Newsletter - #39 February 1 Meeting; Gang Chen; Franklin Tao; FBI Transformation; And More #39 February 1 Meeting; Gang Chen; Franklin Tao; FBI Transformation; And More Back View PDF January 25, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

The NIH and the FBI are targeting ethnic Chinese scientists, including U.S. citizens, searching for a cancer cure. June 13, 2019 On June 13, 2019 Bloomberg Businessweek published The U.S. Is Purging Chinese Cancer Researchers From Top Institutions . The NIH and the FBI are targeting ethnic Chinese scientists, including U.S. citizens, searching for a cancer cure. It includes the first account of what happened to Xifeng Wu. The NIH and the FBI are targeting ethnic Chinese scientists, including U.S. citizens, searching for a cancer cure. Previous Next The U.S. is purging Chinese scientists in a new Red Scare

Newsletter - #71 06/30 Roundtable; 07/12 Meeting; Mistrial; "China Initiative;" Yellow Whistle; Alert #71 06/30 Roundtable; 07/12 Meeting; Mistrial; "China Initiative;" Yellow Whistle; Alert Back View PDF July 8, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

2020 was an unprecedented year that saw our nation increasingly divided and filled with anti-Asian hate. However, it ended with a positive story on humanity in which the heroes and victims in an anti-Chinese hate crime are not even of Chinese origin. December 27, 2020 The year 2020 was one of unprecedented challenges that saw our nation increasingly divided, unable to control the COVID-19 pandemic that was filled with anti-Asian hate and continuing profiling of hundreds if not thousands of Chinese American scientists under investigations and prosecutions. However, it ended with a positive story on humanity in which the heroes and victims in an anti-Chinese hate crime are not even of Chinese origin. On December 27, 2020, a virtual event was held with Professor Steven Pei as the host to conclude a successful GoFundMe campaign , which was reported by the World Journal under the headline 员工勇救亚裔 华人5天募10万 . During the event, Zach Owen and Bawi Cung took the stage to express their appreciation for the generous donations of more than $121,000 from over 2,700 individuals. President Qiang Gan and Treasurer Lin Li of ACP Foundation Dallas reported the state of the finances and various details of the fundraiser. Other organizers for the fundraiser include OCA Greater Houston (H.C. Chang and Cecil Fong); Reagan Hignojos , friend of the Cung Family; United Chinese Americans (Steven Pei); and APAPA Austin Texas Chapter (C.J. Zhao). Bawi Cung and his two boys, aged 2 & 6, were hate crime victims in Midland, TX on March 14, 2020. The suspect thought the Burmese family was Chinese and spreading the coronavirus and attacked them with a knife. As a bystander, Zach Owen disarmed the suspect bare handedly. Unfortunately, Zach’s right palm also suffered permanent injury and has retained only 40% of his grip strength. With the hope to find a better job in the west Texas oil field, Zach came to Midland from Oklahoma. The injury disqualifies him from many oil field jobs. He has also been treated for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The first $50,000 of donation will still be given to Zach on or before his birthday in mid-January 2021 to pay for his ongoing out-of-pocket medical bills, cover some of the financial deficit incurred due to the reduced working hours during his recovery period, and also help with Zach’s return to a normal life. We need more heroes like Zach Owen. Earlier on June 22, 2020, a coalition of Asian American organizations honored Zach Owen and Bernie Ramirez , a Border Patrol agent who also intervened in the violent anti-Asian stabbing with a special Lily and Vincent Chin Advocacy Award Ceremony . It was followed by the From Vincent Chin to George Floyd Webinar led by Helen Zia, award-winning journalist and community activist, and moderated by Gordon Quan, attorney and former Houston City Council member. On August 10, 2020, Zach Owen testified in the Tri-caucus Congressional Forum on Rise in Anti-Asian Bigotry during the COVID-19 Pandemic ,” which was organized by the Congressional Asian Pacific Americcan Caucus. 2020 was an unprecedented year that saw our nation increasingly divided and filled with anti-Asian hate. However, it ended with a positive story on humanity in which the heroes and victims in an anti-Chinese hate crime are not even of Chinese origin. Previous Next 2020 Ends With A Positive Story

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

1. From Past Prejudice to Present Policy: The Impact of Land Ownership Exclusion Laws on Diverse Communities 2024-2025 Alien Land Laws Wednesday, December 11, 2024 An insightful discussion on the troubling resurgence of alien land laws — historically discriminatory policies that 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 resources. We discussed 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. Our panel of legal experts and advocates delved into the history of alien land laws, examine their renewed impact on vulnerable communities and discuss key cases, including a bill recently introduced in Florida. Whether you’re a policymaker, legal professional, journalist, or concerned citizen, this event was essential for anyone committed to upholding justice and equity in America. Previous Item Next Item

2. Historical Re-Hash - Alien Land Law and SB147 2023 Texas Alien Land Bill SB147 Wednesday, March 1, 2023 20230301 Webinar2.jpg Previous Item Next Item

Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know Warrantless Surveillance Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Masked, heavily armed federal agents are roaming through American neighborhoods aggressively targeting anyone they feel does not belong, often using race and ethnicity as a factor to determine who is selected for arrest, detention, and deportation. News reports indicate that Immigration agents are using advanced technological tools and electronic surveillance authorities to create and exploit vast intelligence databases to further the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy. Adding urgency to these concerns, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — one of the government's most powerful surveillance tools — is set to expire on April 20, 2026, and the outcome of its reauthorization will have profound implications for the civil liberties of all Americans. This lawless approach to immigration enforcement has a direct effect on AAPI communities. US law enforcement and intelligence agencies have long treated Asian Americans unfairly as a suspect community. Our earliest immigration laws, like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, singled them out for disparate treatment based on their race and national origin, and the Trump administration has repeatedly threatened to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, last used to intern Japanese Americans during World War II. The webinar will provide an update of the current situation and explain how this immigration crackdown is fueled by technological innovations and electronic surveillance powers originally developed to protect Americans from foreign terrorists, now turned inward to target Americans. Hosts: APA Justice, Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum, Committee of 100 On March 24, 2026, starting at 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT, APA Justice, Asian American Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum, and Committee of 100 will co-host a webinar on “Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know. ” Moderator: Michael German is a Retired Fellow in the Brennan Center for Justice's Liberty and National Security Program. His work focuses on ensuring that the U.S. government respects human rights and fundamental freedoms in its pursuit of national security — including reforming the surveillance and intelligence systems that have too often been turned against the very communities they were meant to protect. He is a former FBI Special Agent and one of the nation's leading voices on law enforcement and intelligence oversight. Before joining the Brennan Center in 2014, he served as Policy Counsel for National Security and Privacy at the ACLU's Washington legislative office. Speakers: Kaohly Her , Mayor, St. Paul, Minnesota. She was elected St. Paul's first woman and first Asian American mayor in 2025. Mayor Her was born in the mountains of Laos and came to the United States as a refugee at age three. A strong work ethic, her family's tenacity, and support from her community propelled Mayor Her to the highest levels of the Minnesota state government and now to City Hall. She served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025. Saira Hussain , Senior Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation. Saira litigates at the intersection of racial and immigrant justice, government surveillance, and technology, with cases challenging border searches of electronic devices, police surveillance of protesters, and law enforcement sharing of license plate reader data with ICE. Previously a Staff Attorney at the Asian Law Caucus, she focused on separating federal immigration enforcement from local law enforcement through litigation, advocacy, and coalition-building. She holds undergraduate and law degrees from UC Berkeley. Xiaoxing Xi , Laura H. Carnell Professor of Physics, Temple University. A leading expert in superconductor technologies, Professor Xi was arrested in May 2015 by armed FBI agents in front of his family on false charges of sharing sensitive technology with China — dropped just four months later. His case, involving warrantless surveillance under Section 702 of FISA and Executive Order 12333, became a landmark in the fight against racial profiling of Chinese American scientists. He filed suit challenging the prosecution and discriminatory targeting, and in 2020 received the Andrei Sakharov Prize from the American Physical Society for his advocacy for open scientific exchange. John Yang , President and Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. At Advancing Justice | AAJC, John leads the organization’s efforts to fight for civil rights and empower Asian Americans to create a more just America for all through public policy advocacy, education, and litigation. John is an experienced attorney with over two decades of policy, litigation, and corporate expertise. He graduated with honors from George Washington University Law School. RESOURCES: APA Justice: Timeline Visualization of U.S. Mass Surveillance APA Justice: Warrantless Surveillance Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #324 4/7 Meeting; Rallies and Hearing in TX; US Data Integrity; Rule of Law; Litigations;+ #324 4/7 Meeting; Rallies and Hearing in TX; US Data Integrity; Rule of Law; Litigations;+ In This Issue #324 · 2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Texas Tri-City Rallies Against Alien Land Bills and Hearing · Threats to U.S. Statistical Data Integrity · Opinions: Advocate to Safeguard the Rule of Law · Latest on Litigations Against Trump's Executive Actions · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, April 7, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates by Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: · Mark Takano , First Vice Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Member, U.S. House of Representatives · Erwin Chemerinsky , Dean, Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley · Cindy Tsai , Interim President, Committee of 100 · X. Edward Guo , President, Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering (AAASE) 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 Tri-City Rallies Against Alien Land Bills and Hearing Hundreds of concerned Texans gathered in Austin, Dallas, and Houston on March 29-30, 2025, to protest the discriminatory and unconstitutional proposals of State Bill 17 (SB17) and House Bill 17 (HB17). Their demonstrations received extensive local media coverage: · 2025/03/30 KTRK (ABC13) @Houston: Eyewitness News at 5:30pm - March 30, 2025 (starts at 7:33) · 2025/03/30 WFAA (ABC9) @ Dallas: Protestors gather in Plano against bills in the Texas House, Senate · 2025/03/29 KVUE (ABC24) @ Austin : 'Who gets to be American?' | Texans protest bills that would ban some foreign land ownership In an open letter to Texas legislators, a coalition of 49 Texas-based organizations and 32 national and other organizations outlined their concerns: · These bills are unconstitutional and discriminatory, as they target individuals based on their nation of origin. In other words, individuals are being targeted and rights taken away, not because of something they did, but because of where they came from. In so doing, these bills threaten the protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution and Texas constitution. · These bills will discourage foreign investments and talents from coming to Texas, leading to loss of jobs and economic opportunities – when the bills aim to punish some of Texas’ largest trading partner(s). This is especially the case when President Trump specifically stated, “we want them to invest in the U.S.” (Feb. 26, 2025). · These bills falsely equate individuals with governments; and will punish individuals who may have no political affiliation in their former or current countries. · These bills are based on paranoia and have no legitimate basis in reality. There have not been any realistic data or facts that support the implementation of these restrictions, or how these bills will actually support national security. · These bills will provoke discrimination against the Asian and immigrant community. Similar discriminatory alien land law was repealed by the 59th Texas Legislature in 1965. The coalition urges lawmakers not to repeat past mistakes and to reject SB17 and HB17.SB17 passed the Texas Senate on March 19. A public hearing for HB17 took place on April 2 before the Texas House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans Affairs Committee. After about five hours of testimonies, the bill was left pending. Threats to U.S. Statistical Integrity According to the government website https://www.statspolicy.gov/ , relevant, timely, credible, and objective statistical information is part of the foundation of democracy and the fundamental responsibility of the U.S. Federal statistical system. Since the Nation's founding, the U.S. Federal statistical system has collected and transformed data into high quality statistical information, making it readily available to inform all types of decision-making, while protecting the responses of individual data providers. Such decisions may include those made by Federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal policymakers; the private sector, including businesses; and individuals. Led by the U.S. Chief Statistician and the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy (ICSP), the U.S. Federal statistical system is a decentralized, interconnected network of 16 Recognized Statistical Agencies and Units, 24 Statistical Officials (across 24 major cabinet agencies), approximately 100 additional Federal statistical programs engaged in statistical activities, and several cross system interagency and advisory bodies. According to a Washington Post opinion on March 11, 2025, the Trump administration has aggressively deleted taxpayer-funded data, limiting Americans’ ability to understand critical issues. Elon Musk 's DOGE has removed key datasets, canceled data collection contracts, and suppressed inconvenient statistics, preventing public access to crucial economic, health, and demographic information. Tactics include misrepresenting statistics, altering economic metrics, and eliminating entire categories of public data, often to obscure politically damaging facts. This manipulation mirrors authoritarian practices, eroding trust in U.S. data and hampering informed decision-making. While some external groups archive lost data, they cannot replace missing government statistics, leaving Americans with only what Trump chooses to disclose.The American Statistical Association (ASA) has identified that five statistical science advisory committees under the Department of Commerce were disbanded. These committees have served for decades as crucial resources for the Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and BLS, providing expert guidance on complex statistical challenges. This concerning development threatens the quality and integrity of federal data that policymakers and businesses rely on daily. Without these independent advisory bodies, federal statistical agencies lose both valuable expertise and an essential accountability mechanism that ensures their methodologies remain sound and transparent. ASA and the George Mason University have set up a website to monitor and share updates on the health of the federal statistical agencies: https://bit.ly/4ih5Qsp The Trump administration dismantled the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) through budget cuts, staff reductions, and the cancellation of key data programs. Reports on racial disparities, special education, and school funding gaps were also suppressed. Without NCES, policymakers and researchers lose a crucial source of reliable education data, widening state-level disparities and reducing accountability. This aligns with Trump’s broader strategy of controlling public information and to obscure politically inconvenient statistics, leaving Americans without an impartial assessment of the education system. Opinions: Advocate to Safeguard the Rule of Law On March 28, 2025, David Leopold , former President and General Counsel of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, published an opinion in the Washington Post titled " Trump’s immigrant purge is part of a larger agenda ."Leopold argues that by denying immigrants due process, the Trump administration is undermining the rule of law. It has pursued mass deportations by bypassing traditional immigration laws, instead invoking wartime-era statutes with minimal safeguards. This has led to detentions and deportations without proper legal review, including cases involving alleged Venezuelan gang members and student activists. Border czar Tom Homan has openly dismissed judicial oversight, while the administration has attempted to use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to justify deportations, despite the U.S. not being at war with Venezuela. Courts have intervened, but the administration has ignored rulings and even sought to impeach judges who challenge its authority. The Trump administration has invoked Cold War-era laws to detain and deport student activists without due process, raising concerns about targeting individuals based on political beliefs. This includes the arrests of Rumeysa Ozturk , a Turkish Fulbright scholar, and Mahmoud Khalil , a Palestinian activist protesting the Gaza war—both detained based on a determination by Secretary of State Marco Rubio . These actions set a dangerous precedent, threatening constitutional protections and potentially leading to wrongful deportations, including of U.S. citizens. Leopold warns that this broader erosion of due process endangers fundamental rights and liberties for all, not just noncitizens.On March 28, 2025, John Palfrey , President of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, published an opinion in Newsweek titled "It's Time for Zealous Advocacy to Safeguard the Rule of Law." Palfrey warns that the rule of law in the U.S. faces an unprecedented assault—court rulings are being ignored, judges face impeachment threats and personal risks, and government officials openly dismiss judicial authority. Lawyers representing political opponents are being targeted, law firms are losing security clearances, and executive orders are restricting legal representation in government contracts. "These are full-frontal attacks on the fundamental system of the rule of law in America. Today, the Constitution of the United States of America, and the system of law that it undergirds, is in serious peril," Palfrey wrote.Beyond the legal ramifications, he argues that undermining the rule of law will disrupt commerce, deter investments, and weaken philanthropic efforts that rely on legal protections. A strong legal system is essential for ensuring freedoms, including the right to donate to causes and invest in economic growth. He calls on the legal profession to take an active role in defending these principles, warning that inaction could permanently erode justice and democracy in America.On March 29, 2025, the Harvard Crimson reported that at least 82 of the Harvard Law School’s 118 active professors, along with nine emeritus professors, signed a letter condemning government of retaliation against lawyers and law firms representing clients and causes opposed by President Donald Trump . Most of the Law School’s top leadership signed the letter. “ While reasonable people can disagree about the characterization of particular incidents, we are all acutely concerned that severe challenges to the rule of law are taking place, and we strongly condemn any effort to undermine the basic norms we have described ,” the letter stated. Latest on Litigations Against Trump's Executive Actions As of April 2, 2025, the number of lawsuits against President Donald Trump 's executive actions reported by the Just Security Litigation Tracker has grown to 162 (3 closed cases). These are some of the latest developments: · On April 1, 2025, Democratic attorneys general and governors in 23 states and Washington, DC, filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Health and Human Services and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr ., alleging that the department’s sudden rollback of $12 billion in public health funding was unlawful and harmful. In the lawsuit, the states are seeking a temporary restraining order and injunctive relief to immediately halt the administration’s funding cuts that they say will lead to key public health services being discontinued and thousands of health-care workers losing their jobs. State of Colorado v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1:25-cv-00121) · On April 1, 2025, The League of Women Voters Education Fund sued the Trump administration over President Trump's elections executive order which purports to regulate federal elections by directing the Election Assistance Commission to require a citizenship document to register to vote. League of Women Voters Education Fund v. Trump (1:25-cv-00955) · On March 31, 2025, National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), a labor union that represents federal government employees, sued the Trump Administration alleging President Trump’s Executive Order that terminates certain federal employees’ collective bargaining agreements, including 12 such agreements negotiated by NTEU, is unlawful. NTEU has asked the court to block termination of these agreements. National Treasury Employees Union v. Donald J. Trump (1:25-cv-00935) News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar 2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/04/13 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/04/14 State of Play Virtual Town Hall2025/04/15 China Connections: A Conversation with Emily Feng2025/04/22 Scholars Not Spies: Fighting for International Academic Workers’ Rights in an Era of Rising US-China Conflict2025/04/24 CHINA Town Hall: The First 100 Days: President Trump's China Policy2025/04/24-26 Committee of 100 Annual Conference and Gala2025/04/27 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/05/06 Asian American Careers - How to Build Your Personal Network, including Through Strategic AlliesVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. 2025/04/14 State of Play Virtual Town Hall WHAT: State of Play Virtual Town Hall WHEN: April 14, 2025, 3:00 - 4:30 pm ET WHERE: Online Event HOST: Asian American Scholar Forum Keynote: Grace Meng , Chair Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Welcome Remarks : Kai Li , Vice Chair, AAASF; Professor, Princeton University Moderator : Gisela P. Kusakawa , Executive Director, AASF Facilitator : Xiaoxing Xi , Professor, Temple University Speakers: · Steven Allan Kivelson , Professor, Stanford University · Peter Michelson , Professor, Stanford University · Tobin L. Smith , Senior Vice President, Association of American Universities · Brian A. Sun , Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, CAPAC · Keliang "Clay" Zhu , President and Co-Founder, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance DESCRIPTION: This vital conversation will address growing challenges scholars, scientists, and researchers face, including the potential return of the China Initiative, increased investigations, restrictive legislation like the proposed ban on Chinese student visas, and heightened scrutiny of scientists and international students. Experts will also discuss high-impact legal cases, concerns over travel and reentry, and strategies to foster a more welcoming and supportive research environment. This town hall encourages questions and feedback from the public as we strive to address the unique challenges of our day! Register today and ask questions for our experts and policy leaders! REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/4jaA40N 3. 2025/04/22 Scholars Not Spies WHAT: Scholars Not Spies: Fighting for International Academic Workers’ Rights in an Era of Rising US-China Conflict WHEN: April 22, 2025, 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT WHERE: Webinar HOST: Justice Is Global CO-SPONSORS : APA Justice, Massachusetts Society of Professors MSP (MTA-NEA), GEO Local 6300 IFT-AFT, UMD Graduate Labor Union (UAW), UE Local 256 MIT GSU. DESCRIPTION: Only weeks into President Trump’s second presidency, we are witnessing a barrage of executive orders and measures targeting immigrant academics. From the DHS attempting to deport Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil, to a proposed bill that would ban student visas for all Chinese nationals, international academic workers are at risk. Amid rising scrutiny of international academics, growing U.S.-China tensions have made Chinese scholars targets, often viewed as spies and national security threats. This webinar brings together academic workers from across the country to speak about how the US-China rivalry fosters nativism and harms all international academic workers. It hopes to spark discussions about how our unions can build contracts and organize advocacy efforts that meet the moment and protect our peers. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/wearescholarsnotspies 4. 2025/04/24 China Town Hall – The First 100 Days: President Trump's China Policy WHAT: China Town Hall – The First 100 Days: President Trump's China Policy WHEN: April 24, 2025, 5:30 pm ET WHERE: Hybrid event - see registration · In person - Elliott School of International Affairs, 1957 E Street NW, Suite 605, Washington, DC 20052 · Livestream program HOSTS: US-China Education Trust; National Committee on U.S.-China Relations; Young China Watchers 5:30 – 6:30 pm On-site discussion with Sean Stein , president of the US-China Business Council 6:30 pm - Panel discussion Panelists: · Ryan Hass, Director, John L. Thornton China Center, Brookings Institution · Matthew Turpin, Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution · Lingling Wei , Chief China Correspondent, The Wall Street Journal DESCRIPTION: The China Town Hall, organized by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR), is a nationwide program that offers a comprehensive overview of the current U.S.-China relationship and its local impact—shaping discussions in communities across the country. By connecting local audiences with U.S. policymakers and leading experts on China, the program fosters informed dialogue on this vital bilateral relationship. The 2025 China Town Hall will feature an in-depth discussion on President Trump’s China policy in his new term, bringing together top experts to analyze the evolving U.S.-China dynamic. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/4iTMqKW # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF April 3, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

2. Policy Needs for U.S. Science and Scientists 2020-2022 China Initiative Wednesday, December 2, 2020 The second webinar in this series tackling the harms created by the Justice Department’s “China Initiative” will examine the policy reforms needed to protect U.S. science and scientists. Justice Department’s profiling of scientists of Chinese and Asian heritage and criminalizing administrative issues are unjust and discriminatory. It will explore how the Justice Department’sgovernment current actions conflict with existing national policies to promote and protect fundamental scientific research. The government’s over-zealous and xenophobic targeting of Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists particularly drive needed scientific talents away from our nation. Speakers will discuss how this racial targeting not only undermines the rights and welfare of many Americans, but also detrimentally impacts American research and enterprise. Our expert panel will discuss constructive policy ideas and changes to ensure U.S. research security and to protect the future of American science and innovation. Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #299 Introductions to USCET and VFP; AASF Update; 11/18 APA Justice Monthly Meeting; More #299 Introductions to USCET and VFP; AASF Update; 11/18 APA Justice Monthly Meeting; More In This Issue #299 · The US-China Education Trust · Updates from The Asian American Scholar Forum · Veterans for Peace · 2024/11/18 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary · News and Activities for the Communities The US-China Education Trust The US-China Education Trust (USCET) and Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) co-sponsored the 2024 American Studies Network (ASN) conference on the campus of BFSU from October 25 to 27, 2024. This conference celebrated the 20th anniversary of the founding of the American Studies Network in 2004. This milestone event was marked by the first in-person ASN conference since the pandemic reshaped global engagement, successfully bringing together prominent speakers and dynamic panel discussions centered on the theme of Connecting People, Cultures and Ideas: Re-examining Sino-American Exchange . Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch , Founder and President of USCET, was originally slated to speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on November 18, 2024. Unfortunately, she was unable to participate due to illness. Rosie Levine , the Executive Director of USCET, stepped in to represent her and address the meeting.Rosie comes to USCET from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), where she has been a senior program analyst working on the China program. In April 2024, Levine was named a Project Fellow in The Penn Project on the Future of US-China Relations. Prior to USIP, Rosie was responsible for the Public Intellectuals Program at the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR).USCET is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization housed at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. Ambassador Chang Bloch was the first Asian American to achieve the rank of ambassador. After retiring from diplomatic service, she took a visiting fellowship position at Peking University and realized that the study of America in China needed significant support to be able to fully understand the richness of American culture. This year, USCET just celebrated its 25th Anniversary. USCET has traditionally worked at the intersection of higher education and U.S.- China relations but also spanned a lot of different types of engagements, including media studies and student issues. Facing the downturn of the U.S.-China relationship, USCET has an eye towards how it can help to sustain the networks between the two countries at the academic level amid the challenging environment on both sides. USCET works with 73 organizations across China. USCET's work has also expanded to serve communities in both directions. As scholars, students and professionals in both the U.S. and China are seeking a better understanding of each other. At this moment USCET is seeing all sorts of pressures in the academic landscape within China that make it difficult for Chinese scholars to both do their work and better understand the U.S. Restricted academic freedom and other types of restrictions on international travel and participation in international conferences makes it very hard for Chinese scholars to do their work. On the U.S. side, we have challenges related to the China Initiative and perceptions both real and reputational. Some fear their travel to China might be seen as suspect back here in the US.This also trickled down to students. As of this spring there were about 800 Americans studying in China down from its peak of around 15,000. The USCET premise is that no matter what comes next in the U.S.-China relationship, whether it is cooperation, competition, or somewhere in between, we really need to have a core of Americans who deeply understand China and 800 students is not going to be sufficient, no matter what the future holds. So USCET is looking at ways in which we can support the study of China holistically here, and then vice versa.In that spirit USCET just held one of its flagship programs, a conference in Beijing celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the American Studies Network, on October 25-27, 2024. The conference brought together scholars of the United States and the American studies community from across China to meet each other, engage with their peers, and share research. Rosie reported that USCET had a successful conference. Over 60 abstracts were submitted from professors to graduate students and undergraduates. The study of the United States in China is healthy. They are under severe pressures as well. USCET is looking at ways that it can both engage with the scholarly community in China as well as policymakers here to try to keep those channels open and engage robustly.In addressing how the downturn in the U.S.-China relations impacts the Asian American community, particularly in the field of the U.S.-China relations, USCET wants to make sure the pipeline of expertise on China here reflects the diversity of America, including Asian Americans who have felt a lot of pressures in the relationship, both in their personal capacity as well as fear that engaging in this type of work might make it harder to engage with their family back in China, or facing discrimination here in the U.S. organizations that they want to work for, including the U.S. Government. USCET is currently in an early design phase of some programs to help to create a robust pipeline of Asian Americans interested in the U.S.-China relations and welcomes help from those in this group to think through that series of projects.Read more about the 20th Anniversary ASN Conference held at BFSU in Beijing: https://bit.ly/4iDV94d Updates from The Asian American Scholar Forum During the APA Justice monthly meeting on November 18, 2024, Kai Li , Vice President of Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), speaking on behalf of Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director of AASF, who is on maternity leave, provided updates on two key activities: · Asian American Pioneer Medals Symposium . The inaugural symposium and ceremony at Stanford University in July were highly successful, with over 1,300 attendees and notable speakers, including John Hennessy , former Stanford’s president and Google’s parent company chair, and Jonathan Levin , their new president. A highlight video is available on aasforum.org . The next event is tentatively scheduled for July 25-27, 2025, at Stanford, featuring a science symposium, an awards ceremony, and a policy symposium. Invitations will be sent once details are finalized. · National Survey on Talent Migration . A new round of surveys is being prepared to investigate why research talent is leaving the U.S. for other countries, including China. This round aims to address gaps from the previous survey with the goal of supporting advocacy efforts. Veterans for Peace · Veterans for Peace: https://www.veteransforpeace.org/ · 2024/10/13 Veterans for Peace: End Washington’s New McCarthyism! · 2024/10/04 Asia Times: The Washington Post’s witch hunt on Chinese Americans During the APA Justice monthly meeting on November 18, 2024, Michael Wong , Board Member and Former National Vice President, Veterans for Peace (VFP), introduced VFP and described some of its recent activities.VFP is a national US organization with several international chapters of military veterans and allies committed to promoting peace and ending war. Founded in 1985, VFP advocates peaceful solutions to conflicts, addressing issues like nuclear disarmament, veterans’ rights, and the costs of war on communities and the environment. Michael shared his concerns about a rising wave of suppression reminiscent of McCarthyism, escalating geopolitical tensions, and threats to advocacy groups. VFP has long worked to promote peace and counter the trend of endless wars. Michael pointed to troubling signs of a repressive climate targeting dissent and advocacy efforts within the United States, highlighting incidents where activists and groups are being unjustly labeled as foreign agents. Examples included alleged accusation against Code Pink protesters advocating for Gaza, wrongly associating them with China, as well as a Black socialist group acquitted of charges of being Russian agents, noting they were merely advocating for improved diplomatic relations. Michael warned about House Resolution 9495, which could empower the U.S. Treasury Department to revoke nonprofit status from organizations accused of supporting terrorism, with decisions made without evidence and retroactively reviewing statements up to three years old. The resolution's vague language raises alarm, as it could allow for punitive actions against groups advocating controversial positions. Michael expressed concern that such measures could lead to misuse by future administrations, citing fears even from mainstream organizations like MoveOn.org . Michael also recounted a protest during Xi Jinping ’s visit for the APEC Conference in 2023. He described how anti-China protesters aggressively confronted Chinese Americans welcoming Xi and Biden’s discussions. According to Michael, these anti-China demonstrators pushed their way into the pro-Xi crowd, filmed the incident, and later framed the Chinese Americans as attackers. He criticized the media, including the Washington Post , for accepting the narrative of the aggressors without scrutinizing the evidence. Drawing parallels to the 2019 Hong Kong protests, Michael noted similar tactics being employed domestically. He described the Hong Kong protests as violent riots that involved firebombs, physical attacks, and other destructive acts. Wong argued that these protests were supported by U.S. entities like the National Endowment for Democracy, linking them to broader geopolitical strategies. He expressed concern that these “color revolution” tactics are now being repurposed within the United States to suppress dissent and demonize advocacy groups. Michael’s commentary underscores a broader fear that the political climate, particularly under a Trump administration, could worsen. He emphasized the importance of vigilance and continued advocacy to resist these trends and protect the ability of groups to operate freely and promote peace. His organization remains committed to addressing these challenges and fostering international and domestic cooperation for peace and justice. 2024/11/18 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary During the APA Justice monthly meeting on November 18, 2024, Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), provided the following updates as Congress wrapped up and preparations for the 119th Congress began: · Pending Legislation . The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is under negotiation, with specific provisions being monitored, such as vetting foreign researchers at Department of Energy facilities. Government funding discussions are ongoing, including efforts to reinstate the China initiative. · Post-Election Transition . House and Senate members are organizing for next year. CAPAC will welcome new members, increasing its size from 22 to 24 members, reflecting growth in representation. Andy Kim is joining the Senate, enhancing CAPAC's influence. Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, provided the following updates on recent activities of Advancing Justice | AAJC: · Opposition to Alien Land Laws . Continued efforts to combat such laws at state and federal levels, particularly in Texas, where new bills are being introduced, including advocacy to prevent land law provisions from being included in NDAA negotiations. · China Initiative Concerns . Emphasis on opposing efforts to reinstate the China Initiative, with strategies to mobilize community resistance. · House Select Committee on CCP . Opposing its reauthorization due to divisive rhetoric and its contribution to anti-Asian sentiment. · Immigration Concerns . Monitoring reports of potential mass deportations targeting Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans under President-elect Trump. In addition, Peter Michelson , Luke Blossom Professor in the School of Humanities & Sciences and Professor of Physics, Stanford University, outlined recent efforts to oppose the reinstatement of the China Initiative, a policy criticized for disproportionately targeting academic researchers and undermining U.S. efforts to attract and retain global talent.Together with his colleague Steven Kivelson , Peter authored letters to House and Senate leadership expressing strong opposition to the revival of the initiative. The first letter, sent on October 8, was endorsed by 166 Stanford faculty members. A follow-up letter on October 28 gathered nearly 2,000 endorsements from faculty and senior staff across U.S. universities. These letters emphasized the detrimental effects of such initiatives on international talent recruitment, as highlighted by a 2024 National Academy of Sciences report. The report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Defense, labeled the China Initiative "highly problematic," particularly for its disproportionate focus on academia and its adverse effects on Asian American scholars.Peter stressed the civil rights abuses associated with the initiative, citing prominent cases where scholars were unjustly prosecuted and later acquitted. He emphasized the need to defend individuals facing such allegations by providing expert legal resources. He also participated in a panel at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, where he and other experts Including Yasheng Huang , Founding President of Asian American Scholar Forum, Glenn Tiffert , Senior Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and Zhenan Bao , K.K. Lee Professor of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University discussed U.S.-China science and technology relations. Peter summarized comments by Professor Bao on the China Initiative's impact on her research group, highlighting confusion over shifting and unclear rules for collaborative research. Previously allowed practices were suddenly prohibited without clear guidance. Peter agreed with Professor Bao's perspective and emphasized the importance of clarity in research policies. He also urged colleagues to identify and challenge rules that are nonsensical or harmful to prevent adverse effects on the U.S. scientific and academic community.Peter further mentioned the Secure Platform initiative, established under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and funded by the National Science Foundation. With a budget of $67 million, the platform aims to identify foreign threats, enhance research security, and provide training to the academic and business communities. Peter called for engagement with academia in this effort and stressed the importance of educating legislators and stakeholders to foster rational, evidence-based policies. He concluded by advocating for clarity and fairness in research policies to strengthen the U.S. position in global scientific collaboration.A summary for the APA Justice monthly meeting on November 18, 2024, is being prepared. It will be posted at https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP upon completion.***** NOTE: Judith Teruya has been appointed Executive Director of CAPAC which will be chaired by Rep. Grace Meng in the 119th Congress. Judith has been a Senior Advisor at the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. She has also served as a Designated Federal Officer for the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. We thank Nisha Ramachandran and Casey Lee for their many years of dedicated service at CAPAC. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/01/05 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/01/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/01/15 Master Class: Maintaining the Effectiveness of Organizational Equity Initiatives in the Current Environment2024/01/16 Master Classes: Asian American Career Lessons2025/01/19 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/13-15 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting2025/02/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Call for Action Combatting Discrimination and Bias at NeurIPS 2024 On December 16, 2024, a coalition led by the Association of Chinese Scholars in Computing (ACSIC 北美计算机华人学者协会) posted an open letter to the Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) Board, 2024 Organizing Committee, and NeurIPS Community in change.org , expressing serious concerns regarding statements made by Dr. Rosalind Picard from the MIT Media Lab during her keynote talk at the 38th NeurIPS annual conference.According to the open letter, NeurIPS has a long and respected history of fostering a community that is rich in diversity and collaboration. Researchers, students, and professionals of Chinese origin, among many others, made valuable contributions to the community and society. We must work towards creating an environment that fosters an inclusive environment.However, during the 2024 NeurIPS Conference, Dr. Picard singled out Chinese scholars when discussing academic dishonesty. When an attendee expressed concerns about this during Q&A, Dr. Picard’s response further raised concerns that her words feed into harmful and unfounded stereotypes and racial bias against scholars of Chinese origin.The open letter recommended four actions to the NeurIPS Board. On December 18, 2024, Dr. Picard issued a statement, stating that " While I became aware at the end of my talk that I had caused significant pain, I have learned over these past days the depth of the damage I did. I have talked directly with students and faculty colleagues at MIT who are of Chinese descent and who have suffered horrible prejudice and mistreatment, and I am arranging to meet with other members of our Chinese community at MIT to learn more about what they are experiencing. For all of you in our community who are hurting because of my actions, I am deeply sorry for having caused you this additional pain. " Read the coalition letter at https://bit.ly/3DrfIR9 . Read Dr. Picard's statement: https://bit.ly/4gNRDm7 . # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF December 23, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Capstone Town Hall: The End of The "China Initiative" 2020-2022 China Initiative Thursday, March 17, 2022 On Wednesday, February 23, 2022, Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen announced an end to the controversial “China Initiative,” and a series of changes to their national security approach to address concerns of profiling of Asian Americans and immigrants lifted up by Advancing Justice - AAJC and other civil rights and academic groups. The Townhall was a space for community members to ask questions about the Department of Justice’s announcement to end the “China Initiative,” what that means, and where we go from here.“ We were joined by representatives from participating organizations and special guests – Margaret Lewis , Xiaoxing Xi , and Frank Wu in their personal capacity. On March 17, 2022, a Community Town Hall was held to discuss the end of the China Initiative. The open forum was not recorded. CommunityTownhall 20220317.png Previous Item Next Item