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Newsletter - #148 "China Initiative" Cases Crumble; Caught in Tension/Hate; 10/03 Meeting; 09/12 Summary #148 "China Initiative" Cases Crumble; Caught in Tension/Hate; 10/03 Meeting; 09/12 Summary Back View PDF September 30, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #14 September 14 Meeting Agenda And Link To Join #14 September 14 Meeting Agenda And Link To Join Back View PDF September 9, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #251 5/6 Monthly Meeting; Rally Against FL SB846; FISA in 2 Years; AANHPI Heritage Month; + #251 5/6 Monthly Meeting; Rally Against FL SB846; FISA in 2 Years; AANHPI Heritage Month; + In This Issue #251 • 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting • Organizer Report on Florida Rally Against SB 846 • Expanded FISA Authorized for Two Years • May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month • News and Activities for the Communities 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, May 6, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna YangQing Derman, Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), Two speakers will describe an upcoming forum with the Asian American and academic communities and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in Houston, which will be co-hosted by TMAC and the Science and Technology Policy Program, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Office of Innovation at Rice University. • Nabila Mansoor, President, Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC); Executive Director, Rise AAPI • Kenneth M. Evans, Scholar in Science and Technology Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University In addition, • Rebecca Keiser, Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy, National Science Foundation (NSF), returns to update us on the JASON report on Safeguarding the Research Enterprise, MacroPolo's Global AI Talent Tracker 2.0, and related activities and development at NSF. 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 . Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition The Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC) is a coalition of multicultural groups in Houston that is dedicated to promoting justice and progress for marginalized communities. Comprising a diverse range of organizations, the coalition works to raise awareness about issues affecting communities of color, advocate for policy changes, and promote collective action to achieve greater equity and social justice. By bringing together different communities and organizations, TMAC aims to create a more inclusive and equitable society for all. Baker Institute for Public Policy, Office of Innovation, at Rice University The Science and Technology Policy Program, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Office of Innovation at Rice University provides a space for policymakers and scientists to engage in substantive dialogue on critical scientific issues facing the U.S. and the world. Through this program, scholars address a broad range of policy issues that affect scientists and their research, as well as the application of science for the public good. Organizer Report on Florida Rally Against SB 846 During the APA Justice monthly meeting on April 8, 2024, Professors Jiangeng Xue 薛剑耿, Zhong-Ren Peng 彭仲仁, and Chenglong Li 李成龙 reported on their organization and observations of the rally against a state law known as SB 846 in Gainesville on March 26, 2024. Professor Xue, Peng, and Li are President, Board Member, and President-elect of the Florida Chinese Faculty Association (FCFA) respectively. FCFA was created about 10 years ago with the original goals of developing collaborations among the faculty members and mentoring the younger members. National and local media including NBC News, AsAmNews, WUFT, and Alligator had wide coverage of the rally. Professor Xue began by outlining the history and current challenges faced by FCFA, emphasizing their shift towards addressing campus influences. During the China Initiative, FCFA met with the provost, the vice president for research, and the president and talked about issues of concern such as compliance and outside activity reports that led to some regulations that may be less intrusive. The SB 846 bill came out of the 2023 legislative session to target academic exchange and collaborations. Despite assurance about SB 846 that students would not be affected, the Board of Governors – the governing body for all state universities in Florida – put out more restrictions including those on hiring graduate students and scholars in October 2023. This has become the focal point of the FCFA fight, prompting FCFA's response, including a rally and media engagement with help from national and local organizations such as the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF). Over 200 participants, including faculty, students, and national organization representatives, joined the rally, raising awareness and advocating for academic freedom and non-discriminatory hiring practices. FCFA expressed gratitude for the support received, including the Graduate Assistants United, AASF, Advancing Justice | AAJC, APA Justice, UCA, ACLU Florida, and the Brennan Center. FCFA outlined three key requests: restoring faculty hiring rights, upholding academic freedom, and depoliticizing education. Positive outcomes included media attention and strengthened connections between local and national groups. Though direct feedback from the Board of Directors was limited, FCFA remains optimistic about potential amendments. Professor Peng highlighted the establishment of a supportive relationship with the faculty union and participation in a public comment session at the Board of Governors meeting. Professor Li emphasized the importance of national support, a well-structured platform, and individual responsibilities in achieving a successful rally. A summary for the April APA Justice monthly meeting has been posted at. https://bit.ly/3vVMsif . We thank these speakers for their reports and updates: • Nisha Ramachandran, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, 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 • Professors Jiangeng Xue, Zhong-Ren Peng, and Chenglong Li, Florida Chinese Faculty Association (FCFA) • Robert Underwood, Commissioner, President's Advisory Commission on AA and NHPI; Former Chair, CAPAC; Former President, University of Guam • Yvonne Lee, Commissioner, USDA Equity Commission David Inoue, Executive Director, Japanese American Citizens League, was not able to join the meeting. Expanded FISA Authorized for Two Years Authority of The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was expanded and extended for two years under the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act. This is the text for P.L. 118-49: https://bit.ly/3WbyNOH According to Forbes on April 24, 2024, more than 10 years have passed since Edward Snowden revealed the worst surveillance scandal of the FBI and the NSA in U.S. history. His revelations sparked a vivid discussion—one that can be looked at with more precision now that the heated debate that started one decade ago has settled for the next two years: How can we balance the security and privacy requirements of our modern societies? Snowden brought some of the most intrusive surveillance programs of U.S. authorities to light, the most prominent ones being PRISM, XKeyscore and Boundless Informant. Once the public started to understand how much of their private data they willingly share online is being siphoned off, analyzed and scanned, the question arose whether this form of surveillance is required to keep citizens safe or violate citizens' privacy rights without measurable benefit. Regarding the Snowden leaks, there is only one solution to balancing security and privacy requirements: Privacy rights are indisputable. Governments and authorities must (and can) find ways to combat terrorists and other threats to national security with targeted surveillance measures—not by monitoring the entire population of a country. If we submit to general mass surveillance out of false fears of terrorists, we give up not just our privacy but also our freedom. 100% security is never possible—whether we allow mass surveillance or not. But the best possible security can only be achieved with maximum privacy because the encryption that makes our online life private also protects us from terrorists, such as malicious attackers on the web, as well as state-sponsored surveillance by autocratic countries. Read the Forbes report: https://bit.ly/49ZUWT7 May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Asian Pacific American Heritage Month originated in June 1977 when Representatives Frank Horton (New York) and Norman Y. Mineta (California) called for the establishment of Asian/Pacific Heritage Week. Hawaii senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both bills passed, and in 1978 President Jimmy Carter signed the resolution. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush expanded the celebration from a week to a month. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated to commemorate the arrival in May 1843 of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States and the role of Chinese laborers in the completion of the first transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. We celebrate the contributions that generations of AANHPIs have made to American history, society, and culture. This year's theme set by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center is "Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future." The Census Bureau produces these facts about the AANHPI populations in 2024: https://bit.ly/3ITFME7 . Here is a sampling of activities across the country: • Chicago • East Bay Regional Park • Houston • Library of Congress • New York City arts and culture • Orlando • Philadelphia • Seattle • U.S. Government News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/04/30 Understanding Implicit Bias and How to Combat It 2024/05/02 AAGEN 2024 Executive Leadership Workshop 2024/05/04 Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice Book Tour 2024/05/05 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2024/05/13-14 2024 APAICS Legislative Leadership Summit 2024/05/14 Serica Initiative: 7th Annual Women's Gala dinner Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. Heritage, Culture, and Community: The Future of America's Chinatowns WHAT: Heritage, Culture, and Community: The Future of America's Chinatowns WHEN: May 22, 2024, 5:00 pm ET WHERE: Hybrid event; 901 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 HOST: US-China Education Trust Moderator: Jen Lin-Liu, author Panelists: • Grace Young, cookbook author, culinary historian, and activist • Di Gao, senior director of research and development, National Trust for Historic Preservation • Penny Lee, documentary producer, director, and film editor DESCRIPTION: The panel will examine the importance and preservation of America’s Chinatowns today and delve into DC Chinatown and Chinese food’s unique and evolving role in the nation’s capital. REGISTRATION: To be announced Back View PDF April 29, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #164 Austin/Dallas Rallies; 2/6 Monthly Meeting; Fred Korematsu; America v America; Census #164 Austin/Dallas Rallies; 2/6 Monthly Meeting; Fred Korematsu; America v America; Census In This Issue #164 Rallies in Austin and Dallas to Protest Texas Senate Bills 147 and 552 2023/02/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 85 Organizations Signed On to Letter to Honor Fred Korematsu America Against America: Anti-Chinese Racism in the Race for Talent Initial Proposals for Revising the Federal Race and Ethnicity Standards Rallies in Austin and Dallas to Oppose Texas Senate Bills 147 and 552 On January 29, 2023, hundreds of people from Austin and Dallas rallied to voice their opposition toward two Texas senate bills that unjustly target Chinese Americans.According to the Dallas Morning News , multiple organizations with ties to the Chinese American community have planned rallies in major Texas cities to protest the proposed legislation after Gov. Greg Abbott expressed his support for Senate Bill 147 on Twitter. Democrats in the state held a news conference last week to denounce Senate Bill 147 and described it as racist and unconstitutional. The Senate bills have elicited outrage from Chinese Americans in North Texas, who have large enclaves in multiple cities, including Plano, Richardson, Irving and Allen. More than 250 people showed up to the January 29 rally, which was held at John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza. Hailong Jin , board director of the DFW Chinese Alliance, which hosted the rally, said the bills are a painful reminder for the Chinese American community of the country’s past anti-Chinese legislation, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and California’s “Alien Land Law.” “You pass this law, other states will follow and anti-Asian hate will increase in this country — definitely,” Jin said.Plano City Council member Maria Tu , who spoke to attendees of the rally, called on Austin lawmakers to do right by their Chinese American constituents and to fight against the Senate bills. “I’m here today, not to represent any political position or stance,” Tu said. “I am here because I am Chinese, American, and I’m Texan.” Tu was joined by other local elected officials, including Democratic state representatives Carl Sherman , DeSoto , and Rafael Anchía , who urged attendees to continue speaking out against the bills and to make their voices heard by lawmakers in Austin.Read the Dallas Morning News report: http://bit.ly/3DAdcFD On January 30, 2023, the Austin American-Statesman reported that hundreds gathered at the Texas Capitol to protest Senate Bill 147.According to the report, for activist Helen Shih , hearing about Senate Bill 147 — a proposal to bar citizens of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from buying property in Texas — was stressful in a week filled with preparations for Lunar New Year events. The week also ended in grief after a mass shooting at a Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park, Calif."So it's like all of these things were happening simultaneously, and it was extremely stressful," said Shih, a member of the Rise AAPI board and an adviser to the United Chinese Americans board.Shih said SB 147 discriminates against the very people trying to flee oppression in those countries and find safety in America. Being able to buy a condominium or a small home helps people build a life here, the Houston-area activist said. She helped Austin activists organize a rally at the Capitol after co-organizing protests in the Houston area.Community organizations including United Chinese Americans, the Austin Chinese Engineers Society and the Asian Americans Leadership Council organized the rally. State Reps. Gene Wu , D-Houston, and Vikki Goodwin , D-Austin, and Austin City Council Member Zohaib "Zo" Qadri spoke at the demonstration.Austin resident Sheng Peng said the rally was not just about protesting SB 147, but about raising alarm against these kinds of proposals, which might further provoke hatred and violence against Asians. Peng said that even if you are an American citizen, you are not safe from discrimination, stoked by SB 147, as long as you look Chinese. "And it's not good for the country," Peng said. "It's already a divided country. It will deepen the division further. So that's what this is about. It's not about a political game. It's about human rights. It's about the whole society." Read the Austin American-Statesman report: https://bit.ly/3Rv 2023/02/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, February 6, 2023. Speakers include: Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), to provide updates on the latest developments and activities of CAPAC John Yang 杨重远 , President and Executive Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC review 2022 to provide updates on the Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program and related Activities Gisela Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum, to provide updates on AASF activities Les Wong , President Emeritus, San Francisco State University, and Frank Wu 吴华扬 , President, Queen's College, City University of New York, will report on the latest development of forming a network of Asian American university presidents/chancellors. Michele Young , Attorney, Michele Young Law; Member of Sherry Chen Legal Team will reflect on Sherry Chen's fight for justice and historic settlement. Gene Wu 吳元之 , Member, Texas House of Representatives, has been a leading voice for Asian Americans and other communities across Texas in opposing Texas Senate Bill 147. As part of the expansion of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, California enacted the Alien Land Law in 1913, barring Asian immigrants from owning land. Other states followed with their discriminatory laws restricting Asians’ rights to hold land in America. These laws remained in place until the 1950s, some even longer. What do we know about Texas SB 147 and its implications? Rep. Wu . Please join this important discussion. 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 . Read past monthly meeting summaries here: https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP . 85 Organizations Signed on to Letter to Honor Fred Korematsu On January 30, 2023, Demand Progress Action and the Fred T. Korematsu Institute announced that a coalition of 85 civil society organizations called on Congress to support a new bicameral legislative package introduced by Senators Hirono and Duckworth and Reps. Takano and Tokuda to recognize civil rights hero Fred Korematsu for his activism against US incarceration of American citizens and residents of Japanese ancestry in concentration camps during World War II. APA Justice is one of the co-signers of the letter.Specifically, the broad coalition sent a letter to Senators Hirono and Duckworth and Reps. Takano and Tokuda endorsing: Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act , which would prohibit detention or imprisonment based solely on an actual or perceived protected characteristic of an individual. Recognizing the importance of establishing a national "Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution," which will help to ensure that Fred Korematsu's legacy is remembered and honored and that the lessons of the internment are not forgotten. Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act, which will honor Fred Korematsu for his decades-long fight for justice, and will serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of protecting civil liberties for all Americans. Read about the Fred Korematsu story Fred T. Korematsu Institute: Fred Korematsu's Story 2017/01/30 Smithsonian Magazine: Fred Korematsu Fought Against Japanese Internment in the Supreme Court… and Lost America Against America: Anti-Chinese Racism in the Race for Talent On January 30, 2022, Alex Liang , Yale University's 2022-2023 Fox International Fellow at the Australian National University, posted an article titled "America Against America: Anti-Chinese Racism in the Race for Talent."According to the article, while President Xi Jinping laid out his vision for China at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 2022, sitting quietly behind him was the introverted and discreet professor-turned-politician who crafted ‘Xi Jinping Thought’: Wang Huning 王沪宁 . Since the late 1990s, Wang has served three General Secretaries at the highest levels and is China’s top ideologue, or political theorist. In his 1991 book America against America , then-Professor Wang focused on contradictions and conflicts in American society and predicted America’s fall due to domestic strife. He called out America’s systemic racism writing that racial discrimination, particularly against Black Americans, was potentially ‘the biggest social problem’ and may ‘eventually become a fatal problem’. Today, his government is leveraging America’s racial challenges in the race for scientific talent.In the final days of the Trump Presidency, in January 2021, the US Attorney for Massachusetts charged Professor Gang Chen 陈刚 with grant fraud and making false statements, felonies that could have landed Chen twenty years in prison. Chen immigrated to the United States from China over thirty years ago and has been an American citizen for over two decades. Yet, at the press conference announcing the charges against Chen, the US Attorney, Andrew Lelling, said they "were not just about greed, but about [Chen’s] loyalty to China." A year later, its case fell apart and the government dropped all charges. Chen was vindicated. "We thought we had achieved the American Dream…until this nightmare happened," Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Gang Chen said in February 2022.Questioning Chen’s loyalty to his country was not only insulting to him and other Chinese Americans. It may also have long-term strategic consequences for America’s race for talent. The US Attorney’s ‘loyalty’ comment fed into a long-standing stereotype that casts Chinese Americans ‘as inherently foreign and therefore not truly “American”’ — the perpetual foreigner stereotype. Chen is not alone. During the September 2021 trial of Professor Anming Hu 胡安明 of the University of Tennessee Knoxville, US law enforcement agents admitted to falsely accusing him of spying for China, using false information to surveil him and his teenage son for two years, and trying to convince Hu to become an American spy. Ultimately, a court found Hu innocent. Reflecting on the ordeal, he said, ‘It was the darkest time of my life.’Both Chen and Hu belong to an unfortunate group of ethnically Chinese scientists who became victims of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) "China Initiative." This outraged both the Asian American and scientific communities. Randy Katz , Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of California Berkeley went so far as to say that these investigations were "conducted in a manner that does not adhere to our American values." The "China Initiative" and its consequences threaten America’s preeminence in science and technology as it has forced people to ask the question of who can attain the American Dream.Although the Biden Administration ended the "China Initiative" in February 2022, it had a "chilling" effect that lingers in American academia. As Xi Jinping continues to promote his "China Dream" narrative in China, racial discrimination in America imperils the very values that define America. To dispel the "American nightmare" narrative, the American Dream has to be seen as attainable regardless of background or skin color. As with China’s rise we enter a new age of great power competition, Western liberal democracies should not shy from, but should instead double down on these values, including respect for civil rights and freedom from racial discrimination. If we do not, Wang may ultimately be proven right.Read Alex Liang's article: http://bit.ly/3jozh2P Gordon Chang on A Long History of Insecurity, Fear, Vulnerability among Asian American Communities. In an interview conducted by Stanford News , Gordon Chang 张少书 , Olive H. Palmer Professor in Humanities in the School of Humanities and Science, talked about the recent tragedies in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay as part of a long history of violence inflicted upon Asian Americans. “Asian Americans in American history have often been seen as quiet and unassuming. Some believe this makes them easy targets for assault, insult, and robbery, and that they won’t respond,” Chang said. “But there is a contrary narrative, which is that Asians can be cruelly violent, irrational, and dangerous – for example, in films such as Apocalypse Now , Kill Bill , Chinatown , and Gran Torino . I fear that these recent incidents will stimulate further anti-Asian fears and cycles of further prejudice and violence.” It’s now up to all of us to think about how to address gun violence and other injustices, he added. Read the Stanford News interview: https://stanford.io/3jqShOh Initial Proposals for Revising the Federal Race and Ethnicity Standards On January 26, 2023, the Office of the Chief Statistician announced that it is taking a key step forward in its formal process to revise OMB’s (Office of Management and Budget) statistical standards for collecting and reporting race and ethnicity data across Federal agencies (Directive No. 15) by publishing an initial set of recommended revisions proposed by an Interagency Technical Working Group. Those initial proposals include: Collecting race and ethnicity together with a single question; Adding a response category for Middle Eastern and North African, separate and distinct from the “White” category; and Updating SPD 15’s (Statistical Programs and Standards) terminology, definitions, and question wording. Input from non-governmental stakeholders and the public will help guide the Working Group as it continues to refine and finalize its recommendations. The White House encourages everyone to provide your personal thoughts and reactions on these proposals, including how you believe they may affect different communities, by April 12, 2023. Read the announcement and how you can provide input and participate in the process: http://bit.ly/3jrDwLa Read NPR's report for additional background and context: https://to.pbs.org/3JBE0J7 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 February 2, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #396 Maryland Reps at 6/1 Meeting; 6/3 Joint Webinar; APAICS Update; Innes Lab; McCarthyism #396 Maryland Reps at 6/1 Meeting; 6/3 Joint Webinar; APAICS Update; Innes Lab; McCarthyism In This Issue #396 · 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 · Madalene Mielke: Report on APAICS · IU Professor Roger Innes Lab Reopens · True Story of Immigration, McCarthyism and Founding of JPL · 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 condemnation from lawmakers across party lines. The video targeted Delegate Chao Wu , a Chinese American representative from Montgomery and Howard counties. In the footage, the two delegates mocked Wu's accent, accused him of being a spy for the Chinese government, and disparaged a piece of artificial intelligence legislation he had previously introduced. The remarks were strongly denounced by public officials, House Speaker Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk , and the Maryland Legislative AAPI Caucus, who labeled the attacks xenophobic, racist, and reminiscent of witch-hunts against Asian Americans. Watch the WBAL-TV report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd7ZXlGo7wA (2:45). Speaker Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk and Delegate Chao Wu have accepted our invitation to 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 also welcome these distinguished invited speakers: · Cindy Tsai , Executive Vice President & General Counsel; Committee of 100 · Clay Zhu 朱可亮 , Co-Founder, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance 华美维权同盟(CALDA) · Haipei Shue 薛海培 , President, United Chinese Americans 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 As geopolitical ties between the United States and China remain unsteady, the impact extends beyond diplomacy and into the lived experiences of people at home. For diaspora communities, shifts in foreign policy can shape everything from public perception to legal protections, raising complex questions about identity, belonging, and rights. 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. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and perspectives as we explore what it means to navigate global tensions at a local, human level. The views expressed by the panelists are their own and do not represent the views of their employer or any organization with which they are affiliated. By registering for this event, you will be added to Committee of 100, APA Justice, and the US-China Education Trust's mailing lists and have access to our future public programming. If you wish to unsubscribe, you can do so at any time via the email opt-out. 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 REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/3PxYwQt Madalene Mielke: Report on APAICS During the APA Justice monthly meeting on May 4, 2026, Madalene Mielke , President and CEO of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), provided an overview of the organization and its upcoming events. About APAICS . APAICS is the nonprofit foundation arm of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), which is part of the Tri-Caucus alongside the Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The organization was co-founded in 1994 by former Secretary Norman Mineta and Delegate Robert Underwood , with a mission to increase AANHPI participation and representation at all levels of public service. Programs and Pipeline Development . APAICS runs several programs designed to build a sustained public service pipeline, including paid Congressional internships and fellowships. Notably, APAICS is the only Asian American-centered organization that also provides housing for congressional interns, ensuring access regardless of socioeconomic background. Additional programs include a Youth Leadership Academy targeting high school students and a Women's Collective to encourage more AANHPI women to enter public service. APAICS also works directly with state legislative AAPI caucuses, recognizing that many future congressional members first come through state legislatures. Tracking Candidate Growth . APAICS maintains a catalog of all AANHPI candidates and elected officials. Madalene reported steady growth in the number of candidates filing for office each year since she joined the organization in 2018, including meaningful growth in the 2025 off-year elections compared to the last comparable cycle in 2023. She expressed optimism about the number of AANHPI candidates running in 2026. Policy Summits and Community Partners. APAICS holds industry-focused policy summits throughout the year in coordination with CAPAC legislative priorities. Earlier in 2026 the focus was health; upcoming summits will cover energy and commerce, and technology. APAICS collaborates with a wide range of community partners including APIA Health Forum, APIA Votes, AREAA, and API Scholars. Upcoming Events. The following week, APAICS was set to launch its AANHPI Heritage Month programming, including its Legislative Leadership Summit, its 32nd Annual Awards Gala — widely known as "Asian Prom" — and a Military Leadership Appreciation Event. Visit https://www.apaics.org/ for more information. Watch a video of Madalene’s talk at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJV62YoNcK8 (5:39). ***** Two Asian American candidates are drawing attention in upcoming congressional primaries in California and Michigan: Connie Chan and Eric Chung . In California’s 11th Congressional District, Connie Chan is running to succeed retiring House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi . Born in Hong Kong and raised in San Francisco after immigrating at age 13, Chan currently serves on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and has built a profile around labor rights, affordable housing, anti-Asian hate initiatives, and immigrant communities. The California primary will be held on June 2 under the state’s “top-two” primary system, in which the two highest vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation. Chan recently received a major endorsement from Pelosi, along with support from organized labor groups including the San Francisco Labor Council, National Nurses United, and California teachers unions. In Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, Eric Chung is running as a Democrat in the August 4 primary. Chung, a constitutional lawyer and son of Vietnamese immigrants and an autoworker family, has emphasized civil rights, economic opportunity, and democratic institutions in his campaign. Michigan uses a traditional partisan primary system in which party nominees advance to the general election. Chung has secured endorsements from the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund as well as members of Congress including Andy Kim , Judy Chu , and Grace Meng . ***** WHAT : AAPI Representation on Capitol Hill: Navigating Careers and Sharing Advice WHEN : May 27, 2026, 6:00-7:30 pm ET WHERE : In Person: 232 East Capitol Street NE, Washington DC HOSTS : US-China Education Trust; U.S. Asia Institute DESCRIPTION: The panel will offer first-hand insight into how policy is made and what AAPI representation looks like in the legislative branch. The discussion will also examine the challenges and opportunities that have shaped panelists' careers, along with practical advice for anyone looking to forge their own path in legislative politics and policymaking. REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/3Pg4bdP IU Professor Roger Innes Lab Reopens According to Indiana Public Media on May 19, 2026, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) concluded its investigation into the lab of Indiana University (IU) biology professor Roger Innes and found no serious violations. Aside from an expired import permit, a missing curation permit, and some unapproved houseplants, the department found nothing during its search violating federal guidelines. The lab was allowed to reopen, with Professor Innes noting there were no fines or penalties. The lab was missing a permit needed to keep a plant pathogen for several years after importing it, though it remains permitted to work with that species. The USDA destroyed those petri dishes, along with some organisms that could not be identified. The houseplants decorating the lab's windowsills were also destroyed — something Innes joked would upset his team. The investigation drew considerable attention because of Innes's defense of Chinese researchers alleged of illegally importing research material. His own employee, Youhuang Xiang , was deported after mislabeling a shipment of DNA plasmids, and the lab had come under FBI scrutiny. Some colleagues and media outlets speculated the USDA search was a form of retribution. Professor Innes noted that the USDA told him it was acting at the request of others in the government, though they were not free to discuss the details. He said the agency's typical concerns involve nurseries and markets, not research labs, and that inspecting his lab was unusual for them. The two-week lab shutdown set research projects back by several months. The barrier IU had erected between the Innes lab and adjacent spaces was removed in the afternoon of Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Read the Indiana Public Media report: https://bit.ly/3PHDS0i True Story of Immigration, McCarthyism and Founding of JPL According to Spectrum News on May 20, 2026, the world premiere of Ascent, a play at Skylight Theatre in Los Angeles, tells the true story of Qian Xuesen 钱学森 , a Chinese immigrant who co-founded Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and helped develop America's missile program. During the McCarthy era, he was accused without evidence of being a communist, held under house arrest for five years, and ultimately deported. He went on to play a major role in building China's nuclear and aerospace capabilities and is considered a national hero there. The play was written by the late Henry Ong , a first-generation Asian American playwright who began the project in 2016 and had been developing it with director Diana Wyenn before his death in 2018. A proud immigrant, Ong devoted his career to telling authentic stories from immigrant communities, and that authenticity is reflected here with the typical pre-show announcement being made in four languages, including Ong's first language, Malay — the official language in Malaysia. Both the creative team and lead actor Trieu Tran emphasize how timely the story feels today, drawing parallels between the Red Scare-era treatment of immigrants and current political climate. Tran, who plays Qian, admits he had never heard of the scientist before he was cast in early workshops of the play. The reason can be traced back to the McCarthy Era and the Red Scare, when Qian was accused — without evidence — of being a communist. “Too much of an asset to let go and too much of a threat to stay,” Tran explained. “So they kept them for five long years in misery under house arrest, constant surveillance.” The production runs through June 14, 2026. Read the Spectrum News Report: https://bit.ly/4tOjrN7 News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/05/27 AAPI Representation on Capitol Hill: Navigating Careers and Sharing Advice 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. PaulVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Third Annual “State of The Science” Address WHAT : 2026 “State of The Science” Address WHEN : June 2, 2026, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET – Reception to Follow WHERE : · In Person: 2101 Constitution Ave NW, Washington D.C. 20418 · Online: Upon completion of registration HOST : National Academy of Sciences Speakers: Marcia McNutt, President, National Academy of Sciences and Expert Panel DESCRIPTION: The third annual State of the Science address will explore the status of the U.S. research enterprise, global science leadership, and economic competitiveness. The address, to be delivered by National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt, will be followed by a panel including leaders in science and research, technology and innovation, policymaking, government, industry, and philanthropy. REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/4tRVHHQ # # # 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 26, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #117 3/7 Meeting; Before "China Initiative," Sherry Chen; Campaign Tally; DOJ Review Report #117 3/7 Meeting; Before "China Initiative," Sherry Chen; Campaign Tally; DOJ Review Report Back View PDF March 4, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #295 Webinar on Alien Land Laws; Gene Wu on Texas EO; Yanping Chen Case Hearing; Students + #295 Webinar on Alien Land Laws; Gene Wu on Texas EO; Yanping Chen Case Hearing; Students + In This Issue #295 · 12/11 Webinar: The Impact of Land Ownership Exclusion Laws on Diverse Communities · State Representative Gene Wu Response to Texas Executive Order · Appeals Court Hears Dr. Yanping Chen's Case · Indians Become Biggest International Student Group in U.S. · News and Activities for the Communities 12/11 Webinar: The Impact of Land Ownership Exclusion Laws on Diverse Communities Historically discriminatory policies are reemerging in state legislatures across the U.S. Originally designed to prevent non-citizens, particularly those from AAPI communities, from owning property, these laws are now being reframed as safeguards to national security.On December 11, 2024, the Committee of 100 and APA Justice will co-host a webinar to discuss whether these laws properly address national security concerns or whether they are merely a pretext that infringes upon civil rights and liberties under the guise of protection. A panel of legal experts and advocates will delve into the history of alien land laws, examine their renewed impact on vulnerable communities and discuss key cases, including a law passed in Florida. This event is essential for anyone committed to upholding justice and equity in America. To learn more about current land ownership exclusion legislations, visit Committee of 100’s interactive map , which details specific bills, status, and text. Also, visit APA Justice Alien Land Bills webpage for the latest developments on current lawsuits challenging these laws and more. WHAT : From Past Prejudice to Present Policy: The Impact of Land Ownership Exclusion Laws on Diverse Communities WHEN: December 11, 2024, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm ET WHERE: Webinar HOSTS: Committee of 100, APA Justice Moderator: Cindy Tsai , Interim President, Committee of 100 Speakers: · Edgar Chen , Special Policy Advisor, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) · Ashley Gorski , Senior Staff Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) · Gene Wu , Texas State Representative Closing Remarks: Jeremy Wu , Founder and Co-Organizer, APA Justice; Member, Committee of 100 FOR MORE INFORMATION/REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3CEWK9p State Representative Gene Wu Response to Texas Executive Order According to Texas Tribune on November 18, 2024, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order directing the Texas Department of Public Safety to target individuals conducting influence operations for the Chinese government. This response addresses “Operation Fox Hunt,” a Chinese initiative allegedly used to intimidate dissidents and forcibly return them to China. Abbott emphasized Texas’s commitment to protecting the state’s Chinese community from harassment by the Chinese Communist Party. The U.S. Department of Justice has prosecuted cases linked to this operation. State Rep. Gene Wu , D-Houston, who was born in China and immigrated to the United States applauded Abbott's move. Wu issued a statement " I applaud Governor Abbott's newfound commitment to protecting the civil rights of Chinese Americans and Chinese immigrants and dissidents in our state. The ability to speak your mind and live freely are the core promises of the American Dream; and any who seek to take that away stand against Texas values. I would also encourage Governor Abbott to share his new commitment to protecting the civil rights of Chinese immigrants and dissidents with the Senators and Representatives in his own party who have recently filed legislation to take away the civil rights of Chinese immigrants and dissidents. Laws that would strip away the rights of an entire community to buy a home, to start a business, to go to school, or even get a job–based purely on where they were born. Attacks from Texas Republicans on the civil liberties of Chinese immigrants are no less dangerous to the Chinese dissident community. The loss of safety and security, even by different means, sends the same message. " In 2023, Wu criticized Texas Republicans for pushing legislation that would ban citizens and foreign entities from countries including China from buying land in Texas. He urged Abbott to also support Chinese immigrants by opposing such legislation.Read the Texas Tribune report: https://bit.ly/40ScNL2 . Read Rep. Gene Wu's statement: https://bit.ly/4eIWpQn On November 20, 2024, State Representative Gene Wu was interviewed by KVUE and discussed Texas Governor Abbot's orders targeting China. He expressed concerns about Abbott’s approach, suggesting it may politicize the issue and harm Chinese Texans. Wu emphasized that existing laws are sufficient to address these threats and urged the Governor to focus on meaningful infrastructure improvements instead of divisive policies. Wu linked alien land legislation to historical laws that fueled prejudice, such as those preceding Japanese internment, and warned they undermine Chinese dissidents who fled oppression, stating that: "These bills ... just label an entire community as being threats ... without accusation, without evidence ... saying that these communities, because of where they're from, we will just blanketly say that we should ban all of them from being able to even buy a home, start a business, or farm." Watch the KVUE interview: https://bit.ly/3Okv781 (9:01) Appeals Court Hears Dr. Yanping Chen's Case According to Yahoo News on November 18, 2024, a U.S. Appeals Court is unlikely to overturn penalties against former Fox News reporter Catherine Herridge , who faces fines and possibly jail time for refusing to disclose her source in stories about Dr. Yanping Chen . Herridge’s 2017 reporting involved leaks from an FBI investigation into Chen, who claims the leaks harmed her reputation. Chen later sued several federal agencies and subpoenaed Herridge to identify her source, but Herridge declined, citing journalistic protections. U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper had previously ordered Herridge to pay an $800 daily fine for defying the subpoena, though enforcement was delayed pending her appeal. If Herridge loses the appeal, Chen’s lawyers could seek harsher penalties, including potential jail time. This legal standoff raises significant questions about the balance between press freedoms and privacy rights in the context of leaked information. During oral arguments at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, two judges appeared unconvinced by Herridge’s arguments for lifting the contempt order, expressing doubts about the scope of protections for journalists. A third judge highlighted concerns over defining journalistic privilege in an era dominated by social media, asking how such privileges apply to less traditional media platforms and individuals claiming journalistic roles. The case could become a major press freedom test during President Donald Trump ’s second term. While Trump cannot directly intervene to remove Herridge’s penalties, he could instruct the Justice Department to settle Chen’s underlying lawsuit, effectively nullifying her subpoena against Herridge. Trump has previously praised Herridge’s investigative reporting, particularly when it aligned with his political narratives.Read the Yahoo News report: https://yhoo.it/3ZdoURF . Read Dr. Yanping Chen's case: https://bit.ly/3Xi4hms Indians Become Biggest International Student Group in U.S. According to CNN, NBC News, South China Morning Post, and other media reports, while India and China still make up over half of all international students in the US, India has overtaken China as the top source for international students in the US for the first time in about 15 years, according to new data released by the Institute of International Education and the U.S. State Department. A total of 331,602 Indians studied in the US during the 2023-24 school year, compared with 277,398 Chinese. Indian students saw a 23 percent increase from the previous academic year, while Chinese students saw a 4 percent decrease. The number of Chinese university students in the US rose from about 98,200 in 2009 to a record high of 369,500 in 2019.The decline of students from China reflects significant shifts in both policy and public perception, with many Chinese students and families worrying about safety, racism and discrimination, and immigration difficulties – especially as more options open up in other countries, including in China itself.In the late 2000s and early 2010s, when Chinese students first began surging overseas, China was rapidly transforming from a poverty-stricken nation to an economic superpower, thanks to an “opening up” initiative that began in the late 1970s and saw sweeping reforms. It changed China’s relationship with the world. After China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001 and hosted a successful Olympic Games in 2008, “there was this upturn in US-China relations – everyone had a really optimistic view of what China could be,” said Mallie Prytherch , a researcher at the University of Hong Kong’s Center on Contemporary China and the World. “So there was a lot of openness in accepting students into America.” But the launch of the "China Initiative," onslaught of racism, and anti-Asian hate crimes during Donald Trump ’s first presidency and the Covid-19 pandemic meant students became disillusioned with the idea of the American Dream. The downward spiral was reflected in policy, too: Trump imposed an executive order canceling the Fulbright exchange program with China, then introduced a ban that effectively prevents graduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students from several Chinese universities from gaining visas to the US. In 2020, the US revoked visas for more than 1,000 Chinese students and researchers deemed security risks. When President Joe Biden took office, many of those Trump-era policies were kept in place – making it difficult for Chinese graduate students and researchers to secure a visa.There have been more immigration-friendly policies in other nations, like Canada, the UK and Australia. Chinese parents have more options to choose from in terms of where they want to go, and what universities are willing to accept their children. Simply staying in China is also one of the options, where universities are growing in prestige. Many Chinese professors previously based in the US are now returning to teach in China – partly because of the difficult conditions they faced in the US, but also because of the improvement in Chinese educational quality. Despite the tightening of immigration rules under the last two administrations, some US officials are still trying to encourage the flow of students. “I want to confirm that we very much welcome students from China to the US. We have the largest number of Chinese students studying outside of China here. We do know that US universities are continuing to value Chinese students,” said Marianne Craven of the State Department. 2024/11/21 CNN: Indian international students in the US outnumber Chinese for the first time in 15 years 2024/11/19 NBC News: Indians become biggest international student group in U.S., surpassing Chinese for first time since 2009 2024/11/18 South China Morning Post: As number of Chinese students in US keeps falling, Indians move to top of list 2024/11/18 Institute of International Education and State Department: Report on International Exchange (video 43:59) News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events:2024/11/24 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2024/12/08-10 National Immigrant Inclusion Conference2024/12/08 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/12/11 Webinar on Alien Land Laws2025/01/06 APA Justice Monthly MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Census Bureau Implements New Standard On November 4, 2024, the Census Bureau announced that it will implement the finalized 2024 Statistical Policy Directive (SPD) 15 published by the Office of Management and Budget on March 28, 2024, in the 2027 American Community Survey (ACS) data collection cycle.Read the Census Bureau announcement: https://bit.ly/4fZjKy2 3. APA Justice Newsletter Web Page Moved to New Website As part of its continuing migration to a new website under construction, we have moved the Newsletter webpage to https://www.apajusticetaskforce.org/newsletters . Content of the existing website will remain, but it will no longer be updated. We value your feedback about the new web page. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF November 22, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #213 TX/FL Land Bills Alerts; Affirmative Action; 3/6 Meeting Summary; AAUC Community Hub #213 TX/FL Land Bills Alerts; Affirmative Action; 3/6 Meeting Summary; AAUC Community Hub In This Issue #213 · Alert: Texas State Senator Lois Kolkhorst Introduced Senate Bill 51 · Florida's Chinese Community Calls for Reform, Repeal of Law that Limits Property Ownership · Race-Based Admissions and the Supreme Court: An Asian American Perspective · 2023/03/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary Posted · AAUC Launches Asian American Pacific Islander Community Hub · News and Activities for the Communities Alert: On October 9, 2023, Texas State Senator Lois Kolkhorst introduced Senate Bill (SB) 51 relating to the purchase of or acquisition of title to real property by certain aliens or foreign entities. She was previously the primary sponsor of the discriminatory Texas alien land bill SB 147. Read the SB51: https://bit.ly/3ROl7qJ . Read the LegiScan tracking report: https://bit.ly/45r9B7V . Florida's Chinese Community Calls for Reform, Repeal of Law that Limits Property Ownership According to NPR/WMFE , Florida’s Chinese community held a town hall meeting on September 26, 2023, to call for the repeal or reform of Senate Bill (SB) 264, a law that limits real estate purchase or ownership for some foreign nationals.Over 100 people attended the virtual meeting organized by the Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAJAA), which included local and national attorneys, activists, legislators, real estate buyers, sellers, and Florida residents on work and student visas. Most were of Chinese descent, and many said they are already living under the consequences of SB 264.“This bill has made a serious impact on the Asian community in general. It honestly feels like we are all being treated differently,” said Yuyuan Zhang , an Orlando real estate agent born and raised in China. Zhang said she holds a green card and lives in Orlando with her husband, a U.S. veteran, and their three young children. They have lived in Central Florida since 2016. Zhang is an only child. She said her parents like to travel from China to visit her and their only grandchildren as much as they can. Due to the pandemic, however, it’s been three years. The family was excited in the summer of 2022 when Zhang’s parents decided to buy and build a new home in Orlando so they could stay comfortably nearby during long visits. Construction on the house was about halfway through, Zhang said, when SB 264 went into effect, and they were forced to abandon the project. Zhang’s parents are Chinese nationals, not U.S. citizens or residents, and live in China. They are banned from owning a home for themselves in Florida.For Ethan Hu , a 28-year-old data analyst in Orlando, the law presents another complication. He lives a long drive away from his work office, which was no problem while the company had employees working remotely. However, that policy changed, and Hu was considering buying a condo in downtown Orlando to be closer to work — then SB 264 became a factor. Even with his H-1B work visa, Hu said buying property feels uncertain and difficult because of all the risks involved. “If the first version of the bill comes true, I’d no longer be able to stay here. I’d be forced to find another job,” Hu said. “I think I’m allowed to own one property for myself, so yeah, there is a chance for me to stay here, but things are getting worse because they are changing every day. Before that, America was the dream land to chase your dreams and fight for your freedom.” Clay Zhu is one of the leading attorneys who filed a federal lawsuit against SB 264. He said the verbiage in the law is much too broad and vague for compliance, and that an “honest mistake” could easily land an individual on some felony charges. “Let’s assume the validity of SB 264, how does an average person comply with it? There are many practical difficulties for people to figure out what is prohibited and what is not,” Zhu said.Orlando-based Attorney Melissa Vickers argued Section 7 of the law is blatantly discriminatory and violates the 14th Amendment as well as HUD’s Fair Housing Act, which prohibits the discrimination of someone trying to buy housing in the U.S. based on their race, nationality, color, religion, sex, gender, marital status, or disability. “This law alone opens you up for the possibility of having to do jail or prison time, which is extremely scary, for just purchasing a home — not doing anything illegal, not trying to do anything illegal — just for purchasing a home in Florida,” Vickers said.Rep. Fentrice Driskell , Florida House Minority Leader, and Florida State Rep. Anna Eskamani discussed the chances of getting the law either reformed or repealed during the next legislative session. “Now that the consequences are felt, it provides more ammunition, if you will, to try to change the current statute,” Eskamani said. "What's become clear with this policy is that it was pushed forward based on fear, it is not actually based on any fact. It is not going to keep us safe. It does not stop any type of espionage."Read the NPR/WMFE report: https://bit.ly/46id4Xm Dangerous laws are being introduced at the state and federal level right now that use "national security" as an excuse to discriminate against immigrants from China. In Florida, for example, Governor DeSantis has banned many Chinese immigrants from buying a house in much of the state – a move that is both unconstitutional and unfortunately, not new.Take one simple step to tell Congress NO to discriminatory land laws: https://bit.ly/3qRsFOh Race-Based Admissions and the Supreme Court: An Asian American Perspective WHEN: Thursday, October 12, 2023 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET WHAT: Webinar on Race-Based Admissions and the Supreme Court: An Asian American Perspective HOST: Committee of 100 MODERATOR: Amy Qin. National Correspondent, The New York Times SPEAKERS: · Gordon H. Chang, Senior Associate Vice Provost for Under Graduate Education and the Olive H. Palmer Professor, Stanford University · Sally Chen, Education Equity Policy Manager, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) · John C. Yang, President and Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) | AAJC DESCRIPTION: In late June, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in two high-profile cases on race-conscious college and university admissions policies. This is the third time in the last two decades that the nation’s highest court has heard cases that challenge long-standing attempts to increase diversity on college campuses. The Court’s finding that these policies are unconstitutional will have significant implications on the Asian American community, including how Asian American students should prepare for the college application process. This panel will discuss various aspects of the historical context surrounding affirmative action, why affirmative action is relevant to the Asian American community, and what the specific case law means for Asian Americans today. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3LUzOot 2023/03/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary Posted After delays due to a backlog, the summary for the March 2023 APA Justice monthly meeting has been posted at https://bit.ly/46ogYy1 We thank the following speakers for their updates and discussions: · Nisha Ramachandran, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), on the targeting of CAPAC Chairwoman Judy Chu by GOP members of Congress who questioned her loyalty to the U.S. due to her being of Chinese American origin; the nomination of Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su as the next Labor Secretary; and concerns about alien land laws restricting the property ownership rights of individuals from specific countries being introduced in states across the country · John Yang 杨重远, President and Executive Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, on the negative impact of rhetoric and conspiracies arising from the uncertainties of the U.S.-China relationship; Julie Su nomination; and education equity · Gisela Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), on preparing for the AANHPI Heritage month; work with federal grant agencies and universities on policies, procedures and disclosures; monitoring incidents of border interception/questioning of AAPI scholars and scientists and their family members; concerns about increase of rhetoric targeting Chinese students in higher education institutions; and the addition of Professor Xiaoxing Xi as a new member of AASF · Peter Toren, Attorney at Law; Member of Sherry Chen Legal Team as he reflects on Sherry Chen's historic settlement. On May 9, 2015, when the New York Times broke the story about Sherry Chen, Peter was quoted: “They came across a person of Chinese descent and a little bit of evidence that they may have been trying to benefit the Chinese government, but it’s clear there was a little bit of Red Scare and racism involved.” Peter was the first attorney retained by Sherry in her lawsuit against the U.S. government and was an integral part of the Sherry Chen Legal Team that eventually won a settlement with the largest settlement amount paid to an individual by the U.S. Department of Commerce. APA Justice recognizes Peter's outstanding commitment and achievement. · Dr. Helen Shih, a leader of RiseAAPI-Texas, reported on 5 rallies in Texas that were organized by the AAPI community to protest SB 147 in 5 weeks. Grace Meng 孟昭文, Member of U.S. Congress, shared Democratic leadership’s condemnation of attacks on Congresswoman Judy Chu. She emphasized the importance of allyship between CAPAC and groups such as the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), as well as the communities they represent. Rep. Meng encouraged the AAPI community to continue to push for the inclusion of AAPI, African American, Jewish, and Latino history to feed a more holistic understanding of our shared American story. Rep. Meng also shared progress on the National AAPI Museum Study Bill signed into law by President Biden in June 2022 and her current work to finalize the Commission to explore the feasibility of establishing, maintaining, funding, and operating such a facility in Washington, D.C. as a potential part of the Smithsonian Institution. Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺, New York Police Department Officer and John Carman, Attorney for Officer Angwang provided an overview of the injustice faced by Officer Angwang when he was wrongfully accused to be a spy for China under the now-defunct "China Initiative." Officer Angwang shared his personal experience of spending six months in jail while not allowed to meet with his lawyer or family members. Officer Angwang had served as a Marine in Afghanistan and the Army Reserve. He became NYPD Officer after returning from Afghanistan. All charges against him were dismissed in January 2023, but he had not been reinstated by NYPD. Innocent citizens with Chinese nexus became scapegoats as a result of the government’s racial targeting with the backdrop of increasing U.S.-China tensions. Officer Anwang called on elected officials, community leaders, and civil rights advocates to take actions to stop the government from using profiling and discriminatory tactics William Colton, New York State Assembly member (District 47) remarked on Officer Anwang’s case and called for needed actions. Read the March monthly meeting summary: https://bit.ly/46ogYy1 . Read past monthly meeting summaries: https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP . The August 2023 monthly meeting summary is scheduled for release in a special edition on Friday, October 13, 2023. Work on the October meeting summary is in progress. The May monthly meeting summary is still backlogged at this time. AAUC Launches Asian American Pacific Islander Community Hub Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC) has launched a website known as Asian American Pacific Islander Community Hub at https://bit.ly/3FbmpEu . According to Dr. S.K. Lo, Founding and current President of AAUC, "the purpose of the AAPI Community Hub is to connect, collaborate and empower the AAPI community. This project collects relevant information that are important and relevant to the community and have it available to the community at large."A signature product of the Community Hub is a current list of 14,631 AAPI organizations located in the U.S., supported by an interactive map powered by Esri, summary statistics, and pie and bar charts. By drilling into the Washington DC area as an example, the map shows approximately 800 organizations. At the most granular level and by clicking on an individual dot on the map, a window appears with information about the name and address of the organization, as well as its purpose, type of organization, asset, revenue, and website if one is available. Visit the interactive map at https://bit.ly/3rDcGnw . The Community Hub covers additional shared information and services. News and Activities for the Communities 1. Community Calendar The APA Justice Community Calendar is located on the front page of the APA Justice website at https://www.apajustice.org/ . Upcoming Events: 2023/10/12 Expert Panel on Open Data for Racial Equity 2023/10/12 C100 Webinar - Race-Based Admissions and the Supreme Court Court: An Asian American Perspective 2023/10/12 The FBI and Chinese Americans - From the Investigation and Defense Frontline 2023/10/15 State Legislature 101 Training 2023/10/15 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting 2023/10/22 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting 2023/10/25-26 President's Advisory Commission Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. Law360 Report on Professor Franklin Tao's Appeal According to Law360 , the Tenth Circuit appeared skeptical of the government's argument that former University of Kansas (KU) Professor Franklin Tao's "failure to informer his employer he was pursuing a job in China was relevant to federal grant funding decisions, with one judge citing a 'failure of evidence.'"A three-judge panel heard Professor Tao's appeal to vacate his conviction for making a false statement on a conflict-of-interest form to KU. The paperwork was never submitted on any grant research applications to the Department of Energy or the National Science Foundation. Read the Law360 report: https://bit.ly/3FaHIWU . The audio portion of the hearing is available here: https://bit.ly/46dOxmc (2:24:52) starting at around 1:45:08. Read Professor Tao's case at https://bit.ly/3fZWJvK and visit his GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/5bf4adbe Back View PDF October 9, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #133 NSDD-189 Workshop; Santa Ono to Lead UMichigan; Mark 2022/09/13; 7/11 Meeting; Bills #133 NSDD-189 Workshop; Santa Ono to Lead UMichigan; Mark 2022/09/13; 7/11 Meeting; Bills Back View PDF July 15, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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

Newsletter - #160 1/9 Meeting; House Select Committee; Joyce Xi Op-ed; DOC Letter on Sherry Chen; More​ #160 1/9 Meeting; House Select Committee; Joyce Xi Op-ed; DOC Letter on Sherry Chen; More In This Issue #160 2023/01/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between U.S. and China Joyce Xi on Trauma of Racial Profiling and Secret Surveillance Department of Commerce Letter on Sherry Chen's Accomplishments and More Asian American and Academic Community News and Activities 2023/01/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting During the first APA Justice monthly meeting of 2023, Rep. Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, reviewed the accomplishments of 2022 which was highlighted by the end of the "China Initiative" and Sherry Chen's historic settlement after 10 years of fighting for justice. "Despite all of these wins, we know the work continues to ensure that we are engaging with our partners, the Administration across federal agencies, and my colleagues at Congress; to ensure that our communities are not facing anti-Asian discrimination and racial profiling. To that end, CAPAC will continue to prioritize calling out blatantly xenophobic anti-China rhetoric and pushing back on policies that unfairly target Chinese American communities, which we unfortunately are expecting to see much more in the year ahead," Rep. Chu said."Back in 2015, we were hearing reports of racial bias and profiling of Asian Americans, often specifically Chinese American scientists, researchers, and engineers, I put out a call for the community to mobilize and to organize around this issue. I am proud to see the result of that call for community support is the APA Justice Task Force. There has never been a more important time for you to be in existence," Rep. Chu remarked at the opening the meeting.Watch Rep. Chu's New Year Greetings and Review of 2022 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLxSG7jNbco (video 8:59)A summary for the meeting is being prepared and will be posted after a chance to review by the speakers. Read past monthly meeting summaries here: https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP . House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between U.S. and China On January 10, 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives established the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party by passing House Resolution 11 by a vote of 365-65. The Select Committee shall be composed of not more than 16 Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner appointed by the Speaker, not more than 7 of whom shall be appointed after consultation with the Minority Leader. Rep. Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, released the following statement “As a caucus, CAPAC remains neutral regarding the creation of the Select Committee. We strongly support strengthening our economy and protecting our national security, and we have always recognized that there are legitimate concerns with the actions of the government of the People’s Republic of China.“However, because of the known risks of xenophobic rhetoric intensifying anti-Asian hate here in the United States—and my belief that the work of this Select Committee can be done by existing committees in the House — I voted against H.Res. 11.“We cannot forget that rhetoric used around economic competition with Asian countries has resulted in the verbal and physical harassment and even murder of Asian Americans here at home. Since March 2020 and former President Trump’s sustained references to the coronavirus as the ‘China virus,’ over 11,500 hate crimes and incidents against Asian Americans have been reported.“As the House of Representatives embarks on the formation of this committee, CAPAC reminds all members that this committee should not be used as an open invitation to engage and traffic in blatantly xenophobic anti-China rhetoric that we know historically results in physical violence and emotional harm against Asian Americans across the country. Further, this committee cannot be used to promote policies that result in the racial profiling of our communities, but rather it must be directly focused on specific concerns related to the government of the People’s Republic of China. “Throughout the 118th Congress, CAPAC will remain vigilant in overseeing the committee’s work, hearings, and rhetoric. What we say and how we say it matters. And we know how dangerous the consequences can be if we don’t get this right.”On January 10, 2023, 22 House progressives led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal issued a statement expressing opposition to the Select Committee . “This also should not be a committee about winning a ‘new Cold War’ as the Chair-Designate of the Committee has previously stated. America can and must work towards our economic and strategic competitiveness goals without ‘a new Cold War’ and without the repression, discrimination, hate, fear, degeneration of our political institutions, and violations of civil rights that such a ‘Cold War’ may entail," the statement said, “We are deeply concerned about the direction of this Select Committee and we urge the Chair-Designate and our Leadership to ensure that strong Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) and pro-diplomacy voices are clearly reflected in the membership when it is constituted.” Joyce Xi on Trauma of Racial Profiling and Secret Surveillance On December 6, 2022, Joyce Xi, daughter of Temple University Professor Xiaoxing Xi, published an opinion titled "The China Initiative: How Chinese Academics Like Xiaoxing Xi Were Falsely Charged as Spies" at TeenVogue . "I have seen firsthand the harms the US government’s national security fears can cause...In the absence of any accountability or vigilance to prevent the continuation of these harms, I fear things will get worse," Xi opined. "Everything felt completely surreal and absurd. Nothing prepares you for the day your dad is accused of being a spy. And that accusation could not be further from the truth. My dad is a nerdy scientist who teaches college students and conducts basic physics research. He never shared any secret technology with contacts in China. Still, FBI agents searched our home and rummaged through our belongings. They even tried to take my sister’s computer — she was 12 at the time. Then the news cameras showed up, trying to film inside our home through the windows," Xi continued. "As it turned out, the US government was the one doing the spying. We found out later that the FBI, using tools designed to pursue foreign agents, had secretly surveilled my dad’s communications and used his emails about unrelated academic research to try to portray him as a criminal. My family went from living a normal, low-key life to facing the weight of our own government coming after us.""The US government has faced few, if any, consequences for upending people’s lives. Families are left to deal with the lingering fear, trauma, and legal costs on their own. When I send a text or email, I still wonder if I’m being watched. Simple things like recorded Zoom meetings bring up fears of surveillance. I worry the FBI could come after me at any time for some made up reason or if I do any little thing wrong. It might seem irrational, but this is the resulting trauma of surveillance," Xi said. "In times of crisis and fear in this country, we have repeatedly seen people and communities scapegoated in the name of national security... As tensions between the US and China continue to escalate, we cannot repeat the same mistakes." "There is a major human cost to casting suspicion on entire communities based on ethnicity and national origin. And it is wrong. That’s why my family brought a civil rights lawsuit against the government. It’s been seven years since that day in May when the FBI arrested my father. We are now waiting on the court of appeals to decide whether or not our claims can proceed. We hope the court ensures that we can hold the government accountable for its abuses of power. But whatever happens, we deserve answers. We deserve justice. And we all deserve better," Xi concluded.Read more about Joyce Xi's TeenVogue article here: https://bit.ly/3ZuZgpq Department of Commerce Letter on Sherry Chen's Accomplishments and More During the January 9 APA Justice monthly meeting, Sherry Chen 陈霞芬 shared the letter of appreciation for her accomplishments from the Department of Commerce (DOC). As a hydrologist at the Ohio River Forecast Center from 2007 to 2022, Sherry "demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the Ohio River Basin and an exceptional knowledge of the Ohio River. She developed, implemented, and calibrated HEC-RAS (an advanced hydraulic computer model) along the entire length of the main stem Ohio River. Her work represented the largest implementation of HEC-RAS ever attempted." Sherry supported additional new forecast points where the model is required and contributed significant proficiency in daily operational forecasting. She received multiple Special Act Awards, including in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Sherry received the Larry Johnson Award from the National Weather Alliance for the development and implementation into operations of a new hydraulic model used to produce lifesaving river forecasts for the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers during 201I record flooding. Read more about the letter at http://bit.ly/APAJ_Sherry_Chen During the monthly meeting, Sherry talked about her 10-year fight for justice and the historic settlement with DOC, including a meeting with DOC official Benjamin Friedman in December. A summary of the monthly meeting is being prepared at this time.On January 9, 2023, AsAmNews reported on an event titled “Celebrate New Year with Sherry Chen” on January 7, 2023, in which Sherry spoke about her case. The event was hosted by Ohio Chinese American Association and Asian American Coalition of Ohio. At the event, Chen spoke about how the accusations derailed her career and tarnished her reputations. She thanked all of the people who supported her during her fight for justice. She believes her historic settlement is a “victory for me, also for Asian American cause and the rule of law.” Sherry told AsAmNews that she is personally “doing well after 10 years of nightmare.” She retired a few days ago and has been keeping herself busy giving presentations and workshops throughout the country. Read more about the AsAmNews report at https://bit.ly/3k9XZ7i . A photo album from the January 7 celebration is posted at https://bit.ly/3XjEur4 , along with a photo album from the Justice for Sherry Chen Congressional Reception held on December 13, 2022 at https://bit.ly/3VWDyry Asian American and Academic Community News and Activities Purdue University Northwest Chancellor Thomas Keon Under Fire . On January 6, 2023, Frank Wu 吴华扬 , President of Queen's College of the City University of New York published an op-ed on " A Responsibility to Speak Out ," explaining why the expression of racial prejudice by Purdue University Northwest (PNW) Chancellor Thomas L. Keon was so disturbing. Words lead to sticks and stones, because rhetoric instigates violence... Although it is easy enough for those who inflict the trauma to dismiss it as trivial, these situations are not symmetrical since one community ends up being the butt of the joke again and again and again," Wu opined. On January 11, 2023, NBC News published " Purdue’s 1st Asian American president takes office weeks after school official mocks Asian languages onstage ." Mung Chiang 蔣濛 , a professor of engineering, began his historic role last week, overseeing the university in addition to other campuses, including Purdue University Northwest (PNW). Chiang’s tenure comes shortly after Keon mocked Asian languages during a winter commencement. Despite growing pressures to step down, Keon, who issued an apology, remains in the role. Given Chiang’s new role, some have called on him to address Keon’s actions. A post published by the nonprofit Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund said such action from Chiang could send a strong message. A change.org petition calling for Keon to step down has received more than 9,200 signatures. The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. On Tuesday, January 17, 2023, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), senior federal officials, and community leaders will convene a virtual event for the release of the Biden-Harris Administration’s first-ever National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Communities . The strategy, which includes WHIAANHPI’s inaugural report and comprehensive action plans submitted by 32 agencies, represents a historic first for the federal government as it works to address barriers impacting AA and NHPIs. Register for the event at https://bit.ly/3W7CZey National Academies Report on Confucius Institutes at US Institutions of Higher Education. On January 10, 2023, the National Academies released the first report out of the “ Confucius Institutes at U.S. Institutions of Higher Education ” study. According to the report, more than 100 U.S. institutions of higher education hosted Confucius Institutes (CIs), Chinese government-funded language and culture centers, on campus during the late 2000s and 2010s. While CIs provided a source of funding and other resources that enabled U.S. colleges and universities to build capacity, offer supplemental programming, and engage with the local community, CIs presented an added, legitimate source of risk to host institutions with respect to academic freedom, freedom of expression, and national security. By 2017, deteriorating U.S.-China relations led some U.S. colleges and universities to reconsider the value of having a CI on campus. Sustained interest by Congress and political pressure led numerous U.S.-based CIs to close, especially following the passage of the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which contained a provision that ultimately barred institutions receiving Department of Defense (DOD) critical language flagship funding in Chinese from hosting a CI. While this provision allowed for a waiver process - and several affected colleges and universities applied for waivers in 2018 and 2019 - DOD did not issue any waivers. Today, seven CIs remain on U.S. university and college campuses. At the request of DOD, Confucius Institutes at U.S. Institutions of Higher Education presents a set of findings and recommendations for waiver criteria to potentially permit the continued presence of CIs on U.S. university campuses that also receive DOD funding.According to the report, "[t]he committee is not aware of any evidence at the unclassified level that CIs were ever associated with espionage or intellectual property theft. While incidents affecting academic freedom, freedom of expression, and shared governance did take place, the most egregious of these happened at CIs outside of the United States."Read the report at https://bit.ly/3jW3LJo Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF January 12, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter