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Newsletter - #45 Chinese Immigrant Threat; House Hearing; 02/24 Webinar; 03/01 Meeting #45 Chinese Immigrant Threat; House Hearing; 02/24 Webinar; 03/01 Meeting Back View PDF February 22, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

China Initiative: Past and Present 中国行动的前世今生 2025 MSU China Initiative Wednesday, March 12, 2025 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. Lok Siu presentation Jeremy Wu presentation The webinar was not recorded. 20250312 China Initiative_APAS.png 20250312 Wu & Siu Bios.png Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #60 More Rallies; C100&Inclusion; Anti-Hate Bill; Events; Nominations&Science #60 More Rallies; C100&Inclusion; Anti-Hate Bill; Events; Nominations&Science Back View PDF May 20, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #196: Florida Hearing Today; TikTok Ban Lawsuit; Chinese Scientists; NASEM Roundtable; More #196: Florida Hearing Today; TikTok Ban Lawsuit; Chinese Scientists; NASEM Roundtable; More In This Issue #196 TODAY, July 18: Federal Court Argument Over Florida’s New Discriminatory Housing Law Texas’ TikTok Ban Hit With First Amendment Lawsuit Who Needs Chinese Scientists? America Does National Academies Roundtable Proceedings News and Activities for the Communities TODAY, July 18: Federal Court Argument Over Florida’s New Discriminatory Housing Law WHAT: The U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Florida will hear arguments in Shen v. Simpson . A press conference with the legal team and community leaders will follow. CONTACT : Dr. Jim Moyer, Press Secretary jimmoyer1956@gmail.com Attorney Echo King, President echokinglaw@yahoo.com Allegra Harpootlian, 303-748-4051, aharpootlian@aclu.org WHEN: Tuesday, July 18, 1:30 p.m. ET WHERE: Joseph Woodrow Hatchett U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building, 111 N. Adams St., Tallahassee, Florida Court information: https://www.flnd.uscourts.gov/tallahassee On July 18, 2023, the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Florida will hear arguments in Shen v. Simpson, a lawsuit challenging Senate Bill 264, a new Florida law banning many Chinese immigrants, including people here lawfully as professors, students, employees, and scientists, from buying a home in large swaths of the state. This law also unfairly discriminates against immigrants from Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Russia, and North Korea, but it singles out people from China for especially draconian restrictions and harsher criminal penalties. The lawsuit Shen v. Simpson was filed on May 22, 2023, by four Chinese immigrants who live, work, study, and raise families in Florida, but are now prohibited from purchasing real estate there, as well as a local real estate firm whose business will be affected. The plaintiffs are asking the judge for a preliminary injunction to immediately block the law and declare it unconstitutional.The Chinese immigrants and real estate firm are represented by the DeHeng Law Offices PC, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Florida, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), and the law firm Quinn Emanuel in conjunction with the Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA). On June 27, the United States Department of Justice filed an amicus brief in support of plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction challenging this prejudicial new law. Nineteen other groups have also express their support for the injunction. Ashley Gorski from ACLU and Clay Zhu from DeHeng Law Office will be in court arguing that this law violates the plaintiffs’ constitutional right to equal protection under the law and codifies and expands housing discrimination against people of Asian descent — something expressly forbidden by the Fair Housing Act. Florida Asian American Justice Alliance (FAAJA) and the Yick Wo Institution will hold a protest rally on July 18, denouncing the discriminatory SB 264 “Interests of Foreign Countries” Act. This demonstration will consist of a multiracial, multi-state coalition of concerned citizens, some of whom will be traveling in “freedom buses” to Tallahassee the morning of the hearing to support the civil rights of all US citizens and residents.Reminiscent of the “freedom rides” of the 1960s civil rights movement, these protestors have embraced the color YELLOW to symbolize the fight for the rights of the AAPI community.Those attending the rally in front of the courthouse will be wearing yellow.FAAJA was created after many Chinese Floridians, Chinese American groups, and countless other supporters protested in Tallahassee on April 19, 2023, against the passage of this bill,which violates Floridians’ civil rights and liberties. Despite FAAJA’s efforts, this unjust bill was signed into law on May 8, 2023, and took effect on July 1, 2023.This Tallahassee rally is supported by many major organizations with diverse backgrounds including APA Justice Task Force, Committee of 100 (C100), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Greater Houston League of United Latin American Citizens (GH LULAC), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Stop AAPI Hate, United Chinese Americans (UCA) and more.The time and location of the press conference will be announced later.FAAJA hereby urges the court to rule in favor of the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary injunction and against this unfair treatment of certain targeted groups of people based on their race and country of origin.Read more coverage of the hearing by APA Justice: https://www.apajustice.org/ 2023/07/11 Shen v. Simpson Document 65: Plaintiffs' Report in Support of Their motion for a Preliminary Injunction . Update on Alien Land Bills On June 27, 2023, Louisiana Governor signed House Bill 537 into state law. It becomes effective on August 1, 2023.Follow the tracking map and state-by-state list of alien land bills at https://bit.ly/43oJ0YI . Read APA Justice's full coverage of Alien Land Bills: https://bit.ly/43epBcl Texas’ TikTok Ban Hit With First Amendment Lawsuit According to a press statement on July 13, 2023, researchers and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University have filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Coalition for Independent Technology Research, asserting that Texas’s TikTok ban, initially imposed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott last year, violates the First Amendment. The ban requires all state agencies, including public universities, to bar employees from downloading or using TikTok on state-owned or -issued devices or networks, as well as on personal devices used to conduct state business. The lawsuit challenges the ban’s application to public university faculty, asserting that it compromises academic freedom and impedes vital research. The Coalition for Independent Technology Research is a group of academics, journalists, civil society researchers, and community scientists that works to advance, defend, and sustain the right to study the impact of technology on society. The coalition’s members include professors at public universities in Texas whose research and teaching have been compromised by the ban. Texas is not the only state to have enacted a TikTok ban of one kind or another. At least 35 states have banned TikTok on state devices and networks. State university systems or universities in 20 states have banned TikTok on university devices, university networks, or both. Montana passed a ban in May 2023; two lawsuits have been filed challenging that law, one by TikTok and another by TikTok users. Coalition for Independent Technology Research v. Abbott (1:23-cv-00783) was filed with the Western District of Texas Austin Division.Read the press statement by the Knight First Amendment Institute : https://bit.ly/43r7W0Q Who Needs Chinese Scientists? America Does According to an opinion published by LA Progressive on July 11, 2023, outside the halls of Congress, where alarm bells constantly go off about the Chinese threat, scientists, research laboratory directors, and university officials recognize what a resource the Chinese scientists are. Xie Xiaoliang is one of Harvard’s premier scientists, a biophysical chemist known for his work on DNA. He’s leaving Harvard to take an academic position in his home country, China, one of about 1400 top Chinese scientists who in recent years have given up their US positions and returned to China.The reason is not so much China’s “Thousand Talents” program, which seeks to entice scientists to return home with promises of lucrative academic and research positions. It’s the lingering effects of the Trump and Biden justice department’s China Initiative.That program sought—with outstanding failure—to weed out Chinese scientists, including Chinese Americans, who were supposedly committing economic espionage. The University of Michigan’s president was among many major university leaders who wrote to the US attorney general to complain about the unfairness of the China Initiative, pointing out its racial profiling, lack of evidence of wrongdoing, and pressure on the university to “investigate researchers who are singled out only because of their personal or professional connections with China.” The open letter was signed by the overwhelming majority of Michigan faculty.The China Initiative has ended, but the careers of a number of prominent scientists of Chinese descent in the US were ruined or set back. Fear stalks Chinese visitors and citizens alike. Put simply, the scientific research of Chinese scientists is crucial to international scientific collaboration ( Karin Fischer , The Chronicle of Higher Education, Latitudes, June 14, 2023).There is, to be sure, reason for caution on national security grounds. Concern about research findings here being conveyed to the Chinese military is real. U.S. universities are well aware of the problem and have developed guidelines for collaborative research with security implications. But overwhelmingly, the view at universities and research facilities is that our society and economy would pay a high price if Chinese scientists were suddenly barred from entry. That means US “visa processes should be streamlined, backlogs cleared and talented individuals given expanded opportunities to obtain green cards,” says one writer long involved in promoting US-China ties.Congress isn’t listening, however; right-wing members, with some support from liberals, believe any contact with Chinese scientists is a national security danger. Recently, 10 Republicans on Rep. Mike Gallagher ’s special committee on China wrote Secretary of State Antony Blinken to urge that the U.S. scrap the 1979 US-China Science and Technology Agreement, which is up for renewal. That agreement supports cooperation on many scientific projects in agriculture, physics, and the atmosphere, among other areas. Let’s remember that no one appreciates academic freedom more than visitors from China and other countries under authoritarian rule. When that freedom is violated by harassment and suspicion, word gets back to China very quickly, and the rewards for returning to China, in money and prestige, become tantalizing. Academic freedom is under assault in the U.S. for other reasons these days. It is in our self-interest to protect it from those who really don’t have the national interest at heart. Mel Gurtov , author of the opinion, is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Portland State University (Oregon) and (from 1994 to 2017) Editor-in-Chief of Asian Perspective, an international affairs quarterly. Read the LA Progressive opinion: https://bit.ly/3XPJBAO Science : New Chinese journal gains impact. According to Science on July 13, 2023, just 3 years after launch, The Innovation , a China-based, English language journal, has made a splash. Last month, it notched a citation impact factor of 32.1—behind only Nature ’s 64.8 and Science ’s 56.9 among multidisciplinary journals—in the annual Journal Citation Reports released by the Clarivate analytics company. A group of young Chinese scientists pooled their savings to get the open-access journal up and running, according to the South China Morning Post , which first reported the story. Despite producing nearly 30% of the world’s reviewed scientific papers, China has produced few highly ranked journals. At least two-thirds of The Innovation ’s published papers come from China-based corresponding authors. It accepts only about 13% of submissions; acceptance rates at Science and Nature are below 10%. Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/44vIyss National Academies Roundtable Proceedings On November 14 and 15, 2022, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) convened a two-day workshop under the auspices of the National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable to assess the state of the U.S. research enterprise in a time of increasing global competition. The workshop also featured discussion of the challenges confronting researchers as they seek to ensure the vitality of research and innovation in America, foster increased international scientific research cooperation, and simultaneously counter illicit foreign interference that threatens national security interests. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.Read the proceedings of the NASEM workshop: https://bit.ly/3K4zWR4 News and Activities for the Communities 1. Asian American Tech Worker Filed Suit According to NBC News on July 12, 2023, A former Asian American employee is suing the Silicon Valley tech company Lumentum, alleging that a yearslong pattern of racism ended with his termination when he tried to speak out. Andre Wong , 52, filed the complaint in the Santa Clara Superior Court on June 30, seeking $20 million in damages. His suit comes amid others by tech workers who say they’re pushing against the “bamboo ceiling,” barriers that have kept Asians from advancing to high-level leadership positions. Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/44JXId0 . 2. First Asian American Miss Texas speaks out against Gov. Abbott’s attack on diversity programs According to AsAmNews on July 8, 2023, Miss Texas is asking Governor Greg Abbott and other conservative lawmakers to stop their assault on DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs in the state. Last year, Averie Bishop became the first Asian American to win Miss Texas and went on to compete in the Miss America competition. Since then, she has been using her platform to promote the idea that “Y’all means All.” MSNBC published an Op-Ed written by Bishop that addressed attacks on DEI policies from conservative Texas state lawmakers. The Texas Senate recently passed S.B. 17, in April. The bill bans diversity equity inclusion departments in public universities. The Op-Ed also comes after a recent U.S. Supreme Court deemed affirmative action programs in university admissions unlawful. Bishop wrote that she worried that the state’s “most vulnerable populations” would be ostracized without DEI policies. She believes the policies are essential to building a better Texas. Bishop herself is a first-generation law school graduate. Her mother was a Filipino immigrant. Growing up, she was one of just two visibly Asian students at her school. Now, she sees a different Texas.Bishop said she’s disappointed that many lawmakers do not want to celebrate that diversity. “Gov. Greg Abbott and state leadership must cease its assault on DEI policy and focus on improving the economic and social livelihood of all of us,” Bishop wrote.Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/3PZxSxB . Read the MSNBC op-ed: https://on.msnbc.com/43rMVn1 Back View PDF July 18, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Rep. Ted Lieu delivered a bicameral coalition letter calling for an investigation into the DOJ's repeated, wrongful targeting of individuals of Asian descent for alleged espionage. July 29, 2021 On July 29, 2021, Rep. Ted Lieu delivered a bicameral coalition letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling for an investigation into the Department of Justice's "repeated, wrongful targeting of individuals of Asian descent for alleged espionage." "Over the years, multiple people who happened to be of Asian descent have been falsely accused by the Department of Justice of espionage," including the false accusations of spying alleged against Wen Ho Lee , Sherry Chen , Xiaoxing Xi , Anming Hu , and many others . "The common thread in every one of these cases was a defendant with an Asian surname — and an innocent life that was turned upside down." "No person should be viewed by our government as more suspicious because of the individual’s race. We thus request an update on the mandated implicit bias training and request an investigation to determine whether the Department of Justice has a written or unwritten policy, program, pattern or practice of using race (or other civil rights classifications such as religion, gender and national origin) in targeting people for arrest, surveillance, security clearance denials or other adverse actions. We also specifically request whether, under the 'China Initiative,' there is a written or unwritten policy, program, pattern or practice to target people based on their race, ethnicity or national origin." Rep. Ted Lieu delivered a bicameral coalition letter calling for an investigation into the DOJ's repeated, wrongful targeting of individuals of Asian descent for alleged espionage. Previous Next Rep. Ted Lieu Calls for Investigation of Racial Profiling of Asians

Newsletter - #152 OSTP in the News; Update on Dr. Yanping Chen; Chinese Academics Vindicated; Chip Ban #152 OSTP in the News; Update on Dr. Yanping Chen; Chinese Academics Vindicated; Chip Ban Back View PDF October 27, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #398 Maryland Speaker and Delegate at 6/1 Meeting; Leaders Comment; NYT Immigrant Squeeze;+ #398 Maryland Speaker and Delegate at 6/1 Meeting; Leaders Comment; NYT Immigrant Squeeze;+ In This Issue #398 · Racist Video Targets Maryland State Delegate · Maryland Speaker Condemns Racism and Defends Diversity at APA Justice Meeting · Invited Leaders Comment on Maryland Incident · NYT : Trump Squeezes Immigrants by Cutting Them Off From Jobs, Health Care and Housing · News and Activities for the Communities Racist Video Targets Maryland State Delegate Maryland state Delegate Chao Wu , a Chinese American, was targeted in a racist and xenophobic video released by Republican Delegates Mark Fisher and Brian Chisholm . The lawmakers accused Delegate Wu of being a Chinese spy, mocked his accent, and employed harmful anti-Asian stereotypes. In a 13-minute video podcast criticizing an artificial intelligence bill proposed by Delegate Wu, Delegates Fisher and Chisholm questioned his political loyalties based strictly on his birthplace, resorted to harmful tropes, and mocked how he speaks. The controversy erupted in May 2026, coinciding with Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The incident was widely denounced as xenophobic and deeply offensive. Top state officials, including House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk , the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, the Maryland Legislative Asian American Caucus, and the Montgomery County Council, publicly condemned the attacks and demanded apologies. Maryland House Minority Leader Jason Buckel publicly distanced the House Republican Caucus from the video and defended Delegate Wu. Watch the WBAL-TV report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd7ZXlGo7wA (2:45). Maryland Speaker Condemns Racism and Defends Diversity at APA Justice Meeting Maryland House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk and Maryland State Delegate Chao Wu addressed the APA Justice monthly meeting on June 1, 2026, discussing the racist video that targeted Delegate Wu, the response of Maryland House leadership, and the broader importance of diversity, inclusion, and civil rights. Speaker Peña-Melnyk explained her leadership decision to send a formal letter reprimanding Delegates Mark Fisher and Brian Chisholm , stating that their conduct was offensive, unacceptable, and beneath the dignity of the Maryland General Assembly. She emphasized that reducing a colleague to harmful stereotypes, questioning his loyalty because of where he was born, and mocking his accent were disrespectful and unbecoming of anyone entrusted with public service. “It echoes a long and painful history of discrimination that has no place in Maryland or in the House of Delegates,” she said The Speaker reminded Delegates Chisholm and Fisher that the Maryland General Assembly is a body made stronger by the diversity of those who serve here and the communities it represents. “Every member deserves to be treated with respect, and every Marylander deserves to see themselves reflected in a government that values them. We can have disagreements about policy without demeaning one another’s humanity. That is the standard this House must uphold.” On the issue of immigration, the Speaker reinforced that, “The bottom line is that immigrants matter. We have rights, and we contribute immensely to our state. When immigrants arrive here, we bring with us the richness of our culture, our history, our ideas, our creativity. How could we not benefit as a result? Maryland is one of the most ethnically, racially, and religiously diverse states in the nation. And to me, this is our superpower – the secret sauce behind Maryland’s success. Here we recognize that these things are strengths, not weaknesses. Our diversity makes us more dynamic and more resilient.” ***** Maryland State Delegate Chao Wu ( www.chaowu.org ) thanked the organizers for the invitation and expressed particular appreciation for the strong support he received from Maryland House leadership, especially Speaker Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk, following the release of a racist video targeting him. Delegate Wu said that when he first learned about the video, he felt angry, saddened, and disappointed, especially because the individuals involved serve on the same legislative committee as he does. However, those feelings were balanced by a sense of encouragement and empowerment from the broad coalition of support he received from legislative leaders, the AAPI Caucus, the Latino Caucus, the Black Caucus, the Jewish community, and many other organizations and individuals. He emphasized that the incident was larger than a personal attack on himself. In his view, it reflected broader challenges facing a diverse state like Maryland, where immigrants and people of many backgrounds contribute to society, but they are not recognized and respected. Delegate Wu noted that he had never viewed his accent as a problem and said that when people have difficulty understanding him, he simply repeats himself or speaks more slowly. Addressing criticism of legislation he sponsored related to artificial intelligence, Delegate Wu defended the bill as a reasonable transparency measure requiring developers of large language models to disclose information about their training data. He noted that similar legislations are being debated in other states, and that respected organizations had also supported the proposal. Invited Leaders Comment on Maryland Incident During the APA Justice monthly meeting on June 1, 2026, Maryland State Delegate Lily Qi , who also chairs the Maryland Legislative Asian American & Pacific Islander Caucus, praised the swift and forceful response to the racist video targeting Maryland legislators, crediting much of its impact to the leadership of Speaker Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk . She highlighted the Speaker's immediate and unequivocal condemnation, along with coordinated statements from the Maryland Asian Pacific American Caucus and other organizations, which helped frame the incident as unacceptable and worthy of broad public attention. Delegate Qi observed that the incident occurred during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, underscoring a longstanding challenge faced by Asian Americans: persistent questions about their loyalty, belonging, and identity as Americans. She argued that despite the nation's history and progress, Asian Americans continue to confront stereotypes that cast them as outsiders or suspect citizens. She emphasized the importance of representation in leadership, noting that Speaker Pena-Melnyk's experience as an immigrant enabled her to articulate why immigrant backgrounds are assets rather than liabilities in public service. Delegate Qi also commended Asian American organizations nationwide for mobilizing quickly and visibly, demonstrating both political strength and a willingness to defend their place in American society. A major theme of her remarks was solidarity across communities. Delegate Qi pointed to support from the Black, Latino, Women's, Jewish, Muslim, LGBTQ+, and other caucuses in Maryland, arguing that such alliances are essential. She stressed that Asian Americans should likewise stand with other groups when they face discrimination or attacks, because protecting civil rights requires collective action. Delegate Qi characterized the attacks as part of a broader pattern of divisive politics that seeks to exploit fears about diversity and immigration. She argued that such rhetoric attempts to deny the humanity and legitimacy of fellow Americans based on their backgrounds. She also connected the controversy to earlier legislative efforts by the same delegates involved in the video. Delegate Qi recalled that they had previously introduced proposals similar to the "alien land laws" enacted in some states, which would have restricted land ownership by Chinese nationals. She described those measures as a modern-day version of exclusionary policies that single out people based on national origin and warned that such approaches create a dangerous precedent that could eventually be applied to other groups. Delegate Qi concluded by urging continued vigilance in defending the rights of all Americans, emphasizing that opposition to discrimination and exclusion requires sustained advocacy, coalition-building, and community leadership. ***** Cindy Tsai , Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the Committee of 100, thanked the organizers and the Maryland leaders who brought attention to the racist video, particularly Speaker Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk , Delegate Chao Wu , and Delegate Lily Qi , for elevating the issue to the national level and engaging the community in discussion. Drawing on her work with the Committee of 100, Cindy Tsai emphasized the importance of distinguishing between legitimate concerns about the actions of a foreign government and unfairly attributing those actions to an entire ethnic community. She noted that advocacy efforts in recent years have helped encourage more careful and responsible public discourse on these issues. After watching the video, Cindy Tsai said she was troubled by its content and rejected the notion that disclaimers such as “not all Chinese people are bad” can excuse or negate language that attacks individuals based on their accent, background, or ethnicity. In her view, condemning stereotypes while simultaneously engaging in discriminatory rhetoric does not make such speech acceptable. Cindy Tsai indicated that society must do better in engaging in responsible and respectful public discourse, particularly when discussing issues involving ethnicity, nationality, and political concerns. She praised the broad coalition of organizations and communities that responded to the incident, highlighting the importance of solidarity across different groups. She credited Speaker Pena-Melnyk’s public statement with helping mobilize support and described the response as a moment in which the Asian American and Pacific Islander community stood together to affirm that Asian Americans belong in the United States and deserve equal respect. Cindy Tsai concluded by expressing pride in the community’s response and urging continued visibility, advocacy, and coalition-building to confront discrimination and defend the rights and inclusion of Asian Americans. ***** Haipei Shue , President of United Chinese Americans, began by thanking Speaker Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk for her immediate and unequivocal condemnation of the racist incident. He emphasized that strong leadership makes a significant difference in how communities respond to discrimination and exclusion. Drawing on his experience working with legislatures across multiple states, Haipei Shue contrasted Maryland's political environment with that of many states where immigrant and Asian American communities have far less representation and support. He noted that Maryland benefits from both diverse leadership and the presence of Asian American elected officials in the legislature, which helps ensure that community concerns are heard and addressed. Haipei Shue observed that in states lacking such leadership and representation, harmful policies can advance more easily and sometimes become law. In some cases, he said, advocates struggle to find policymakers willing to engage with concerns about constitutionality, civil rights, or the impact of legislation on immigrant communities. He recalled instances where objections based on constitutional concerns were dismissed, leaving litigation as the only recourse. Against that backdrop, Haipei Shue described Maryland as providing a sense of reassurance and protection for immigrant communities. He credited the state's leaders for creating an environment in which concerns can be raised, discussed, and addressed through the democratic process rather than ignored. He concluded by expressing gratitude to Maryland's elected leaders and emphasizing that their support, responsiveness, and commitment to diversity provide an important safeguard for immigrant and Asian American communities. NYT : Trump Squeezes Immigrants by Cutting Them Off From Jobs, Health Care and Housing On May 30, 2026, The New York Times reported a sweeping, methodically planned White House strategy to make the United States economically and socially inhospitable to immigrants — both undocumented and many with legal status — pressuring them to leave voluntarily rather than depending solely on high-profile deportation raids. The effort is overseen by Stephen Miller , one of the president's most influential advisers, who has directed federal agencies across the government to use every regulatory tool at their disposal to cut immigrants off from jobs, healthcare, housing, financial services, and family benefits. On employment, the Trump administration has revoked airport security clearances for workers holding Temporary Protected Status — a legal humanitarian designation — abruptly ending the jobs of people like Raquel Molina , a Salvadoran immigrant who had cleaned planes at Boston's Logan Airport for nearly three decades. The administration has also proposed barring asylum seekers from receiving work permits, a change that could affect more than two million people who currently hold or have renewed those permits. In addition, many immigrants have been banned from obtaining commercial driver's licenses, cutting them off from careers in trucking and freight. On financial services, Trump signed an executive order urging banks to scrutinize customers' immigration status. Federal agents also launched an investigation — called Operation Pickpocket — into alleged financial fraud by immigrants. The probe ultimately found that most immigrants had opened bank accounts lawfully using valid identification, yet the broader pressure campaign has had a chilling effect, discouraging immigrants from engaging with financial institutions at all. On healthcare, the administration moved to require immigration documentation at the roughly 1,600 federally funded community health clinics that have historically served undocumented patients. Though courts paused that requirement after a multistate lawsuit, fear alone caused patient numbers to drop sharply. In Santa Barbara, California, county officials briefly stopped treating thousands of undocumented patients out of concern that the federal government would retaliate by clawing back unrelated grants. Nurses described clinics becoming "ghost towns." On housing, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced plans to bar mixed-status families — those with both documented and undocumented members — from public housing. Under prior rules, only one household member needed to hold legal status. The new policy could displace an estimated 20,000 families, many of which include U.S.-citizen children. On family and child benefits, the administration's tax legislation blocked the federal child tax credit from applying to U.S.-citizen children whose parents are undocumented, significantly cutting refunds for millions of mixed-status families. Officials are also planning to add a five-year waiting period for child care subsidies for legal immigrant children, effectively ensuring most age out of eligibility before they can receive help, and to end undocumented families' access to Head Start preschool programs. The administration frames all of these measures as protecting American citizens and taxpayers. Independent research, however, suggests immigrants use public benefits at lower rates than native-born Americans and fill critical labor needs. So far, more than 116,000 people without permanent legal status have voluntarily left the country, with many more believed to have departed without notifying the government. Former Homeland Security official Daniel Delgado , who served under both parties, called the strategy "immensely effective" — a whole-of-government effort touching virtually every dimension of immigrant life in America. Read the New York Times report: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/politics/trump-immigrants-health-housing.html . On May 22, 2026, Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), issued a statement condemning the Trump administration’s new memo that will force immigrants seeking permanent residency, or a green card, to return to their home countries to apply—a drastic change from longstanding policy. Read Chair Meng’s statement: https://bit.ly/43Ei60F . Read the policy change memo: https://bit.ly/4uJPAXy News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/06/10 Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Calvin Tsao 2026/06/17 Voting Barriers for AA & NH/PI Women 2026/06/27-28 From Crisis to Coalition: Lessons from the Front Lines in Minneapolis/St. Paul 2026/06/28-07/01 UCA: 2026 Chinese American Convention 2026/07/04 Unveiling of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee Mural 2026/07/06 APA Justice Monthly MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. APAICS: Voting Barriers for AA & NH/PI Women WHAT : APAICS' Women's Collective Office Hour: Voting Barriers for AA & NH/PI Women WHEN : June 17, 2026, 4:00-5:00 pm ET WHERE : Webinar HOST : Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies Moderator : Annie Nguyen , APAICS Speakers: · Jessica Jones Capparell , League of Women Voters · Christine Chen , APIAVote · Fajer Saeed Ebrahim , National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) DESCRIPTION: Join the conversation and hear the panelists highlight resources and discuss voting barriers—from voter outreach and language access, to the impacts of legislation such as the SAVE America Act. As elections across the country ramp up, conversations like these matter more than ever. REGISTRATION : https://apaics.fillout.com/t/uyPxkMvMEBus # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the APA Justice website at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF June 5, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #390 Eric Zheng, Susan Thornton, Susan Shirk at 04/06 Meeting; Birthright Citizenship; More #390 Eric Zheng, Susan Thornton, Susan Shirk at 04/06 Meeting; Birthright Citizenship; More In This Issue #390 · Remarks by Eric Zheng and Video · Remarks by Susan Thornton and Video · Remarks by Susan Shirk and Video · More on Birthright Citizenship · News and Activities for the Communities Remarks by Eric Zheng and Video During the APA Justice monthly meeting on April 6, 2026, Eric Zheng , President of The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AmCham Shanghai 上海美国商会), shared his on-the-ground perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing American companies in China, set against a backdrop of evolving U.S.-China relations. Prior to his current role with AmCham Shanghai, Eric had a successful career with AIG including serving as President & CEO of AIG China. Eric has been active in several non-profit and charity organizations. He is a member of Committee of 100 and currently serves as Chair of Committee of 100 Greater China Region. Eric began by noting that 2026 is a consequential year for bilateral ties, with anticipated high-level visits between the United States and China. Within this context, he highlighted the role of AmCham Shanghai as a longstanding institution supporting commercial engagement and mutual understanding between the two countries. Eric briefly traced the organization’s history, noting that AmCham Shanghai was originally founded in 1915, reflecting an early American business presence in China. It ceased operations in 1950 following the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and was reestablished in 1987 after China reopened to the global economy. Today, it represents approximately 1,000 multinational companies, primarily U.S.-headquartered firms, making it one of the largest American chambers of commerce in the Asia-Pacific region. Turning to the economic relationship, Eric emphasized the scale and depth of U.S.-China commercial ties. He cited roughly $421 billion in Chinese exports to the U.S. and $151 billion in U.S. exports to China, along with significant two-way investment flows. However, he underscored that this interdependence is increasingly challenged by policy volatility, particularly fluctuating tariff regimes. At one point, tariffs reached as high as 145% on Chinese goods, and although they have since declined, they remain elevated. As Eric observed, “when you run a company, you need some predictability… it’s really hard to plan for the long term” amid shifting policies. He identified three primary challenges facing American companies in China: · Geopolitical tensions , which he described as the “number one challenge,” creating uncertainty in both policy and business environments; · Rising domestic competition , with Chinese firms now highly innovative and competitive—“no longer copycats”—and in many areas outperforming multinational companies; · Economic slowdown , as China’s growth moderates and business expectations soften. Eric noted that American firms now see themselves leading mainly in product quality and development, while falling behind in areas such as speed to market, licensing, digital capabilities, and adoption of emerging technologies. Reflecting these pressures, business confidence has declined sharply, with only about 41% of companies expressing optimism about their five-year outlook in China—down significantly from historical levels near 80%. Despite these headwinds, Eric emphasized that China remains a critical market. He pointed to continued GDP growth of around 5%, a $19.6 trillion economy, and a rapidly expanding middle class projected to grow from 400 million to 800 million by 2035. He illustrated this scale by noting that China’s annual economic growth is “almost a trillion U.S. dollars,” effectively “recreating a Switzerland every year.” He explained that American companies remain engaged for two main reasons: to serve China’s large domestic market (“in China for China”) and to support global supply chains (“in China for global”). Eric concluded on a firm and pragmatic note, emphasizing that continued U.S. business engagement in China is not optional but strategically necessary. Despite geopolitical tensions and market challenges, he argued that disengagement would come at a significant cost to U.S. competitiveness, innovation, and global influence. Operating in China, he noted, is essential not only for accessing a critical market but also for learning from increasingly sophisticated competitors and staying at the forefront of global industry trends. In his view, the stakes extend beyond individual companies to broader national interests. A sustained U.S. commercial presence in China helps preserve economic linkages, supports mutual understanding, and ensures that American firms remain relevant in one of the world’s most important markets. As he underscored, maintaining this presence is ultimately “in the best interest of the United States”—not just as a matter of business, but as a matter of long-term strategic positioning in a competitive global landscape. A summary for the April 6 APA Justice meeting is being prepared. Watch a video of Eric’s remarks at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a03kPRXnU0 (15:14). For more information about AmCham Shanghai, visit https://www.amcham-shanghai.org/ Remarks by Susan Thornton and Video During the APA Justice monthly meeting on April 6, 2026, Susan Thornton , Vice Chair of U.S. Heartland China Association (USHCA), remarked on USHCA’s work and its subnational and citizen diplomacy including education and other people-to-people exchanges with China. Susan is a retired senior U.S. diplomat with almost three decades of experience with the U.S. State Department in Eurasia and East Asia. She is currently a Senior Fellow and Visiting Lecturer in Law at the Yale Law School Paul Tsai China Center. She is also the director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Susan highlighted her work with USHCA, which seeks to expand U.S.-China engagement beyond the coasts by focusing on the American heartland. The organization, chaired by former Missouri Governor Bob Holden , promotes connectivity in trade, education, and cultural exchange across “the 20-something states in the middle of the country” that often have less exposure to China-related opportunities and policy discussions. She described a range of initiatives, including agricultural cooperation, health system exchanges, and local government engagement. In agriculture, the group connects U.S. growers, researchers, and industry associations with Chinese counterparts to explore “the future of food systems,” and organizes events such as the annual U.S.-China Agricultural Roundtable in Henan Province. Educational exchanges are another priority, with programs that send American students—particularly from historically Black colleges and universities—to China, providing opportunities that “they would probably otherwise not have.” USHCA also promotes Chinese language learning and cultural education, reflecting concerns about a declining pipeline of U.S. China expertise. Susan emphasized the strategic importance of broadening national understanding of China, stating that “Americans will need to know more about China in the future, not less,” and that such knowledge “should not be overly concentrated on the two coasts.” She also highlighted local-level exchanges, including forums that bring together U.S. and Chinese municipal leaders to share experiences on issues like climate change, economic development, and public health. At the same time, she noted that this work has become increasingly difficult. Visa restrictions, travel uncertainties, and rising geopolitical tensions are complicating exchanges on both sides. She observed that “exchanges between the U.S. and China are becoming more fraught,” with students and scholars facing growing obstacles. Susan also pointed to a lack of clarity in U.S. policy, noting that agencies often operate without clear guidance, leading to actions that can appear “arbitrary” or “politicized.” She warned that China-related issues are increasingly “ripe for fear-mongering and weaponization” in the current political climate, including through state-level legislation. Despite these challenges, Susan stressed that the risks should not outweigh the benefits of engagement. She underscored that her organization takes a careful, independent approach, including not accepting funding from China, and remains committed to its mission. Concluding on a forward-looking note, she emphasized that engagement with China is not optional for the United States—particularly for the heartland—and expressed hope that upcoming high-level meetings could help reinforce the importance of sustained exchanges and mutual understanding. Watch a video of Susan’s remarks at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9LqzT_PcfY (8:29). For more information about the U.S. Heartland China Association, visit https://usheartlandchina.org/ Remarks by Susan Shirk and Video During the APA Justice monthly meeting on April 6, 2026, Susan Shirk , Research Professor; Director Emerita, 21st Century China Center, University of California (UC), San Diego, shared her insights into the current state of US-China relations, especially the upcoming Trump-Xi summit. As former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs and lifetime experiences, she is one of the most influential experts working on U.S.-China relations and Chinese politics. She is also Director Emerita of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC). Susan offered a candid and notably pessimistic assessment of the upcoming U.S.–China leader engagement between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping . While she acknowledged that leader-level diplomacy can create openings—what Joseph Nye has called the “funnel of choice”—she stressed that success depends on intensive groundwork that is currently lacking. Drawing on her experience in the State Department, she noted that past progress came only after extensive staff-level negotiations: “Professionals… put in hours of diplomatic efforts… before the leaders meet,” allowing both sides to define priorities, understand each other, and prepare deliverables. These preparations, she emphasized, are essential to making summits productive rather than symbolic. Susan had initially hoped the spring meeting could launch a sustained diplomatic process, but now sees more limited prospects. At best, she expects continuity rather than breakthroughs—likely preserving the existing “Busan truce” on tariffs, export controls, and rare earths. There may be incremental progress on trade and investment, such as movement on Phase 1 commitments or narrowly scoped Chinese investment in the U.S. However, she sees little chance of progress on harder issues. Susan warned that failure to address national security and people-to-people exchanges—including academic, journalist, and student flows—would be “tragic” and potentially dangerous. Taiwan is a particular concern, noting the absence of a clear U.S. strategy, raising the risk of improvised decisions during leader talks that could undermine regional stability. Her strongest criticism focused on the lack of preparation, which she described bluntly as “really diplomatic malpractice.” She pointed to weakened U.S. interagency capacity, limited sub-cabinet engagement, and a hollowed-out policy process: “Almost nothing at the sub-cabinet level… the National Security Council Asia staff is thinned out to almost no one.” At the same time, decision-making has become highly centralized. “The U.S. system has become almost as centralized… as China’s,” Susan said, leaving officials uncertain about objectives and reluctant to act proactively. In summary, Susan believes the absence of serious diplomatic preparation severely limits the potential of upcoming leader meetings. At best, they may stabilize tensions; at worst, they risk unstructured, leader-driven outcomes that could increase strategic instability. Watch a video of Susan’s remarks at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAoe5F8EmfI (11:21). More on Birthright Citizenship According to the New York Times , while the Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship on April 1, 2026, anchored in United States v. Wong Kim Ark , it has also renewed attention to a broader body of lesser-known cases involving Asian immigrants that helped define U.S. immigration and constitutional law. While United States v. Wong Kim Ark affirmed that children born in the United States are citizens regardless of their parents’ nationality, the justices also referenced cases such as Yick Wo v. Hopkins, Fong Yue Ting v. United States, and United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind . Together, these cases reflect a period when U.S. immigration law was explicitly designed to exclude Asians. Beginning with the Chinese Exclusion Act, federal policy severely restricted Asian immigration and barred naturalization. In response, Chinese and other Asian communities organized extensive legal challenges—filing over 10,000 lawsuits—often supported by groups like the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. These efforts were not only defensive but strategic, helping to establish enduring legal principles. As one historian explained: “High-quality U.S. citizen lawyers were hired to litigate cases large and small.” Some cases expanded rights. In Yick Wo, the Court ruled that a neutral law applied discriminatorily violated the Constitution, extending equal protection to noncitizens. Others reinforced federal power or racial exclusion. In Fong Yue Ting, the Court upheld broad deportation authority. In Thind and earlier in Ozawa v. United States, the Court denied citizenship based on shifting and often contradictory definitions of “whiteness,” even stripping citizenship retroactively. Although Congress later dismantled racial barriers—especially with the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965—these earlier rulings remain foundational. Wong Kim Ark, in particular, continues to underpin modern interpretations of birthright citizenship. Today, Asian Americans are one of the fastest-growing populations in the United States, largely due to post-1965 immigration. Yet awareness of this legal history remains limited. Advocates warn that weakening birthright citizenship could have disproportionate consequences, even for lawful residents. The report also highlights a broader challenge: many Asian Americans are unfamiliar with the history of exclusion laws and civil rights struggles that shaped their status today. As one lawmaker observed after educating constituents about this past: “They had no idea.” The fight over birthright citizenship is not just about one case, but about a long legacy of Asian American legal challenges that helped define constitutional rights in the United States—making today’s debate both historically grounded and deeply consequential. Read the New York Times report: https://nyti.ms/4cdMPpn News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/04/14 Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Anla Cheng 2026/05/04 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2026/05/12-14 Celebrating 250 - Building America’s Future TogetherVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. APA Justice January Monthly Meeting Summary Posted Summary for the January 2026 APA Justice monthly meeting has been posted at https://bit.ly/4sqZPxV . We thank these distinguished speakers for sharing their insightful remarks and updates: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus · Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) · Deborah Frankel , Counsel, Bloch & White LLP · Kyle Bigley , Associate, Bloch & White LLP · Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 , former NYPD Officer · Paul Cheung 鄭文耀 , President, Committee of 100 · Hua Wang 王华 , Chair, United Chinese Americans · Haipei Shue 薛海培 , President, United Chinese Americans · Sharon Wong , National Chair, OCA National Center · Thu Nguyen , Executive Director, OCA National Center # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF April 13, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #313 Amb. Gary Locke; 3/4 Webinar; FL SB 846 Injunction; NIH Turmoil/Fed Data Integrity; + #313 Amb. Gary Locke; 3/4 Webinar; FL SB 846 Injunction; NIH Turmoil/Fed Data Integrity; + In This Issue #313 · Remarks by Ambassador/Secretary/Governor Gary Locke · NFHA Updates; 03/04 Webinar on Alien Land Laws Opens · Temporary Injunction Against Florida Discriminatory Law SB846 · NIH in Turmoil; Federal Data Integrity Threatened · News and Activities for the Communities Remarks by Ambassador/Secretary/Governor Gary Locke Gary Locke 骆家辉 is Chair of the Committee of 100, former U/S. Ambassador to China, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and former Governor of the state of Washington. During the APA Justice monthly meeting on February 3, 2025, Ambassador/Secretary/Governor Locke expresses deep concern over the increasing challenges faced by the Asian American community, particularly Chinese Americans, under the current political climate. The worsening U.S.-China relationship has fueled harmful rhetoric, reminiscent of the first Trump administration, with terms like "Wuhan virus" and "Kung flu" leading to a surge in anti-Asian violence. While the U.S. may have legitimate policy disputes with China, Gary emphasizes that such conflicts should not extend to Chinese Americans, who have made significant contributions to the nation for centuries. From building the transcontinental railroad to serving in the military, Chinese Americans have long played an integral role in shaping the country.Despite these contributions, Chinese Americans continue to be treated as perpetual foreigners and unfairly associated with the Chinese government. The Trump administration’s “China Initiative,” which targeted Chinese American scientists under the guise of national security concerns, reinforced harmful stereotypes and subjected many to wrongful prosecution. Although the Biden administration sought to focus on restricting high-tech exports to China for security reasons, Trump’s recent policies suggest a return to broad anti-China rhetoric that unfairly affects Chinese Americans. This includes policies such as banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, suspending foreign aid, and halting humanitarian relief efforts.Economic policies under Trump are also raising concerns, particularly the reintroduction of tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China. While Trump claims these tariffs will hold foreign governments accountable, in reality, they function as a tax on American businesses and consumers. Companies like Costco, Target, and Macy’s are forced to absorb these costs, which are then passed on to everyday Americans. Gary highlights that nearly 60% of all shoes sold in the U.S. are imported from China, meaning the financial burden of tariffs disproportionately affects consumers and small businesses. The uncertainty surrounding these economic policies only adds to the challenges faced by Asian American communities. In addition to economic pressures, there is a troubling resurgence of discriminatory policies at the state level. Many states are now passing laws restricting land ownership by Chinese nationals, a clear throwback to the alien land laws of the early 20th century, which were designed to prevent Asian immigrants from owning property. Coupled with new restrictions on immigration, these policies evoke the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act, reinforcing systemic barriers against Chinese Americans. Gary warns that such actions represent a dangerous regression in civil rights, undermining decades of progress toward equality and inclusion.Given these mounting challenges, Gary calls for stronger, more explicit support from government leaders. Elected officials, from governors to members of Congress, must send a clear message that policy disagreements with China do not justify discrimination against Chinese Americans. The community should not have to bear the consequences of geopolitical conflicts between the U.S. and China. Gary stresses that public figures must actively reject xenophobic narratives and affirm the invaluable contributions of Asian Americans across all sectors of society.To combat these growing threats, Gary urges increased vigilance, organization, and collaboration among advocacy groups. Despite past achievements, the fight for equality is far from over, and Asian Americans cannot afford complacency. Gary commends APA Justice for its efforts in documenting and addressing these injustices, emphasizing the need for a unified, strategic approach to advocacy. Without coordination and collective action, the Asian American community risks being marginalized and targeted once again. By working together, organizations can strengthen their influence and ensure that the rights and dignity of Asian Americans are protected. A summary of the February 2025 APA Justice monthly meeting is being prepared at this time. For past monthly meeting summaries, visit https://bit.ly/4hyOV4i NFHA Updates; 03/04 Webinar on Alien Land Laws Opens During the APA Justice monthly meeting on February 3, 2025, Scott Chang , Senior Counsel of National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), provided an update on the lawsuit National Fair Housing Alliance, Inc. v. Secretary of Commerce (1:24-cv-21749) , which challenges Florida’s SB 264, a law restricting property ownership by individuals from China and six other countries. Filed in May 2024, the lawsuit alleges that SB 264 violates the Fair Housing Act by discriminating on the basis of national origin. Unlike Shen v. Simpson, which focuses on constitutional arguments, this lawsuit emphasizes how SB 264 disproportionately affects individuals from targeted countries and was enacted with discriminatory intent, as evidenced by Governor DeSantis’s statements.NFHA filed the lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida. It was joined by the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA), two Florida-based fair housing organizations, and an Asian American-owned real estate company. The plaintiffs are represented by civil rights law firms and advocacy groups, including the Asian American Justice Center. Florida officials initially sought to transfer the case to the Northern District, where Shen v. Simpson is being heard, but the judge denied the request. However, the case has been stayed pending the Eleventh Circuit’s decision in Shen v. Simpson.Scott highlighted the broader implications of SB 264, emphasizing that such restrictive land ownership laws reflect a troubling trend of targeting immigrant communities, particularly those of Asian descent. The lawsuit aims to set a legal precedent to prevent similar discriminatory policies from undermining fair housing protections across the United States.Civil rights groups are closely monitoring similar legislative efforts in other states, assessing potential legal challenges. Scott reiterated the importance of holding lawmakers accountable for policies that perpetuate discrimination and reaffirmed the commitment of advocacy organizations to ensuring housing equity and protecting the rights of immigrant communities.On March 4, 2025, Scott will continue the discussion as a speaker at a webinar co-hosted by the Committee of 100 and APA Justice: 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 HOST: 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 Temporary Injunction Against Florida Discriminatory Law SB846 On February 11, 2025, the Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA) 华美维权同盟 announced that a federal magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida has issued a recommendation stating that SB 846 likely violates the U.S. Constitution and should be temporarily blocked. Florida SB 846 is a state law that restricts public universities and colleges from employing Chinese students, scholars, and researchers, citing national security concerns. SB846 fosters discrimination against Asian American communities, undermines academic freedom, and hampers scientific progress. This is a significant step forward in the lawsuit Yin v. Diaz (1:24-cv-21129) filed by CALDA, the ACLU, and Perkins Coie on behalf of Chinese students and a professor. The district judge will make the final decision in the coming weeks, and in most cases, such recommendations are upheld. The enforcement of SB 846 has already harmed Chinese students, some of whom lost research and teaching positions, had their projects canceled, or were forced to leave their programs. Asian Pacific American (APA) organizations led by the Asian American Scholar Forum, United Chinese Americans (UCA), Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, and APA Justice have been actively opposing Florida's SB 846 by making public statements and advocacy, supporting the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of SB846, organizing protests and rallies, and providing resources and explainers to inform the public and mobilizing community action and support. Local organizations such as the Florida Chinese Faculty Association, Graduate Assistants United, The United Faculty of Florida, and University of Florida's Student Senate are among many local groups that have been active and engaged. These concerted efforts strive to combat SB 846, protect the rights of Asian American communities, and promote equitable academic and professional environments.Read the CALDA announcement in Chinese: https://bit.ly/40UZ0l9 . Read the recommendation Order: https://bit.ly/42UDArg. Attorney Clay Zhu 朱可亮律师 , Co-Founder of CALDA, will give an update at the APA Justice monthly meeting on March 3, 2025. NIH in Turmoil; Federal Data Integrity Threatened As of February 16, 2025, the number of lawsuits against President Donald Trump's executive actions reported by the Just Security Litigation Tracker has grown to 74. Dr. Lawrence A. Tabak , the number 2 official as the Principal Deputy Director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), abruptly resigned and retired on February 11, 2025. Dr. Michael Lauer , deputy director of the National Institutes of Health’s extramural research, announced his departure the next day,On February 10, 2025, twenty-two (22) state attorneys general filed a lawsuit, Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. National Institutes of Health (1:25-cv-10338) , against the Trump administration plan to limit how it pays universities and research institutes for “indirect costs” to 15%. According to NBC News , “ This agency action will result in layoffs, suspension of clinical trials, disruption of ongoing research programs, and laboratory closures,” the lawsuit says. “NIH’s extraordinary attempt to disrupt all existing and future grants not only poses an immediate threat to the nation’s research infrastructure, but will also have a long-lasting impact on its research capabilities and its ability to provide life-saving breakthroughs in scientific research.” On February 14, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley , a U.S. district judge, granted the attorneys generals' request for a temporary restraining order, ordering the agencies not to take any steps to implement, apply or enforce the new policy. Judge Kelley set an in-person hearing for February 21.Two additional lawsuits have been filed at the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts against the NIH plan - Association of American Universities v. Department of Health & Human Services (1:25-cv-10346) and Association of American Medical Colleges v. National Institutes of Health (1:25-cv-10340) On January 30, 2025, U.S. Census Bureau Director Dr. Robert Santos announced his resignation mid-way through his five-year term. He was sworn in as the bureau’s 26th director, and its first Hispanic leader, in 2022. His last day was February 14, 2025. According to NPR on February 12, 2025, the Census Bureau removed access to key data following President Trump's executive order targeting gender identity, raising concerns over political interference and data censorship. The order, issued on January 20, led to a temporary shutdown of the bureau’s website and the removal of webpages related to research on gender identity and sexual orientation. Federal agencies, including the Census Bureau, were directed to eliminate materials promoting “gender ideology,” a term often used by opponents of transgender rights. This abrupt action disrupted public access to critical demographic data, hindered internal operations, and left employees unable to access essential platforms. Despite public outcry, the bureau has yet to provide an official explanation, fueling concerns about the integrity and independence of federal data collection.In response, over 230 organizations, led by the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS), the American Statistical Association, and the Population Association of America, issued a letter urging Congress to "demand the complete restoration of any federal data that have been removed" and work with the administration to "prevent any future purge or removal of data from federal agency websites and portals." Read the COPAFS letter on Protecting Public Access to Federal Data: https://bit.ly/41h0BTJ Advocates warn that suppressing data on gender identity effectively erases LGBTQ+ populations and undermines civil rights protections, including efforts to combat hate crimes. Experts argue that decades of research into measuring gender identity could be lost, reversing progress made in ensuring accurate representation in federal statistics. Lawmakers, including Democratic Representatives Mark Takano , Jamie Raskin , and Gerry Connolly , have called for an immediate halt to the executive order’s implementation, emphasizing the importance of recognizing transgender individuals in government data. Researchers and librarians have begun independent efforts to preserve the missing data, but concerns remain that the government’s actions set a dangerous precedent for political interference in public information. Experts also warn that the outright deletion of government records could have legal ramifications, as the destruction of certain federal data may constitute a criminal offense. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/02/18 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 Meeting2025/03/04 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 Meeting2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Lunar New Year Celebrations in San Francisco San Francisco’s Chinese New Year parade drew massive crowds on February 15, 2025, reinforcing its status as a premier celebration in the Bay Area Asian community, according to AsAmNews , KTVU-2 , San Francisco Standard , and multiple media reports. Acclaimed Chinese American actress and longtime San Francisco resident Joan Chen served as grand marshal, kicking off the festivities at sunset by lighting firecrackers at Union Square. The parade featured nearly 100 floats and performance groups, including an enormous dragon carried by approximately 110 people, not including side support.Newly elected Mayor Daniel Lurie participated as honorary grand marshal, and the parade stretched roughly one mile. "Welcome to the best Lunar New Year parade outside of Asia," declared San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu . "The oldest, most historic, and most amazing Chinatown in the United States is right here in San Francisco!" # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF February 17, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #85 UTK's Catch-22; New Studies on EEA Released; SFCAUSE; Anti-Asian Hate/Racial Profiling #85 UTK's Catch-22; New Studies on EEA Released; SFCAUSE; Anti-Asian Hate/Racial Profiling Back View PDF September 23, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #376 Message from Rep. Judy Chu; Gary Locke Honored; Chinese Americans; Science Reports; + #376 Message from Rep. Judy Chu; Gary Locke Honored; Chinese Americans; Science Reports; + In This Issue #376 · New Year Message from Rep. Judy Chu · Gary Locke Honored for His Public Service · U.S.–China Rhetoric Shapes the Lives of Chinese Americans · Science: Tables Turned and Brain Drain · News and Activities for the Communities New Year Message from Rep. Judy Chu In a Lunar New Year message to APA Justice during the monthly meeting on February 2, 2026, Congresswoman Judy Chu 赵美心 —Chair Emerita of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)—welcomed the Year of the Horse as a time to renew energy, focus, and commitment to the issues impacting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. Reflecting on her 2015 call to organize against the growing racial profiling of Chinese scientists and researchers, Rep. Chu credited that moment with helping catalyze the formation of the APA Justice Task Force. She expressed deep appreciation for APA Justice leaders, including Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 , Steven Pei 白先慎 , and Vincent Wong 王文奎 , whose sustained advocacy over the past decade has been critical in confronting discrimination, defending civil rights, and educating the community. Rep. Chu highlighted major civil rights battles of the past year, including efforts to block discriminatory state and federal laws restricting land ownership by Chinese and other immigrant communities under the guise of national security. She underscored her leadership in reintroducing the Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act with Rep. Al Green , removing discriminatory language from the defense spending bill, and preventing attempts to revive the xenophobic “China Initiative,” which disproportionately targeted Chinese and Chinese American scientists. She warned that national security must never be used as a pretext for racial profiling, particularly as renewed legislative and political efforts threaten hard-won progress. Looking ahead to 2026, Rep. Chu issued a stark warning about escalating threats under the Trump administration, citing attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion; the dismantling of the White House Initiative on AANHPI communities; assaults on language access; reckless public health decisions affecting hepatitis B prevention; and the terrorizing impact of aggressive ICE enforcement on immigrant families. She reaffirmed her commitment to accountability, transparency, and humane immigration reform, including her Visible Act and Reuniting Families Act . Closing on a note of resolve, Rep. Chu emphasized that organizations like APA Justice are indispensable partners in the fight ahead. “Together,” she affirmed, “we will keep fighting back and keep moving forward this Year of the Horse.” Amanda Yuen , Legislative Aide to Rep. Judy Chu whose portfolio includes issues affecting the AANHPI community, introduced the video. Watch the video of Rep. Chu’s new year message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcOcQG4mTH8 (12:04). G ary Locke Honored for His Public Service Former Washington Governor Gary Locke 骆家辉 was awarded the Elliott L. Richardson Prize by the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) on January 28, 2026, recognizing a career defined by public service, integrity, and historic firsts. Locke is the first Chinese American elected governor in the United States and the first Chinese American to serve as U.S. Secretary of Commerce. He received the biennial award alongside former Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. NAPA President and CEO James-Christian Blockwood praised both honorees, stating they “exemplify a model of leadership rooted in commitment, excellence and service that will inspire future generations of public servants.” Locke told AsAmNews that the honor came as a surprise. “It’s not something that I sought,” he said. “I’m very honored to have been selected and to be in the company of Janet Yellen… and also in the company of so many other very distinguished Americans who have received this award.” The prize honors the legacy of Elliott L. Richardson , the only individual to serve in four U.S. Cabinet positions, and is awarded to leaders who embody his principles of ethical public administration. Locke’s path to public office began not with political ambition but with community advocacy. Raised in Seattle’s Chinatown, he started his career as an attorney intending to help immigrant families with wills and legal documents. His work preserving Chinatown and expanding Asian American employment opportunities eventually led others to encourage him to run for office. “The more I thought about it, I said, why not me?” Locke recalled. “If we really care about the issues affecting our community… we need to be at the table helping set the policies and making the decisions.” He often cites his success within his family’s immigrant story. Locke has spoken passionately of his grandfather, who immigrated from China and worked as a houseboy in exchange for English lessons. “It took our family 100 years to move one mile and into the Governor’s Mansion,” he once commented. Reflecting more broadly, Locke said, “Our family’s story is really the story of so many other Asian Americans and really all Americans… wave after wave of people from all around the world… has made America great.” Looking back, Locke identifies several defining moments: being sworn in as governor, being singled out by President Clinton during a State of the Union address, and later serving under President Obama as Commerce Secretary and U.S. Ambassador to China. Yet his favorite memories remain the town halls across Washington State. “People would just come up on a microphone and just talk about their concerns,” he said. “Meeting people from all walks of life” was the most rewarding part of governing. Now, Locke serves as the chairman of Locke Global Strategies and on the executive board of the Committee 100. Committee 100 is an organization comprised of prominent Chinese citizens and Chinese Americans that aims to bridge the gap between the U.S and China and to promote the full participation of all Chinese Americans in American society. In keeping with the prize’s spirit, Locke is donating his award funds to the College Success Foundation, which provides college scholarships to foster youth. “I am really humbled by this award,” Locke said. “And I just hope that I’ve made people proud.” Gary Locke has made all of us proud. Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/4brvBGd . Watch the video posted by the National Academy of Public Administration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJuTVuVJdC0 (1:46:35). U.S.–China Rhetoric Shapes the Lives of Chinese Americans A ccording to The Hill on January 29, 2026, a new survey conducted by the Committee of 100 in collaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago finds that a majority of Americans (54 percent) believe President Trump’s rhetoric about China negatively affects how people of Chinese descent are treated in the United States. The findings highlight a strong public awareness that U.S.–China relations—and especially the language used by political leaders and the media—have real consequences for Chinese Americans’ daily lives, including their sense of belonging, safety, and mental health. Cindy Tsai , executive vice president and general counsel of the Committee of 100, emphasized this connection, noting the direct impact that rhetoric can have on whether Chinese Americans feel secure and accepted in their own country. The survey also demonstrates that precision in language matters: respondents reacted more positively toward Chinese Americans when news coverage attributed wrongdoing to the “Chinese government” rather than to “China” broadly, reinforcing the importance of distinguishing governments from people. Despite high levels of unfavorable views of China overall, majorities of Democrats and Republicans support closer U.S.–China cooperation on shared challenges, and only a small minority favor banning Chinese students and researchers from the United States. Together, these findings suggest broad bipartisan recognition that rhetoric and policy choices not only shape foreign relations but also profoundly influence how Americans perceive—and treat—fellow citizens and residents of Chinese descent. Read The Hill report: https://bit.ly/4qKP3Tb Science: Tables Turned and Brain Drain According to a Science opinion on January 29, 2026, for much of the past century, U.S. scientific leadership has been driven by major national research initiatives, often spurred by geopolitical competition. That dominance began to erode about two decades ago as China surged ahead in engineering and materials science, and more recently in medicine and biopharmaceuticals. Guided by long-term planning—especially its 14th Five-Year Plan—China has streamlined clinical trials, reduced costs, accelerated drug approvals, and dramatically expanded its drug development pipeline. As a result, China has reached parity with the U.S. in drug development, with one-third of new drugs licensed by major U.S. pharmaceutical companies now originating there. Despite these shifts, the U.S. response has been muted, reflecting policy drift rather than a coordinated national strategy. Industry leaders warn that this complacency risks ceding the future of life sciences. They argue the U.S. is prioritizing domestic manufacturing while neglecting the fundamental research that generates long-term value and innovation—effectively “outsourcing innovation.” Beyond economics, the essay urges the U.S. to rethink its zero-sum approach to China, recognizing science as a global public good. America’s historical strengths—sustained public funding and openness to global talent—are weakening, even as cooperation becomes more essential. As the author concludes, just as today’s devices combine American science and Chinese manufacturing, future life-saving medicines may reverse that equation unless the U.S. reengages strategically, collaboratively, and ambitiously. Read the Science opinion: https://bit.ly/4aoq8yZ According to a Science report on January 26, 2026, there was a significant loss of STEM Ph.D. employees in the U.S. federal government during Donald Trump 's presidency. In 2025, over 10,000 doctoral-trained experts in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), and health fields left their positions, accounting for 14% of the total STEM Ph.D. workforce in federal agencies. This exodus was part of a broader reduction in the federal workforce, with departures outnumbering new hires by a ratio of 11 to 1 across 14 research agencies analyzed. The National Science Foundation (NSF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy, and U.S. Forest Service were among the hardest hit, losing a significant percentage of their highly trained workforce. The reasons for these departures varied, with most leaving due to retirements, quitting, or buyout offers. While reductions in force (RIFs) accounted for some exits, other factors such as fear of being fired or disagreements with Trump administration policies also played a role. At NSF, nearly half of the departing STEM Ph.D.s were rotators—academics temporarily working at the agency—whose positions were largely eliminated. The loss of these experts resulted in a substantial reduction in federal work experience, with 106,636 years of experience lost in 2025 alone. The report underscores the impact of these losses on the affected agencies, which rely heavily on the expertise of STEM Ph.D.s for research and operations. It also provides detailed data analysis and visualizations to illustrate the trends. Read the Science report on the great government brain drain: https://bit.ly/3ZJPbGu News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/02/12 New York Regional Convening and Listening Session 2026/02/17 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative "Personal Marketing and Mentorship" 2026/03/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. 02/12 New York Regional Convening and Listening Session WHAT : New York Regional Convening and Listening Session WHEN : February 12, 2026, 3:30 - 6:00 pm ET WHERE : New York University, Kimmel Center, Rosenthal Pavilion, 60 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012 HOST : National Asian Pacific American Museum Commission DESCRIPTION : The National Asian Pacific American Museum Commission is continuing its listening tour across the country and will be in NYC next! We invite anyone interested in learning more about the work of the Commission—including community leaders, academic professionals, and youth—to join us and share your input on what a future National Asian Pacific American Museum could look like. Learn more at www.nationalapamuseum.org . REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/3ZhTQ2n 3. Celebrating 250: Building America’s Future Together WHAT : Celebrating 250 - Building America’s Future Together WHEN : May 12-14, 2026 · May 12-13: Legislative Leadership Summit: May 12-13 · May 13: 32nd Annual Awards Gala: May 13 · May 14: Military Leadership Appreciation Luncheon WHERE : TBD HOST : Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) DESCRIPTION : Join the APAICS community this May for our Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AA & NH/PI) Heritage Month events! This year's theme, "Celebrating 250: Building America's Future Together," is dedicated to honoring the deep-rooted legacy of AA & NH/PIs in our country and looking ahead to the future we're forging together. Learn More : https://bit.ly/4t6IgET # # # 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 4, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #35 Sign On To Letter To President-Elect To End DOJ's "China Initiative" #35 Sign On To Letter To President-Elect To End DOJ's "China Initiative" Back View PDF December 16, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter