Newsletter - #190: Florida Lawsuit; Section 702 Webinar; AANHPI Commission; US-China Science Pact; More #190: Florida Lawsuit; Section 702 Webinar; AANHPI Commission; US-China Science Pact; More In This Issue #190 Update on Florida Alien Land Bill Lawsuit - Schedule and Amicus Brief Registration Open: June 26 Webinar on Perils of Warrantless Surveillance Register Now: July 6 President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI Public Meeting New Scrutiny on U.S.-China Landmark Science Deal News for the Communities Update on Florida Alien Land Bill Lawsuit - Schedule and Amicus Brief According to Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA), Judge Allen C. Winsor has set the following schedule: 2023/07/03 Florida government submits its objection to the motion for preliminary injunction 2023/07/11 Plaintiffs submits its reply 2023/07/18 U.S. District Court holds hearing The July 18 hearing will be held at 111 N. Adams Street, Tallahassee, starting at 1:30 pm ET. It will be public, but no photography and audio or video recording will be allowed. The Florida state law becomes effective on July 1, 2023. The Court may make a ruling on the injunction by early August. An immediate appeal by either side is anticipated. On June 14, 2023, 19 racial justice centers, affinity bar and professional associations, and civil rights organizations submitted a 25-page amicus curiae ("friend-of-the-court") brief in support of the plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction. The lead counsels are: Madeleine K. Rodriguez , Partner, Foley Hoag LLP Robert S. Chang , Ronald A. Peterson Law Clinic; Counsel for Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality Rose Cuison-Villazor , Rutgers Law School; Counsel for Center for Immigration Law, Policy and Justice Gabriel J. Chin , UC Davis School of Law; Aoki Center for Critical Race and Nation Studies This is a list of the coalition of 19 racial justice centers, affinity bar and professional associations, and civil rights advocacy organizations: Racial Justice Centers: Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality at Seattle University School of Law Center for Immigration Law, Policy and Justice at Rutgers Law School Aoki Center for Critical Race and Nation Studies at UC Davis School of Law LLS Anti-Racism Center of LMU Loyola Law School Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at New York University School of Law Boston University Center for Antiracist Research Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law Affinity Bar/Professional Associations: Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Tampa Bay Conference of Asian Pacific American Law Faculty Hispanic National Bar Association National Asian Pacific American Bar Association South Asian Bar Association of North America Civil Rights and Other Advocacy Organizations: Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta Asian American Women’s Political Initiative Asian Law Alliance Chinese for Affirmative Action Japanese American Citizens League LatinoJustice PRLDEF Read the CALDA announcement: https://bit.ly/3qU2Ah2 (in Chinese). Read the amicus brief: https://bit.ly/42DT9Q8 Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) Media Release. In response to FBI policy changes. AASF issued a media release urging the US Government to take more steps to put an end to warrantless and discriminatory investigations on June 14, 2023. AASF and other national advocacy groups have vocally agreed that the FBI announcement falls short of the level of vigilance needed to hold intelligence agencies accountable to the many human rights and privacy abuses they have perpetrated against countless numbers of people—including the nation’s top researchers and scholars that contribute greatly to the United States’ leadership in science and technology.While AASF welcomes any efforts from the federal government to create mechanisms for increased transparency and accountability of its agencies, they call on the federal government to take more serious steps to reform Section 702 and FISA, and to address the legal loopholes that allow warrantless surveillance of innocent people. Read the AASF media release: https://bit.ly/3CBhz2b Registration Open: June 26 Webinar on Perils of Warrantless Surveillance The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), APA Justice, the Brennan Center for Justice, and the Committee of 100 will co-host a webinar on "Perils of Warrantless Surveillance: The Case for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Reform." (note title of the webinar has been updated) WHEN: June 26, 2023, 4:00 pm ET/1:00 pm PT WHAT: The U.S. Constitution protects its people against unreasonable searches and seizures. However, under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), the U.S. government engages in mass, warrantless surveillance of phone calls, text messages, emails, and other electronic communications between Americans and foreigners. Information collected under this law without a warrant can be used to prosecute and imprison people, even for crimes that have nothing to do with national security. Asian Americans, especially Chinese Americans and the immigrant and scientific communities, have been targeted for warrantless surveillance that led to wrongful and unjust prosecutions. The current authorization of Section 702 will expire on December 31, 2023. What should the Asian American and immigrant communities know about Section 702? If it is not sunset, what reforms will be needed? What are the next steps for the communities? WHO: Keynote speaker. Rep. Pramila Jayapal , the first South Asian American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives; a member of the House Judiciary Committee; Ranking Member of House Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security and Enforcement Moderator. Lillian Sing 郭丽莲 . Judge (retired), California Superior Court; first Asian American woman judge in Northern California Panelist. Gang Chen 陈刚 . Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering, MIT; Member, National Academy of Sciences; prosecuted under "China Initiative" with case dismissed; "We Are All Gang Chen" Panelist. Elizabeth Goitein. Senior Director, Liberty and National Security Program, Brennan Center for Justice Panelist. Ashley Gorski . Senior Staff Attorney, National Security Project, American Civil Liberties Union Panelist. Brian A. Sun 孙自华 . Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright; Board Member, Committee of 100 REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/42AbNIF Additional information about the webinar including bios of the speakers and references are posted at the Warrantless Surveillance webpage: https://bit.ly/3O6T43Q Register Now: July 6 President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI Public Meeting The President's Advisory Commission on Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) will hold its next meeting, the sixth of a series, on July 6, 2023 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The meeting serves to continue the development of recommendations to promote equity, justice, and opportunity for the AANHPI communities. It is open to the public and will be live streamed. The Commission seeks written comments that may be emailed to AANHPICommission@hhs.gov at any time. Individuals may also submit a request to provide oral public comments.For details, directions, and registration, visit: https://bit.ly/3NqpQMB .Dr . Robert Underwood , a member of the Commission, also urges all of us to feel free to communicate with him directly at anacletus2010@gmail.com . Read his remarks at the APA Justice monthly meeting: https://bit.ly/3qogBU1 . Watch his remarks at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnIrq1hfl4A (video 11:48 to 25:21) New Scrutiny on U.S.-China Landmark Science Deal According to Reuters on June 18, 2023, for over 40 years, a landmark agreement between the United States and China has yielded cooperation across a range of scientific and technical fields, a powerful sign that the rivals could set aside their disputes and work together.Now with bilateral relations in their worst state in decades, a debate is underway within the U.S. government about whether to let the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA) expire on August 27, 2023.The agreement, signed when Beijing and Washington established diplomatic ties in 1979 and renewed about every five years since, has been hailed as a stabilizing force for the countries' relations, with collaboration in areas from atmospheric and agricultural science to basic research in physics and chemistry. It laid the foundation for a boom in academic and commercial exchanges.Inside the U.S. government, including the State Department, which leads the negotiations, there are competing views about whether to renew the pact, let it expire or renegotiate to add safeguards against industrial espionage and require reciprocity in data exchanges. Given the state of U.S.-China ties, trying to renegotiate could derail the agreement.Read the Reuters report: https://reut.rs/42M8Rsz News for the Communities Confirmations of Nusrat Jahan Choudhury and Dale Ho On June 15, 2023, the U.S. Senate voted 50-49 to confirm Nusrat Jahan Choudhury to serve as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, and voted on June 14, 2023 50-49 to confirm Dale Ho to serve as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York. Rep. Judy Chu , Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), issued the following statement:“I am thrilled that the Senate has voted to confirm Nusrat Jahan Choudhury to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and Dale Ho to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.“Ms. Choudhury is a champion for racial justice, religious freedom, and privacy rights. While working at the ACLU, she challenged stop-and-frisk policies and the racial profiling and surveillance of Arab, South Asian, Muslim, and Sikh Americans. Ms. Choudhury’s confirmation is also historic, as she is now the first Bangladeshi American and first Muslim American woman to serve on the Federal bench.“Mr. Ho has a storied career as one of our nation’s leading civil rights lawyers and successfully argued at the Supreme Court against the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 Census. He most recently was the director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, where he spearheaded challenges on partisan gerrymandering, restrictive state voting laws, disenfranchisement of underrepresented and marginalized communities, and more. “I offer my heartiest congratulations to Ms. Choudhury and Mr. Ho on their historic confirmations. I commend President Biden for his ongoing commitment to ensuring that our judicial system reflects the diversity of our country, and I thank Majority Leader Schumer for his leadership on these successful confirmations.” 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 June 19, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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Newsletter - #97 DOJ Changed Report; Trial Dates; Yale/Princeton/Stanford/SIU News; Happy Thanksgiving #97 DOJ Changed Report; Trial Dates; Yale/Princeton/Stanford/SIU News; Happy Thanksgiving Back View PDF November 22, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #197 Special Edition: Florida Court Hearing and An Emerging New Coalition and Movement #197 Special Edition: Florida Court Hearing and An Emerging New Coalition and Movement In This Issue #197 This is a Special Edition to cover the court hearing on the emergency motion for preliminary injunction to block Florida's new discriminatory housing law and a new movement emerging from the protests and rallies against the legislation in front of the courthouse. July 18, 2023 - A New Movement Emerges Florida State and Local Leadership Meet The Attorneys for The Plaintiffs National and Community Organizations Support and Leadership Color Yellow, Playbooks, and Tracking Hate Federal Level Support and Leadership July 18, 2023 - A New Movement Emerges According to NBC News and multiple media reports on July 18, 2023, as U.S. District Court Judge Allen Winsor heard arguments for more than two hours on a motion to block Florida’s new law that prohibits Chinese citizens from owning land in the state, multi-racial, multi-state, and multi-generational protesters rallied against the legislation, slamming Gov. Ron DeSantis for the discriminatory measure.An unusually large crowd packed the federal courthouse in Tallahassee indicating strong interest in the case. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawyer Ashley Gorski said Florida’s law is extreme and amounts to blanket discrimination against Chinese citizens by equating them to the Chinese Communist Party. She said there is no evidence that Chinese nationals pose a security threat. “This law is unjustified, unfair, and unconstitutional,” said Gorski. “This is a highly unusual law,” she told Judge Winsor. “Florida’s law is truly extraordinary.”In June, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest in support of the injunction. In the statement, federal attorneys propounded that provisions within the legislation violate the Fair Housing Act, as well as the Equal Protection Clause within the U.S. Constitution.The protesters, led by several Asian American civil rights groups, gathered outside the Tallahassee courthouse in support of the group of Chinese immigrants who sued the state over the law, which went into effect July 1. Echo King 金美声 , president of the nonprofit group Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAAJA), which helped spearhead the rally, told NBC News that the law could have chilling effects. “This will legalize Asian hate,” King said. “People will have a reason — legally they have a law backing them up — to hate. … I can’t even imagine what kinds of hate crimes will increase.” Local Asian American groups were joined by several national organizations, including Chinese for Affirmative Actions (CAA), Stop AAPI Hate, United Chinese Americans (UCA) as well as representatives of the Iranian and Latino American leaders and out of state community leaders who traveled from Alabama, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Tennessee and Texas to support the plaintiffs. In their suit, the plaintiffs, who are in part represented by ACLU, argued that the law is a form of housing discrimination and in violation of the Fair Housing Act.“Today we gather here to condemn Florida’s ‘alien land law’ and to reject the dangerous trend of anti-Asian scapegoating,” said Nicholas Gee , advocacy manager for nonprofit group Chinese for Affirmative Action, referring to 20th century laws , which were later deemed unconstitutional, that prohibited Asian immigrants from owning land. “This law is not just an attack on the property rights of individuals of Chinese descent; it is a stark reminder of the discriminatory practices of the past that we have fought so hard to overcome.” Protesters also argued that the “overbroad” law plays on harmful stereotypes portraying all Chinese immigrants as working for the Chinese government. “They have no evidence proving that these people coming from [China] and living in the U.S. have anything to do with national security issues,” King said. The complicated terms of the law, King said, could lead to racial profiling out of fear of possible repercussions. “There’s no clear definition,” she said. “This law subjects both buyer and seller to civil and criminal penalties, so the sellers will be very reluctant to sell to any Chinese people because they can’t tell if their house is in the restriction zone and they cannot tell if the buyer is from the restricted category. The law is very complicated and confusing.”Drawing parallels between the Trump-era China initiative — a security program aimed at addressing Chinese economic espionage that was heavily criticized for racial profiling — as well as then-President Donald Trump ’s “China virus” rhetoric amid the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, King said that legislation is likely to similarly stoke anti-Asian hate. She also noted that the legislation could have a larger impact on many groups across the Asian diaspora, not just Chinese Americans. Florida is among several states — including Montana, Arkansas, Idaho and Tennessee — that have considered or proposed legislation restricting Chinese nationals from owning land. But not all have been implemented.In Texas, a similarly controversial bill known as Senate Bill 147 died in the state House in May. “There’s people who are asking if they need to get out of the state, like right now,” Democratic Texas state Rep. Gene Wu 吳元之 , who represents a heavily Chinese district, told NBC News in March. “I have never seen the Chinese community this active and this motivated in my entire adult life. The community is inflamed right now. They are enraged.”Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/3Y3kzye Sinovision assigned two reporters to provide an onsite report (12:49), which covered four segments in Chinese: background and overview, inside the courtroom, outside the courtroom, and interviews with the organizers and protesters from diverse backgrounds, including real estate agents, a university professor, and local Chinese community groups from Alabama, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and others states 佛州政府限制包括华人在内的7个国家公民在当地购买不动产的SB264法案5月初州长德桑蒂斯签字成为新法后，居住在当地的4位中国籍公民和1家主要服务华人的房地产公司迅速提起诉讼，并向佛州北区联邦法院申请临时禁令。周二下午，法院就此案召开公众听证。记者邱洪辉和鄢田去到现场进行全程跟踪报道。 Additional media reports: AP News: Florida ban on property purchases by citizens of China and some other countries is challenged AsAmNews : In Florida, protestors rally against discriminatory alien land law bill CBS News: Florida's Chinese land ownership law debated News Service Florida: Chinese Land Ownership Law Debated ; Orlando Sentinel ; Tampa Bay Times ; Tampa Free Press ; WGCU Tallahassee Democrat: Florida's Chinese land ownership law debated in court as protesters gather outside The Capitolist: Federal judge hears arguments over Chinese property ownership limitations WPTV: Injunction sought against Florida law banning foreign nationals from buying land Photo Album: Readers are urged to send their photos of the protest to contact@apajustice.org so that they can be added and shared at https://bit.ly/3Q7SqEk Florida State and Local Leadership Florida State Representative Anna Eskam ani spoke at the press conference in front of the courthouse. Born and raised in Orlando, Rep. Eskamani is the daughter of working-class immigrants who came to Florida from Iran in search of the American Dream. Anna went to Orange County Public Schools and then to the University of Central Florida. She earned dual degrees as an undergrad and graduate student, works as a nonprofit professional and is now getting her PhD in Public Affairs.According to the Capitolist , Florida House Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell weighed in on the matter on July 18, stating that the Senate bill crosses the line from security to discrimination and should be thrown out by the courts. “How can Governor DeSantis call this the ‘free state of Florida’ when he’s interfering with the rights of a community to buy a home here?” Said Driskell. “We cannot give in to this kind of fear, hate, or bigotry. The Chinese people are not the Chinese government, and we must reject the unjust and un-American idea that they should be subject to a separate set of rules than the rest of us.” The press conference and protests in front of the courthouse were organized by Echo King 金美声 , President of Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAAJA) , a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization whose work is to advocate for and advance justice and equality for the AAPI community and all Floridians, and Jenny Liu 刘洁 , President of The Yick Wo Institution 益和学会. Allegra "Ally" Harpootlian , Communications Strategist, ACLU, was also on the ground as part of the organizing efforts. The Yick Wo Institution is a new non-profit public policy organization registered in Washington, DC. The organization’s name pays tribute to the historic legal battle fought by a Chinese immigrant in the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act, eventually reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. According to Wikipedia , Yick Wo v. Hopkins , decided on May 10, 1886, was the first case where the Supreme Court ruled that a law that is race-neutral on its face, but is administered in a prejudicial manner, is an infringement of the Equal Protection Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The landmark case ultimately led to the establishment of the fundamental principle that discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, and alienage is in direct violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. Yick Wo was a laundry facility owned by Lee Yick. Lee Yick immigrated from China to California in 1861. After 22 years of managing the facility, provisions set out by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors said that he could not continue to run it in a wooden building. He continued to operate his laundry and was convicted and fined ten dollars for violating the ordinance. He sued after he was imprisoned in default for having refused to pay the fine. The Supreme Court held that while the law was not discriminatory, it had been applied with "an evil eye and an unequal hand" in singling out Chinese laundry business owner Lee Yick. The Yick Wo Institution takes on a new battle against Florida Senate Bill 264 with the same dedication of its namesake in addition to other issues. Meet The Attorneys for The Plaintiffs In addition to Ashley Gorski of ACLU who presented the plaintiffs' arguments and rebuttals, attorneys Clay Zhu 朱可亮 of DeHeng Law Offices and Bethany Li of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) were also present in the courtroom and spoke at the press conference. A full list of all the attorneys for the plaintiff, defendant, and amicus is located here: https://bit.ly/3QfUiL0 . Madeleine K. Rodriguez of Foley Hoag LLP, Robert S. Chang of Ronald A. Peterson Law Clinic of Seattle University School of Law, Gabriel J. Chin of UC Davis School of Law, and Rose Cuison-Villazor of Rutgers Law School are Counsels for Amici Curiae for 19 Racial Justice Centers, Affinity Bar and Professional Associations, and Civil Rights Advocacy Organizations in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction . National and Community Organizations Support and Leadership Dr. Sergio Lira , President of Greater Houston LULAC and Vice President of Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC), and his wife Mrs. Maria Lira , Chaplain of Greater Houston LULAC Council, flew in from Houston to speak at the press conference. Sergio spoke in English and Maria in Spanish. Professor Steven Pei 白先慎 , Co-Organizer of APA Justice and Founding Chair of UCA, also flew in from Houston to support the protests. Nicholas Gee , Advocacy Manager, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and Stop AAPI Hate, flew in from California and spoke at the press conference. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) issued a statement to support the Florida lawsuit and rally against S.B. 264, stating that "[w]e are proud that Iranian Americans will join and speak out against this xenophobic law, and we look forward to celebrating when it is overturned... NIAC emphatically supports these efforts in challenging and working to overturn xenophobic laws in the United States. Alien land laws from over 100 years ago had no place in the fabric of U.S. society then, and they certainly have no place in that same fabric today." Myriam Sabbaghi is NIAC National Organizing Director. Haipei Shue 薜海培 , President of UCA Chair, rode the "Freedom Bus" from Orlando to Tallahassee to attend the event. UCA released a Chinese-language report 全美华人维权代表聚集佛州首府听证会声援对SB264的起诉 , including a short video about the "Freedom Bus" ride.The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) serves to eliminate housing discrimination and ensure equitable housing opportunities for all people and communities through its education and outreach, member services, public policy, advocacy, housing and community development, tech equity, enforcement, and consulting and compliance programs. It is working with a law firm, Relman Colfax PLLC, on SB 264 and alien land laws generally. Two attorneys from Relman Colfax, Reed Colfax and Zoila Hinson , reportedly attended the preliminary injunction hearing.National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) reached out to the heads of all of the NAPABA chapters in Florida and encouraged members to attend the rally, including four affiliate organizations in Florida - Tampa Bay, Southern Florida (Miami), Orlando, and Jacksonville. NAPABA is one of the 19 organizations filing an amicus brief in support of the preliminary injunction which was announced in a June 14 statement . Color Yellow, Playbooks, and Tracking Hate Participants were encouraged to wear yellow as a symbol of unity at the press conferences and rallies. In nature, yellow is the color of daffodils and sunflowers, signaling the advent of spring, bringing hope, optimism, and enlightenment. In America, yellow has been weaponized against Asians as the color of xenophobia. In partnership with the Yellow Whistle Project (TYW), the Committee of 100 (C100) distributed hundreds of Yellow Whistles with the message of "We Belong" for the event. C100 is a non-partisan leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, and the arts founded by I.M. Pei 貝聿銘 , Yo-Yo Ma 马友友 , Oscar Tang 唐騮千 , Henry Tang 邓兆祥 . Shirley Young 杨雪兰 , and Chien-Shiung Wu 吳健雄 . C100 is currently chaired by Gary Locke 骆家辉 . Interim President and Executive Director is Cindy Tsai .C100 is leading the effort to develop "playbooks" on building a national network on media communications and legislative advocacy with Paula Madison , retired NBCUniversal executive, Helen Zia 谢汉兰 , Founder of the Vincent Chin Institute, like-minded organizations, and grassroots groups. In partnership with NAPABA, TYW, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Asian American Education Project, C100 is also urging the communities and the public to report incidents of anti-Asian hate. Reporting incidents of hate makes a difference. It helps lawmakers understand what is happening to our community and helps us get the resources we need to better protect you and others.When you report an incident to NAPABA, it will evaluate your submission, and if it determines that your situation may be suitable for legal help, they can provide a referral for appropriate pro bono assistance. Report incidents to NAPABA at https://www.napaba.org/page/ReportaHateCrime . Federal Level Support and Leadership On May 25, 2023, Reps. Al Green and Judy Chu , Chair of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), introduced H.R.3697 - Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act . The bill preempts at the federal level state laws that would seek to deny foreign citizens the right to acquire real property in the United States.Concerned organizations and individuals are urged to contact and express their support of H.R. 2697 to their congressional representatives (two senators, one representative, and appropriate committee members).Inquiries about H.R. 3697 may be made to CAPAC Executive Director Nisha Ramachandran at nisha.ramachandran@mail.house.gov and CAPAC Policy Advisor Casey Lee at Casey.Lee@mail.house.gov Read more coverage of the discriminatory alien land bills by APA Justice at: https://bit.ly/43epBcl Back View PDF July 24, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #296 APA Justice Applauds New CAPAC Leadership #296 APA Justice Applauds New CAPAC Leadership FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 5, 2024 APA Justice Applauds New CAPAC Leadership On December 4, 2024, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) announced its leadership for the 119th Congress. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) transitions to Chair Emerita. The newly elected leadership includes Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) as Chair, Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39) as First Vice-Chair, Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02) as Second Vice-Chair, Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) as Whip, and Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) as Freshman Representative.APA Justice applauds CAPAC for electing a new leadership team committed to representing the voice of the Asian Pacific American community and building on the remarkable legacy established under the leadership of Congresswoman Judy Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress. APA Justice was formed in fall 2015 in response to Chair Chu’s call to build a platform to connect members of Congress, concerned organizations and individuals in wake of the troubling trend of innocent Asian Pacific Americans being unjustly accused of espionage-related charges. With CAPAC’s support under Chair Chu’s leadership, APA Justice played a crucial role in helping achieve the historic settlement for Chinese American scientist Sherry Chen with the Departments of Commerce and Justice, and end the government’s misguided “China Initiative”, which had disproportionately targeted Asian Americans and academic communities, harming academic freedom and open science.We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Congresswoman Grace Meng on her election as the next CAPAC Chair. As the first Asian American elected to Congress from New York, Rep. Meng has been instrumental in advancing CAPAC’s mission. She has tirelessly championed issues vital to the Asian Pacific American community, particularly in combating racial bias and hate directed toward Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Rep. Meng, a regular speaker at APA Justice’s monthly meetings, has shared insights on her groundbreaking work, including the passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act and the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture Act. She has been a steadfast supporter of APA Justice’s mission and initiatives.We also congratulate Rep. Mark Takano, Rep. Jill Tokuda, Rep. Ami Bera, and Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam on their election to CAPAC’s new leadership team. As we navigate unprecedented challenges in this critical moment in history, we look forward to continuing our collaboration with CAPAC to address social justice and civil rights issues impacting the Asian Pacific American community and to ensure government accountability. # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the APA Justice website at www.apajusticetaskforce.org .As part of its continuing migration to a new website under construction, we have moved the Newsletter webpage to www.apajusticetaskforce.org/newsletters . 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 December 5, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

60 top scientific organizations are calling for balance between an open scientific environment and economic and national security. September 4, 2019 On September 4, 2019, 60 top science, engineering and international education organizations - representing hundreds of thousands of scientists, engineers and educators around the world - sent an open letter to five top federal officials in charge of science programs, calling for fairer treatment of foreign-born scientists in the face of policies that could put a chill on the participation of foreign nationals in the scientific enterprise. The letter was addressed to Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier , Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House; Dr. France Córdova, Director of the National Science Foundation; Dr. Francis Collins , Director of the National Institute of Health; Dr. Chris Fall, Director of the Office of Science at the Department of Energy; and Dr. Michael Griffin , Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. "Finding the appropriate balance between our nation’s security and an open, collaborative scientific environment requires focus and due diligence," the letter said. "Any response should consider the impact on both the overall scientific enterprise and on individual scientists and its development should include the input of the science and engineering community." Otherwise, "many scientists—both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals—who properly follow codes of conduct, regulations, policies and laws, may inappropriately be harmed in response to the misconduct and illegal actions of others." The co-signers of the letter ask the federal officials to "consider a wide range of stakeholder perspectives as your agencies work together through the new NSTC ( National Science and Technology Council ) Joint Committee on Research Environments to develop policies and procedures that address issues related to international researchers’ participation in the U.S. scientific enterprise, and we would welcome the opportunity to work with you." multisociety-letter-on-foreign-influence_9-4-2019 .pdf Download PDF • 73KB 60 top scientific organizations are calling for balance between an open scientific environment and economic and national security. Previous Next Top Scientific Organizations Call for Fairer Treatment of Foreign-born Scientists

Newsletter - #129 Biden Signs Bill to Create Museum; Norm Goes Home to San Jose; Catch Up with the News #129 Biden Signs Bill to Create Museum; Norm Goes Home to San Jose; Catch Up with the News Back View PDF June 14, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #223 12/4 Meeting; China Initiative/Section 702; Call for WH Apology; Student Exchanges; + #223 12/4 Meeting; China Initiative/Section 702; Call for WH Apology; Student Exchanges; + In This Issue #223 · 2023/12/04 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · No More "China Initiative" or Section 702 Warrantless Surveillance · Call for a White House Statement of Apology on the Chinese Exclusion Act · NYT: Can U.S.-China Student Exchanges Survive Geopolitics? · News and Activities for the Communities 2023/12/04 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, December 4, 2023, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: · Matt Jones , Partner, WilmerHale LLP. Matt represents Dr. Yanping Chen 陈燕平 , a naturalized U.S, citizen and founder of the University of Management and Technology in Arlington, Virginia. Matt spoke about Dr. Chen's case at the November 2022 APA Justice monthly meeting . He will give us an update on the latest development. · Michael Bloch , Partner, Bloch and White LLP. Michael represents Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 , an ethnic Tibetan from China who served in Afghanistan as a U.S. marine and later joined the New York Police Department (NYPD) as an officer. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen. Angwang was arrested in September 2020, charged with acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government under the now-defunct "China Initiative." Michael will give us an update on Angwang's case. A Q&A and discussion session will follow the reports by Matt Jones and Michael Bloch. Confirmed discussants include: · Bethany Li , Legal Director, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) · Paula Madison 罗笑娜, Retired, NBCUniversal Executive; Entrepreneur; Journalist · Brian Sun 孙自华, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP · Helen Zia 谢汉兰, Activist, Author, and Former Journalist Brian Sun was part of the legal team representing Dr. Wen Ho Lee 李文和 in the criminal trial in 2000. Brian later represented Dr. Lee and won a settlement in a civil lawsuit when Dr. Lee sued the government under the Privacy Act in 2006. Helen Zia co-authored with Dr. Lee and published a book titled " My Country Versus Me " in 2002.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 No More "China Initiative" or Section 702 Warrantless Surveillance 1. No More "China Initiative" - Sign-on Letter There is a recent proposal in the US House Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and related agencies (CJS) to reinstate the "China Initiative." The "China Initiative" was launched under the Trump Administration on November 1, 2018. It led to the racial profiling and unjust prosecution of U.S.-based Chinese American and immigrant scholars, scientists and researchers. It upended the careers and lives of many, as well as reports such as this Proceedings of National Academy of Science report showing that it created a chilling effect on Asian Americans deterring many from engaging in ordinary activities, like traveling or corresponding with loved ones, for fear of being wrongfully targeted. The "China Initiative" officially ended under the Biden Administration on February 23, 2022. On March 23, 2023, Science described how The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted its own “China initiative” that has upended hundreds of lives and destroyed scores of academic careers. Plainly put, it is unacceptable for Congress to bring it back.A coalition letter has been prepared to urge Congress to oppose bringing the "China Initiative" back from the dead. Like-minded organizations are urged to sign on by December 7, 2023. APA Justice is a co-signer of the coalition letter.For more information and support, contact Gisela Perez Kusakawa at gpkusakawa@aasforum.org , Joanna Derman at jderman@advancingjustice-aajc.org , or Kenny Nguyen at knguyen@stopaapihate.org . Read the open letter to Congress: https://bit.ly/3uCGBgx . Read about the "China Initiative:" https://bit.ly/2ZC12up 2. No More Section 702 Warrantless Surveillance On November 28, 2023, a national coalition of 92 civil rights and racial justice organizations sent a letter to all 535 members of Congress, opposing reauthorizing of FISA Section 702 in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2024. APA Justice is a co-signer of the letter. "Reporting indicates certain Congressional leaders are pushing not only to briefly extend this spying power to provide more time for Congress to debate how it should be reformed, but are further considering reauthorizing legislation, likely for a longer period, from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). Not only was this legislation not included in either NDAA passed by the House or Senate, it has yet to even be introduced or its legislative text published," the letter said. In addition, · Public outlines of the HPSCI legislation reveal that it would serve to expand surveillance of people in the United States in several alarming ways, from targeting immigrants to reviving provisions of the PATRIOT Act that expired years ago. · It would fail to address alarming threats to civil rights, like the government’s purchase of massive amounts of data about American communities without court orders, while depriving members of Congress the opportunity to meaningfully address these threats. · The HPSCI bill would reauthorize Section 702 without in any way addressing the vast majority of the government’s abuses of the authority — abuses that are actively undermining civil rights. In conclusion, Section 702 must not be reauthorized without a meaningful opportunity for members of Congress to reform the authority and other related warrantless surveillance practices. Including in must-pass legislation any extension would sell out the communities that have been most often wrongfully targeted by these agencies and warrantless spying powers generally. Adding legislation to reauthorize Section 702 during conference that has not been debated by either House or Senate Judiciary Committee or either chamber would amount to a profound procedural and substantive failure. Stop AAPI Hate urges like-minded organizations and individuals to amplify the coalition letter by making use of a Social Media Toolkit with sample language and graphics.For more information, contact Andy Wong at andywong@caasf.org . Read the coalition letter: https://bit.ly/410Sf0Y . Read the WIRED report on this topic: https://bit.ly/3uBqJLj . Concerned individuals may also send their opposition of warrantless surveillance to their Congressional members here: https://bit.ly/3EFkg3R . Call for a White House Statement of Apology on the Chinese Exclusion Act On December 17, 2023, it will be the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act. This date holds great significance for the Chinese and Asian Pacific American communities across the country, as it marks the end of a dark era of discrimination and injustice. For more than two generations, the Chinese Exclusion Act tore apart families, denied the Chinese their citizenship and thus their voting rights, and subjected them to discrimination, hate, riots, and even murder. The Chinese community in America, as a result, suffered greatly, and the scars of this legislation continue to be felt to this day. In 2022, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt , the White House issued a well-received presidential proclamation apologizing for the harm caused to Japanese Americans. This gesture of remorse came 34 years after the US Congress passed a law in 1988 to apologize and provide reparations to the Japanese American community. United Chinese Americans (UCA) has organized an open letter to President Joe Biden, calling for the White House to issue a statement of apology on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Like-minded individuals and organizations are urged to sign on to the letter. APA Justice co-signed the letter.Read and sign on to the UCA letter: https://bit.ly/3T5jxRG NYT: Can U.S.-China Student Exchanges Survive Geopolitics? According to the New York Times on November 28, 2023, at a college fair organized by the United States Embassy, the students and their parents hovered over rows of booths advertising American universities. As a mascot of a bald eagle worked the crowd, they posed eagerly for photos.But beneath the festive atmosphere thrummed a note of anxiety. Did America still want Chinese students? And were Chinese students sure they wanted to go to America?Students have been traveling between China and the United States for generations, propelled by ambition, curiosity and a belief that their time abroad could help them better their and their countries’ futures. The first Chinese student to graduate from an American university, Yung Wing , arrived at Yale in 1850 and later helped send 120 more students to America.For the last three years, the number of Chinese students in the United States has fallen. The number of American students in China, meanwhile, plummeted during the pandemic to a mere 350 as of this year compared to more than 11,000 in 2019.Both Beijing and Washington have acknowledged the importance of restoring exchanges. During his trip to San Francisco this month, China’s leader, Xi Jinping , declared that China was “ready to invite” 50,000 Americans to study in China over the next five years. The American ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns , has insisted that the United States welcomes Chinese students. But the official rhetoric belies obstacles that both governments have continued to erect, driven by the same nationalism and concerns about national security that have derailed other parts of the relationship. Chinese propaganda regularly depicts the United States as dangerously crime-ridden, and many Chinese are also worried by increased reports of visa denials or border interrogations in the U.S. upon arrival. For Americans, the appeal of visiting China has dimmed under Mr. Xi, an authoritarian leader who has stoked anti-foreign sentiment. The U.S. government has also prohibited some American students from studying there, and some language-learning programs that it funds have moved from mainland China to Taiwan. Scholarly collaborations at all levels have been eroded by the geopolitical tensions. Chinese university students are still a robust presence in the United States, with nearly 290,000 in the 2022-23 school year. But many Chinese are concerned about programs like the Justice Department’s now-scrapped China Initiative, which critics said discriminated against scientists of Chinese descent.Other students have had visas revoked or denied under a Trump-era order known as Proclamation 10043 , upheld by the Biden administration, that bans students from certain Chinese universities from graduate study in the United States. Washington says those universities — the list is not public — have ties to China’s military.By making Chinese students feel unwelcome, the United States is hurting one of its historic strengths. The flow of Americans to China has always been much smaller. But Washington recognized the importance of increasing it. In 2010, President Barack Obama launched an initiative to send 100,000 American students to China over five years, who the State Department said would be “the next generation of American experts on China.”The Biden administration has also not reinstated the Fulbright program in China, which President Donald J. Trump suspended. Read the New York Times report: https://nyti.ms/47VlAvQ News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2023/12/02 A Virtual Fireside Chat 2023/12/03 Rep. Gene Wu 's Weekly town hall meeting2023/12/04 APA Justice December 2023 monthly meeting 2023/12/05 The Role of Chinese Students in America2023/12/06 1882 Foundation Lecture and Reception: We are Americans 2023/12/10 Rep. Gene Wu 's Weekly town hall meeting2023/12/12 Community Briefing on Section 702 Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. A Growing Virginia Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus On November 28, 2023, the Virginia Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus (VAAPI Caucus) hosted a stakeholder listening session ahead of the 60-day Virginia state legislative session starting on January 10, 2024. State Delegate Kathy Tran serves as the Chair of VAAPI Caucus. State Senator Ghazala Hashmi is Vice Chair. The 2024 VAAPI Caucus has 8 members - 3 state senators and 5 state delegates. 3. UCA Virtual Fireside Chat - Journey to Public Service WHAT: Webinar on "A Virtual Fireside Chat with Representatives Ya Liu, Lily Qi and Chao Wu" WHEN: Saturday, December 2, 2023, 7:00 pm ET/04:00 pm PTDESCRIPTION: https://bit.ly/3sPpEPDHOST : United Chinese Americans (UCA)MODERATOR: Haipei Shue , President of UCA SPEAKERS: · Ya Liu, Member, North Carolina House of Representatives · Lily Qi, Member, Maryland House of Delegates · Chao Wu, Member, Maryland House of Delegates REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3N5JY5W 4. The Serica Initiative Continues; The China Project Ends On November 7, 2023, The China Project (formerly SupChina) announced its shutdown due to many accusations in both the U.S. and China of working for nefarious purposes for the government of the other. Launched in 2016 with the aim of informing the world about China with a breadth and depth that general interest news organizations cannot devote to one country. It has incurred enormous legal costs and made it increasingly difficult to attract investors, advertisers, and sponsors. On November 29, 2023, The Serica Initiative , The China Project’s New York-based sister nonprofit organization, announced that it will carry forward the mission to both advocating for greater Asian American inclusion and advancing positive social impact in U.S.-China relations. Back View PDF December 2, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #352 Register for 10/16 Webinar; AAJC, APIAVote, and OCA Updates; CALDA New Lawsuit v SB17+ #352 Register for 10/16 Webinar; AAJC, APIAVote, and OCA Updates; CALDA New Lawsuit v SB17+ In This Issue #352 · Register to Attend Inaugural Webinar on October 16, 2025 · Update from Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC · Update from APIAVote · Update from OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates · CALDA Appeals and Files New Lawsuit Against Texas Alien Land Law · News and Activities for the Communities Register to Attend Inaugural Webinar on October 16, 2025 Cindy Tsai 蔡欣玲 , Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Committee of 100 (C100), and Rosie Levine 卢晓玫 , Executive Director of the U.S.-China Education Trust (USCET), announced the launch of a joint webinar series, titled " Global Tensions, Local Dimensions - Navigating the U.S.-China Relationship, " at the APA Justice monthly meeting on September 8, 2025.The inaugural webinar will take place on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 8:00 PM ET on Zoom , featuring Ambassadors Julia Chang Bloch 張之香 and Gary Locke 骆家辉 , in conversation with Jessica Chen Weiss 白潔曦, David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.Register to attend the webinar titled " Bridging Nations: People-to-people Exchange in U.S.-China Relations ," by scanning the QR code above or clicking this link: https://bit.ly/20251016Webinar About the Series and Webinar From the ping-pong diplomacy that preceded formal diplomatic ties in the 1970’s to the robust educational exchanges that flourished in the reform era in the 1990’s, people-to-people connections have provided continuity during periods of political tension in the U.S.-China relationship. Yet in today's environment of strategic competition, people-to-people engagements, such as academic partnerships, student exchanges, business networks, and diaspora community ties, are increasingly restricted in the name of national security. Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, whose families and networks often span both countries, increasingly find themselves in the crosshairs.This webinar will focus on the past, present, and future of people-to-people ties between the United States and China, as well as the implications for AAPI communities and U.S. policy. At a time of strained U.S.-China ties, and a concurrent rise in incidents of profiling and violence directed toward the AAPI community in the United States, this discussion will explore how U.S. foreign policy intersects with domestic policy and rights. About the Co-Hosts · C100 is a nonpartisan leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, science, and the arts. Founded in 1990 by I.M. Pei 貝聿銘 and other distinguished leaders, C100 works to advance the full participation of Chinese Americans in U.S. society and to foster constructive dialogue between the United States and Greater China. As Cindy noted, global interactions have direct consequences for AAPI communities at home. · USCET , founded in 1998 by Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch, is a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit dedicated to promoting mutual understanding between the United States and China through education and exchange. USCET strengthens American Studies in China, supports professional development for educators, and creates dialogue among students, scholars, and policymakers. Rosie noted that USCET’s first-ever public statement was issued to express concern over proposed restrictions on international student visas. · APA Justice , advocate of over 10 years for fairness, equity, and justice for Asian Americans and beyond, is also a co-host of this series. Update from Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC During the APA Justice monthly meeting on September 8, 2025, Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC, reported on the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill, highlighting harmful House language directing the Department of Justice to reinstate the China Initiative. AAJC is responding comprehensively. · Civil Society Letter : An updated letter with more than 80 organizational sign-ons has been sent to Congress. · Bicameral Letter : Representative Judy Chu and Senator Mazie Hirono led a bicameral letter urging opposition to reinstatement, also with the same broad organizational endorsements. In addition, AAJC and coalition partners AASF, Stop AAPI Hate, and CAA are launching a call campaign. Supporters are encouraged to mobilize their bases to phone back and mail all Democratic senators. The goal is to prevent the harmful China Initiative language from appearing in the Senate bill, ensuring it remains only in the House version. Continued calls and emails will be critical throughout this month until the Senate vote. AAJC is closely coordinating with allies on the Hill and provide updates on timing. On September 11, 2025, AsAmNews reported that a proposal to revive the defunct China Initiative—a Trump-era program aimed at curbing Chinese economic espionage but widely criticized for unfairly targeting Chinese scientists—is advancing through Congress. On September 11, the House Appropriations Committee voted 34–28 to include the measure in a larger appropriations bill.Asian American leaders warn reinstating the Initiative would repeat past harms. The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) condemned it for fueling racial profiling and dual-loyalty tropes. Civil rights groups point to high-profile failed prosecutions of Chinese scientists such as Gang Chen 陈刚 (MIT), Anming Hu 胡安明 (University of Tennessee), and Franklin Tao 陶丰 (University of Kansas), noting the chilling effect beyond the scientific community. “People don’t know, just by looking at you, whether you’re from China or not,” said Cindy Tsai , general counsel and Executive VP of the Committee of 100. “This really goes back to the safety issue and the sense of belonging for those who have been part of this country.”More than 80 Asian American organizations including APA Justice issued a joint letter opposing the bill. Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director of the Asian American Scholar Forum, warned it would undermine U.S. competitiveness by driving away scientific talent. Joanna Derman of Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) urged the public to educate themselves and press Congress to strip the measure: “We’ve seen how that can result in unfair and harmful discrimination against Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists, researchers, and academics. So by putting [it] in the appropriation bill, pretty much anybody who votes for the appropriation bill can deny that they supported the China Initiative, because it’s part of a larger bill.” Update from APIAVote APIAVote is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civic engagement in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. In today’s hyper-partisan climate, some ask whether a C3 message can still resonate. Bob Sakaniwa , Director of Policy and Advocacy at APIAVote, answered yes during the APA Justice monthly meeting on September 8, 2025. Now more than ever, trusted messengers are essential. Communities look to organizations like APIAVote not to tilt the political scales, but to highlight how policies directly shape AAPI lives. Bob emphasized that while 501(c)(4) activity and more overtly partisan efforts have their place, C3 organizations occupy a unique and vital role. They can elevate the dialogue, build trust across divides, and push conversations toward inclusion and solutions.Reflecting on 2024, the picture for AAPI civic participation was mixed. In 2020, turnout reached historic highs. But in 2024, participation slipped—driven by uncertainty, disillusionment with both parties, and the draining effects of misinformation. Still, there were bright spots: AAPI voters led the nation in new registrations, with more first-time registrants than any other group. With 15 million eligible AAPI voters, there remains enormous untapped potential. And after nearly a year of political upheaval, more people are connecting the dots between policies and daily life—recognizing why civic engagement matters. APIAVote sees opportunities for a rebound this year and an even bigger surge heading into the 2026 midterms.At the same time, threats to voting rights are real and growing. Chief among them is the push—through legislation and executive orders—for documentary proof of citizenship to vote. This bureaucratic barrier amounts to voter suppression, fueled by the false narrative of widespread non-citizen voting. The facts say otherwise. Yet the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would impose such requirements, has already passed the House. Fortunately, the Senate has shown little interest so far.Meanwhile, the Trump administration issued an executive order with the same aim. It is currently tied up in the courts, and APIAVote—along with OCA and represented by AAJC—is a plaintiff challenging it. Another front is the push to roll back birthright citizenship. Both efforts strike at the heart of who belongs in our democracy and carry profound implications for AAPI families.Looking ahead, APIAVote is closely monitoring state-level contests. In New Jersey and Virginia, upcoming races may serve as early indicators of public sentiment toward the administration. And in California, voters will decide this November on a major redistricting proposition, a response to Texas’ mid-decade redistricting carried out under presidential direction. While redistricting is often framed in partisan terms, APIAVote sees it fundamentally as an issue of representation: voters should choose their leaders, not the other way around.Bob closed with a reminder that September 16 is National Voter Registration Day. APIAVote and its partners will be working nationwide to send a clear message: the first step in making your voice heard is registering to vote. With millions of AAPI voices still untapped, this is our moment to ensure our communities are not only present at the polls, but powerful in shaping America’s future. Update from OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates Founded in 1973, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates is a 501(c)(3) national member-driven nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. with 35+ chapters and affiliates across the U.S. At the APA Justice monthly meeting on September 8, 2025, Thu Nguyen , Executive Director, recapped OCA’s 2025 convention in Seattle, spotlighting the State of the U.S. Constitution plenary, which featured Karen Narasaki (longtime civil rights advocate and former U.S. Commission on Civil Rights commissioner), Karthik Ramakrishnan (academic and founder of AAPI Data), and William Xu , a former OCA intern who later served as a public defender and now works as a judge advocate. Together, they explored impact litigation, public narrative change, and pathways for community involvement. The convention also engaged audiences through workshops like Helen Zia ’s session on AAPI crisis communications, addressing censorship, the politicization of terms such as diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the challenge of intergenerational dialogue around politically charged language—like “tariffs,” which have real consequences for families and businesses. A screening of John Osaki ’s film Making Waves , on preserving ethnic studies and critical race theory, was another highlight. Thu encouraged chapters to bring the film to local communities. Thu reported that OCA is co-plaintiff in three ongoing lawsuits: one on birthright citizenship, one challenging cuts to the Department of Education, and one with APIAVote on voting rights. All cases are pending before the courts. Thu also described OCA’s Leadership Summit program, historically held in D.C. for select members to receive advocacy and public speaking training and participate in Hill visits. This year, OCA expanded the model into two-day regional leadership summits—open to all ages—combining training with visits to state capitols or local congressional offices. Recent summits were held in Boston and Las Vegas, with upcoming events in Phoenix (November), New York City, and Houston in 2026. OCA covers program costs, while local chapters help with logistics and outreach. Finally, OCA is partnering with National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) members to educate communities on healthcare budget cuts, particularly the impact on Medicare and Medicaid. Many community members are unaware of their coverage links (e.g., CHIP and Medicaid), so OCA is working to clarify these changes and provide next steps for affected families. CALDA Appeals and Files New Lawsuit Against Texas Alien Land Law 1. Wang v. Paxton (4:25-cv-03103) According to a post by the Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (华美维权同盟), CALDA led a lawsuit against the Texas government seeking to overturn Texas SB 17, an anti-Chinese land law. A federal judge dismissed the case on procedural grounds in August. The judge held that the two plaintiffs represented by CALDA had resided in Texas for many years and thus could not be considered “domiciled in China.” Since SB 17 does not restrict them, their rights were not harmed, and therefore they lacked standing to sue.CALDA believes the judge’s ruling was wrong. The decision’s interpretation of “domicile” for individuals on non-immigrant visas conflicts with existing law and creates further ambiguity. Because violating SB 17 carries felony consequences, such vagueness may lead to overly strict enforcement, causing broader harm to Chinese communities.Some Texas banks and mortgage companies have already adopted internal policies refusing home loans to any Chinese nationals without green cards—going beyond the law itself. For many Chinese residents, the law’s terms are hard to interpret, and in the current political climate, such gray areas invite abuse, fear, and discrimination. Even those on non-immigrant visas who stay in Texas only temporarily still fall under SB 17 and face housing discrimination.At its core, SB 17 is not about national security but about treating all Chinese people as potential threats. By relying on procedural grounds, the judge avoided the real constitutional question: does SB 17 violate equal protection by stripping a group of the right to buy or rent property based solely on nationality or country of origin? This is the heart of the case and the reason CALDA filed the lawsuit.Following the August ruling, CALDA immediately filed an appeal. Both sides are now submitting briefs, and the appeals court has scheduled a hearing for November 4, with a ruling expected thereafter. 2. Huang v. Paxton (1:25-cv-01509) On September 16, 2025, CALDA filed a second lawsuit in federal court in Austin. This new case includes three plaintiffs: two Chinese citizens holding B1/B2 visas who are only in the U.S. for short-term visits but purchased investment properties in Texas, and one Chinese student who has been in the U.S. for just a year, currently renting in Texas while attending college. Because none of these plaintiffs have long-term continuous U.S. residence, the judge will find it harder to dismiss the case for lack of standing.CALDA will soon request a court hearing to seek a preliminary injunction to block SB 17. CALDA vows not to stop until this discriminatory law is struck down. Against the backdrop of U.S.–China tensions, Chinese Americans face unprecedented uncertainty. Texas SB 17, Florida SB 264, and Ohio HB 1 and SB 88 reflect a nationwide anti-Chinese trend. Meanwhile, the long-dormant “China Initiative” has resurfaced, stirring deep anxiety among Chinese researchers and students.Once discrimination is institutionalized, it tends to spread. These laws are like dominoes: if the first is not stopped, the chain reaction will inevitably expand. Challenging SB 17 is not only about one state law—it represents defending the basic rights of Chinese communities and resisting systemic exclusion in America. For this reason, CALDA views litigation as a crucial tool of advocacy, turning fear about the future into collective action and legal precedent for change.This is a difficult and protracted struggle. We must unite more strength and resources to confront powerful opponents. CALDA calls for continued support to secure a future free from discrimination, where fairness and justice are true guarantees for all Chinese Americans. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/09/18 CAPAC Press Conference2025/09/23 Committee of 100: Is Deglobalization Inevitable?2025/10/03 Covering China—Journalism, Scholarship, and the Global Conversation2025/10/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/10/16 Bridging Nations: The Power of People-to-People Exchange in U.S.-China Relations2025/10/23 C100 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative: Asian American Women in the LawVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. May 2025 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary Posted Summary of the APA Justice May 2025 meeting is now posted at https://bit.ly/4pxi6ti . We thank the following distinguished speakers for sharing their comments and insights: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus · Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) · Gee-Kung Chang 張繼昆 , Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology · Robert Fisher , Partner, Nixon Peabody · William Tong 湯偉麟 , Attorney General, State of Connecticut · Robert L. Santos , Former Director, U.S. Census Bureau; Former President, American Statistical Association · Haifan Lin 林海帆 , President, Federation of Asian Professor Associations (FAPA); Eugene Higgins Professor of Cell Biology, Yale University 3. CAPAC Press Conference WHAT : CAPAC Press Conference on Economic Toll of Trump’s Tariffs on Asian American Communities WHEN : September 18, 2025, 10:30 am ET WHERE : Studio A – HVC117 and live stream: https://www.facebook.com/events/1874102480195831/ HOST : Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) SPEAKERS : · Chair Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) · Second Vice Chair Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02) · Chair Emerita Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) · Vice Chair Ted Lieu (CA-36) · Rep. Dave Min (CA-47) · Rep. Ed Case (HI-01) DESCRIPTION : On August 29, a federal appeals court ruled that most of Trump’s tariffs are illegal but allowed the tariffs to remain in place while the case moves through the appeals process. The Supreme Court agreed to consider the appeal on an expedited timeline. Meanwhile, tariffs continue to create uncertainty for small businesses and consumers—including for Asian-owned businesses that import agricultural goods, cultural products, and traditional medicines that cannot be produced domestically.Asian American entrepreneurs own 11 percent of small businesses in the U.S. and nearly 20 percent of restaurants. Chinatown businesses in particular have reported lower demand and increased costs for goods, with some hiking prices by an average of 50 percent. According to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, consumer prices rose 0.4 percent in August, driving the annual inflation rate to 2.9 percent, the highest since January, in part due to Trump’s tariffs. RSVP : Please RSVP in advance to james.kwon@mail.house.gov 3. ACF: Covering China—Journalism, Scholarship, and the Global Conversation WHAT : Covering China—Journalism, Scholarship, and the Global Conversation WHEN : October 3, 2025, 9:30 am - 12:00 noon ET WHERE : Kenney Link Auditorium, Johns Hopkins SAIS, 555 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest Washington, DC 20001 HOST : Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF) PROGRAM: · 9:30am: Opening Remarks · 9:45am: Session 1—Covering China from Within: Problems and Processes · 11:00am:: Session 2—China, America, and the World: New Frontiers · 12:00pm: Networking Lunch DESCRIPTION : The Johns Hopkins SAIS Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF) and the Overseas Press Club of America will jointly host an in-person event examining the state of journalistic and academic coverage of China.The first session will consider the hurdles that journalists and academics face when operating within China at present, and their evolving approaches to reporting and research. A second panel will assess the challenges that global correspondents and researchers face as they cover China's global activities and influence, especially when the issues that intersect China's global role—including artificial intelligence, trade and investment, and new energy—are themselves complex and rapidly evolving.What are the perspectives of top journalists and researchers on the current state of reporting on China? What do we know and not know – and what assumptions and narratives may need revision? What are our collective blind spots? What strategies can help strengthen the quality of research and reporting, and more accurately frame the scope and scale of the China challenge for U.S. audiences? REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/3KtwClu # # # 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 September 18, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

On March 8, 2022, APA Justice sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, calling for the release of a report on the Department of Justice's review of the “China Initiative.” March 8, 2022 On March 8, 2022, APA Justice sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, calling for the release of a report on the Department of Justice's (DOJ’s) review of the “China Initiative.” In the letter, we express our support for his announcement ending the “China Initiative” on February 23, 2022, and our appreciation for his openness and willingness to engage, listen, and respond to community concerns. Ending the “China Initiative” is a promising start to correct the harms caused by the initiative, apply lessons learned, and rebuild community trust and confidence that were lost in our law enforcement and judicial system. For transparency and to ensure an accurate understanding of the changes, we request the public release of a report memorializing the findings of his review of the program that began in November 2021. Release of a report on the findings of the review is critically important to ease the broad concerns that the end of “China Initiative” is just in name but does not reflect a change in fact and substance. It will supplement Mr. Olsen's speech for the communities to move forward. It is common for the government to produce a written report to memorialize an important review such as that done for the “China Initiative.” It usually includes the defined scope, issues examined, process and methodology used, findings, recommended changes, decisions, and plans for implementation. Such a report would help to clarify, for example, the following questions: What was the scope of the “China Initiative” review? What is the new supervising role for the National Security Division? Will DOJ-wide implicit bias training be restarted? How thorough were existing prosecutions and investigations reviewed? Did the review cover allegations of DOJ and FBI misconduct? Harms and wounds inflicted during and prior to the "China Initiative" are deep and wide spread in the Asian American and scientific communities, especially for academics of Chinese descent. It is imperative to start the process of healing and restoration of trust in the law enforcement and judicial system with transparency, accountability, and community engagement in moving forward. letter2mattolsen_20220308 .pdf Download PDF • 244KB On March 8, 2022, APA Justice sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, calling for the release of a report on the Department of Justice's review of the “China Initiative.” Previous Next APA Justice Calls for Release of Report on Review of "China Initiative"

Newsletter - #171 APA Justice Comments; McCarthyism? UConn Prof Won; Sustainable Platform; JCRC Hosts​ #171 APA Justice Comments; McCarthyism? UConn Prof Won; Sustainable Platform; JCRC Hosts In This Issue #171 APA Justice Submits Comments to The President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI Attack on Congresswoman Judy Chu - Return of McCarthyism? UConn Professor Won $1.4 million Payout for Wrongful Termination Building A Sustainable Platform and Pipeline for AAPI Leadership in Higher Education JCRC Hosts Evening of Jewish and Asian Pacific Islander Community Building and Collaboration APA Justice Submits Comments to The President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI The President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders will hold an all-day in-person public meeting at the White House on March 14, 2023, from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm ET. The meeting is the fifth in a series of federal advisory committee meetings regarding the development of recommendations to promote equity, justice, and opportunity for AANHPI communities. The meeting is open to the public and will be live streamed. There will be no opportunity for oral public comments during the meeting. However, written comments are welcomed throughout the development of the Commission’s recommendations and may be emailed to AANHPICommission@hhs.gov . Register for the event here: http://bit.ly/3mOyGJ0 Co-chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and United States Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai , the 25-member Commission complements the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), both of which were established by the President in May 2021. In addition to the Co-Chairs and the Commission, announced speakers in the public hearing include Erika L. Moritsugu , Deputy Assistant to the President and AANHPI Senior Liaison, and Krystal Ka‘ai , Executive Director, WHIAANHPI.On March 10, 2023, APA Justice submitted the following comment titled "Pursuing a More Perfect Union and an Equitable Society" to the Commission:Equity means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including the Asian American and immigrant communities.However, from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to the internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans during the Second World War, persons of Asian origin have been scapegoated in the name of national and economic security when discrimination was legalized by laws and executive orders.Since the Second World War, anti-Asian hate in one form or another has ebbed and flooded pending on the rise and fall of U.S. relations with Asian nations and domestic politics that stoke fear, suspicion, and hostility against Asian Americans as disloyal and cannot be trusted as Americans.This form of racial profiling has been instigated by our own government, repeatedly explained away and justified under the cover of national security that sacrifice the civil and human rights of the Asian American and immigrant communities. This inequity has disastrously high and painful costs to not only these communities but also our nation. It ruins individual lives and inhibits our participation and progress in the American society. It damages our global leadership in science and technology and ironically our national security. It undermines our fundamental American values as a nation of primarily immigrants except for Native Americans, Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.During the “Red Scare,” the government drove Dr. Qian Xuesen, a co-founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, back to China. He would later become the “Father of Chinese Rocketry” for the People’s Republic of China.At the turn of the century, the unjust prosecution and mistreatment of Dr. Wen Ho Lee, a nuclear scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, led to an apology from the presiding judge on behalf of the judicial branch of our government.Prior to and during the “China Initiative” launched in November 2018, hundreds of, and perhaps more, scientists and researchers of Asian and particularly Chinese origin in academia, government, and private industry were wrongfully targeted for extensive surveillance, endless investigations, and unjust prosecutions. The victims include a hydrologist at the National Weather Service whose work was to calibrate and implement flood models to help save lives along the Ohio River, a New York Police Department officer who also served as a U.S. marine in Afghanistan, and an award-winning scientist who spent 24 years with the U.S. Army’s Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate. Despite their stated intent to protect the nation, government policies and practices have again created a chilling effect on our communities, resulting in the loss of talents that are needed our scientific leadership and denying us of the opportunity to participate fairly and fully in the American society.Xenophobic political rhetoric from the past administration and some elected officials during the COVID pandemic fueled the resurgence of racism, leading to the loss of lives, especially for the vulnerable elderly of our communities, and the report of more than 11,500 incidents of anti-Asian bias since 2020.Today , we see discriminatory alien land bills being revived in Texas, Georgia, Montana, North Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Wyoming, and a total of more than a dozen states. The U.S. Congress is considering similar bills that threaten the civil and human rights of the Asian American and immigrant communities, again in the name of national security. If enacted into law, they will deny Asian Americans and the immigrant communities directly and indirectly from owning homes and business properties.More than a hundred years ago, discriminatory Alien Land Laws were enacted first in California and then to other states to target Japanese Americans and bar Asian immigrants from owning land. These laws were deemed unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment in 1952, and yet 70 years later we see the same laws and rhetoric being brought up again.Today , we also see the return of McCarthyism - the practice of making unfounded accusations of disloyalty, subversion, and treason, carried out under Senator Joseph McCarthy in the period 1950-54, to blacklist, slander, and attempt to destroy reputable innocent Americans. Today’s McCarthyite targets include a world-renowned MIT professor, a presidentially appointed business leader, and the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Anyone who is of Asian origin or simply has a nexus to China may become a target tomorrow. On this slippery slope, no one in the Asian American and immigrant communities will be safe and spared from anti-Asian hate and discrimination.This vicious cycle of recurring inequity must stop with our government taking the lead to give due attention and protection to the civil and human rights of the Asian American and immigrant communities.In our pursuit of a more perfect union and an equitable society, there must be consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals. They include the Asian American and immigrant communities.In implementing The National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for AANHPI Communities, we urge the Commission to start with a commissioned study of the inherent problems to seek short-term relief and long-term solutions, enhance internal and public education, and adopt an exemplary requirement similar to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy that “agencies must implement NSPM-33 provisions and related requirements in a nondiscriminatory manner that does not stigmatize or treat unfairly members of the research community, including members of ethnic or racial minority groups.” Attack on Congresswoman Judy Chu - Return of McCarthyism? According to a report by the Sacramento Bee on March 6, 2023, anti-Asian American activity has become not only more frequent in recent years but has become a persistent source of political tension, including the questioning of Rep. Judy Chu 's "either loyalty or competnece" by Rep. Lance Gooden . Rep. Chu chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. There is a pattern in all this that is frightening to many Asian Americans.“Many scholars and Asian and Pacific Island citizens, I among them, believe that some Americans regard Asians as ‘perpetual foreigners’ somehow attached to Asia no matter how long they have lived here in the U.S., even if they have been here for many generations,” said Gabriel Chin , professor of law at the University of California, Davis.A lot of people remember when the consequences of such suspicions were dire. “There is no relationship, none, zero between an American who happens to be of Asian descent and foreign governments. When we conflate those issues that’s how we get a Japanese-American internment,” said Rep. Ted Lieu , citing the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.“It’s racist. It’s disgusting. And it’s just lays the groundwork for questioning AAPIs in this country and it lays the groundwork for more AAPI hate,” said Chu of Gooden at the House Democrats’ Issues Conference in Baltimore. “And it also reinforces a terrible stereotype that we have to deal with. For all the time we’ve been in this country, that we are foreigners in our own land. Even though we have been in this country for decades,” said Chu, a Los Angeles native.“Language matters, and how we use language matters,” said Rep. Ami Bera . Some Republicans were critical of their colleague. China committee Chairman Mike Gallagher criticized Gooden’s remarks. “We should not question anybody’s loyalty to the United States,” Gallagher told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “That is out of bounds. It’s beyond the pale.”Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi , the committee’s top Democrat, also issued a polite warning. “We have no quarrel with the Chinese people or people of Chinese origin. That’s why we should never engage in anti-Chinese or anti-Asian stereotyping or prejudice,” he told the panel. “Comments that question the loyalty of Asian-American Members of Congress are completely unacceptable and must be rejected. These comments only feed the scapegoating and targeting of Chinese Americans, further endangering them and other Asian Americans.” In fact, he said, “this xenophobia and stereotyping is what the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) would want to happen.”Read the Sacramento Bee Report: http://bit.ly/3JA5pLj Statements and Condemnations: 2023/03/11 Friends of Chinese American Museum Condemns Rep. Gooden’s Remarks About Rep. Chu’s Loyalty to U.S. http://bit.ly/3YLp3bk 2023/03/07 Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute. (APALI) condemns the recent comments made by a Texas congress member about Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif). 2023/03/06 Congresswoman Judy Chu: Rep. Chu on MSNBC.com : “I am a target of the right’s new McCarthyism” http://bit.ly/3LkbD33 2023/03/03 Asian American Scholar Forum: Asian American Scholar Forum Denounces Racist Remarks Against Rep Judy Chu. http://bit.ly/3JBJm71 2023/03/01 OCA: OCA Condemns the Baseless Accusations from Representative Lance Gooden. http://bit.ly/401o48b 2023/02/28 Japanese American Citizens League: JACL Denounces Rising Anti-Chinese Rhetoric and Actions. http://bit.ly/3JBbdUL 2023/02/17 National Council of Chinese Americans: Condemn Mr. Lance Gooden’s Racist and Unconscionable Remarks. https://bit.ly/3JBJi7i 2023/02/28 APIAVote: APIAVote Condemns Rep. Lance Gooden’s Racist Comments, Denounces Larger “Othering” of Asian Americans. http://bit.ly/3YJWNpy 2023/02/27 California Asian Pacific American Bar Association: Over 25 Legal and Civil Rights Organizations Condemn Racist Comments by Rep. Lance Gooden. http://bit.ly/3mQjPOw 2023/02/27 Committee of 100: Committee of 100 Condemns the Racist Comments by U.S. Representative Lance Gooden. http://bit.ly/3yvXU1H 2023/02/24 The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations: CAIR-LA Condemns Racist Remarks About California Rep. Judy Chu by Texas Rep. Lance Gooden, Demands Apology. https://bit.ly/3YLhpOr 2023/02/24 The Asian American and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus (AAPILC) Demand an Apology from Texas Congressman Lance Goodent o Congresswoman Judy Chu and the AAPI Community for his Racist Remarks. http://bit.ly/401heiN UConn Professor Won $1.4 million Payout for Wrongful Termination According to a report by CT Insider on March 6, 2023, a respected University of Connecticut (UConn) liver disease researcher has won a $1.4 million settlement after an arbitrator found the university wrongly fired her for allegedly failing to disclose financial connections to China.Hearst Connecticut Media uncovered the pay out, which placed Professor Li Wang sixth on a list of the state’s highest paid employees in 2022, after obtaining documents from UConn through state Freedom of Information law. UConn had not previously disclosed the payment for Wang’s expected termination publicly.A liver physiologist with a proven ability to obtain research funding, Wang was hired by UConn in 2014 and was scheduled to be terminated on September 20, 2019. She resigned the day before her termination became effective. Michelle Williams , UConn associate vice president for research, informed Wang in a March 2019 letter that because she did not disclose her Chinese connections on NIH grant applications she was being suspended as a researcher for three years. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) backed UConn’s allegations and in letters to UConn officials agreed with its decisions regarding Wang. A January 2022 letter to a top UConn official – sent several months after the arbitrator ruled against UConn - shows that Michael Lauer , NIH director for extramural research, continued to support the university's handling of Wang.The arbitrator assigned by the American Arbitration Association to Wang’s case came to very different conclusions than the NIH and UConn in November 2021. The “university did not have just cause to suspend Dr. Wang’s research, just cause to terminate Dr. Wang,” arbitrator Peter Adomeit wrote in his decision. “She did not falsify any record or provide false information.”The arbitrator ordered UConn to reinstate her to her job, provide all back pay and annual raises, return research equipment, pay operating expenses, and relocate her office to UConn Health in Farmington. According to a report on March 7, 2023, UConn told Inside Higher Ed that Wang is not an employee and has not been one since September 2019. Professor Li Wang appears to be one of several hundred researchers who were subject to NIH investigations under the now-defunct "China Initiative."Read more about the story of Professor Li Wang at http://bit.ly/3SVF3GH Building A Sustainable Platform and Pipeline for AAPI Leadership in Higher Education On March 9, 2023, a webinar was convened as part of the 2023 Conference on Diversity, Equity and Student Success: Can We Handle Truth? Ellen Junn , President, California State University, Stanislaus; Les Wong , President Emeritus, San Francisco State University; and Frank Wu , President, CUNY Queens College, discussed the importance of creating a platform for collaboration and synergy among AAPI leaders who have reached the position of president/chancellor in higher education, and a sustainable pipeline to support ascending AAPI leaders. Joyce Moy , Former Executive Director, Asian American/Asian Research Institute (AAARI), City University of New York, served as the moderator. The event was organized by Soniya Munshi, Interim Executive Director, AAARI, CUNY.Watch the YouTube video of the event: http://bit.ly/3YKHpcs (1:26:19) JCRC Hosts Evening of Jewish and Asian Pacific Islander Community Building and Collaboration The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington hosted a dinner of regional Jewish and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) leaders on March 12, 2023.Elected officials, community leaders, clergy and other distinguished guests from Montgomery County, Fairfax County, and the District of Columbia, attended the event to welcome San Francisco AAPI leaders and Jewish leaders who are traveling together on a solidarity mission to New York and DC to strengthen relationships between their communities. It was an excellent evening of good food and networking that will enhance friendship, collaboration, and mutual support between our own communities in the Washington DC region.Over 80 people participated in the event highlighted by remarks by Maryland Secretary of State Susan Lee and Ron Halber, Executive Director of JCRC of Greater Washington, among other distinguished speakers. Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF March 13, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Racial Profiling Politicization of NIH Grant The EcoHealth Alliance has been studying human and animal infectious diseases for 20 years. When unconfirmed reports that Alliance funding had been sent to the Wuhan Institute of Virology emerged in April 2020, the National Institutes of Health cut all future funding toward their research project on bat-human virus transmission. The scientific community is expressing their fear and concern about the politicization of peer-reviewed science. Timeline The New York Times reported that 77 Nobel laureates has asked for an investigation into the cancellation of a federal grant to EcoHealth Alliance, a group that researches bat coronaviruses in China. The pre-eminent scientists characterized the explanation for the decision by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as “preposterous.” May 21 2020 The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) issued a press release and sent a letter of protest to the NIH Director on behalf of 31 scientific societies representing tens of thousands of members. The letter said the grant cancellation politicized science and concluded, “The action taken by the NIH must be immediately reconsidered.” May 20 2020 According to a report by the Daily Beast , "a military contractors’ report circulating on Capitol Hill claims to have evidence that COVID-19 escaped from a Chinese lab. It’s filled with information that’s just plain wrong." May 17 2020 CBS 60 Minutes broadcasted "Why it matters that the NIH canceled a coronavirus research grant " with the byline "Faulty allegations led to cutting $3.7 million dollars to ecologists studying coronaviruses. The ramifications may be felt in future pandemics." May 10 2020 Sarina Neote, ASBMB Science Policy Manager, expressed concerns about increasing fear within the scientific community of being targeted as a result of race or identify and the cancellation of the EcoHealth grant in the APA Justice conference call . She followed with an ASBMB position statement after the call and welcomes Asian American and other organizations to join the effort. May 4 2020 In a CNN opinion piece , Benjamin Corb, ASBMB Public Affairs Director, raised the question: Why did the NIH terminate a grant that supports leading research into how coronaviruses can be transferred from their natural host of bats to humans in the middle of a pandemic? "Politicizing peer-reviewed science is a dangerous threat to the independent American scientific enterprise and is the first step on a deeply concerning slippery slope. If Daszak's research can be stopped by funding cuts at the whim of the President, what other research grants in the future will be pulled because of the left or right leanings of any future president? What damage would such a decision have on the world-leading productivity and reputation of the National Institutes of Health? Science must remain independent and nonpoliticized if it is to be trusted and productive during this pandemic crisis and beyond," Corb said. Apr 30 2020 Politico broke the story that NIH told EcoHealth Alliance, the study’s sponsor on bat-human virus transmission for the past five years, that all future funding was cut. “At this time, NIH does not believe that the current project outcomes align with the program goals and agency priorities,” Michael Lauer, NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research, wrote in a letter to Dr. Pete Daszak, who is President of EcoHealth Alliance. Apr 27 2020 Please contact APA Justice Task Force facilitator Dr. Jeremy Wu at Jeremy.S.Wu@gmail.com or ASBMB Science Policy Manager Sarina Neote at sneote@asbmb.org if you would like to join this very important effort.