Newsletter - #107 DOJ Drops Gang Chen Case; CAPAC; APA Justice/OSTP Briefing; DOC Scandal/Census Map #107 DOJ Drops Gang Chen Case; CAPAC; APA Justice/OSTP Briefing; DOC Scandal/Census Map Back View PDF January 20, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #312 Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch, AAJC/AASF updates, Funding Freezes/Birthright Rulings; + #312 Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch, AAJC/AASF updates, Funding Freezes/Birthright Rulings; + In This Issue #312 · Remarks by Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch · Updates by Advancing Justice|AAJC and AASF · Judges Block Trump's Funding Freezes as Lawsuits Against His Orders Surge · Third Court Injunction Against Trump's Executive Order Ending Birthright Citizenship · News and Activities for the Communities Remarks by Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch is the Founder and Executive Chair of the US-China Education Trust . She was appointed by President George H.W. Bush to become the first Asian American ambassador in US history.Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch spoke at the APA Justice monthly meeting on February 3, 2025, She highlights the urgent need to address the impact of U.S.-China competition on Chinese and Asian American communities. Julia acknowledges the work of APA Justice and its advocacy efforts while emphasizing the necessity of a new initiative that brings together racial justice and foreign policy concerns. Julia notes that discussions on U.S.-China relations often overlook the lived experiences of Chinese and Asian Americans, who face increasing discrimination and scrutiny. By forming broader coalitions, she hopes to bridge the gap between national security concerns and racial justice efforts.Julia references historical instances of racial profiling, such as the Cox Report of 1999 and the wrongful prosecution of Wen Ho Lee , to illustrate how Chinese Americans have long been caught in the crosshairs of U.S.-China tensions. The China Initiative, initially launched under the Trump administration, further exacerbated fears by disproportionately targeting Chinese American academics and researchers. Despite past failures, Julia warns that Congress may seek to revive similar policies, reinforcing a dangerous precedent that equates ethnicity with suspicion. Julia also highlights Beijing’s efforts to exert influence on Chinese diasporas through United Front operations, which seek to blur distinctions between PRC citizens, diaspora Chinese, and Chinese Americans. These tactics, she argues, create further complications for Chinese Americans, who are unfairly perceived as foreign agents or political pawns. The result is an atmosphere of fear, scrutiny, and exclusion, where Chinese Americans must constantly prove their loyalty to the United States.The rise in anti-Asian hate during the pandemic has further deepened the community’s vulnerability. Many Chinese Americans have distanced themselves from U.S.-China policy discussions out of fear, choosing self-preservation over engagement. Julia stresses that this silence weakens the ability of Chinese and Asian Americans to advocate for their rights and contribute meaningfully to shaping U.S.-China relations. Without their voices, the United States risks losing a critical perspective that could help navigate this complex geopolitical rivalry in a way that upholds American values of inclusion and justice. Julia draws a direct link between historical and present-day discrimination, citing the 1982 murder of Vincent Chin as a tragic reminder of the consequences of racial scapegoating. Chin, a Chinese American, was beaten to death with a baseball bat by two white auto workers who blamed Japan for the decline of the U.S. auto industry. His murder, and the lack of justice that followed, underscore the persistent view of Asian Americans as perpetual foreigners. Julia also highlights the case of Sherry Chen, a Chinese American scientist wrongfully accused of espionage and fired from her job at the National Weather Service in 2014. Despite being exonerated, Chen’s case exemplifies how racial profiling continues to damage lives and careers. Her legal victory, including nearly $2 million in damages, was a rare but important step toward accountability. However, Julia warns that similar injustices will persist if structural biases are not addressed. USCET aims to create a dialogue that not only acknowledges Beijing’s actions but also holds Washington accountable for policies that harm Asian Americans. The initiative seeks to educate policymakers on the consequences of targeting Chinese Americans, encourage open discussions within the community, and guide the media in reporting on U.S.-China relations responsibly. Julia calls for collaboration between national security and racial justice advocates to tackle both the symptoms and root causes of discrimination against Asian Americans. In closing, she urges APA Justice and other advocacy groups to unite in a powerful coalition that demands the U.S. government address security concerns without endangering Chinese and Asian American lives. The United States, she insists, must meet the challenge of China without sacrificing the rights and dignity of its own citizens.A summary of the February 2025 APA Justice monthly meeting is begin prepared at this time. For past monthly meeting summaries, visit https://bit.ly/4hyOV4i Updates by Advancing Justice|AAJC and AASF During the APA Justice monthly meeting on February 3, 2025, Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC provided an update on AAJC's response to the numerous executive orders issued by President Trump since January 20. She stated that these orders aim to militarize borders, expand deportation and detention, punish immigrant advocacy groups and local governments, and misinterpret constitutional and immigration laws. In addition to the ongoing litigation over birthright citizenship, AAJC has partnered with the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and OCA to file a lawsuit challenging Trump's authority to strip citizenship from babies born in the U.S. to parents on temporary visas or who are undocumented. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, argues that the executive order violates the 14th Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act. AAJC is also monitoring nearly a dozen new immigration-related laws in Texas, conducting a threat assessment to categorize them from problematic to extremely harmful. The organization is working closely with local partners to equip them with the necessary resources to oppose these laws effectively. These legislative measures are seen as a continuation of policies that restrict immigrant rights and increase enforcement actions at the state level. AAJC has been tracking Trump’s nominations for key government positions and has taken public stances opposing several appointees. The organization has actively opposed Kash Patel for FBI Director, Pam Bondi for Attorney General, and Russell Vought for Director of OMB. Despite their efforts, Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem have already been confirmed as Secretary of Defense and DHS Secretary, respectively, though AAJC also opposed their nominations. AAJC remains deeply engaged in legal, legislative, and political advocacy efforts to counter policies they view as harmful to immigrant communities. They continue to collaborate with legal groups, assess the impact of new laws, and push back against controversial government appointments, ensuring that communities affected by these decisions have the support and representation they need. During the same meeting, Dr. Kai Li , Vice President, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), provided an update on key concerns and ongoing efforts. He highlighted worries about the Senate hearing on malign foreign influence, particularly remarks by Senator Risch suggesting that every Chinese student could be a spy. Kai noted that Cornell's recent survey on international students with respect to transnational aggression disagreed with the remarks. He warned that restricting student visas from China, especially for AI graduate students, could harm U.S. leadership in science and technology. He suggested conducting more surveys or studies to assess the actual prevalence of transnational aggression among Chinese students. AASF continues to work with federal agencies like the National Science Foundation (NSF) to address concerns about potential biases in new policies that may disproportionately affect Asian American faculty. This initiative, which began before January 20, remains active as long as agencies are engaged. The organization is helping facilitate outreach efforts to ensure fair treatment in research funding and academic policies.AASF remains focused on both protecting Chinese students from unjust scrutiny and advocating for Asian American faculty in federal policy decisions. They emphasize the need for data-driven approaches to better understand these issues and prevent discriminatory practices.A summary of the February 2025 APA Justice monthly meeting is begin prepared at this time. For past monthly meeting summaries, visit https://bit.ly/4hyOV4i Judges Block Trump's Funding Freezes as Lawsuits Against His Orders Surge As of February 13, 2025, the number of lawsuits against President Donald Trump 's executive actions reported by the Just Security Litigation Tracker has grown to 63.According to New York Times and multiple media reports, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in Rhode Island said on February 10, 2025, that the White House had defied his order to release billions of dollars in federal grants, marking the first time a judge has expressly declared that the Trump administration is disobeying a judicial mandate. Judge McConnell mandated the immediate restoration of billions of dollars in federal grants and loans that had been halted.“These pauses in funding violate the plain text of the T.R.O.,” Judge McConnell wrote. That earlier ruling ordered the administration not to “pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel or terminate” money that had already been allocated by Congress to the states to pay for Medicaid, school lunches, low-income housing subsidies and other essential services. These funds were intended for various programs, including early childhood education, pollution reduction, and HIV research. The judge's decision emphasized that the administration's broad categorization of the funding freeze lacked specific findings of potential fraud and violated the restraining order. The judge also made clear that White House officials were obligated to comply regardless of how they thought the case might conclude. Another order requiring that the disputed funds be released was issued by Judge Loren AliKhan of the District of Columbia. That case, National Council of Nonprofits v. Office of Management and Budget (1:25-cv-00239) , was filed by a coalition of nonprofits represented by Democracy Forward.According to the Washington Post and multiple media reports, on February 10, 2025, U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley for the state of Massachusetts granted a temporary restraining order for the case of Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. National Institutes of Health (1:25-cv-10338) , blocking the Trump administration from making drastic cuts to biomedical research funding in 22 states that banded together to sue. The judge ordered the National Institutes of Health (NIH) not to implement a funding change the agency had announced in the evening of Friday, February 7, which would dramatically reduce funding to universities and other research organizations for indirect costs related to research. The pause is to remain until otherwise ordered by the court. It only applies to the 22 states party to the lawsuit. A hearing is set for February 21, 2025. On February 10, 2025, university leaders announced that they were also suing to halt the cuts, with the lawsuit Association of American Medical Colleges v. National Institutes of Health (1:25-cv-10340) that has the potential to be more far-reaching because the organizations filing it have nationwide reach.A third lawsuit has been filed by organizations representing private and public universities inclduing the Assocation of American Universities (AAU), American Council on Education, and Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, the University of California system, and 12 private universities. On February 10, 2025, STAT News reported on that since Trump’s return to the White House, many researchers have raised concerns over the administration’s disruption of grant reviews and executive orders that ended federal support for programs that support diversity, equity, and inclusion. But at an institutional level, major universities have mostly been quiet and reluctant to directly oppose the administration. "Now that Trump is going after the fiscal lifeblood of these institutions, however, that seems to be changing," the STAT News report said. ***** During the APA Justice monthly meeting on July 11, 2022, MIT Professor Yoel Fink who co-authored a faculty letter that sparked the "We Are All Gang Chen" movement nationwide, emphasized the tort in standing complacent in the face of injustice by quoting Martin Niemöller (1892–1984), a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany. "First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. "Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. "Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. "Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me." Third Court Injunction Against Trump's Executive Order Ending Birthright Citizenship According to AP News , Reuters , and multiple media reports, U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante in New Hampshire has issued a preliminary injunction blocking President Donald Trump 's executive order that sought to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to individuals residing in the country illegally. This decision marks the third such injunction against the order, following similar rulings by federal judges in Seattle and Maryland. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed the lawsuit, New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support v. Trump (1:25-cv00038) , leading to Judge Laplante's ruling, arguing that the executive order violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which has been consistently interpreted to guarantee birthright citizenship to those born on U.S. soil.According to the Just Security Litigation Tracker , ar least nine lawsuits have been filed against Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship.On February 10, 2025, New York Times reported on Wong Kim Ark as " This Man Won Birthright Citizenship for All. " Today, the decision of United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898) is the focus of debate over who can be an American. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/02/13 China Initiative: Impacts and Implications2025/02/13-15 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting2025/02/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/18 Protecting Our Organizations: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Compliance Virtual Training2025/02/23 World Premier of "Quixotic Professor Qiu" with Xiaoxing Xi2025/03/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/03/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/03/12 MSU Webinar on China Initiative2025/03/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine Held Town Hall and Offer Help to Feds U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner , both of Virginia, held a town hall on February 10, 2025, to address a variety of issues related to President Donald Trump 's executive actions. They have dedicated staff and set up these webpages to assist federal employees, including understanding their rights, filing complaints, and collecting stories about what they are experiencing. · Senator Tim Kaine's Resources for Federal Workers: https://bit.ly/4aVH0fa , (202) 224-4024 · Senator Mark Warner's Resources for Federal Employees: https://bit.ly/4jPaijz , 202-224-2023 3. Reuters: Boston Man Cleared of US Charges He Acted as Chinese Agent According to Reuters and multiple media reports on February 10, 2025, a jury found Litang Liang of Boston, a China-born U.S. citizen, not guilty of U.S. charges that he acted as an unlawful agent of China's government by supplying officials information about individuals, dissidents and groups in the local Chinese community. Lian, 65, was acquitted in federal court of charges in a case brought in 2023 that U.S. authorities had portrayed as part of their commitment to counter efforts by China's government to silence its critics abroad. # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF February 13, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #127 6/6 Meeting; ODNI Overdue Report; US-China Future/Past; Chinese Students; Census Data #127 6/6 Meeting; ODNI Overdue Report; US-China Future/Past; Chinese Students; Census Data Back View PDF May 30, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #314 3/3 Meeting; 3/4 Alien Land Laws Webinar; 3/12 MSU China Initiative Webinar; Lawsuits+ #314 3/3 Meeting; 3/4 Alien Land Laws Webinar; 3/12 MSU China Initiative Webinar; Lawsuits+ In This Issue #314 · 2025/03/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · 03/04 Webinar on Fair Housing Rights and Alien Land Laws · 03/12 MSU Webinar on China Initiative · Updates on Lawsuits Against Trump Administration Executive Actions · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/03/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, March 3, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates by Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Kai Li 李凯 , Vice President, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), speakers are: · Grace Meng 孟昭文 , Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) (invited) · Jessica Chen Weiss 白洁曦 , Founding Faculty Director of the Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF), SAIS, Johns Hopkins University · Michelle Lee , President and Board Chair; Brian Pang , Chief Operating Officer and Head of Partnerships, Stand with Asian Americans · Clay Zhu 朱可亮 , Co-Founder, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA) 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 . *****The February 2025 APA Justice monthly meeting summary is posted at https://bit.ly/43dlMHN . Past monthly meeting summaries are posted at https://bit.ly/4hyOV4i We thank the following speakers for their remarks and update reports: · Gary Locke 骆家辉, Chair, Committee of 100; former U.S. Ambassador to China; former U/S. Secretary of Commerce; former Governor of the State of Washington · Julia Chang Bloch 張之香, Founder and Executive Chair, US-China Education Trust; former U.S. Ambassador · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Kai Li 李凯 , Vice President, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) · Bethany Li , Executive Director, Asian American Legal Defense Education Fund (AALDEF) · Scott Chang , Senior Counsel, National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) 03/04 Webinar on Fair Housing Rights and Alien Land Laws WHAT: Fair Housing Rights & Alien Land Laws: Challenges and Advocacy for the Asian American Community WHEN: March 4, 2025, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET WHERE: Webinar HOSTS: Committee of 100 and APA Justice Opening Remarks: Cindy Tsai, Interim President, Committee of 100 Moderator: John D. Trasviña, Former Assistant Secretary of the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Panelists: · Hope Atuel , CEO/Executive Director, Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) · Scott Chang , Senior Counsel, The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) Closing Remarks: Jeremy Wu, Founder and Co-Organizer, APA Justice DESCRIPTION: With new laws limiting property ownership based on nationality, real estate professionals and advocates are stepping up to challenge these discriminatory policies. This webinar will provide critical insights into how these restrictions are reshaping the housing landscape and what we can do to fight back. What you will learn: · Your Rights Under the Fair Housing Act – Understand the legal protections in place to combat discrimination. · How These Laws Affect Asian Homebuyers & Real Estate Professionals – Hear real-world impacts from industry experts. · Community & Legal Advocacy in Action – Learn how grassroots efforts and legal challenges are pushing back and how you can get involved. Stay ahead of these evolving legal challenges by exploring Committee of 100’s interactive map , which tracks ongoing land ownership exclusion laws, and APA Justice’s Alien Land Bills webpage , where you will find the latest updates on lawsuits and policy developments. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3EOqGke 03/12 MSU Webinar on China Initiative WHAT: The China Initiative WHEN: March 12, 2025, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm ET WHERE: Webinar HOST: Asian Pacific American Studies Program, Michigan State University Moderator: Kent Weber, Assistant Director of Asian Pacific American Studies, Assistant Professor of History, Michigan State University Speakers: · Lok Siu , Professor of Ethnic Studies and Associate Vice Chancellor of Research, UC Berkeley · Jeremy Wu , Founder and Co-Organizer, APA Justice Task Force DESCRIPTION: A virtual discussion on the life and afterlife of the China Initiative, a Trump Administration program that has used racial profiling and fears of espionage to target Asian American scholars and researchers for investigation. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/4hVaITO Updates on Lawsuits Against Trump Administration Executive Actions As of February 23, 2025, the number of lawsuits against President Donald Trump 's executive actions reported by the Just Security Litigation Tracker has grown to 91.Some of the recent developments: 1. National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education v. Trump (1:25-cv-00333) On January 20, 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order directing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director, with assistance from the Attorney General and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to terminate all DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs, offices, and positions, as well as "equity-related" grants and contracts.On February 3, 2025, Democracy Forward filed a lawsuit on behalf of four organizations representing different affected groups: · American Association of University Professors (AAUP) – representing faculty members · National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education – representing diversity officers in academia · City of Baltimore – representing a public sector grantee · Restaurant Opportunities Centers United – representing a private sector grantee The lawsuit challenges the executive order as unconstitutional, arguing that it usurps congressional power and violates the First and Fifth Amendments by suppressing speech and discriminating against certain groups.On February 21, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Adam B. Abelson issued a memorandum opinion and granted a n ationwide preliminary injunction against the order. According to a statement from AAUP, the court explicitly cited evidence from AAUP members, finding that: · Plaintiffs and their members had suffered “concrete actual injuries” due to the administration’s actions. · AAUP members and their institutions would either be forced to restrict their legal activities and expression related to DEI or forgo federal funding altogether. This ruling marks a significant legal challenge to the administration’s directive, with broader implications for DEI policies across public and private institutions. Read the AP News report: https://bit.ly/4hOmZtK 2. Injunctions Against Drastic Cuts in Medical Research Funding According to AP News on February 21, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley extended her temporary restraining order blocking cuts to National Insitutes of Healh (NIH) research funding. The order will remain in place until she rules on an injunction, which would provide a more permanent decision.Judge Kelley is presiding over three lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts: · Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. National Institutes of Health (1:25-cv-10338) · Association of American Medical Colleges v. National Institutes of Health (1:25-cv-10340) · Association of American Universities v. Department of Health & Human Services (1:25-cv-10346) The states and research organizations argue that the cuts are illegal and directly contradict bipartisan congressional action from former President Donald Trump’s first term, which explicitly prohibited such reductions. “It violates bipartisan appropriations law. I should know—I helped author that provision,” said Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) during a Senate budget debate on February 21, 2025. John Bueker , an attorney representing the research groups, argues that the cuts threaten to derail scores of clinical trials of new treatments, with universities saying they will have to “stop or not enroll patients.” “Let’s think about that. A clinical trial is a last hope for a lot of people,” Bueker said.The NIH, the primary funder of biomedical research in the U.S., awarded approximately $35 billion in grants in 2024. These funds are divided into: · Direct costs – covering researcher salaries, laboratory supplies, and project-specific expenses. · Indirect costs – supporting essential infrastructure such as electricity for lab equipment, hazardous waste disposal, research compliance staff, and janitorial services. The Trump administration previously dismissed indirect costs as “overhead,” but universities and hospitals argue they are essential for sustaining research. The new policy would cap indirect costs at 15%, a move NIH estimates would save $4 billion annually. Critics argue the impact would be devastating. “It’s like forcing a company to sell a product for $10 when it costs $15 to produce,” said Devon Cimini , a grants administrator at Florida State University. “Quite bluntly, if this cap goes into effect, there wouldn’t be much research anymore.”According to POLITICO on February 12, 2025, red-state universities are also pushing back against the cuts, warning they could be forced to close labs and lay off staff due to sudden funding shortfalls. “This change isn’t a cost savings; it’s a cost transfer,” said Jeffrey Gold , president of the University of Nebraska system, predicting that research capabilities would shrink and states would have to fill the funding gap. The impact could be severe across multiple institutions: · UT Southwestern Medical Center in Texas estimates a potential annual loss of over $100 million. · The University of Alabama-Birmingham warned that the cuts could trigger widespread job and economic losses. · The University of Kentucky has sent officials to Washington to urge its congressional delegation to prevent tens of millions of dollars in additional costs. As legal battles and political pressure mount, the future of NIH research funding remains uncertain. 3. Dellinger v. Bessent (1:25-cv-00385) According to the Washington Post on February 21, 2025, a divided Supreme Court has delayed ruling on the Trump administration’s request to remove the head of an independent government watchdog agency. The justices will wait until at least after a lower-court hearing in the coming week before making a decision.This is the first case to reach the Supreme Court involving President Donald Trump’s broad efforts to reshape the federal bureaucracy. The administration had sought to overturn a District Court order that allows Hampton Dellinger to remain as head of the Office of Special Counsel while his lawsuit over the firing proceeds. Established by Congress in the late 1970s, the agency is responsible for protecting whistleblowers within the federal government from retaliation.At the heart of Dellinger’s case is a test of Congress’s authority to limit presidential power and insulate certain agencies from political influence. When lawmakers created the Office of Special Counsel, they sought to ensure its independence by allowing the president to remove the director only for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office” during the five-year term.The case presents an early test of how the conservative-majority Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-appointed justices, will respond to challenges against the president’s sweeping efforts to assert greater control over the federal government. In his first weeks back in office, Trump removed more than a dozen inspectors general , replaced top ethics officials, and dismissed the heads of agencies responsible for protecting federal workers and investigating government misconduct. Several of these actions are now being challenged in court.Highlighting the case’s broader implications, a group of law professors specializing in financial regulation has urged the Supreme Court to ensure that any ruling in Dellinger’s case does not weaken the independence of the Federal Reserve. They emphasized that central-bank autonomy is critical to maintaining a strong U.S. economy. 4. Early Wins on Birthright Citizenship According to the Washington Post on February 24, 2025, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong , the son of Chinese immigrants, made his stance clear when asked in December about Donald Trump ’s pledge to end birthright citizenship: “I would be the first to sue.” Three weeks later, he was the first — but he was not alone.The day after Trump signed the executive order, all 22 Democratic-led states, along with Washington, D.C., and the city of San Francisco, filed legal challenges, arguing the order was unconstitutional. The lawsuits were filed in two federal courts—a 32-page complaint in Seattle and a 50-page filing in Boston. Judges in both cases have since issued nationwide injunctions blocking Trump’s order.Legal scholars widely agree that the matter is settled law, citing the 1898 Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Wong Kim Ark . In that case, the Court affirmed that Wong Kim Ark, a San Francisco-born son of Chinese immigrants who had been denied reentry to the U.S., was a citizen under the 14th Amendment.San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said the city’s support for the lawsuit is rooted in its historical connection to the Wong Kim Ark case. “Our office wants to make sure the story is told accurately and litigated fully,” said Chiu, who has been in touch with Wong’s descendants. He added that the family is “horrified at the idea that the 14th Amendment and that case could be summarily ignored by the president of the United States.”At least 10 lawsuits have been filed against the Trump administration’s executive order 14160 on birthright citizenship, with four injunctions issued so far.On February 19, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit declined the administration’s emergency request to lift a nationwide injunction blocking Trump’s order, rejecting its argument that the preliminary injunction was overly broad. This marks the first time an appellate court has weighed in on the legal challenges to the executive order.The three-judge panel unanimously rejected the request. Judges William C. Canby Jr. and Milan D. Smith Jr. wrote that the administration had not made a “strong showing” that it would succeed on the merits of its appeal. In a six-page concurring opinion, Judge Danielle Forrest emphasized that setting aside a court order on an emergency basis should be an exception rather than the rule, and that the appeal did not meet that threshold. In rejecting the emergency plea, the panel upheld a nationwide injunction ordered February 6 by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour in Seattle, who called Trump’s executive order “blatantly unconstitutional,” while paving the way for the case to be brought before the Supreme Court. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/03/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/03/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/03/04 Fair Housing Rights & Alien Land Laws: Challenges and Advocacy for the Asian American Community2025/03/12 MSU Webinar on China Initiative2025/03/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/03/30 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/04/13 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/04/24-26 Committee of 100 Annual Conference and Gala Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF February 25, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #163 Tragedies at Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay; Anti-Texas SB147 Rallies; Fred Korematsu #163 Tragedies at Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay; Anti-Texas SB147 Rallies; Fred Korematsu In This Issue #163 Tragedies at Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay Protests Grow Against Texas Senate Bill 147 and New Related Bills Sign-on Letter to Honor Fred Korematsu Tragedies at Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay At a time when the Asian American communities and the rest of America were celebrating the lunar new year, two senseless mass shootings in California shook first Monterey Park on January 21, 2023, and then Half Moon Bay on January 24, 2023. According to media reports, 11 persons, five Asian men and six Asian women age between 57 and 76, died in a dance studio in Monterey Park, about seven miles east of the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. Nine other people were injured. The suspect, a 72-year Asian man, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he was prevented from attacking another dance club in Alhambra. Three days later, five men and two women, all reportedly either Asian or Hispanic, were shot and killed at two mushroom farms in Half Moon Bay, about 30 miles south of San Francisco. The suspect, a 66-year old man of Chinese origin, was arrested after driving to a police station. He had worked at one of the mushroom farms and was formally charged with premeditated murder.Motives for both mass shootings are being investigated at this time.Monterey Park is a city of about 60,000 people on the eastern edge of Los Angeles and is composed of 65% Asians - mostly immigrants from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, or first-generation Asian Americans. A 1994 book by Professor Timothy P. Fong at Sacramento State University describes Monterey Park as the "First Suburban Chinatown." In recent years, several publications have named the city as one of the U.S.'s best places to live . Lily Lee Chen was the first female Chinese American mayor in the United States when she became mayor of Monterey Park in 1983. Rep. Judy Chu 赵美心 , Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, represents the 28th congressional district which includes Monterey Park. She previously served as mayor for three terms and city council of Monterey Park. Yahoo News reported that Rep. Chu spoke to the media outside the Monterey Park Civic Center and was at a candlelight vigil to honor the victims of the mass shooting. In a statement released by her office, Rep. Chu said, “This shooting in my hometown of Monterey Park has torn a hole through all of our hearts. My thoughts and condolences go to the victims of this horrific crime, and to their families and loved ones who woke up this morning to the worst news imaginable. I can't even comprehend the pain and suffering they are going through."While there is so much we do not yet know, we do know this occurred at a time that should have been very special to Asian Americans in this country and around the world. Lunar New Year is the highlight of the year for Asian American communities, and a time of celebration and of being with our families. In fact, it is horrific to think that only hours before, and only one block away, I joined with thousands of people and many elected officials at the opening of the Lunar New Year Festival. But now, Asian Americans in the Monterey Park community and nationwide are in mourning and are terrified instead of celebrating."If there is one thing I know, it is that Monterey Park is resilient. Our community is strong, and we will get through this terrible event together.” On January 22, 2023, President Joe Biden issued a statement on the mass shooting in Monterey Park and directed U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff as a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless attack. "I directed my Homeland Security Advisor to mobilize full federal support to local and state authorities as they continue to respond and investigate this shooting. As we await more crucial information from law enforcement, I want to assure the community of Monterey Park and the broader area that we will support you in every way we can," according to the statement. On January 24, 2023, PBS News Hour interviewed Erika L. Moritsugu , Deputy Assistant to the President and Asian American and Pacific Islander Senior Liaison, who was in Monterey Park. "It's important to show up, in the first instance, when there's a crisis and a tragedy that befalls the community that's already felt under siege and in terror, to be present. And that's one of the reasons why the president asked me to come here immediately in the wake of the tragedy, even as it was still unfolding, to be with the community, to deliver his messages of healing and condolences on behalf of him and Dr. Biden, but also because I am a member of the community. This is my community too." said Moritsugu. According to USA Today and NBC News ,, Vice President Kamala Harris , a former California senator, arrived outside of the dance studio in Monterey Park on January 25, 2023, stopping to take a look at each of the victims' names and pictures from the deadly mass shooting before placing a bouquet in front of the memorial. Harris told reporters the nation is mourning the loss of the 11 people killed and nine others injured, while also advocating for stricter gun control laws. "Tragically we keep saying the same things," Harris said. "Congress must act. Should they? Yes. Can they? Yes." In a report by Ding Ding TV (video 21:44) on January 24, 2023, AAPI community leaders in California gave their reactions and statements on the mass shootings. They included Joel Wong 黄锦斻 (Chairman of National Asian Americans United), Maeley Tom 唐美梨 (Founding President, Joint California Legislative Caucus Institute), Ken Fong 方瑞贤 (Founder and Chairman of Kenson Ventures), Dennis Wu 伍宗德 (Chairman of SF Cause), Wilson Chu 苏元吉 (Board member of SF Cause), Carmen Montano (Mayor of Milpitas), Anthony Ng 吴柱梁 (Executive Director of CLUSA), and Carl Chan 陈锡澎 (President of Oakland Chinatown Chamber Foundation).Maeley Tom said: “I do agree that these past years of living under the threat of anti Asian violence has taken its toll on the mental health of the Asian community, especially the elders, though not condoning this as a reason for the two tragic incidences. But our community is really on edge, angry and frustrated.” Ken Fong stated: “It reminded us of the serious emotional trauma of the APIs that we are facing now. Not that we are condoning this kind of desperate action, you and I have to pay close attention to it and let our elected representatives know about the seriousness. It is most likely other ethnic groups have similar problems, but these two side by side API mass killings have brought this long simmering mental instability to the surface.” AASF Webinar Postponed to February 2 . Due to the two mass shootings leading to the deaths and injuries of multiple Asian Americans and immigrants, the Asian American Scholar Forum is moving the "Know Your Rights on Airport Enforcement and Border Harassment" webinar to Thursday, February 2, 2023 at 8:00 pm ET. Register to attend: http://bit.ly/3ZMVUhX Protests Grow Against Texas Senate Bill 147 and New Related Bills On January 29, 2023, two Anti-Asian Bill Rally will be held in Austin and Dallas, Texas, respectively. Read more at https://bit.ly/402lG1w . On January 23, 2023, Texas Representative Angie Chen Button 陳筱玲 announced that she has joined State Representatives Cody Harris and Jacey Jetton in support of House Bill 1075 , recently filed legislation that would prohibit foreign governments or any entity owned or controlled by a foreign government from purchasing agricultural land in Texas."Like so many other Texans who immigrated here for a better life, I came to America because it afforded me new opportunities, including the right to own property and freely purchase a safe and stable home in which to rase my family. This is a right that all Texans, regardless of race, color, or creed, should have," stated State Representative Angie Chen Button.Under HB 1075 by Rep. Harris, all individuals and American-owned businesses will maintain their right to purchase ag property in the State of Texas. As filed, the legislation applies to all foreign governments or government-controlled entities equally.On January 23, 2023, Texas Senate Bill 552 was introduced. The title of the bill is "Relating to prohibiting contracts or other agreements with certain foreign-owned companies in connection with agricultural land."On January 23, 2023, a rally was held at the Houston City Hall to p rotest against the discriminatory Texas Senate Bill 147. According to multiple media reports, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said during the press conference that with Houston being a very diverse city, the bill would affect a lot of individuals who immigrated here from those targeted countries. "Senate Bill 147 is just down right wrong," he said. "It is more divisive than anything else. Houston, the most diverse city in the United States, stands as one to say that we all should stand against 147 – this is not the way to start 2023."“After an unprecedented rise in anti-Asian hate around the nation, our communities continue to struggle against not only violence within our society, but with political persecution as well," State Representative Gene Wu 吳元之 said in a statement. “SB 147 is discriminatory, hateful, and brings back painful reminders of laws passed a hundred years ago that specifically prevented Chinese individuals from owning property, starting businesses, or even marrying the person they love." Wu is an Asian-American who immigrated from China as a child. He said his family moved here to have a better life for themselves, not to be targeted.Congressional members Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green also spoke at the rally. The Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, CAIR-Houston, and other leaders were also at the press conference. Texas SB147 would affect people like Niloufar Hafzi who was born in the U.S. but also has citizenship in Iran. "I shouldn’t have to choose between being able to visit my family and having that citizenship and being able to have property rights here," said Hafzi. Many are worried this bill would bring along more racism. APA Justice is monitoring the continuing development of Texas SB147, community responses, and media repots at: https://bit.ly/402lG1w . It includes a link to Immigration History's " Alien Land Laws In California (1913 & 1920) " and the text of California's original 1913 Alien Land Law. Franklin Odo , who served as the director of the Asian Pacific American Program at the Smithsonian Institution from the program's inception in 1997 until his retirement in 2010, wrote the following commentary:California led the way for fifteen states to pass legislation preventing “aliens ineligible to citizenship” from owning land. Although occasionally used against other Asians, these laws were directly aimed at Japanese immigrants, who were perceived as gaining undue economic power through agricultural holdings. Legislation using the words “Asian” or “Japanese” would clearly be unconstitutional, hence the circumlocution. Violators would have their property revert to control by the state. But at least some Japanese manage to evade the law, and the legislature moved in 1920 to strengthen its provisions as well as prohibit the practice of immigrant Japanese (as guardians) placing land in the legal hands of their citizen children. The Supreme Court declared such laws constitutional in 1923, and California’s law remained on the books until 1956, although court cases had invalidated the 1920 and 1913 Alien Land Laws in Oyama v, California (1948) and Fuji Sei v. State of California (1952).Excerpt from: Odo, F. (ed.) (2002). The columbia documentary history of the Asian American experience . New York, NY: Columbia University Press. Sign-on Letter to Honor Fred Korematsu Demand Justice has prepared an open letter to Senators Mazie Hirono and Tammy Duckworth and Representatives Mark Takano and Jill Tokuda , in support of following legislation to recognize Fred Korematsu ’s legacy as a civil rights hero: Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act , which would prohibit detention or imprisonment based solely on an actual or perceived protected characteristic of an individual. Recognizing the importance of establishing a national "Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution," which will help to ensure that Fred Korematsu's legacy is remembered and honored, and that the lessons of the internment are not forgotten. Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act, which will honor Fred Korematsu for his decades-long fight for justice, and will serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of protecting civil liberties for all Americans. According to the Smithsonian Magazine , on Memorial Day 1942, Fred Korematsu was walking down a street in San Leandro, California, with his girlfriend when police arrested him on suspicion that he was Japanese. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized the forced relocation and internment of Japanese Americans. In all, more than 120,000 Japanese Americans were detained and forcefully removed from their homes without charges or due process for years. The lawsuit brought by Fred Korematsu, an American citizen of Japanese descent, fought the implementation of that order, challenging the mass violation of civil liberties on the basis of race. Korematsu stood against these unfounded and racist actions. At the time, our institutions — our democracy — failed him. The Supreme Court, intended as a bulwark against Executive power run amok, upheld Korematsu’s detention in Korematsu v. United States in 1944, with a 6-3 majority. However, the dissent by Justice Frank Murphy spoke the truth that the United States, grudgingly and slowly, would come to recognize through executive, judicial, and legislative action. Justice Murphy declared the order to detain Japanese Americans the “legalization of racism.” The imprisonment of Americans of Japanese ancestry, and its legal sanction, is now recognized as a grave injustice and a violation of civil liberties. Its basis was rank racism and xenophobia combined with undue deference to the Executive branch, not facts. While the racist basis of the internment decision was discovered in the early 1980s, leading to Korematsu’s conviction being overturned after 40 years, the decision remains a dangerous precedent used to justify discrimination against other communities. Sign on to the Demand Justice open letter by noon Friday, January 27, 2023: https://bit.ly/3JgDq3o . If there are questions, please contact Hajar Hammado, policy advisor, Demand Progress Action, at hajar@demandprogress.org .Read about the Fred Korematsu story at Fred T. Korematsu Institute: Fred Korematsu's Story 2017/01/30 Smithsonian Magazine: Fred Korematsu Fought Against Japanese Internment in the Supreme Court… and Lost Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF January 26, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #268 Franklin Tao Speaks; Brain Drain; Research Collaboration Decline; Sheila Jackson Lee + #268 Franklin Tao Speaks; Brain Drain; Research Collaboration Decline; Sheila Jackson Lee + In This Issue #268 · The Injustice and Ordeal of Professor Feng "Franklin" Tao · Reverse Brain Drain? Exploring Trends among Chinese Scientists in the U.S. · Nature : China–US research collaborations are in decline · Remembering Sheila Jackson Lee · News and Activities for the Communities The Injustice and Ordeal of Professor Feng "Franklin" Tao On July 11, 2024, Professor Feng "Franklin" Tao was cleared of the final charge against him under the now-defunct China Initiative. He and his wife have accepted an invitation to speak at the next APA Justice monthly meeting on August 5, 2024.Professor Tao was the first academic scientist indicted under the China Initiative on August 21, 2019. As a tenured associate professor at the Kansas University (KU), he conducted research on fundamental studies of catalysis for chemical transformation, promotion of energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability. On June 24, 2020, the government charged him with a second superseding indictment, bringing the total to ten counts including wire fraud and false statements against Professor Tao. These charges were unrelated to espionage or the transfer of sensitive information to China.The case against Professor Tao started from fabricated allegations by a disgruntled visiting scholar. After failing to extort Professor Tao for $300,000, she later admitted to the FBI that she had hacked into his email account to fish for "evidence" and then used phony aliases to submit fabricated complaints to both KU and the FBI.Before the jury trial, the government voluntarily dropped two charges. The trial on the remaining eight counts began on March 21, 2022. The jury acquitted four counts and convicted him on the other four counts. On September 20, 2022, U.S. District Court Senior Judge Julie Robinson acquitted the three wire-fraud counts. Only a false statement count was left. On January 18, 2023, Judge Robinson sentenced Professor Tao to no jail time, no fine, and two years of probation for the remaining false statement conviction. The district court terminated the probation early in February 2024.Professor Tao appealed the conviction of the last count in February 2023. On July 11, 2024, the 10th Circuit Appeals Court ruled in a 2-1 vote that reversed the conviction of making a false statement, clearing all charges imposed on Professor Tao.The acquittal of the last of the 10 original charges marked the end of Professor Tao's five-year ordeal of criminal persecution, initiated by racial profiling under the China Initiative. Despite not being tried for espionage or the transfer of sensitive information to China, his faculty position was terminated in January 2023. He expects KU should reinstate him.While Professor Tao's innocence has now been confirmed, the process has had a tremendous impact on his finances, career, reputation, and family.APA Justice has closely tracked Professor Tao's case from the beginning. The Asian American communities were mobilized to fully support Professor Tao.The media was engaged. Amicus brief was submitted. Funds were raised for his legal defense. Turnout rallies were organized.APA Justice has compiled the details of Professor Tao's ordeal into a web page. It is still a work in progress, but it is available for public review here: https://bit.ly/3y8SBsm . If you wish to attend the August 5 APA Justice monthly meeting or provide feedback to the web page, please send a message to contact@apajustice.org . 2024/07/23 Press Conference on Professor Franklin Tao WHAT: Press Conference WHO: Professor Franklin Tao, his wife, his lawyer, Peter Zeidenberg, Members of Congress, representatives from Asian American civil rights and scientific organizations WHEN: July 23, 3:00 pm to 3:30 pm ET WHERE: Cannon House Office Building, Room 454, Capitol Hill, Washington DC Reverse Brain Drain? Exploring Trends among Chinese Scientists in the U.S. According to an update by the Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions (SCCEI) on July 15, 2024, along with native-born Chinese Americans, Chinese immigrants have become a large and visible demographic group in American science, technology, and engineering. However, the pressure of potential federal investigations since the 2018 launch of the "China Initiative" by the U.S. Department of Justice has provided scientists of Chinese descent in the U.S. with higher incentives to leave and lower incentives to apply for federal grants.While most China-born, U.S.-based scientists intend to stay in the U.S., the number leaving has steadily increased. After the Department of Justice implemented the "China Initiative" in 2018, departures increased by 75%, with two-thirds of the relocated scientists moving to China.Surveyed scientists of Chinese descent in the U.S. report anxiety and new difficulties in pursuing their research, with 61% considering leaving the U.S. and 45% avoiding federal grant applications.The update says U.S. science will likely suffer given the loss of scientific talent to China and other countries. Read the SCCEI update: https://stanford.io/3zQOf9P . Nature : China–US Research Collaborations are In Decline According to Nature on July 19, 2024, scientists have been warning that political tensions between China and the United States, combined with the pandemic, have affected research collaborations between the two countries. But it takes time for evidence of this sort of decline to accumulate in research databases. The latest evidence comes from an analysis conducted by Springer Nature ’s team in China. They found that in 2022, the total number papers co-authored by researchers from China and their international peers declined for the first time since 2013.The proportion of research papers with Chinese and international co-authors has been falling for even longer. At its peak, in 2018, 26.6% — roughly 110,000 articles — of China’s output in the InCites database was co-authored with international colleagues. By 2023, the proportion of the country’s articles with international peers had dropped by 7.2%, despite China’s overall number of articles almost doubling to 759,000 over the same period.The drop in internationally co-authored papers is mainly due to China’s declining share of papers published with US researchers, which fell by 6.4% between its peak in 2017 and 2023 — the largest decline of any country included in the analysis. The findings were presented at the Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing on April 25.The decline in US-China collaborations echoes findings from a 2022 analysis conducted for Nature, which found that the number of researchers with dual US and China affiliations on research articles in Elsevier’s Scopus database had fallen by more than 20% between 2019 and 2021. The crackdown under the China Initiative resulted in several scientists being arrested over their ties to collaborators or institutions in China, and has stoked fear among researchers of Chinese descent. Since then, the US government has adopted a range of policies focused on tightening research security. And in July 2023, the Chinese government implemented its revised counter-espionage law, which broadened the definition of what constitutes spying.The crackdown on perceived foreign interference in both the United States and China is making researchers more cautious about collaborating. Restrictive policies and the climate of fear could end up driving talent away from certain countries and fields, leading to a “brain drain and a loss of valuable human capital.” The faltering collaborative ties between the United States and China could also result in the countries pursuing the same types of research separately, increasingly prioritize domestic interests over international cooperation, which could make scientific research a more nationalistic endeavor.Read the Nature report: https://go.nature.com/4cP5h6O . Remembering Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Texas congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (pictured in red above) died in Houston on July 19, 2024, at the age of 74. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was a force in American politics. Born in Queens, New York, she was appointed a municipal court judge in Houston in 1987. She won a place on Houston's City Council two years later. In 1994, she defeated incumbent Congressman Craig Washington in the primary for a solidly Democratic seat. She won the general election that November. She was only the fourth member to represent the district since it was redrawn to represent Houston, following Barbara Jordan , Mickey Leland , and Washington. She wound up holding it for nearly 30 years, longer than all three of her immediate predecessors combined.Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was a local, national and international humanitarian, who fought for racial and criminal justice. She was a fierce champion of the peopleIn March 2020, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee expressed outrage at the uptick in violence against Chinese Americans and pleaded for the President to cease and desist from calling the Coronavirus the Chinese Virus. "Violence directed against individuals on the basis of their race, religion, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation is disturbingly prevalent -- and poses significant threats to the Chinese American community during this worldwide pandemic. Domestic terrorism is growing, and these words and attacks only create increasing fear in a time when our nation should be unified and stand together," she said in statement. On February 11, 2023, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee wore the "We Belong" Yellow Whistle and joined hundreds of protesters marching through Houston's Chinatown in opposition to SB 147 - a proposed law that would prohibit Chinese citizens from owning property in Texas. She carried the banner with Texas Representative Gene Wu , Congressman Al Green , and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner , insisting to complete the entire march. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee also spoke on the stage . "No to SB 147, because the Statue of Liberty has not fallen, and the American flag is still standing," she said. "Stop the Asian hate. Stand for the American flag."We mourn the passing of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and the loss of a true friend of the Asian American community. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/07/23 Press Conference on Professor Franklin Tao2024/07/25-28 Leadership Convention by NAAAP (National Association of Asian American Professionals) 2024/07/27-28 Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony2024/08/04 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/08/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/08/19 DNC Convention, AAPI Briefing & Reception, Chicago, IL2024/09/01 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/09/19-20 AANHPI Unity SummitThe Community Calendar has moved. Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. Back View PDF July 23, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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

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

Newsletter - #275 C100 2024 Chinese American Survey; Asian American Voters; QI Progressive China Policy+ #275 C100 2024 Chinese American Survey; Asian American Voters; QI Progressive China Policy+ In This Issue #275 · C100: State of Chinese American Survey 2024 · Asian American Political Growth on Display at DNC · Quincy Institute: A Program for Progressive China Policy · News and Activities for the Communities C100: State of Chinese American Survey 2024 WHAT: Unveiling The Findings: State of Chinese Americans Survey 2024 WHEN: Wednesday, September 25, 2024 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET WHERE: Online webinar WHO: Committee of 100 Speakers: · Dr. Nathan Kar Ming Chan , Assistant Professor of Political Science, Loyola Marymount University · Alex Chew , Director of Client Services and Business Development, Amplify AAPI Lead, NORC at the University of Chicago · Dr. Sam Collitt , Researcher and Data Scientist, Committee of 100 · Dr. Vivien Leung , Assistant Professor of Political Science, Santa Clara University · Cindy Tsai , Interim President, Committee of 100 DESCRIPTION: Chinese Americans constitute about 5.5 million people and are the largest share of the Asian American population. Despite this fast-growing electorate, Chinese Americans have faced a surge in racism in everyday life, been historically underrepresented in politics and policy, and the specific policy preferences and political behaviors of those same Chinese Americans are unknown. So what are the political and policy preferences of Chinese Americans? What are Chinese Americans' feelings toward the current relationship between the U.S. and China? And to what extent do Chinese Americans still experience racial discrimination? REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/46WXiT7 Asian American Political Growth on Display at DNC According to Evanston Now on August 21, 2024, the Chicago area’s Asian population is growing. And so is the political clout of Chinese Americans, Indian Americans, Vietnamese Americans and others with family or personal roots in Asia.That was the message during the Democratic Convention at an event in Chicago’s growing Chinatown, sponsored by Cook County Commissioner Josina Morita , the first Asian American woman on that governing body. Morita, whose district includes Evanston, is the founder of the Asian American Caucus for Illinois state and county elected officials. That group, Morita said, has gone from “low to grow.” Zero members eight years ago, now there are 17.Another 100-plus hold local offices (school board, city council) not covered by the caucus. The session was definitely a shout-out to people who are “firsts.” · First Asian American elected to the Illinois State Legislature, Rep. Theresa Mah (Chicago). · First Indian American elected to the State Senate, Ram Villivalam (parts of Chicago and Cook County including Skokie). · First Muslim American woman elected to the Legislature, Rep. Nabella Syed (Palatine, Schaumburg, and other nearby suburbs). · And, Tammy Duckworth , the first Asian American to represent Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives, and now the U.S. Senate. And if this was a day of firsts, it was also a day of a “second” who brought about a “first.”Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz , (D-Glenview), whose district incorporates part of Evanston, was the lead sponsor of the TEAACH Act (Teaching Equitable Asian American History), which required instruction in Asian-American history in Illinois schools. It passed in 2021. Gong-Gershowitz was the second Asian-American elected to the State House, and the TEAACH Act made Illinois the first state in the nation to mandate Asian American history in the curriculum. Asian American candidates have to be ready to face stereotyping and negative campaigning. Example #1 was Donald Trump ’s saying he wasn’t sure whether Kamala Harris was presenting herself as Black, or as Indian. The fact is, of course, that Harris’ father was Black, her mother was from India, and so she’s both. After Joe Biden was elected, Senator Duckworth said, he at first failed to name anyone of Asian descent to his cabinet. Senator Duckworth added that she “had to boycott my president,” telling the White House “no more white guys” get her backing “until you name somebody” of Asian heritage to the cabinet.Read the Evanston Now report: https://bit.ly/3Xhxj5t Earlier on August 13, 2024, New York Times reported on "Asian American Voters Could Be Key Swing Voters of 2024." The diverse group is turning out in record numbers. Neither party can take its support for granted. Read the New York Times report: https://nyti.ms/3T3sVVh Quincy Institute: A Program for Progressive China Policy On July 30, 2024, the Quincy Institute, in partnership with the Institute for Policy Studies and Justice is Global, published a brief on "A Program for Progressive China Policy." According to the brief, the United States is on a path toward conflict with China, creating a dilemma for progressives. While there are reasons to oppose China's autocratic government and human rights abuses, a confrontational approach could undermine progressive goals globally and domestically.The alternative — fostering cooperation between the two powers — would not only prevent great power violence but also enhance human rights, workers’ power, global development, and a just climate transition in both countries and around the world.It is crucial that progressives gain clarity on the key tensions in U.S.–China relations, bolster their understanding of what a progressive response would be, and increase their urgency on moving the U.S. and China off the current trajectory toward serious conflict. The research brief provides an overview of key facets in the relationship and recommendations for how progressives can orient on each: · Jobs and the economy · Trade, technology, industrial policy · Military and security · Human rights and democracy · Climate change and public health Tori Bateman , Director of Advocacy at Quincy Institute, and Sandy Shan , Director at Justice Is Global, have accepted our invitation to speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting to discuss the brief on September 9, 2024. Read the brief: https://bit.ly/3T2XJVY News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/08/28 1882 Foundation Talk Story: Our Voices in Literature and Song2024/09/01 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/09/09 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/09/10-12 Chronicle Festival: The Road Ahead to 20352024/09/12 AA4D: Nobel Laureates and Scientists for Democracy 2024/09/19 1990 Teachers Workshop: Asian American Identity2024/09/19-20 AANHPI Unity Summit2024/09/25 C100: State of Chinese American Survey 20242024/10/02 C100: Asian American Career Ceiling InitiativeThe Community Calendar has moved. Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Chronicle Festival: The Road Ahead to 2035 WHAT : Chronicle Festival: The Road Ahead to 2035 WHEN: September 10-12, 2024 WHERE: A Virtual Ideas Summit HOST: The Chronicle of Higher Education DESCRIPTION: 1. Day 1. The Students of 2035. A declining traditional-age student population. Rising mental-health concerns. A challenging classroom environment. Colleges face a variety of issues that will shape how they enroll, educate, and support students during the next decade. The first day of Chronicle Festival will explore ways to adapt, hearing from authors, professors, and college leaders. 2. Higher Ed of 2035. How should higher ed change to serve the America of 2035, to better help students support a fragile democracy and a society reshaped by emerging technologies? During Day 2 of the Festival, Chronicle journalists will talk with students, an interfaith leader, a former U.S. Secretary of Education, and others about these issues. 3. The Work Force of 2035. What does it take for colleges to produce graduates for the work force of tomorrow? And how does it operate in a landscape with a growing number of viable and valuable postsecondary opportunities? Day 3 of Chronicle Festival will include a variety of voices weighing in on these questions. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3ZdNCSv 3. 1990 Institute Teachers Workshop on Asian American Identity WHAT: Teachers Workshop on Asian American Identity: Immigration History and Transgenerational Impact WHEN : Wednesday, September 18, 2024, 4:00-5:30 pm PT / 7:00- 8:30 pm ET WHERE: Online webinar HOST: 1990 Institute Speakers: · Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng , Vice Dean for Research and Equity, New York University · Madeline Hsu, Professor of History, University of Maryland · Vivian Louie, Professor of Urban Policy and Planning at Hunter College DESCRIPTION: This workshop is designed to provide educators with valuable insights into Asian American identity, exploring the historical context of immigration and its lasting effects on culture and identity across generations. The goal is to equip teachers with the knowledge and resources they need to enrich their classrooms and foster a deeper understanding of Asian American experiences. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3XeFn6V 4. Orientation to Legal Research Webinar Series The Law Library of Congress provides authoritative legal research, reference and instruction services, and access to an unrivaled collection of U.S., foreign, comparative, and international law. It has amassed the world's largest collection of law books and other legal resources from all countries, now comprising more than 2.9 million items. It also offers the Orientation to Legal Research Series of webinars designed to give a basic introduction to legal sources and research techniques. These orientations are taught by legal reference librarians and typically offered once a month on a rotating basis. On September 5, 2024, a webinar will provide an overview of U.S. statutory and legislative research, including information about how to find and use the U.S. Code, the U.S. Statutes at Large, and U.S. federal bills and resolutions. Register for the webinar: https://bit.ly/3MhLelN . Learn more about the Law Library of Congress: https://bit.ly/3SZEhtk 4. AAASE Inaugural Annual Summit WHAT : Inaugural Annual Summit WHEN: November 15-17, 2024 WHERE: Beckman Center, National Academy of Sciences, Irvine, CA HOST: Asian American Academy of Science and Technology DESCRIPTION: The AAASE Inaugural Annual Summit will foster collaboration, innovation, and leadership within the Asian American scientific and engineering communities. Attendees can engage with leading experts, participate in thought-provoking discussions, and explore cutting-edge research and developments. This summit represents a unique convergence of academia, industry, and policy, addressing today's most pressing challenges and opportunities in science and technology. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3XfsFVu Back View PDF August 27, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #37 Letters To Biden And Raskin; GAO Report And Civil Rights Alert; And Lots More #37 Letters To Biden And Raskin; GAO Report And Civil Rights Alert; And Lots More Back View PDF January 7, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #258 6/3 Monthly Meeting; Chinese Students; Clear&Fair Law Enforcement; 6/6 Forum with FBI+ #258 6/3 Monthly Meeting; Chinese Students; Clear&Fair Law Enforcement; 6/6 Forum with FBI+ In This Issue #258 · 2024/06/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Bloomberg: Expulsions of Chinese Students Spread Confusion from Yale to UVA · An Urgent Call for Clear and Fair Law Enforcement Guidelines and Procedures for Research Security · 06/06: An Open and Public Community Forum with The FBI · News and Activities for the Communities 2024/06/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, June 3, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: · Tam Dao , Assistant Vice President for Research Security, Office of Innovation, Rice University, will report on the future of the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Research on Research Security program · Haipei Shue , President, United Chinese Americans, will report on the 2024 Chinese American Convention · Jeremy Wu , Co-Organizer, APA Justice, will preview an alpha version of a web page on the story of exonerated Professor Anming Hu · Anming Hu , Professor, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, will give an update of his situation and his family since the end of his ordeal under the China Initiative. 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 . Bloomberg: Expulsions of Chinese Students Spread Confusion from Yale to UVA According to Bloomberg on May 29, 2024, Customs agents at US airports have barred entry to at least 20 students and scholars with valid visas since November in ‘more insidious’ version of disbanded China Initiative. Susan , a second-year Ph.D. student in biomedical imaging at the University of Virginia, faced relentless questioning from a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent upon her return from visiting her parents in China. Accused of ties to the Chinese Communist Party, her student visa was abruptly canceled, forcing her to purchase a $1,400 ticket back to Beijing and barring her from the U.S. for five years. Her experience is part of a broader trend where at least 20 Chinese students from prestigious universities have had their visas revoked since November. The Chinese government and lawyers confirmed these accounts, highlighting the lack of transparency and public accountability in these decisions. These actions contradict the efforts to foster educational and cultural exchanges endorsed by U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping .The expulsions reveal internal divisions within the Biden administration, where Customs agents under the Department of Homeland Security are canceling visas approved by the State Department. The Biden administration ended the controversial China Initiative but has continued similar practices covertly, impacting Ph.D. students and researchers without public scrutiny. Susan and others, like Meng Fei , a fifth-year Ph.D. student at Yale, have faced racial and gender discrimination, with their exclusions linked to vague national security concerns under Presidential Proclamation (PP) 10043 . This proclamation targets students with alleged ties to Chinese military-civil fusion, yet the specifics remain undisclosed, causing confusion and fear among affected students. Universities like the University of Virginia and Yale are striving to support their students by seeking clarity and providing legal assistance. However, the ongoing lack of clear guidelines and coordination between federal agencies leaves many students in limbo, disrupting their academic and personal lives. As the U.S. grapples with balancing national security and academic freedom, the impact on foreign-born researchers like Susan underscores the need for transparent and consistent policies to ensure fairness and uphold the integrity of educational exchanges. Two years ago, the Biden administration ended a controversial Trump-era policy known as the China Initiative that purported to root out spies but resulted in more ruined careers than successful prosecutions. Now that program has been succeeded by a piecemeal effort — one that’s largely hidden from public view. Instead of targeting prominent academics, Customs agents are expelling Ph.D. and postdoctoral students, as well as company employees, by secret administrative actions with no public accountability or right to appeal. Marta Meng , founder of the Meng Law Group in Covina, California, who represents Susan and three other expelled students seeking to overturn their bans, said no reason was given to her clients or in transcripts of the airport interviews that she has reviewed. Dan Berger , Meng Fei's lawyer, said he can’t understand why his client would have been subject to PP 10043, as nothing in her background indicates ties to any of the banned universities or to state funding, and her visa was renewed by the State Department just last year. That’s a problem for learning institutions, said Toby Smith , who handles government relations and public policy at the Association of American Universities, which acts on behalf of 71 research universities including the University of Virginia, Yale and other schools with recently banned students. “Despite asking for additional clarity, the specific items that would result in visa denial for Chinese graduate students under Proclamation 10043 have never been disclosed to our universities,” he said. “So we have been left only to speculate as to what might spark such denials.” The secrecy makes what’s going on “much more insidious now,” said Gisela Perez Kusakawa , executive director of the Asian American Scholar Forum , a nonprofit organization that promotes academic freedom. “The end of the China Initiative wasn’t the end, they’re just not calling it that anymore,” said Ivan Kanapathy , senior vice president at Beacon Global Strategies, a national security advisory firm in Washington, and a former National Security Council official in the Trump administration. When the Biden administration ended the China Initiative, it said that a 2021 national security memorandum about vetting foreign students would remain in effect. It instructs the State Department to work with Homeland Security to ensure that the granting of visas reflects “the changing nature of risks” to US research. But it doesn’t specify what those risks are or how the agencies should be coordinating enforcement. “The question is, who is coordinating the whole thing, the guidelines and procedures for law enforcement,” said Steven Pei , an electrical engineering professor at the University of Houston and co-organizer of the Asian Pacific American Justice Task Force , which advocates against racial discrimination. “We are trying hard to balance national security, US competitiveness with China in high tech and civil rights,” he said. “But this top-level policy has not trickled down.”Read the Bloomberg report: https://bloom.bg/3wRL4O3 An Urgent Call for Clear and Fair Law Enforcement Guidelines and Procedures for Research Security Neal Lane* , Steven Pei* , and Jeremy Wu* posted a public commentary, calling for the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and other federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate their policies using comparable principles and set clear, fair guidelines and procedures. Our scientific success is rooted in core values, including collaboration, honesty, transparency, integrity, the fair competition of ideas, and the protection of intellectual capital. Some foreign entities do not share these values and are working to illicitly acquire our research and innovation. This necessitates laws – and law enforcement.But it is vital that law enforcement guidelines and procedures be clear and fair for maintaining public trust, upholding individual rights, and promoting accountability and consistency within the justice system. Otherwise, we can expect our competitive edge in science and technology to wane, as well as our standing as a leading democracy.With its sharp focus on research security, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has set a balanced path to guide policies of federal agencies that support research. There is a similar need for the FBI, HSI, and other federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate their policies using comparable principles and set clear, fair guidelines and procedures.Given OSTP’s unique role and capability within the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), it should also coordinate with all key law enforcement agencies to close the apparent gap in communication between national science and technology policy set by NSTC and agents at the forefront of law enforcement. In doing so, it can protect America’s security and economic competitiveness while minimizing the unintended negative impact and associated chilling effects on the science and technology community. * Dr. Neal Lane is Senior Fellow in Science and Technology Policy, Baker Institute, Rice University, and Former Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House. Dr. Steven Pei is Co-Organizer of APA Justice; Founding Chair of United Chinese Americans; and Professor at the University of Houston. Dr. Jeremy Wu is Co-Organizer of APA Justice; Member of Committee of 100; and Retired from the Federal Government. Read the full commentary: https://bit.ly/3yDRaSB 06/06: An Open and Public Community Forum with The FBI On June 6, 2024, the Baker Institute and the Office of Innovation at Rice University, the Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition, and APA Justice will co-host a hybrid forum titled " A Dialogue Between the Academic and Asian American Communities and the FBI ." Registration for in-person attendance and Zoom webinar is now open. In 2022, the Department of Justice ended its China Initiative — a strategy to counter Chinese espionage and threats to U.S. research security — after academic and civil rights groups raised concerns about bias and damage to the United States’ scientific enterprise. However, there were several recent media reports of border entry issues for Chinese graduate students and academic researchers who are green card-holders and even American citizens. This event brings together Jill Murphy, deputy assistant director of counterintelligence at the FBI, and the leadership of the FBI’s Houston field office for a dialogue with members of the academic and Asian American communities. It will examine gaps between national science and technology policy and its implementation. It will also explore the possibility of establishing a regular communication channel between the academic and Asian American communities with FBI field offices. Register to join the forum in person: https://bit.ly/4aFwvuK . Register to join the forum via Zoom: https://bit.ly/3wjg759 . News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/05/31 A Discussion on the History of Discrimination Against Asian Americans2024/06/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/06/06 A Dialogue Between Academic/AAPI Communities with The FBI2024/06/20 U.S.-China Relations: Untangling Campaign Rhetoric & Understanding Policy – Teachers Workshop2024/06/20-22 Social Equity Leadership ConferenceVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. MOCA Forum: A Discussion on the History of Discrimination Against Asian Americans WHAT: A Discussion on the History of Discrimination Against Asian Americans WHEN: May 31, 2024, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET WHERE: 215 Centre Street, New York, NY HOST: Museum of Chinese in America MODERATOR: Scott Wong. Reporter, NBC News SPEAKERS: · Christopher P. Lu, U.S. Representative to the United Nations for Management and Reform · Mark Takano, Member, U.S. House of Representatives DESCRIPTION: From the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese incarceration to recent hate crimes, a discussion on the history of discrimination against Asian Americans. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3yG2ltY 3. WHIAANHPI Celebrates 25th Anniversary On June 7, 1999, President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 13125 establishing a White House Initiative and presidential advisory commission dedicated to improving the lives of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Over the course of 25 years and five presidential administrations, the size and scope of these entities have evolved. But the full story of how they came to be has rarely been told. On May 17, 2024, The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) posted a documentary video titled "Lasting Legacies - The White House Initiative on AA and NHPIs Turns 25” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9nw4TL80yI (10:29) 4. Two New Pandas Coming to Washington DC According to multiple media reports, months after the nation’s capital bid an emotional farewell to its giant pandas, the National Zoo is expecting a renewed surge in panda-mania with the announcement that two more of the furry black-and-white icons will be coming to Washington DC.A fresh agreement had been struck with the Chinese government, and a pair of adult pandas would be arriving from China by the end of the year. The incoming pair are Bao Li and Qing Bao. Both are two years old.Pandas have been a symbol of U.S.-China friendship since Beijing sent a pair to the National Zoo in 1972, ahead of the normalization of bilateral relations. Later, Beijing loaned pandas to other U.S. zoos, with proceeds going back to panda conservation programs. Back View PDF May 31, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #142 9/12 Meeting; Campaign Closed; Solidarity with Prof. Xi; Jessica Speaks; Rhode Island #142 9/12 Meeting; Campaign Closed; Solidarity with Prof. Xi; Jessica Speaks; Rhode Island Back View PDF September 6, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter