a warrant requirement for searches of Americans’ communications—a proposal that nearly passed in 2024 and is expected to resurface before the deadline. Read the CNN report: https://cnn.it/3OHrzQz . Read The Intercept report: https://bit.ly/3ZBfBuk Alien-ating Asians in 21st-Century Land Laws According to a Just Security report co-authored by Donna Doan Anderson , Assistant Professor University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Joanna YangQing Derman , Director of Advancing Justice | AAJC, .the U.S. is experiencing a renewed wave of land-based nationalism that frames foreign ownership of farmland — particularly by Chinese individuals or entities — as a national security threat. Federal initiatives have promoted the narrative that foreign farmland ownership endangers American safety and prosperity. Several states, including Florida and Texas, have enacted laws restricting property ownership based on domicile or national origin, with Chinese citizens specifically targeted in some cases. These laws face ongoing legal challenges, though courts have often dismissed cases on standing grounds. Since 2021, dozens of states have introduced similar legislation. The article places these modern laws in historical context, arguing they echo 19th- and early 20th-century “alien land laws” that barred Asians from owning property under racialized citizenship rules. It contends that current policies similarly rely on stereotypes portraying Asians — especially Chinese people — as perpetual “aliens” or foreign “agents.” Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that Chinese-linked entities own only a very small fraction of U.S. farmland — about 0.03 percent of total farmland and less than 1 percent of foreign-held farmland — far less than countries such as Canada, the Netherlands, or the United Kingdom. Critics argue that the focus on China is disproportionate and politically motivated. The article further contends that federal efforts to frame farmland ownership as a national security issue, including attempts to insert restrictions into the National Defense Authorization Act, conflate legitimate cybersecurity concerns with civilian land ownership. It suggests that broad land bans do little to address genuine security threats and may conflict with existing federal investment review authorities. The piece also argues that these laws risk reinforcing anti-Asian stereotypes, increasing discrimination, and subjecting Asian Americans — regardless of citizenship or immigration status — to suspicion and additional scrutiny. It concludes that contemporary “alien” land laws revive historical patterns of exclusion and that advocates should prepare to challenge policies that link Asian identity with national threat narratives. Read the Just Security report: https://bit.ly/4kAOxVz Advocacy Works: FY26 Federal R&D Funding In a Science editorial on February 5, 2026, the past year for U.S. science was portrayed as deeply contradictory. On one hand, the Trump administration’s actions led to funding cuts, the dismantling of workforce programs, threats to indirect cost reimbursements, and tighter immigration for international students—moves that damaged institutions and demoralized students and early-career scientists. On the other hand, outcomes were better than feared: Congress restored science funding, courts rejected efforts to alter indirect cost rules, and NIH and NSF successfully disbursed all appropriated 2025 funds before they expired. These opposing realities, the editorial argues, must be understood together to make sense of the current moment. On February 4, 2026, The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), parent organization to the Science Magazine, reported that President Trump has signed into law the remaining federal appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026, securing funding for U.S. research and development after a year of significant uncertainty. Although the administration initially proposed steep reductions, those cuts were ultimately rejected, reflecting strong bipartisan support for science and technology in Congress. As a result, the final funding levels are far more favorable than expected. The National Institutes of Health received a slight increase, the National Institute of Standards and Technology saw a substantial 26.5% boost, and most other major science agencies experienced flat funding or only modest reductions. These outcomes are presented as a clear contrast to the drastic cuts outlined in the President’s original budget request and as evidence of Congress’s continued commitment to the scientific enterprise. The report emphasizes that this outcome did not occur by chance. Advocacy by scientists, universities, professional associations, and organizations such as AAAS played a decisive role in conveying the national consequences of gutting federal R&D. Decades of sustained investment have built the U.S. scientific enterprise, and the letter warns that reversing those gains would have taken generations to undo. Finally, the report cautions that the work is not finished. Close oversight is needed to ensure that the Office of Management and Budget implements the appropriations as enacted and does not circumvent congressional intent. Looking ahead to the FY2027 appropriations cycle, the message urges continued engagement and advocacy, arguing that flat funding is insufficient and that sustained growth in R&D investment is essential to preserving U.S. global competitiveness. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/02/17 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative "Personal Marketing and Mentorship" 2026/02/19 AAUC Town Hall: Fighting the Fear 2026/02/23 Sign On Deadline - Amicus Brief Opposing the Birthright Citizenship EO 14160 2026/02/24 Hearing: Estate of Dr. Jane Wu v. Northwestern 2026/02/26 Global Competition for Talent & International Students 2026/03/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. AAUC Town Hall: Fighting the Fear WHAT: AAUC Town Hall: Fighting the Fear WHEN: February 19, 2026, 1:00 pm ET WHERE: Online Town Hall HOST: Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC) DESCRIPTION: At this town hall meeting, we'll hear inspiring stories of how Minnesotan's have stood up to ICE's campaign of fear and intimidation. We'll demystify the the playbook that's used to justify their unchecked power and civil-rights violations. Only then can we mobilize our communities to resist the unlawful actions that have spread across the country. We'll hear from community leaders in Minnesota. We also want to hear from you. If you’d like to speak for up to three minutes, please indicate this on the registration form. This town hall is a chance to build momentum together ahead of the midterm elections. Democracy is under assault, but we still have to the power exercise our Constitutional rights and make a difference. REGISTRATION : https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3UM6pB0yRMO6kWg-IfmpDA#/registration 3. 2026/02/23 Sign On Deadline - Amicus Brief Opposing the Birthright Citizenship EO 14160 Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) — together with the Korematsu Center (UCI Law), the Center for Civil Rights and Critical Justice (Seattle U Law), and O’Melveny & Myers — is filing an amicus brief warning that the Executive Order 14160 could enable retroactive denaturalization, putting millions of U.S. citizens at risk. Citing United States v. Thind and the history of stripping citizenship from Asian Americans, the brief shows how these threats are not theoretical. Citizenship determines the right to work, vote, travel, and fully belong. Asian Americans have long been at the center of this fight. AALDEF invites you to sign on and affirm that attacks on birthright citizenship — rooted in the legacy of exclusion — have no place in our democracy. Contact Marlena Truong , Voting Rights Advocate, AALDEF: mtruong@aaldef.org . Deadline for sign on is February 23, 2026. # # # 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 17, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

​AAJC and Asian Law Caucus have submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for all records relating to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection enforcement, treatment, and denial of admissions of students with connections to China. August 10, 2020 On August 10, 2020, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Asian Law Caucus submitted a Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) request for all records relating to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) enforcement, treatment, and denial of admissions of students with connections to China. "Hateful rhetoric from public leaders has created a climate of fear for Asians and Asian Americans living in the United States. Public statements by government officials against Chinese students have had a chilling effect on international students and scholars, particularly those from China seeking only to graduate and finish their studies," the FOIA says. "In 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) laid the general groundwork for a hawkish shift towards China when they announced the China Initiative. With this initiative, the DOJ began to see connections to China as a threat and increased its efforts to investigate and prosecute individuals with Chinese ancestry for alleged espionage. This was despite growing concerns from civil society about implicit bias, discrimination, and race & ethnicity based profiling." "Moreover, since 2019, we have seen reports of CBP denying admissions to Chinese students while providing little to no information for the reasons why... It is imperative that CBP provides our communities and the public with information on its decisions to refuse entry and admission to students connected to China. The public has a strong interest in getting this information considering the government’s potential targeting of individuals of Chinese or Asian descent based on their race or ethnicity." AAJC and Asian Law Caucus have submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for all records relating to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection enforcement, treatment, and denial of admissions of students with connections to China. Previous Next FOIA Request on Chinese and International Students

Newsletter - #128 FBI Town Halls; ODNI Report; 6/6 Monthly Meeting; Webinar and Op-Ed; Memorial for Norm #128 FBI Town Halls; ODNI Report; 6/6 Monthly Meeting; Webinar and Op-Ed; Memorial for Norm Back View PDF June 2, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

October 22, 2019 The American Physcial Society announced on October 22, 2019 that Temple University Physics professor Xiaoxing Xi is the recipient of the 2020 Andrei Sakharov Prize . The Prize is awarded every two years by the American Physical Society and recognizes "oustanding leadership of scientists in upholding human rights." Citation: "For articulate and steadfast advocacy in support of the US scientific community and open scientific exchange, and especially his efforts to clarify the nature of international scientific collaboration in cases involving allegations of scientific espionage." The struggle of Chinese American scientists against racial profiling by the U.S. government, as symbolized by Professor Xiaoxing Xi, is now recognized to be a human rights issue. Previous Next Professor Xiaoxing Xi Receives Andrei Sakharov Prize

Wuyuan Lu 陆五元 Professor, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Former Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland Table of Contents Overview 2012 Institute of Human Virology Annual Report Links and References Overview According to Science on March 23, 2023, for decades, Chinese-born U.S. faculty members like Wuyuan Lu were celebrated for fostering collaborations with colleagues in China. These partnerships were viewed as enriching the scientific community, and universities proudly cited the benefits of their ties to the rising global power. But in late 2018, the atmosphere shifted dramatically when institutions began receiving emails from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), asking them to investigate whether their faculty had violated NIH policies by allegedly failing to disclose affiliations with Chinese institutions. This marked the beginning of a covert, wide-reaching investigation that would result in 103 scientists—many of them tenured faculty—losing their jobs within four years. [By June 2024, the number has increased to 112.] Dr. Lu, a tenured professor at the University of Maryland’s Institute of Human Virology (IHV), was one of those caught in the crosshairs. In December 2018, he received an urgent email from a senior university research administrator, Dennis Paffrath, who cited concerns raised by the NIH about Dr. Lu's alleged failure to disclose outside research support and affiliations with Chinese universities. The NIH letter pointed to Dr. Lu’s connections with Xi’an Jiaotong University and Fudan University, alleging that his NIH-funded research overlapped with work being conducted in China. Confident that this was a misunderstanding, Dr. Lu responded swiftly. He explained that his collaborations in China were purely academic and that NIH funds were never used for work conducted overseas. He highlighted the intellectual contributions of Chinese students to his NIH-funded research at IHV, stating that the university had not only approved these partnerships but had publicly celebrated them. However, Dr. Lu's reassurances were met with silence for 15 months. When NIH finally responded, it demanded more documentation, asking for detailed descriptions of his research and even English and Chinese copies of contracts he had signed with Chinese institutions. Despite his efforts to comply, NIH remained unsatisfied. Lu felt the pressure mounting. Frustrated by the process and what he perceived as an unjustified witch hunt, Dr. Lu reached his breaking point. In August 2020, after years of uncertainty, he resigned from his tenured position at the University of Maryland. He relocated to China, where he now teaches at Fudan’s medical school in Shanghai. Looking back, Dr. Lu describes the NIH as acting like a “bully.” He felt that the investigation was a form of racial profiling, a symptom of the larger campaign to counter Chinese espionage, despite little evidence of wrongdoing. While the university never explicitly blamed him, Dr. Lu saw them as simply the middleman, caught between NIH's demands and their faculty. The once-celebrated scientist now viewed NIH’s actions as part of a larger trend of targeting Chinese-born academics, reflecting a dramatic shift in the U.S. scientific landscape, where collaboration with China had gone from a prized asset to a perceived liability. 2012 Institute of Human Virology Annual Report The 2012 University of Maryland Institute of Human Virology annual report highlighted Dr. Wuyuan Lu’s structural biology research associated with China. According to the report, “Dr. Wuyuan Lu has recently been tapped by Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU)—a prestigious academic institution in China—to help build a center for translational medicine in the ancient city of Xi’an as an extension of his ongoing biomedical research at IHV. The research center is affiliated with the School of Life Sciences and the Frontier Institute of Science and Technology of XJTU, and forms a strategic alliance with the University’s First Affiliated Hospital—the largest hospital in northwest China. The core mission of the center is to support biomedical research aimed at translating basic science discoveries into improved human health in the areas of cancer and infectious disease. “Dr. Lu regularly travels to Xi’an for strategic planning consultation that entails the building of the infrastructure of the center, recruitment of its principal investigators, development of curricula for graduate education, and establishment of a multidisciplinary research program. Discussions are also underway about how to launch a platform in Xi’an to foster close collaborations in basic and clinical research on HIV between the Institute of Human Virology and XJTU. Dr. Lu hopes that his stint in Xi’an will ultimately lead to frequent exchanges of basic scientists, clinicians and graduate students, sponsorship of joint research projects by the U.S. and China, and a greater role for the IHV in leading the global fight against HIV/AIDS. “The major goals of IHV’s research in the Laboratory of Chemical Protein Engineering (Lu laboratory) include deciphering the molecular basis of how proteins function, elucidating the structure and function relationships for and mechanisms of action of antimicrobial peptides, and developing novel antitumor and antiviral peptides for the treatment of cancer and infectious disease. “Structural biology has grown rapidly at IHV, including international expansion of Lu’s program…” Links and References University of Maryland, Baltimore County: Wuyuan Lu 2023/03/23 Science: Pall of Suspicion 2012 University of Maryland: Institute of Human Virology annual report Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #89 Nationwide Endorsement Call; 10/19 UTK Webinar; Wen Ho Lee Revisited; DARPA Alert #89 Nationwide Endorsement Call; 10/19 UTK Webinar; Wen Ho Lee Revisited; DARPA Alert Back View PDF October 14, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #298 US-China STA Renewed; Arkansas' Laws Halted; Andy Kim on Tolerance; Lisa Su; More #298 US-China STA Renewed; Arkansas' Laws Halted; Andy Kim on Tolerance; Lisa Su; More In This Issue #298 · US-China Science Technology Agreement Renewed · Arkansas' Foreign Ownership Restrictions Halted · Senator Andy Kim on Tolerance and Unity · Time CEO of The Year: Lisa Su · News and Activities for the Communities US-China Science Technology Agreement Renewed According to the Washington Post, Reuters, Nature, Science, NBC News, and other media reports, the United States and China renewed but narrowed a long-running science and technology agreement on December 13, 2024, marking continuity in their ties while also accounting for bilateral tensions that are likely to only grow under the incoming Trump administration. The previous agreement expired on August 27, 2024. The U.S.-China Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement, which was first signed in 1979 to enable basic research collaboration between the two countries, will be renewed for five years under altered terms that reflect the fraught reality of today’s U.S.-China relationship, according to statements from the U.S. and Chinese governments.The new version modifies the terms to account for the increased tensions between the two countries, including clarification of rules on data sharing and how to resolve disputes.With new guardrails around research security and transparency, as well as intellectual property protections, the agreement ensures that any federal science and technology cooperation with China “benefits the United States and minimizes risks to U.S. national security,” according to a State Department statement . “This Agreement does not facilitate the development of critical and emerging technologies.” The State Council of the People's Republic of China issued a statement on December 14. The extension of the Agreement Between the United States and China on Cooperation in Science and Technology is in line with the interests of the two peoples, and is what the international community hopes to see, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on December 16.Many scientists are pleased. “The new agreement is a very positive step,” says Deborah Seligsohn , a political scientist at Villanova University. “It’s a signal to U.S. scientists that their government still values a bilateral relationship with China, even one with more guardrails.” Li Tang , a science policy specialist at Fudan University, calls the latest version “a win-win-win for the U.S., China, and other nations that benefit from not having to take sides” in the growing economic and political competition between the two superpowers.The new agreement also covers the safety of individual scientists. According to State Department official, “We don’t want U.S. researchers involved in an innocuous project to be caught up in a situation where some overzealous official harasses them or detains them. We wanted to signal to Congress that we are aware of issues of arbitrary detention and exit bans in China.”Chinese observers think the concern for researcher safety should cut both ways. “Ensuring fairness and safety for Chinese researchers abroad is essential to re-establishing a stable framework for scientific exchange and joint research,” Tang says, citing the harmful effect on Chinese scientists of a campaign launched by the Trump administration to thwart Chinese economic espionage. 2024/12/16 China Daily : Sino-US sci-tech agreement extended 2024/12/14 NBC News: U.S. and China renew science and technology pact amid growing rivalry 2024/12/13 Washington Post : U.S. and China renew science agreement as officials brace for new tensions 2024/12/13 Reuters : Biden administration inks renewed science cooperation deal with China; Republicans cry foul 2024/12/13 Nature : US and China sign new science pact — but with severe restrictions 2024/12/13 Science : United States and China renew science pact despite rising tensions Arkansas' Foreign Ownership Laws Halted On December 11, 2024, the National Agricultural Law Center reported that a U.S. District Court in Arkansas issued a preliminary injunction in favor of Jones Eagle, LLC., or Qimin "Jimmy" Chen , a naturalized U.S. citizen who lives in New York. Chen controls the firm through Eagle Asset Holding Inc., which owns a majority stake in Jones Eagle. The ruling prevents the state from enforcing its foreign ownership laws against the plaintiff until further notice. This followed an earlier temporary restraining order (TRO) granted to Jones Eagle, which halted Arkansas’s enforcement of its foreign ownership laws for 14 days, expiring on December 9, 2024.In its 43-page ruling , the Court found that the Arkansas laws may conflict with federal law and constitutional protections. It rejected the state's motion to dismiss, affirming the lawsuit's jurisdiction and ripeness.The lawsuit, Jones Eagle LLC v. Ward ( 4:24-cv-00990) , was filed on November 13, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. It challenges Arkansas Acts 636 (2023) and 174 (2024) as unconstitutional. The injunction was granted based on the likelihood that Jones Eagle would succeed on its claims, including arguments about preemption, equal protection, and due process violations. The case continues with a focus on constitutional and federal preemption issues.According to Arkansas Advocate , Jones Eagle filed suit against the state, Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward and Attorney General Tim Griffin . The suit claims the two laws violate the Fourteenth and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution by denying due process, illegally discriminating against a person based on national origin and depriving a person of just compensation for taking property. The plaintiff is represented by Kutak Rock LLP and Paul L. Hoffman, Director of Civil Rights Clinic, and Robert S. Chang, Executive Director of the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality at University of California Irvine School of Law Act 636 , also known as Senate Bill 383, prohibits ownership of property in Arkansas by companies or individuals connected with the Chinese government and several other countries considered adversaries of the United States. It gives the state agriculture department authority to investigate allegations of such ownership and directs the attorney general to take action to force the divestiture of the property through judicial foreclosure. Act 174 , also known as Senate Bill 79, amended the law regulating digital asset mining operations, also known as data centers, and prohibits ownership by “foreign-party-controlled” interests connected to the same countries listed in Act 636.Read more about Senate Bill 383 and other state alien land bills at the Committee 100 tracker for the 2023 legislative session at https://bit.ly/4cqxFfg The Arkansas lawsuit was discussed briefly by Ashley Gorski , Senior Staff Attorney for ACLU, during the alien land laws webinar co-hosted by the Committee of 100 and APA Justice on December 11, 2024. In response to a question from the audience about who should be contacted by individuals impacted by state alien land laws, Gorski suggests that they may contact ACLU and her at agorski@aclu.org . Information about the about the webinar is located here: https://bit.ly/3CEWK9p . A video recording of the webinar is posted at https://www.youtube.com/user/committee100 Committee of 100 Alien Land Laws Tracker ( 2024 , 2023 )APA Justice: Alien Land Bills 2024/12/10 National Agricultural Law Center: Federal Judge Halts Enforcement of Arkansas' Foreign Ownership Restrictions 2024/12/09 Jones Eagle LLC v. Ward (4:24-cv-00990): Redacted Preliminary Injunction Order 2024/11/26 Arkansas Advocate : Arkansas laws targeting foreign ownership of land and data center put on hold Senator Andy Kim on Tolerance and Unity Newly-elected Senator Andy Kim made a poignant observation as he transitioned from the House to the Senate. Reflecting on the House chamber, he shared something that often goes unnoticed: the center aisle—the one the President walks down for the State of the Union, dividing the Republican and Democratic sides—ends at an inscription of the word "Tolerance." "Why 'tolerance'?" he asked.At first glance, tolerance might not seem particularly inspiring. The word can even sound negative, as in tolerating noise or bad behavior. That’s why political leaders often prefer terms like "unity." Why, then, isn’t "unity" inscribed in this central location? After all, the nation's motto, E Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One), is inscribed on the Capitol Dome, a symbol of national identity.Senator Kim reflected that tolerance offers a unique path toward togetherness while still recognizing the challenges posed by differences. Unlike unity, which can sometimes suggest total agreement or harmony, tolerance acknowledges that differences exist—and that they always will. It does not suggest a melting pot where everyone is the same or a singular sense of what it means to be American. Instead, tolerance embraces the idea that our belief in freedom is more important than our discomfort with how others live their lives."Tolerance exists in the space between unity and disunity," he observed. It rejects the notion that we are enemies and instead fosters respect for one another despite our differences. Tolerance stands against separation and segregation, promoting coexistence over division. Importantly, tolerance is not a weakness. It does not mean compromising one’s values or ignoring hate. As President John F. Kennedy famously said, "Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather, it condemns the oppression or persecution of others." Senator Kim acknowledged that building a society grounded in tolerance is not easy. "How do we forge a tolerance that flows in all directions?" he asked. "I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do think there’s value in the concept and that it should be thought of with similar rigor as we do toward unity."In reframing tolerance as an active and essential value—not merely a fallback from unity—Senator Kim reclaimed the term from its often-dismissive connotations. While unity may inspire, tolerance is the framework that allows a diverse society to function. His remarks invite a deeper engagement with the idea of tolerance, not as an abstract principle, but as a call to action for coexistence and mutual respect. Time CEO of The Year: Lisa Su Lisa Su 蘇姿丰 , the CEO of AMD, was named Time 's 2024 CEO of the Year in recognition of her transformative leadership in the semiconductor industry. Under her guidance, AMD achieved a remarkable turnaround, evolving from a struggling company with stock prices at $3 per share in 2014 to a powerhouse trading at over $130 today. Su's strategic focus enabled AMD to surpass Intel in company value and expand its influence into gaming and artificial intelligence technologies. Time highlighted Su's hands-on leadership style, noting her weekend meetings, detailed review of technical documents, and direct involvement in evaluating prototype chips. Her work ethic and innovation have positioned AMD as a major competitor in the rapidly growing AI chip sector. Su has been lauded as a trailblazer, emphasizing the critical role of semiconductors in shaping the future of AI and other technologies.Su , 55, was born in Taiwan and received her BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees from MIT. She is cousin of Jensen Huang 黃仁勳 , founder, president and chief executive officer of Nvidia. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/12/22 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/01/05 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/01/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/01/15 Master Class: Maintaining the Effectiveness of Organizational Equity Initiatives in the Current Environment2024/01/16 Master Classes: Asian American Career Lessons2025/01/19 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/13-15 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting2025/02/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. C100 Launches “Master Classes for Organizations: Managing Equity Initiatives” The Committee of 100 is launching a new program under the title of “Master Classes for Organizations: Managing Equity Initiatives” where it will feature experts who will conduct tutorials on various topics related to how organizations (corporate, non-profit, government) can more effectively manage their equity initiatives. Two classes will be held on January 15 and 16, 2025, respectively. This program is separate from the Master Classes for Individuals programs that focus on giving advice to Asian Americans as individuals who are dealing with career ceiling issues. WHAT : “Master Class: Maintaining the Effectiveness of Organizational Equity Initiatives in the Current Environment” WHEN: January 15, 2025, 6:00 - 7:00 pm Eastern Time WHERE : Online Webinar HOST: Committee of 100 Moderator : Peter Young , CEO, Young & Partners; Committee of 100 Speakers: · Joyce Chang , Global Head of Research for J.P. Morgan and Executive Sponsor for J.P. Morgan Chase’s network for employees of Asian heritage (AsPIRE) · Jenny R. Yang , Workplace Equal Opportunity Government Leader, Former Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Former White House, Domestic Policy Council as a Deputy Assistant to the President for Racial Justice and Equity REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/4iMC1B8 ***** WHAT : "Master Classes: Asian American Career Lessons – Developing a Personal Brand” WHEN: January 16, 2025, 6:00 - 7:00 pm Eastern Time WHERE : Online Webinar HOST: Committee of 100 Moderator : Peter Young , CEO, Young & Partners; Committee of 100 Speaker: Jerry Won , CEO of Just Like Media REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/4ge4gXI 3. SoCal man pleads guilty to hate crime against Asian woman According to AsAmNews and LA Times on December 12, 2024, a Southern California man punched an Asian American woman in the head and shouted slurs at her as she lay injured in the street. Now he has pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime.The victim, who is unnamed in the plea agreement, was walking to work in Culver City at 1 a.m. on June 14, 2021. Jesse Lindsey , 38, described as a homeless man who last lived in Fontana, approached the victim, whom he perceived to be Asian, prosecutors said."You can't say hi to a motherf— white boy?" he reportedly yelled, before punching the victim and knocking her down. According to prosecutors, Lindsey shouted, "You hear what I said?" and referred to the woman using the N-word. "I said good morning, b—." The victim received 11 stitches for her injuries after hitting her head on the street when she fell.He is scheduled to be sentenced in March, 2025. # # # 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 . As part of its continuing migration to a new website under construction, we have moved the Newsletter webpage to www.apajusticetaskforce.org/newsletters . We value your feedback about the new web page. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF December 17, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #337 7/7 Monthly Meeting; Coalition Open Letter; Harvard Lawsuit; APA Museum Commission; + #337 7/7 Monthly Meeting; Coalition Open Letter; Harvard Lawsuit; APA Museum Commission; + In This Issue #337 · 2025/07/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Coalition Open Letter to Marco Rubio on Revocation of Chinese Student Visas · Support of Harvard Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Cuts · National Asian Pacific American Museum Commission Sworn In · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/07/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, July 7, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Joanna YangQing Derman, Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed invited speakers are: · Lynn Pasquerella , President of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), has accepted our invitation to speak at the meeting. On April 22, 2025, AAC&U issued a public statement calling for Constructive Engagement to address concerns of government overreach and political interference in higher education. Over 650 current leaders of colleges, universities, and scholarly societies have signed on to the statement. · Clay Zhu 朱可亮 , Founder and President, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance, who recently obtained a nationwide temporary restraining order in Chen v. Noem (4:25-cv-03292) with possible additional legal actions defending the rights of international students from China. · Paul Cheung 鄭文耀 , President, Committee of 100. (See News and Activities for the Communities below for additional information) · Tony Chan 陳繁昌 , Former President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (2018-2024) and Former President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (2009-2018). 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 . Coalition Open Letter to Marco Rubio on Revocation of Chinese Student Visas (Madeleine Gable, APA Justice Communications Intern, contributed to this report.)On June 16, 2025, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) & Stop AAPI Hate announced a coalition letter representing 64 organizations was sent to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio . The letter calls for the halt of implementation of the May 28, 2025, policy announcement to “aggressively revoke” the visas of Chinese international students, including in “critical fields”. The Secretary of State’s new planned visa policy, issued without meaningful clarity, hurts the safety and well-being of students, undermines our American values, and jeopardizes the nation’s academic, technological, and economic leadership.Read the coalition letter at https://bit.ly/4jQjjYr . APA Justice is a co-signer of the letter.Questions about how to support this action should reach out to Gisela Perez Kusakawa at gpkusakawa@aasforum.org , Joanna YangQing Derman at jderman@advancingjustice-aajc.org , or Kenny Nguyen at knguyen@stopaapihate.org .Several media outlets, including Axios , Inside Higher Ed , Los Angeles Times , reported that President Donald Trump stated on social media that Chinese students would be welcome in the U.S. as part of a proposed trade deal with China involving rare earth mineral exports. Following two days of negotiations in London, the U.S. and China announced a tentative “framework” agreement on trade and export restrictions. However, there has been no official confirmation from either U.S. or Chinese authorities regarding any reversal of Secretary Rubio’s prior announcement. Amid ongoing policy uncertainty, confusion is growing at the university level, leaving many students in limbo. According to the Purdue Exponent , several Chinese graduate students at Purdue University had their applications denied after already receiving funding offers months prior. In February 2025, many prospective graduate students received emails offering them research assistantships in the STEM department of their choice. Three months later, at least 100 students received emails rescinding the offer, with the news that their applications had been denied.While initial offers serve as a departmental recommendation for both admission and funding, final approval rests with the Office of Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars. By the time rejection emails were sent, many students had already declined other opportunities and were unable to apply elsewhere due to closed application cycles.This situation is particularly dire for international students, who must now secure another academic program or job within 90 days or face possible deportation. Among the affected applicants, at least 10 are Chinese nationals. Brantly McCord , a doctoral student in education and member of the university’s graduate labor organization, expressed concern about the apparent pattern, noting that the most troubling aspect is “the demographic of students who received this en masse.”Many students received only a brief rejection notice, while others received no explanation at all. Support of Harvard Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Cuts According to Forbes , Harvard Crimson , Higher Ed Dive and other media reports, 18 research colleges formally expressed their support of Harvard University’s legal challenge against the Trump administration for cutting or freezing roughly $2.8 billion of the institution’s grants and contracts. In a legal filing in the case of President and Fellows of Harvard College v. US Department of Health and Human Services (1:25-cv-11048) on June 6, 2025, the colleges requested to file an amicus brief in support of the Ivy League institution, even though the lawsuit only addresses the federal cuts facing Harvard. “Academic research is an interconnected enterprise,” the filing argued. “The elimination of funding at Harvard negatively impacts the entire ecosystem.”The request was granted and additional amicus briefs have been submitted since June 6 in support of the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment, including—but not limited to—the following: · Conference of Boston Teaching Hospital, Inc. · Columbia Alumni for Academic Freedom · Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression · Lauren G. Milgroom on behalf of 12,041 Harvard Alumni · Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee · A Jewish Voice for Peace · Massachusetts, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, The District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin · American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Massachusetts, Inc., Cato Institute, Electronic Frontier Foundation, National Coalition Against Censorship, Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and the Rutherford Institute · American Council on Education and 27 other amici · Muslim Legal Fund of America · Middle East Studies Association of North America, Inc. · Former U.S. Agency Officials · Jewish Scholars of Jewish Studies For up-to-date information on the Harvard lawsuit, read the CourtListener legal docket: https://bit.ly/4jVrJhk National Asian Pacific American Museum Commission Sworn In On June 12, 2025, the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture held a ceremonial swearing-in of its congressionally appointed members at the Library of Congress, formally launching its mandated mission to assess the feasibility of establishing the first national museum dedicated to preserving Asian Pacific American history and culture. The Honorable Elaine L. Chao , former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, and the first Asian American woman appointed to a President’s Cabinet, led the event. Established by Public Law 117-140 (H.R. 3525) on June 13, 2022, the bipartisan Commission is charged with delivering a report to the President and Congress that will lay the foundation for the possible creation of a national museum. Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Grace Meng introduced H.R. 3525. Over the coming months, the Commission will engage the Asian Pacific American community nationwide, consulting with leading experts and institutions, and assessing key considerations–including site locations in our nation’s capital, costs, and operations of the future museum. The bipartisan Commission includes eight members appointed by the Speaker and Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Majority and Minority Leaders of the U.S. Senate. The Commissioners, who were selected for their leadership in public service, museum development, and community engagement, include: · Dr. Jay Xu (California), Chair – Director Emeritus, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco · Chiling Tong (Maryland), Chair – President and CEO, National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship · Joanne Kwong (New York), Vice Chair – President, Pearl River Mart · Tina Wei Smith (Kentucky), Vice Chair – Former Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders · Dennis Cheng (New York) – Former Deputy Political Director, The White House · The Honorable Rodney Davis (Illinois) – Former U.S. Representative (IL-13) · Kevin D. Kim (New York) – Former Commissioner, New York City Department of Small Business Services · The Honorable Michelle Steel (California) – Former U.S. Representative (CA-45) The Commission also announced that Krystal Ka‘ai Hetherington will serve as its Executive Director. Ka‘ai Hetherington previously served as Executive Director of both the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Through listening sessions and convenings, the Commission will invite broad participation from the Asian Pacific American community to explore how a museum could best serve the nation. Commissioners will also consult with community leaders and experts, regional museums, academic institutions, historical societies, and cultural organizations to develop recommendations on establishing, funding, and maintaining a museum in the nation’s capital. The Commission’s work will conclude with the delivery of a final report to the President, Congress, and the American people outlining a plan for a future museum. Members of the public will be able to track updates from the Commission through its new website ( nationalapamuseum.org ) and on social media at @apamuseum. Read the announcement: https://bit.ly/44eNxQj Friends of the National Asian Pacific American Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit—independent of the Commission and the Smithsonian—formed to garner requisite authorization and to create the Museum. Handel Lee and Anne Chao serve as Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors. Grace Y. Toh serves as Executive Director. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/06/15-18 2025 Applied Statistics Symposium2025/06/16-24 Discover China 2025: Summer Youth Exchange to the Greater Bay Area2025/06/28-30 2025 ICSA China Conference2025/06/29 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. C100 Names Paul Cheung President; Cindy Tsai Executive Vice President The Committee of 100 (C100), a non-profit organization of prominent Chinese Americans, has announced the appointment of Paul Cheung as its new President, effective May 31, 2025. The organization also named Cindy Tsai , who served as Interim President during the transition, as the new Executive Vice President.Paul brings more than 25 years of expertise in media, technology innovation, philanthropy and nonprofit leadership to his work. Most recently, Paul served as the CEO for the Center for Public Integrity, a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that spotlights the corrosive effects of inequality. Cindy Tsai, who has served as Interim President since June 2023, and General Counsel since joining the organization in September 2021, will now transition to the role of Executive Vice President. Read the Committee of 100 announcement: https://bit.ly/4l2mvkI . 3. AAJC Is Hiring Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC is hiring. It is looking for dedicated and passionate individuals for these positions: · Chief Operating Officer · Vice President, Human Resources · Assistant Director, Strategic Communications · Manager of Immigration Advocacy · Digital Engagement Associate · Technology, Telecommunications, and Media Policy Associate Visit https://bit.ly/43FJgoT for more information and send your resume and materials to HR@advancingjustice-aajc.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 June 18, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #53 Harvard Symposium; Xiaoxing Xi & ACLU Lawsuit; Cato Institute Report; Comment On NIH Due; More #53 Harvard Symposium; Xiaoxing Xi & ACLU Lawsuit; Cato Institute Report; Comment On NIH Due; More Back View PDF April 8, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #173 04/03 Meeting; Science on NIH; Stanford Statement; Foreign Affairs; State Department #173 04/03 Meeting; Science on NIH; Stanford Statement; Foreign Affairs; State Department In This Issue #173 2023/04/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Science Editorial and Report on NIH’s “China Initiative” Stanford University Statement on Foreign Engagement and Support for University Researchers Foreign Affairs on "Don't Panic Over Taiwan" State Department Ends Discriminatory "Assignment Restrictions" Policy 2023/04/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, April 3, 2023, starting at 1:55 pm ET. The virtual monthly meeting is by invitation only. If you wish to join, either one time or for future meetings, please contact one of the co-organizers of APA Justice - Steven Pei 白先慎 , Vincent Wang 王文奎 , and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . Updates will be provided in the meeting by: Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) John Yang 杨重远 , President and Executive Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC Gisela Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum In addition, we welcome three new distinguished speakers. Dr. Robert Underwood Dr. Robert Underwood is a member of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI). He is a former Member of Congress representing Guam for 10 years. He is also President Emeritus of the University of Guam and has the distinction of being the longest serving President of the university. He has served the nation as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the founding Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Scholarship Fund. As a scholar and activist, he has served his region and his people as a passionate advocate for the respect and maintenance of the Chamorro language and the empowerment of the peoples of Micronesia. Dr. Underwood is also Co-Chair of the United States Institute of Peace China-Freely Associated States Senior Study Group. On March 10, 2023, APA Justice submitted comments titled " Pursuing a More Perfect Union and an Equitable Society " to the Commission. John Liu 刘醇逸 New York State Senator John Liu 刘醇逸 represents a broad area of northeast Queens. He is chairperson of the Senate’s committee on New York City Education and also serves on the committees of Education, Finance, Higher Education, Judiciary, Rules and Transportation. State Senator Liu will speak on the relevance and importance of New York Police Department Officer Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 's story and racial profiling of Asian American scientists to his bill requiring K-12 schools to provide instruction in Asian American history and civic impact, as well as the revival of Alien Land Laws and similar discriminatory bills in Texas and other states. Paula Williams Madison Paula Williams Madison is a former print and TV journalist, retired NBCUniversal executive and GE Company Officer, Former Vice President of the Los Angeles Police Commission and owner of The Africa Channel. She will expand on her thoughts on holding a conversation with a number of national organizations to form a task force on a media watchdog or a similar purpose for the foreseeable future. UCA, C.A.C.A., Committee of 100, AAAJ, etc., could form such an entity. Named one of the “75 Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America” by Black Enterprise Magazine in 2005 and included in the Hollywood Reporter’s “Power 100," she has been honored by Asian organizations as well, having been recognized in 2014 as one of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business and in 2015, she was honored by the East West Players and AARP with their Visionary Award and by the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles with the Historymaker Award. She authored and produced FINDING SAMUEL LOWE - from Harlem to China 寻找罗定朝 , which tells her successful search to locate her Chinese grandfather's descendants in China. She is a dual citizen of both the US and Jamaica, grew up in Harlem, and lives with her husband in Los Angeles. Science Editorial and Report on NIH’s “China Initiative” According to an editorial by the Editor-in-Chief of Science, H. Holden Thorp , on March 23, 2023, it wasn’t that long ago when scientific collaboration between the United States and China was enthusiastically encouraged as a means to accomplish the best science. That all changed in 2018, when then-President Trump launched the China Initiative to rid US academia of Chinese spies. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)—the largest federal funder of biomedical research—vigorously responded to this charge. The agency’s allegations and investigations have not only destroyed careers but also eroded trust in the agency and federal government across the scientific community.This is probably not how Michael Lauer , deputy director for extramural research at NIH, wants to be remembered. But history is not always kind. Lauer has been heavy-handed with regard to policing foreign influence from China, allowing the agency to engage in secretive hardball to target researchers who receive NIH support and who are affiliated with Chinese collaborators.When pressed publicly for details, the NIH and the institutions have given legalistic responses that provide little reassurance.It ’s hard not to conclude that the answer to what changed is Donald Trump’s term as president along with the rise in power of conservative members of Congress bent on reviving the dark spirit of McCarthyism, with China substituted for the Soviet Union.The result was threatening letters from Lauer and a complete change in tone from the institutions. Since 2018, 100 institutions have received letters concerning 246 faculty members, most of them Asian and most working with Chinese collaborators. Altogether, 103 have been forced out, and many more have been enjoined from receiving NIH funds, which is almost always a career killer. Because the letters contain language portraying these scientists as being “unwelcome in the NIH ecosystem,” very few institutions in the United States will hire them. If the implied nefarious activities were real now, it’s been real for a while. The NIH has not given adequate answers as to why this all started so abruptly.Given the statements that Lauer has made in his letters, it’s no wonder the institutions have clammed up. But they owe their faculty, students, trainees, and staff an explanation as well. Has the national security apparatus demanded administrators’ silence? Or is it the need for institutions to maintain their good standing with NIH? The institutions and the NIH need to resolve this. Given the information available in the public domain, the scientific community could easily conclude that this is a xenophobic program to harm Chinese scientists and cut off international scientific cooperation. The federal government needs to figure out a way to let the NIH and the institutions reassure the community that this is all worth it. Read the Science editorial: https://bit.ly/3z24z40 PALL OF SUSPICION - The National Institutes of Health’s “China initiative” has upended hundreds of lives and destroyed scores of academic careers. According to an investigative report by Science reporter Jeff Mervis , in contrast to the very public criminal prosecutions of academic scientists under the "China Initiative" launched in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump to thwart Chinese espionage, NIH’s version has been conducted behind closed doors. Michael Lauer , head of NIH’s extramural research, says that secrecy is necessary to protect the privacy of individual scientists, who are not government employees. Universities consider the NIH-prompted investigations to be a personnel matter, and thus off-limits to queries from reporters. And the targeted scientists have been extremely reticent to talk about their ordeal.Only one of the five scientists whose cases are described in this article has previously gone public with their story. And only one has pushed back successfully, winning a large settlement against her university for terminating her.But a running tally kept by the agency shows the staggering human toll of NIH’s campaign. NIH’s data also make clear who has been most affected. Some 81% of the scientists cited in the NIH letters identify as Asian, and 91% of the collaborations under scrutiny were with colleagues in China.In only 14 of the 246 cases—a scant 6%—did the institution fail to find any evidence to back up NIH’s suspicions. Lauer, who oversees NIH’s $30 billion grants portfolio, regards that high success rate as proof NIH only contacted institutions when there were compelling reasons to believe the targeted scientists were guilty of “scientific, budgetary, or commitment overlap” with NIH-funded projects. But others, including some of the scientists targeted and the university administrators involved in investigating them, say the tremendous power differential between NIH and its grantees may be a better explanation for why so many scientists have been axed.NIH is by far the largest funder of academic biomedical research in the United States, and some medical centers receive hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the agency. So when senior administrators heard Lauer say a targeted scientist “was not welcome in the NIH ecosystem,” they understood immediately what he meant—and that he was expecting action.“If NIH says there’s a conflict, then there’s a conflict, because NIH is always right,” says David Brenner , who was vice chancellor for health sciences at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), in November 2018 when the institution received a letter from Lauer asking it to investigate five medical school faculty members, all born in China. “We were told we have a problem and that it was up to us to fix it.”The five scientists who came forward in the Science report are: Wuyuan Lu , a tenured professor at University of Maryland’s Institute of Human Virology. In August 2020, Lu resigned his tenured position. He is now a professor at Fudan’s medical school in Shanghai. “NIH was acting like a bully,” he tells Science , “and I decided that I’m not going to waste any more time on this witch hunt.” Yue Xiong , a biochemist at the University of North Carolina (UNC). Xiong never saw a list of specific allegations, nor did UNC ever give him any report of its findings. Instead, on 27 May 2020, Xiong was told at a face-to-face meeting with the medical school’s head of human resources that he had 48 hours to decide whether to resign or be fired. Xiong retired quietly from UNC in July 2020 and is now chief scientific officer of Cullgene, a biotech startup in San Diego. Li Wang , a tenured professor of physiology and neurobiology at the University of Connecticut (UConn). Wang resigned on 19 September 2019, 1 day before her termination went into effect. She fought back. A collective bargaining agreement gives UConn faculty the right to seek outside, binding arbitration in employment disputes. Peter Adomeit , an arbitrator of the American Arbitration Association, ruled in November 2021 in Wang’s favor. In a 56-page decision, Peter Adomeit ordered UConn to pay Wang $1.4 million in compensation for being suspended and terminated “without just cause.” “[Interim Provost John ] Elliott ’s claim that the University ‘has lost confidence’ in Dr. Wang is true,” Adomeit wrote. “But it was their fault, not hers. They relied on false evidence. [Wang] tried to correct them, but they wouldn’t listen.” Xiang-Dong Fu , Distinguished Professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). In January 2022, Fu was given the choice of either resigning or accepting a 4-year, unpaid suspension from the university that would ban him from campus and his lab. Fu filed a grievance, contending that many of the report’s findings were incorrect and that the university had failed to follow its own procedures. More than 100 UCSD faculty members petitioned. UCSD officials never replied, nor did Fu get a response to his grievance. On 5 December 2022, Fu “reluctantly resigned” after being told his 2-year campus suspension would go into effect on 1 January 2023. Last month he accepted a position with the fledgling Westlake University, China’s first private research university. Kun-Liang Guan , Distinguished Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer Center at UCSD. In 2019, the university concluded he had violated its code of conduct by failing to disclose research support from foreign sources and banned him from applying for NIH funding for 2 years. Guan says he never received a letter describing the allegations he was facing or a report on the outcome of the university’s investigation. He was able to win new NIH awards once the suspension ended in 2021. Even so, his lab has shrunk dramatically, and he’s no longer taking on new graduate students. His love of science has also suffered. “I used to work very hard,” he says. “Now, sometimes, I wonder what was the point of all the effort I made.” “And I’m one of the lucky ones,” he continues. “I don’t know how many people that NIH wanted to stop are able to start again. Maybe none.” Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/3ZbJL4B Stanford University Statement on Foreign Engagement and Support for University Researchers According to a Statement on Foreign Engagement and Support for University Researchers on February 8, 2023, Stanford University pursues its research and education missions drawing on the talents and contributions of its diverse international community of students and scholars. Likewise, engagement and collaboration with international partners are essential to Stanford’s efforts to develop the knowledge and innovations required to address some of the world’s most pressing problems.One challenge to this work in recent years has emerged from the geopolitical tension between the U.S. and China and resulting concerns about U.S. national security. Stanford takes seriously the threats from foreign governments that seek to undermine U.S. national security as well as the security and integrity of the research environment. These concerns and the issues they pose for research universities have been articulated in reports including the 2022 MIT report as well as the 2022 report of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine . As a leading research institution, Stanford has an important role to play in safeguarding the research ecosystem and preventing U.S. national security from being jeopardized while continuing to advance universal scientific values of reciprocity, objectivity and fairness. Unfortunately, the articulation of concerns about the integrity and security of the research environment, and efforts to address those concerns, have caused fear, distress and, in some cases, professional and personal harm to some researchers. This is particularly true for members of our Asian and Asian American communities – especially those of Chinese origin. Inflammatory rhetoric and generalized accusations have caused some researchers to feel targeted and vulnerable purely because they have relationships and collaborations in and with China. This is unacceptable and contrary to the university’s commitment to nondiscrimination and maintaining an open and welcoming environment. Furthermore, discrimination and xenophobia threaten to deprive the U.S. of valuable talent and collaborations, delegitimize serious security concerns, and divert attention and resources from promoting the security of the research enterprise. All international students, faculty, staff, postdocs and alumni are valued members of the Stanford community and should always feel welcome, safe, respected and valued. No one should ever be considered suspect based on their national origin or heritage. Stanford is committed to providing support to researchers engaging in cross-border collaborations, including in China or with Chinese partners, in ways that protect the security and integrity of the research ecosystem and comply with federal laws. For example: Stanford is committed to providing guidance and support to researchers. Stanford is committed to sharing information with the research community. Stanford is committed to defending researchers and protecting the individual’s right to due process. Read the Stanford University statement: https://stanford.io/40xK3Un Foreign Affairs on "Don't Panic Over Taiwan" According to Foreign Affairs on March 21, 2023, fears that China will soon invade Taiwan are overblown. There is little evidence that Chinese leaders see a closing window for action. Such fears appear to be driven more by Washington’s assessments of its own military vulnerabilities than by Beijing’s risk-reward calculus. Historically, Chinese leaders have not started wars to divert attention from domestic challenges, and they continue to favor using measures short of conflict to achieve their objectives. If anything, problems at home have moderated Chinese foreign policy, and Chinese popular opinion has tended to reward government bluster and displays of resolve that do not lead to open conflict.If Western policymakers exaggerate the risk of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, they might inadvertently create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead of worrying that Beijing will gin up a foreign crisis to bolster its standing at home or assuming that Beijing feels pressured to invade in the near term, the United States should focus on arresting—or at least decelerating—the action-reaction spiral that has steadily ratcheted up tensions and made a crisis more likely. That does not mean halting efforts to bolster Taiwan’s resilience to Chinese coercion or to diversify the United States’ defense posture in the region. But it does mean avoiding needless confrontation and identifying reciprocal steps that Washington and Beijing could take to lower the temperature.The hard but crucial task for U.S. policymakers is to thread the needle between deterrence and provocation. Symbolic displays of resolve, unconditional commitments to defend Taiwan, and pledges of a surge in U.S. military power in the region could stray too far toward the latter, inadvertently provoking the very conflict U.S. policymakers seek to deter.Read the Foreign Affairs article at https://bit.ly/3LFyoi9 State Department Ends "Assignment Restrictions" Policy According to reports by Politico and CNN on March 22, 2023, the State Department is ending its controversial policy of issuing assignment restrictions for diplomats as a condition of security clearance. The change comes after an intensive review of the practice, which was perceived as discriminatory by diplomats and Democratic lawmakers, particularly because the limits appeared to fall disproportionately on employees with Asian American and Pacific Islander backgrounds.The assignment restrictions were applied by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, sometimes to employees who otherwise hold top-secret clearances, to prevent them from serving in particular countries or even, while they’re in Washington, from working on issues related to those countries.In 2021, Reps. Ted Lieu , Joaquin Castro , Andy Kim and Chrissy Houlahan introduced a bill to reform such restrictions, calling them "discriminatory" and that the restriction policy “disproportionately impacts federal employees who can’t trace their heritage to the Mayflower and directly undermines the department’s goal of promoting diversity and inclusion.”The bill cited State Department data that about 1,800 employees were subject to assignment restrictions. The top four countries with such restrictions were China (196), Russia (184), Taiwan (84) and Israel (70). Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF March 27, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #115 "China Initiative" Dropped; CBS Interviews Gang Chen; Power Corrupts; Request to OSTP #115 "China Initiative" Dropped; CBS Interviews Gang Chen; Power Corrupts; Request to OSTP Back View PDF February 24, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #103 AASF/Cato Webinars; WHIAANHPI; Dr. David Ho 4 NIH; 12/6 Meeting Summary; Media Reports #103 AASF/Cato Webinars; WHIAANHPI; Dr. David Ho 4 NIH; 12/6 Meeting Summary; Media Reports Back View PDF December 21, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter