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

Newsletter - #48 03/01 Meeting Summary; CSU Webinar; What You Can Do Today #48 03/01 Meeting Summary; CSU Webinar; What You Can Do Today Back View PDF March 11, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #203 Reminder: Sign-on Letter! March on Washington; State Restrictions; Listening Session #203 Reminder: Sign-on Letter! March on Washington; State Restrictions; Listening Session In This Issue #203 Reminder: Invitation to Sign Letter to President Biden Urging Renewal of US-China Protocol on Scientific and Technological Cooperation See You at the "March on Washington" on August 26 NYT: Spreading State Restrictions on China Show Depths of Distrust in the U.S. AASF Community Listening Session with the Department of Defense Reminder: Invitation to Sign Letter to President Biden Urging Renewal of US-China Protocol on Scientific and Technological Cooperation Stanford University Professors Steven Kivelson and Peter F. Michelson issued the following letter calling for faculty members and scholars at U.S. institutions of higher learning to co-sign a letter to President Joe Biden to renew the US-China Protocol on Scientific and Technological Cooperation. Read the letter here: https://bit.ly/3KP6wXG Sign on to the letter here: https://bit.ly/3qGWC3r WHEN: Before Noon PDT on Thursday, August 24 APA Justice has created this web page to track the continuing development: https://bit.ly/3E9NmI8 Media reports: 2023/08/23 Reuters : US seeks extension to controversial science agreement with China 2023/08/23 Voice of America : US Seeks to Extend Science, Tech Agreement With China for 6 Months 2023/08/23 NBC News : Biden resists pressure from lawmakers and seeks short extension to key China science pact 2023/08/22 The Guardian : Warnings of scientific ‘suicide’ as US-China research collaboration hangs in balance See You at the "March on Washington" on August 26 United Chinese Americans (UCA) has issued a statement to urge the Chinese American and AANHPI communities to join the "March on Washington" in Washington DC on Saturday, August 26, 2023. The statement reads:"Sixty years ago, Dr. King delivered his immortal speech 'I have a dream' at Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC."Sixty years later, Chinese Americans are joining Americans of all ethnicities and background to march again for justice and equality. We march now not just to commemorate but to realize the dream!"The Civil Rights Movement of the sixties has seared in the memory of Americans, but the mission is far from being completed. With racial profiling China Initiative, Chinese exclusion land bills in many states, and growing mistrust toward our community, now is the time for Chinese Americans to call for the civil rights movement of our generation."As a proud partner of this historic march to continue the dream, UCA cordially invites you to join this historical event. Let’s march to renew our pledge to build a truly inclusive and pluralistic democracy! Let’s march to relive the spirit of 60’s and for our shared dream! Will you join us this Saturday in Washington DC?"Register for the event: https://tinyurl.com/March-on-Washington-August-26 ." Thanks to the support of the Committee of 100 and The Yellow Whistle ™, APA Justice will help to distribute yellow whistles on site. Use the whistle to amplify the voices of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Participants are urged to wear yellow color clothing. YELLOW is beautiful. Let us take the YELLOW back. We shall not remain silent, because WE BELONG™. Participants who wish to help distribute the yellow whistles should send a request to contact@apajustice.org . ENTRANCE March participants will enter on 17th St. between Independence and Constitution, Ave. ONLY. See the March Route map above. WEATHER & HYDRATION We anticipate the August summer heat during this event. We ask that you access participation based on your health history. Please bring water, hydrate, and summer cooling items for your safety; some will also be available on-site. We ask that you RECYCLE all water bottles using the recycling bins around the mall. MARCH ROUTE Marchers will begin lining up on Lincoln Circle NW and proceed South on 23rd St. crossing through the median onto the Southern portion of Independence Ave (see map above). They will march to West Potomac Park, serving as the dispersal point. Marchers will be routed to DC Metro locations, including Farragut West and North, Federal Triangle, and Smithsonian. Anyone not marching must exit the memorial and head to their transportation.Current Weather Forecast: According to local radio WTOP , organizers expect tens of thousands of visitors to take part in this year’s march at the Lincoln Memorial. The event is led by the Rev. Al Sharpton , Martin Luther King III and his wife, Andrea Waters King. According to an invitation by the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), Dr. King's iconic "I Have a Dream" speech resonated with all those seeking justice beyond racial divides. This historic event's relevance extends to the scholar community, which also faces difficult challenges ahead. Recognizing the participation of scholars in the march highlights the interconnected struggles against inequality. It underscores the importance of collaboration among diverse groups in the fight for justice and equality, reminding us that our collective efforts transcend boundaries. 2023/08/23 AP News : At March on Washington’s 60th anniversary, leaders seek energy of original movement for civil rights 2023/08/23 NBC News : The March on Washington's core ideas resonate 60 years later 2023/08/23 USA Today : ‘Tell ’em about the dream, Martin!’: Memories from the crowd at MLK’s March on Washington National Archives: Official Program for the March on Washington (1963) Library of Congress: The March on Washington NYT: Spreading State Restrictions on China Show Depths of Distrust in the U.S. According to the New York Times on August 21, 2023, at a moment when Washington is trying to reset its tense relationship with China, states across the country are leaning into anti-Chinese sentiment and crafting or enacting sweeping rules aimed at severing economic ties with Beijing.The measures, in places like Florida, Utah and South Carolina, are part of a growing political push to make the United States less economically dependent on China and to limit Chinese investment over concerns that it poses a national security risk. Those concerns are shared by the Biden administration, which has been trying to reduce America’s reliance on China by increasing domestic manufacturing and strengthening trade ties with allies.But the state efforts have the potential to be far more expansive than what the administration is orchestrating. They have drawn backlash from business groups over concerns that state governments are veering toward protectionism and retreating from a longstanding tradition of welcoming foreign investment into the United States.The restrictions coincide with a resurgence of anti-China sentiment. While Washington may see a relationship with China as a necessary evil, officials at the state and local levels appear determined to try to sever their economic relationship with America’s third-largest trading partner.One of the biggest targets has been Chinese landownership, despite the fact that China owns less than 400,000 acres in the United States, according to the Agriculture Department. That is less than 1 percent of all foreign-owned land.One of the most provocative restrictions has been championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a Republican who is running for president. In May, Mr. DeSantis signed a law prohibiting Chinese companies or citizens from purchasing or investing in properties.But the legislation is written so broadly that an investment fund or a company that has even a small ownership stake from a Chinese company or a Chinese investor and buys a property would be violating the law. Business groups and the Biden administration have criticized the law as overreach, while Republican attorneys general around the country have sided with Mr. DeSantis. The Florida legislation, which targets “countries of concern” and imposes special restrictions on China, is being challenged in federal court. A group of Chinese citizens and a real estate brokerage firm in Florida that are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union sued the state in May, arguing that the law codifies and expands housing discrimination. The Justice Department filed a “statement of interest” arguing that Florida’s landownership policy is unlawful.Read the New York Times report in both English and Chinese 切断与中国经济联系？美国多州“反中”情绪渐涨: https://nyti.ms/3sibK7M Watch also NBC News report " Backlash grows over Chinese companies purchasing land in U.S. " (video 3:12) AASF Community Listening Session with the Department of Defense The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) will host a scholar community listening session with the Department of Defense (DoD) on August 30, 2023, starting at 7:00 pm ET. The session provides a platform where scholars can ask questions and engage in dialogue. The guest speaker is Bindu Nair , Department of Defense Director of Basic Research. This is a unique opportunity to offer feedback and learn more about new and developing policies at the DoD. The listening session will cover " Policy for Risk-Based Security Reviews of Fundamental Research " issued by the DoD on June 8, 2023. The event is closed to the media and will not be recorded.Read the AASF announcement: https://bit.ly/44o4apu . Register for the event: https://bit.ly/3E6Rs43 Back View PDF August 23, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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

Newsletter - #167 2/17 Webinar; CAPAC Statement; Community Call, Town Hall, Sign On; Media Reports #167 2/17 Webinar; CAPAC Statement; Community Call, Town Hall, Sign On; Media Reports In This Issue #167 A Call to Stop Senate Bill 147 and All Alien Land Laws Webinar CAPAC Statement and Congressional Bills Community Activities - Conference Call, Town Hall, Sign-on Letter Media Reports A Call to Stop Senate Bill 147 and All Alien Land Laws Webinar WHAT: Webinar titled "A Call to Stop SB 147 and All Alien Land Laws REGISTRATION: http://bit.ly/3jXSPv9 or scan QR code in poster above WHEN: Friday, February 17, 2023, starting at 5:00 pm ET/2:00 pm PT WHO: Opening Remarks Judy Chu 赵美心 , Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Panelists Gene Wu 吳元之 , Representative, Texas House of Representatives Jamal Abdi , President, National Iranian American Council (NIAC) David Donatti , Staff Attorney, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas Clay Zhu 朱可亮 , Attorney and Co-Founder, Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA) Moderator: Haipei Shue 薛海培 , President, United Chinese Americans (UCA) SPONSORS: 1882 Foundation , APA Justice , United Chinese Americans CONTACT: contact@apajustice.org if you have questions or comments CAPAC Statement and Congressional Bills Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). On February 15, 2023, CAPAC leadership issued a statement addressing efforts to restrict land and property ownership of foreign nationals from the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea: “As CAPAC’s leadership, we are incredibly concerned by efforts to restrict ownership of land and property by immigrants from the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. While we do not oppose limitations on foreign state-owned enterprises, or on entities, companies, or individuals with ties to foreign governments, from making purchases of agricultural land or property, we staunchly object to any legislation—at the federal, state, or local level—that bans an individual from land or property ownership solely based on their country of origin. At this moment of heightened U.S.-China tensions and as we in Congress remain vigilant in protecting our national and economic security, CAPAC’s leadership will continue to raise our voices to ensure that we are not eroding the civil liberties of individuals in our communities. “What alarms us is the impact of anti-China fearmongering on Chinese immigrant communities and the erection of unfair barriers to their pursuit of the American Dream solely because of their country of origin. We speak out now as we have seen policies like this before in our nation’s history. Such policies targeted at individual citizens echo xenophobic alien land laws targeting Asian immigrants—in the 1800s, when anti-Chinese sentiment culminated in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, or during World War II when tensions with Japan led to the stripping of land ownership rights from Japanese immigrants and the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans. “No one should be prevented from getting a fair shot at building their lives here in America because of their country of origin. We are facing a pivotal moment in history and as we consider the impacts of our actions on Chinese immigrant and Chinese American communities, we urge our colleagues to be mindful of using rhetoric or writing legislation that would further discriminate against our community members. As our nation’s leaders navigate the increasingly complex U.S.-China relationship globally, we encourage nuance and clarity to ensure the rights of our communities domestically are not collateral damage.” PASS Act Introduced in U.S. Congress. On February 2, 2023, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR), Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA), Senator John Tester (D-MT), and Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) are introducing the bipartisan Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act, which will "protect our national security by preventing foreign adversaries from taking any ownership or control of the United States’ agricultural land and agricultural businesses." Read the announcement: http://bit.ly/3It9Gzw . Read the language of the bill: https://bit.ly/3IrFdSh Governing.com . THE FUTURE IN CONTEXT: How States Used Land Laws to Exclude and Displace Asian Americans . In the 19th and 20th centuries, more than a dozen states enacted legislation barring Asians from purchasing property. But immigrants and their families used the court system and legal loopholes to fight back. Community Activities - Conference Call, Town Hall, Sign-on Letter Advancing Justice | AAJC Convenes Conference Call. Given the rapidly moving and extraordinary work of community organizations pushing back on the xenophobic Texas Senate Bill 147, Advancing Justice | AAJC is organizing a call on Thursday, February 16th at 3pm CST (4pm EST) to hear from those who have been at the frontlines of this battle in Texas, including Texas State Representative Gene Wu 吳元之 , and others who have been monitoring the situation. The purpose of the call would be to give space to the local Texas organizations and leaders to speak to their efforts on SB 147 and what they think may be helpful from outside organizations; to ensure support from and coordination of efforts across organizations and groups outside Texas; to share resources that are available across local and national groups; and to identify next steps. Register here: http://bit.ly/3YLVJlO Town Hall Meeting in Plano, Texas On February 19, 2023, a Town Hall meeting will be convened at the Collin County Republican Party Headquarters to listen to the Asian American community's concern over the proposed Texas Senate Bills 147 and 552. Texas District 2 Senator Bob Hall (R), District 8 Senator Angela Paxton (R), and District 66 Rep. Matt Shaheen (R) are invited. Sign on Letter by Asian Texan for Justice Opposing SB 147. Asian Texan for Justice has prepared a letter opposing Texas Senate Bill 147 for sign-ons here: https://bit.ly/3KglxT3 . Questions or concerns should be directed to info@asiantexansforjustice.org Media Reports On February 14, 2023, BBC News 中文 reported on "美國德州擬禁華人買房 華裔遊行抗議稱「美國夢碎」." https://bbc.in/3YAdODA On February 13, 2023, South China Morning Post reported on "Citing security risks, US states move to bar Chinese land purchases and projects with China ties." Virginia governor nixes a US$3.5 billion battery plant, and 2,500 new jobs for his state, because Ford Motors has a Chinese partner on the project. Legislative bans on Chinese land ownership, and in some cases even real estate, are pending in three states, and others have limited farmland purchases. https://bit.ly/3E5vui6 On February 11, 2023, Click2Houston reported on "Asian American community members and elected officials speak out against Senate Bill 147." https://bit.ly/3YsAkOv On February 9, 2023, USA Today reported on "Spy fears spark flurry of proposed laws aiming to ban Chinese land ownership." http://bit.ly/3I8u6wg On February 7, 2023, New York Times reported on "How U.S.-China Tensions Could Affect Who Buys the House Next Door." https://nyti.ms/40IuVEq On February 7, 2023, 纽约时报中文网 : " 美中关系阴影难消，得州拟禁止中国公民及企业买房购地." https://nyti.ms/40XETCb On February 7, 2023, 紐約時報中文網 : " 美中關係陰影難消，得州擬禁止中國公民及企業買房購地 ." https://nyti.ms/3EbqNmW Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF February 16, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #401 SCOTUS/APAs Reaffirm Birthright Citizenship; Reporter Herridge Contempt Fine Stands; + #401 SCOTUS/APAs Reaffirm Birthright Citizenship; Reporter Herridge Contempt Fine Stands; + In This Issue #401 · Supreme Court Reaffirms Birthright Citizenship · Asian Pacific Americans on Birthright Citizenship · Supreme Court Lets Herridge Contempt Fine Stand · News and Activities for the Communities Supreme Court Reaffirms Birthright Citizenship On July 7, 2026, ACLU hosted a Town Hall covering the Supreme Court's rulings in landmark civil rights cases, particularly the birthright citizenship case, Barbara v Trump . The event was moderated by Michael Popok , Legal AF Podcast and YouTube Channel Founder. Watch the ACLU Town Hall video at: https://www.youtube.com/live/Bd6bqyDnBc0 (1:00:49). Trump's Executive Order On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order targeting birthright citizenship, aiming to deny citizenship to children born on U.S. soil under certain circumstances — a policy long confined to fringe circles before this administration adopted it. ACLU's Response Anthony Romero , ACLU Executive Director, explained the ACLU had anticipated this move for months, having taken Trump's campaign-trail threats to birthright citizenship seriously well before inauguration. The organization did the legal groundwork in advance — research, identifying clients, choosing venue — so that when the order was signed on Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday, the ACLU filed suit within two hours. Cecillia Wang , ACLU National Legal Director, noted the ACLU's opposition actually traces back further, to when it began pushing back on similar fringe proposals surfacing in state legislatures in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Oral Argument Wang argued the case before the Court on April 1, 2026. She described three levels of stakes she carried into arguments: the roughly 250,000 U.S.-born children who could have lost citizenship in the order's first year (some potentially left stateless); the precedent of a president unilaterally reinterpreting the 14th Amendment, raising fears about who might be targeted next; and the historical weight of the citizenship clause, whose legacy includes free Black Americans who fought for it to cover everyone born in the country, not only formerly enslaved people. Notably, she said the argument stayed accessible to ordinary Americans rather than diving into arcane legal history, since the real audience extended beyond the nine justices. Romero, seated a row behind Trump at the argument, described the president growing visibly anxious as questioning began — contradicting reports that he left before Wang's argument concluded. Supreme Court Ruling On June 30, 2026, the Court ruled 6-3 to block the order, with five justices ruling on constitutional grounds and Justice Brett Kavanaugh concurring on statutory grounds. The panel called it a definitive rebuke of one of Trump's signature first-day initiatives, made more notable because two of Trump's three Supreme Court appointees — Justice Amy Coney Barrett , who joined the constitutional majority, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh , who supplied the decisive sixth vote on statutory grounds — ruled against him, while his first appointee, Justice Neil Gorsuch , dissented. Broader Advocacy Context Deirdre Schifeling , ACLU Chief Political & Advocacy Officer, tied the win to a wider organizing push: protests that pressured the administration into pulling ICE agents out of Minneapolis after the killings of protesters; a "Firewall for Freedom" campaign that has helped pass 145 state and local protections since Trump's inauguration (about half related to immigrant rights, including bans on ICE–local police coordination); and polling showing 61% of Americans disapprove of Trump's immigration approach and 66% have little to no confidence in ICE. She also noted a separate, less favorable Supreme Court ruling permitting termination of Temporary Protected Status for 17 countries, affecting more than 1.3 million people, and pointed to the National TPS Alliance's ongoing organizing on that front. Public Messaging Romero described a multimillion-dollar ad campaign built around Bruce Springsteen 's "Born in the USA" (rights granted by Springsteen and his manager Jon Landau ), targeted at audiences including Fox News viewers and areas like Mar-a-Lago, run during oral arguments and again after the ruling. The strategy paired courtroom litigation with what Romero called the "courts of public opinion," aiming to keep the issue alive with the public through the July 4th period and potentially beyond, depending on whether Trump keeps raising it politically. Closing Note from Forum Wang cautioned against reading the win as reason for complacency: rights remain vulnerable, as shown by the fact that a once-fringe policy reached the Supreme Court at all. She pointed to 134 immigration-related lawsuits the ACLU has filed against the Trump administration since his second term began as evidence the broader fight continues, framing the birthright win as proof that collective action can succeed — not as a signal that the underlying threats have subsided. Closing Note on Supreme Court Decision The Supreme Court actually reported both a 6-3 and a 5-4 vote because of a narrow split in legal reasoning: The 5-4 Constitutional Vote: Five justices (Chief Justice John Roberts alongside Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson) ruled that the executive order violated the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment. The 6-3 Overall Vote: Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed that the policy was unlawful and struck down the order, but he did so based on federal statute (immigration laws from the 1950s) rather than the Constitution itself. Because he joined the majority to invalidate the policy, the total vote against the order was 6-3. This discrepancy is politically and legally significant because constitutional rulings are very difficult to change, whereas Kavanaugh's statutory approach leaves the door open for future Congresses to alter birthright citizenship through legislation. Read more about this legal analysis at SCOTUSblog . Asian Pacific Americans on Birthright Citizenship Asian Pacific American (APA) groups are central to the defense of birthright citizenship, anchoring their advocacy in the landmark 1898 Wong Kim Ark Supreme Court case. Legal Teams and Lawsuits The Asian Law Caucus (ALC) served as part of the core litigation team alongside the ACLU and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in Barbara v Trump . ALC explicitly utilized local history involving Wong Kim Ark in San Francisco’s Chinatown to frame the national debate. They positioned the 2026 legal fight as a direct continuation of the historic 1898 United States v. Wong Kim Ark case, reminding the public and the courts that Asian Americans have historically fought for and secured automatic citizenship for all children born on U.S. soil. ALC spearheaded The American Promise: Defending Birthright Citizenship campaign, uniting more than 200 civil rights, labor, and immigrant advocate organizations nationwide to build a unified front against the policy. ALC also focused on cross-community education, producing multi-lingual Know Your Rights toolkits (available in English, Chinese, Spanish, and Korean) and hosted nationwide digital rallies to explain how the policy threatened not just undocumented families, but also temporary workers, student visa holders, and asylum seekers. OCA also filed a lawsuit regarding birthright citizenship on behalf of its members, which included pregnant women residing in the U.S. on lawful temporary visas whose future children were threatened with the denial of birthright citizenship under the executive order. Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC and the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC) served as the attorney organizations representing OCA. The legal action, titled OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates v. Rubio , was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Following initial filings, AAJC and WLC amended the complaint to proceed as a nationwide class action to protect all immigrant families facing similar threats. The outcome of OCA's lawsuit was entirely decided by the Supreme Court's ruling. Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) played a leading legislative, public oversight, and political role in defending birthright citizenship against the January 2025 executive order. CAPAC coordinated closely with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to block any legislative attempts to codify changes to birthright citizenship, ensuring that efforts to alter the policy lacked a legislative path forward. CAPAC Chair Grace Meng co-led a bicameral amicus brief in the landmark case Barbara v Trump , filed by the House Litigation Task Force on behalf of 216 House and Senate Democrats. The brief provided the Supreme Court with exhaustive legislative history and intent behind the Fourteenth Amendment, arguing that the executive branch had unconstitutionally usurped Congress's exclusive authority over naturalization and citizenship laws. CAPAC used its platform to highlight how the executive order targeted legal immigrant communities. They held press conferences and committee hearings emphasizing that the policy directly harmed hundreds of thousands of South Asian and East Asian families caught in decades-long employment-based visa backlogs, whose U.S.-born children would have faced immediate statelessness. The CAPAC community statement summarized the victory with a simple, unifying declaration: “If you are born in America, you are American... We are American, we belong here, and we are not going anywhere!” Additional Asian Pacific American Advocacy Beyond the core litigation and congressional efforts, APA advocacy extended into the bar community, family legacy, and grassroots organizing. The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) led a broad coalition of legal organizations defending birthright citizenship before the Supreme Court, filing supportive briefs and public statements throughout 2026. NAPABA's advocacy drew explicitly on the era of Chinese Exclusion, noting that over 7,000 habeas petitions were filed by Chinese migrants during that period, with several cases reaching the Supreme Court — Wong Kim Ark's among them, and the one that ultimately secured birthright citizenship for all persons born in the United States. NAPABA also built coalition ties with affiliate bar groups, including the National Korean American Bar Association and Chinese American Lawyers associations, reinforcing a pan-Asian legal front. The Wong Kim Ark family itself became an unexpected public face of the movement. Norman Wong , the 76-year-old great-grandson of Wong Kim Ark, began giving speeches and interviews starting in January 2025, shortly after Trump's executive order was issued. Following the ruling, Wong told the Associated Press he saw the decision as "an obligation and a duty for every American to care about," not a personal or ethnic victory, framing it as safeguarding rights "for every American." His family members echoed this in interviews with the New York Times and Newsweek, with descendant Sandra Wong noting the ruling validated a principle her great-grandfather secured 128 years earlier, and describing anticipated celebration in San Francisco's Chinatown. APIAVote actively defends birthright citizenship by organizing legal advocacy, public education, and coalition efforts to protect the 14th Amendment. Its initiatives include legal advocacy and Supreme Court engagement including filing Amicus briefs, leveraging historical precedent on the landmark 1898 ruling United States v. Wong Kim Ark, and mobilizing public rallies outside the Supreme Court during oral arguments, and public education and grassroots awareness including educational webinars, storytelling campaigns highlighting AAPI family testimonies, dissemination of comprehensive timelines and media & community mobilization. Dozens of Asian Pacific American organizations joined Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund's (AALDEF) filing an amicus brief to defend birthright citizenship. Taken together, the Barbara v Trump ruling stands as both a constitutional victory and a reminder of a long, often overlooked lineage: Asian Pacific American communities and legal advocates have shaped the meaning of birthright citizenship since Wong Kim Ark first carried that fight to the Supreme Court in 1898. From ACLU's courtroom strategy to the Asian Law Caucus's coalition-building, CAPAC's legislative oversight, NAPABA's bar-wide mobilization, APIAVote's grassroots organizing, and the Wong family's own public advocacy, this decision reflects the sustained work of many organizations and individuals across generations. As Cecillia Wang and others cautioned, the ruling protects a fundamental promise for now — but the fight to defend it, and the coalitions built to do so, will likely be tested again. Supreme Court Lets Herridge Contempt Fine Stand On July 2, 2026, the Supreme Court declined to block an $800-per-day contempt fine against journalist Catherine Herridge , who has refused to reveal the confidential source or sources behind her 2017 Fox News reporting on Dr. Yanping Chen 陈燕平 , a Chinese American investigated — but never charged — by the FBI. The Court's order gave no explanation, as is typical for emergency applications, but noted that Justice Brett Kavanaugh alone would have granted Herridge's request to stay the fine. Background of the Case Chen, a naturalized U.S. citizen, founded the University of Management and Technology in Arlington, Virginia, a school that drew significant enrollment from Pentagon and military personnel. Herridge's 2017 reporting examined Chen's alleged ties to the Chinese military and raised questions about whether the school was being used to gather information on U.S. servicemembers on Beijing's behalf. The underlying FBI investigation into Chen lasted six years and resulted in no charges. In 2018, Chen sued the FBI and Justice Department, alleging that a federal official violated the Privacy Act by leaking protected information about her — including FBI interview summaries, personal photographs, and immigration records — to Herridge. Chen has said the ensuing coverage upended her personal and professional life and exposed her to hate mail and death threats. When document demands and depositions in Chen's suit failed to identify the leaker, her attorneys subpoenaed Herridge directly. Herridge sat for a deposition but declined to name her source, invoking a qualified reporter's privilege recognized in the D.C. Circuit and other courts. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in August 2024 that Chen's need for the information outweighed that privilege, and Herridge was later held in civil contempt, triggering the daily fine once an appeals panel upheld the order. Chief Justice John Roberts briefly paused the fine while the full Court considered Herridge's emergency application; SCOTUS’s July 2 order lifted that pause. Herridge's legal team has signaled plans to file a separate, more substantive petition asking the Court to review the underlying ruling — a filing that would be considered independently of the emergency application rejected on July 2. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press filed an amicus brief on Herridge's behalf, and former Solicitor General Paul Clement has since joined her legal team — a sign, as one report put it, that this fight is unlikely to be over. On July 29, 2024, APA Justice joined Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) and a coalition of eleven organizations in filing a 43-page amicus brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in support of Dr. Chen, addressing the role of racial prejudice and negative stereotyping of Asian Americans in the government's handling of her case. The Parallel to Dr. Wen Ho Lee The Chen case closely mirrors the Dr. Wen Ho Lee 李文和 case of the late 1990s and early 2000s, a case well known within APA advocacy circles. Lee, a Taiwanese-American scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, was publicly suspected of spying for China amid intense media coverage and held in solitary confinement for roughly nine months. He was ultimately never convicted of espionage — pleading guilty only to a single count of mishandling classified data, with the remaining 58 counts dismissed. The federal judge overseeing his case took the unusual step of apologizing to Lee from the bench for his treatment by the government. Like Chen, Lee subsequently pursued Privacy Act claims against the government, alleging that officials had unlawfully leaked information about him to reporters at multiple outlets, fueling coverage that branded him a spy before any charges were filed. And as in the Herridge dispute, several journalists who covered Lee's case were held in contempt for refusing to identify their government sources; that dispute was ultimately resolved when Lee's case settled, with a group of news organizations contributing to a payment to Lee in exchange for the contempt findings against their reporters being lifted. The Common Thread Both cases involve Chinese American scientists whose reputations were damaged by leaked, unverified suspicions of espionage, followed by Privacy Act litigation aimed at identifying the government officials responsible for the leaks — placing reporters in the crossfire between source protection and a plaintiff's right, under federal law, to learn who violated their privacy. Press freedom advocates have raised similar concerns in both instances: that forcing journalists to disclose sources under threat of contempt could deter future whistleblowers from coming forward, particularly in cases touching on national security. At the same time, advocates for Chen and, previously, for Lee have argued that individuals wrongly suspected of disloyalty on the basis of their ethnicity and national origin deserve a real path to accountability — one that depends on knowing who inside the government leaked their information in the first place. The Herridge case suggests these tensions — between reporter's privilege and the rights of individuals harmed by government leaks, playing out against a backdrop of national-security suspicion toward Chinese American professionals — remain very much unresolved a quarter-century after Dr. Wen Ho Lee's ordeal. Read the APA Justice summary of Dr. Yanping Chen’s case: https://bit.ly/4wB5MuL News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/08/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2026/08/05 C100: The Impact of AI on Asian American Careers in Technology 2026/08/07-09 AASF: Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony 2026/08/26 C100: An Advice and Networking Event (Technology)Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. C100: The Impact of AI on Asian American Careers in Technology WHAT : The Impact of AI on Asian American Careers in Technology WHEN : August 5, 2026, 6:00-7:00 pm ET WHERE : Webinar HOST : Committee of 100 Moderator : Peter Young , Chair of the Conversations Initiative and Committee of 100 New York Regional Chair and Board Member Speakers: · Buck Gee , Executive Advisor, Ascend · Deb Liu , Co-Founder, Ember AI and former CEO, Ancestry.com DESCRIPTION: With the rapid advancement and implementation of AI in industry and society, one of the issues on the minds of everyone is what the impact will be of AI on careers and, in particular, for careers in technology and for Asian Americans. Where will jobs be lost and will there be job creation? Will the nature of job tasks change and in what way? Will this affect the way one plans your career? Will AI make Asian American Career Ceilings worse or just different? The panelists are veterans in the technology industry and have either just recently left the industry or have done extensive research work related to Asian American careers in industry. They will use their experience and knowledge to shed light on this challenging topic. REGISTRATION : https://c100-8-5-2026.eventbrite.com 3. C100: An Advice and Networking Event (Technology) WHAT : An Advice and Networking Event (Technology) WHEN : August 26, 2026, 6:00-7:15 pm ET WHERE : Webinar HOST : Committee of 100 Moderator : Peter Young , Chair of the Conversations Initiative and Committee of 100 New York Regional Chair and Board Member DESCRIPTION: This is the 60th event organized by the Committee of 100 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative. The virtual event will enable Asian Americans who are in the early to mid-stages of their careers to get valuable advice from experienced and successful Asian Americans in the technology industry. The event will start with welcoming comments and introduction to the advisors, followed by virtual breakout rooms where the experienced Asian American advisors will host individual breakout rooms that attendees can join. The attendees will have a list of the experienced advisors in advance and will be able to choose which breakout rooms they want to visit to get career advice and to ask questions. The attendees will be able to move from room to room as they wish. REGISTRATION : https://c100-8-26-2026.eventbrite.com # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the APA Justice website at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF July 13, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #57 Heritage Month Activities; Goverment's Own Bias; Yellow Whistle Campaign Grows #57 Heritage Month Activities; Goverment's Own Bias; Yellow Whistle Campaign Grows Back View PDF April 30, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #86 Media on Anming Hu and UTK; 10/05 Meeting; New on "China Initiative"/Baylor; PCAST #86 Media on Anming Hu and UTK; 10/05 Meeting; New on "China Initiative"/Baylor; PCAST Back View PDF September 28, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #256 Registrations Open; Anming Hu; Students Targeted? Legislative Alert; Book Chapter; + #256 Registrations Open; Anming Hu; Students Targeted? Legislative Alert; Book Chapter; + In This Issue #256 · Registrations Open for Two Events Co-Hosted by The Baker Institute · Update of Exonerated Professor Anming Hu · Overblown or Legitimate: Are Chinese Students Targeted by CBP at U.S. Airports? · ALERT: Continuing Attempts to Revive The China Initiative and Texas Alien Land Bill · "New Red Scare: The China Initiative" Chapter in New Book · News and Activities for the Communities Registrations Open for Two Events Co-Hosted by The Baker Institute The National Science Foundation (NSF) launched its Research on Research Security (RoRS) program on July 12, 2023, to support the study of research security as required in the CHIPS and Science Act and following the federal requirements outlined in the National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 and its accompanying implementation guidelines .Following a virtual workshop on May 2, an in-person workshop will be hosted by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy on May 23-24, 2024. The workshop will bring together leading experts from academia, government, and industry to explore the threats and challenges facing the international research and innovation ecosystem. Participants will identify current themes, major issues, and challenges in research security, as well as chart a road map for the future of the NSF’s RoRS program.The workshop is led by Rice University’s Office of Research Security and the Baker Institute Science and Technology Program in close collaboration with the University of Houston, IPTalons, Inc., the Society of Research Administrators International, and the NSF (Grant No. 2348714).Dr. Rebecca Keiser , NSF chief of research security strategy and policy, will deliver a keynote address on the origins of the RoRS program on May 23 at 8:30 am CDT. Her remarks will be livestreamed. Registration to watch her remarks is open at: https://bit.ly/4brHcCr ***** On June 6, 2024, the Baker Institute and the Office of Innovation at Rice University will co-host a hybrid forum titled "A Dialogue Between Academic & APA Communities and The FBI."The event brings together Jill Murphy , the deputy assistant director for counterintelligence at the FBI, who oversees the FBI’s espionage investigations, and the leadership of the FBI Houston Field Office with members of the academic and Asian American communities to discuss the gaps between national science and technology policy and its implementation at the forefront of law enforcement.The Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC) and APA Justice are co-hosts of this important forum. The communities will be represented by Gordon Quan , Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Quan Law Group, PLLC; Former Houston City Mayor Pro-Tem; David Donatti , Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Department, American Civil Liberties Union of Texas; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum. Professor Steven Pei serves as Moderator.Register to attend the forum between the academic/APA communities with the FBI via Zoom at : https://bit.ly/3wjg759 Update of Exonerated Professor Anming Hu On February 27, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the indictment of Professor Anming Hu 胡安明 , an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK).Professor Hu, a naturalized Canadian citizen, was the second China Initiative case involving a U.S. university professor of Asian ancestry. He was charged with three counts each of wire fraud and making false statements, but not espionage. The charges stemmed from his purported failure to disclose affiliations with a Chinese university while receiving funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).Professor Hu was the first academic to go to trial under the China Initiative. A mistrial was declared on June 16, 2021, after the jury deadlocked. Despite the absence of evidence and misconduct, DOJ opted to pursue a retrial on July 30, 2021, prompting outrage by members of Congress, national and local organizations, the Asian American community, and the general public.On September 9, 2021, Judge Thomas Varlan issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order and acquitted Professor Hu of all charges in his indictment. “The government has failed to provide sufficient evidence from which any rational jury could find, beyond a reasonable doubt, that defendant had specific intent to defraud NASA by hiding his affiliation with BJUT [Beijing University of Technology] from UTK," he wrote. On the part of UTK administrators, they concealed the federal investigation from Professor Hu, provided his records to the authorities without a warrant or informing him, suspended him without pay, and fired him shortly after. Without any attempt to protect its faculty, UTK was broadly criticized for throwing Professor Hu “under the bus.” On October 14, 2021, UTK offered to reinstate Professor Hu. On February 1, 2022, Professor Hu returned to his laboratory.It has been two years since Professor Hu was exonerated. He has agreed to speak at the June APA Justice monthly meeting and provide an update on his situation and his family.The APA Justice monthly meetings are by invitation only. The next meeting will be held on June 3, 2024. 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 . Overblown or Legitimate: Are Chinese Students Targeted by CBP at U.S. Airports? Recently, diplomats from China and the United States have debated over a new point of contention: How serious is the issue of Chinese students and scholars being subjected to secondary screening at airports upon arrival in the United States? Chinese diplomats have protested the treatment of Chinese students at the airport for months. Nicholas Burns , the U.S. Ambassador to China, reaffirmed that the U.S. is committed to opening its doors to Chinese students. Summer is coming; prospective students will come to the U.S. for school, and students in the country may travel back to China to visit their families. When those students return to the U.S., will they be “harassed” again at the airports?In a report published on May 20, 2024, The US-China Perception Monitor ( USCPM ) analyzed this question by focusing on how to read the numbers and how the Chinese students are stuck between U.S. Embassy or Consulates in China and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).For months, the Chinese media reported incidents of Chinese students and scholars undergoing secondary security checks and being held in “little black rooms” at U.S. airports. From January to March, students in Ph.D. science programs at Yale University, Johns Hopkins University, and other major U.S. research universities have been denied re-entry after visiting family in China, and in some cases, they were immediately sent back home, according to a Science report .The so-called secondary security check is an airport security measure used in the United States to select passengers for additional inspection. The State Department denied visas to 1,964 Chinese scholars in 2021 and 1,764 in 2022. Compared to many thousands of vias issued for Chinese students, the number of students affected is considered small.Nevertheless, visa denials and airport incidents inevitably negatively affect the morality of potential students and those already in this country, wondering whether coming to the United States is the right choice. Already, amidst tense U.S.-China bilateral relations, the number of students studying in the U.S. has declined sharply.Read the US-China Perception Monitor report: https://bit.ly/3WLxGpb .2024/05/10 中美印象简报 ： 中国学生被关“小黑屋”是否被夸大 ALERT : Continuing Attempts to Revive The China Initiative and Texas Alien Land Bill On May 22, 2024, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee will hold a markup hearing that includes H.R. 1398 , which is yet another attempt to relaunch the now-defunct China Initiative. Read more and watch the markup hearing: https://bit.ly/3UOqbLr On May 29, 2024, the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs will hold a public hearing that includes " Protecting Texas Land and Assets : Evaluate strategic land and asset acquisitions in Texas by foreign entities that threaten the safety and security of the United States. Further, evaluate large-scale purchases of single-family homes by domestic entities and its impact on housing affordability for Texas families. Make recommendations to ensure Texans are secure from foreign threats and homes are affordable in our state." Read the Notice of Public Hearing: https://bit.ly/3QV7ODx "New Red Scare: The China Initiative" Chapter in New Book Steven Pei , Jeremy Wu , and Alex Liang co-authored a chapter " New Red Scare: The China Initiative " in a new book titled "Communicated Stereotypes at Work." The book, co-edited by Anastacia Kurylo and Yifeng Hu , was published by Lexington Books on May 15, 2024. The editors and contributors of the new book posit that stereotypes communicated in the workplace remain a pervasive issue due to the dichotomy between the discriminatory and functional roles that these stereotypes can play in a range of professional settings. Contributors demonstrate that while the use of stereotypes in the workplace is distasteful and exclusionary, communicating these stereotypes can also appear—on the surface—to provide a pathway toward bonding with others, giving advice, and reducing uncertainty. The result of this dichotomy is that those who communicate stereotypes in the workplace may not view this communication from themselves or others as being problematic. Pei, Wu, and Liang opined that the FBI has a long history of surveillance of ethnic Chinese scientists in the United States. McCarthyism, the Economic Espionage Act, and more recently the China Initiative were initiatives adversely impacting Chinese and Chinese Americans living in the U.S. The stereotypes of Asian and Chinese scientists as “disloyal” stem from the perpetual foreigner trope. The key here is that most of them were U.S. citizens. They are as much an American as any other American, yet their “loyalty” is perceived as less trustworthy. This stereotype has harmful, life-altering consequences. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/05/22 Heritage, Culture, and Community: The Future of America's Chinatowns2024/05/23 Responsible Collaboration Through Appropriate Research Security2024/06/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/06/06 A Dialogue Between Academic/AAPI Communities with The FBI2024/06/20-22 Social Equity Leadership ConferenceVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. Back View PDF May 22, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #59 Stand Up, Speak Out, Take Action In 05/15 National "Unity Against Hate" Rallies #59 Stand Up, Speak Out, Take Action In 05/15 National "Unity Against Hate" Rallies Back View PDF May 13, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Charles Lieber Docket ID: 1:20-cr-10111 District Court, D. Massachusetts Date filed: June 9, 2020 Date ended: May 8, 2023 Charles Lieber, former chair of Harvard's Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department, was prosecuted under the U.S. Department of Justice’s China Initiative. Arrested in January 2020, he faced six felony charges, including Making false statements to federal authorities Failing to report income from China Failing to disclose a foreign bank account The case centered on Professor Lieber's undisclosed ties to China’s Thousand Talents Program and Wuhan University of Technology (WUT). Prosecutors alleged that Lieber received significant compensation (including a $50,000 monthly salary and over $1.5 million in research funding) from WUT, which he failed to report to U.S. agencies while receiving U.S. grant funding. In December 2021, a federal jury convicted Professor Lieber on all six felony charges. In April 2023, Professor Lieber was sentenced to time served, 2 years of supervised release, $50,000 fine, and $33,600 restitution. Professor Lieber’s case became a high-profile example of the program’s controversial targeting of academics with ties to China, despite no charges of espionage. In May 2025, Professor Lieber accepted a new academic position in China. He joined the Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS) as a full-time chair professor and is also serving as an Investigator at the newly established Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART), led by biologist Nieng Yan. References and Links CourtListener: United States v. Lieber (1:20-cr-10111) Wikipedia: Charles M. Lieber 2025/05/02 Inside Higher Ed: US academic convicted over China ties joins Tsinghua University 2025/05/02 Chemistry World: Harvard’s former chemistry chair takes new position at Chinese university 2025/05/01 South China Morning Post: Former Harvard professor convicted over China ties joins Tsinghua University 2024/10/30 The Harvard Crimson: After Conviction for Lying About China Ties, Ex-Harvard Chemist Gets Approval to Visit Beijing 2023/04/26 New York Times: Ex-Harvard Professor Sentenced in China Ties Case 2021/12/28 ScienceInsider: What the Charles Lieber verdict says about U.S. China Initiative Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #329 5/5 Meeting; William Tong; Hanfan Lin; China Initiative; Harvard Push Back; Uprising + #329 5/5 Meeting; William Tong; Hanfan Lin; China Initiative; Harvard Push Back; Uprising + In This Issue #329 · 2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · William Tong: Connecticut Attorney General · Haifan Lin: President of Federation of Asian Professor Associations · Long Shadow of the "China Initiative" · University Leaders Stand Up to Trump Administration Threats · NYT Opinion : "America Needs an Uprising That Is Not Normal" · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, May 5, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), invited speakers are: · William Tong 湯偉麟 , Attorney General, State of Connecticut · Robert L. Santos , Former Director, U.S. Census Bureau; Former President, American Statistical Association · Haifan Lin 林海帆 , President, Federation of Asian Professor Associations (FAPA); Professor, Yale University · Gee-Kung Chang 張繼昆 , Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology 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 . William Tong: Connecticut Attorney General William Tong 湯偉麟 is the 25th Attorney General (AG) to serve Connecticut since the office was established by the state constitution in 1897. He first took office in 2019 and is currently serving his second term. Born in Hartford, he is the first Asian American elected to any state office in Connecticut history, and the first Chinese American to be elected Attorney General nationwide. AG Tong was elected to serve as the President-elect of the National Association of Attorneys General. The vote was unanimous. His term begins in 2026.AG Tong has accepted our invitation to speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on May 5, 2025.Since taking office in 2019, he has been a leading voice in defending civil rights and challenging federal overreach. He and fellow state attorneys general have filed at least eight lawsuits against the Trump administration, including efforts to oppose attempts to end birthright citizenship, prevent the freezing of federal funds critical to states, and overturn the planned $11 billion cut in the federal public health grants. AG Tong's advocacy underscores his commitment to upholding constitutional protections and ensuring equitable treatment for all communities. · 2025/04/02 CTpost: Connecticut sues Trump administration, Kennedy over health cuts, $120 million to state at risk · 2025/03/06 Attorney General Tong Secures Court Order Blocking Trump Administration from Freezing Federal Funds · 2024/12/29 NBC News: 'The first to sue': Opposing Trump's desire to end birthright citizenship is personal for this attorney general Haifan Lin: President of Federation of Asian Professor Associations Dr. Haifan Lin 林海帆 , President of the Federation of Asian Professor Associations (FAPA), is an invited speaker at the APA Justice monthly meeting on May 5, 2025.FAPA is a national coalition dedicated to uniting Asian and Asian American faculty across U.S. institutions. Established in 2024, FAPA aims to foster collaboration, amplify advocacy, and promote shared initiatives among Asian faculty organizations nationwide. Its mission encompasses advancing academic freedom, equity, and representation, particularly in response to challenges such as racial profiling and underrepresentation in leadership roles.Dr. Lin is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Cell Biology at Yale University and the founding director of the Yale Stem Cell Center. Renowned for his pioneering work in stem cell biology, Dr. Lin is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. On April 12, 2025, FAPA issued a public statement on the case of Indiana University Professor Xiaofeng Wang 王晓峰 and sent an open letter to Dr. Pamela Whitten , President of Indiana University, to condemn the abrupt dismissal of Dr. Wang, citing a lack of due process and growing racial profiling of Chinese American scientists. FAPA urges the university to reverse the decision, warning that such actions undermine academic freedom and set a dangerous precedent. Long Shadow of the "China Initiative" On April 25, 2025, the Committee of 100 annual conference will kick off with a session on " The Evolving National Security Landscape and Its Impact on Civil Rights ." This panel will examine what has replaced the China Initiative, who is being targeted now, and what comes next. Panelists will explore the broader implications of national security-driven discrimination, including the erosion of due process rights, racial profiling in espionage cases, and restrictions on cross-border collaboration. They will also discuss strategies for resisting policies that reinforce systemic inequality and advocate for civil liberties in an era of rising geopolitical tensions. Speakers for the panel are: · Gang Chen 陈刚 , Carl Richard Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) · Seth DuCharme , Chair, National Government Enforcement & Investigations Practice, Bracewell LLP; Former United States Attorney · Gary Locke 骆家辉 , Former U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China · Brian Sun 孙自华 , Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright US 1. The Case of Dr. Chee-Kung Wang Dr. Gee-Kung Chang 張繼昆 , currently a retired professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, was indicted in 2021 for 10 counts of visa and wire fraud. Prosecutors claimed he facilitated a scheme that brought Chinese nationals to the U. S. on J-1 visiting scholar visa to work at a private telecommunications firm instead of at the University. In April 2025, all charges were dismissed at the pretrial stage due to lack of evidence and not meeting fundamental principles of law. His case is widely seen as another example of racial profiling and prosecutorial overreach under now-defunct "China Initiative." He was represented by attorneys Robert Fisher and Brian Kelly , who also defended MIT Professor Gang Chen in a separate case under "China Initiative." Dr. Gee-Kung Chang and Mr. Robert Fisher will speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on May 5, 2025. 2. China Initiative 2.0? The Case of Dr. Xiaofeng Wang 王晓峰 On March 28, 2025, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security executed search warrants at Indiana University (IU) Professor Xiaofeng Wang 's 王晓峰 residences in Bloomington and Carmel, Indiana. Simultaneously, IU terminated Professor Wang's employment via email without any formal reason. His wife, Nianli Ma , also affiliated with IU, was dismissed four days earlier without explanation. At the April 14, 2025 State of Play Town Hall, Nianli Ma shared her family's profound sense of betrayal and emotional distress over IU's unexplained dismissals, vowing to fight for justice and support the broader research community.On April 1, 2025, Stanford University legal scholar Riana Pfefferkorn filed a motion (1:25-mc-00022) to unseal the warrants, emphasizing the public's right to transparency. The U.S. Attorney's Office has argued to keep them sealed.Professor Wang's termination reportedly involved an undisclosed research grant from China in 2017-2018. Joining the protest on April 17, 2025, Day of Action for Higher Ed, IU computer science chair Yuzhen Ye said Professor Wang was not even aware of the grant when university officials asked him about it. “So apparently a researcher in China applied for this grant without his knowledge," she said "So (Wang) explained and also he provided a supporting documentation to IU. I truly believe this really could have unfolded in a very different way if IU administration had chosen to trust its own faculty or give them a fair chance to respond,” Professor Ye said. Read the continuing development of Professor Wang's case: https://bit.ly/42tbPVR 3. The Unsolved Suicide of Dr. Nongjian Tao According to an exclusive report by the South China Morning Post on April 14, 2025, Nongjian Tao 陶农建 , a renowned Chinese American scientist and pioneer in nanotechnology, was found dead in March 2020 outside a parking garage at Arizona State University (ASU), where he led the Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors. A police report later concluded that Tao died by suicide amid significant "work-related stress." His sudden death at age 57 shocked colleagues, as he had been actively engaged in professional activities shortly before his passing. Tao was celebrated for his invention of the scanning tunneling microscopy break junction technique, which advanced the study of single molecules and contributed to the field of nanoscience. He also founded two biotech startups and secured over $10 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. Stuart Lindsay , a Regents Professor at ASU and Professor Tao’s PhD adviser in the 1980s, called him “the brightest and hardest working student” he had ever had.In 2021, the American Chemical Society published the first-ever special issue of ACS Sensors dedicated to the memory of Professor Tao, recognizing him as "a person that made an incredible impact on our lives and those of many others." He was named an honorary fellow by the Chinese Chemical Society in 2012. In April 2020, The obituary in Nature Nanotechnology honors Professor Tao (1963–2020) as a pioneering nanoscientist. Professor Tao's death occurred during the era of the "China Initiative," which aimed to counter alleged economic espionage but shifted to racial profiling against Chinese researchers. Five years later, questions about Professor Tao’s death remain – including whether some of that stress was the result of possible inquiries by NIH.The cause of Professor Tao’s death may never be known. University Leaders Stand Up to Trump Administration Threats According to Harvard Crimson on April 22, 2025, Harvard University President Alan Garber joined over 180 university leaders (which has since grown to more than 220) in signing a public statement denouncing government overreach and political interference in higher education. Issued by the American Association of Colleges and Universities , the statement calls for constructive engagement with the White House while opposing undue intrusion on campuses. It follows Harvard’s lawsuit challenging a $2.2 billion funding cut and marks the first time the university has directly co-led opposition to the Trump administration. The statement also criticized threats of deportation, emphasizing the importance of academic freedom and open inquiry.On April 21, 2025, Harvard filed a lawsuit to halt a federal freeze on more than $2.2 billion in grants: President and Fellows of Harvard College v. US Department of Health and Human Services (1:25-cv-11048) On April 14, 2025, Harvard publicly rejected a series of sweeping demands from the Trump administration, which included overhauling its admissions, hiring, and diversity programs, and submitting to federal oversight. “The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” the Harvard President Garber wrote. On April 18, 2025, the New York Times reported that some administration officials claimed the initial letter on April 11 was sent in error. According to the Washington Post on April 19, 2025, Harvard pushed back on the assertion that the letter was sent in error, pointing out that the Trump administration had “doubled down” on its threats. After Harvard refused to comply with the letter’s demands, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university without proof of violatons and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status. NYT Opinion: "America Needs an Uprising That Is Not Normal" In an essay published by the New York Times on April 17, 2025, Columnist David Brooks opined that " What's Happening Is Not Normal. America Needs an Uprising That Is Not Normal. " According to the opinion, Trumpism is not normal politics — it is a systematic, multifront assault on the foundational institutions of modern civilization. As the opinion explains, "Trumpism is about ego, appetite and acquisitiveness," and it actively seeks to dismantle the safeguards that make society humane and just — from universities and law firms to NATO and the rule of law. The usual compartmentalized responses have failed; treating these attacks as separate issues is a "disastrous strategy" that allows Trumpism to divide and conquer. This moment demands recognition that what’s at stake is not a partisan struggle, but “an assault on the fundamental institutions of our civic life.”What is urgently needed is not passive defense, but an “abnormal uprising” — a coordinated, national civic movement that unites all sectors of society: law, academia, science, media, business, and civil service. Drawing from historic examples in Why Civil Resistance Works , such movements start small but grow through strategic nonviolence — lawsuits, boycotts, mass rallies — eventually shifting the momentum and narrative. As the opinion argues, “Trump is about power. The only way he’s going to be stopped is if he is confronted by some movement that possesses rival power.” This is a call not just to resist, but to reform, heal, and rebuild. “We have nothing to lose but our chains,” the opinion concludes.Read the New York Times opinion by David Brooks: https://bit.ly/4ivpDUL News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar 2025/04/24-26 Committee of 100 Annual Conference and Gala2025/04/24 CHINA Town Hall: The First 100 Days: President Trump's China Policy2025/04/24 Federal Employees: Know your Legal Rights2025/04/24 Stop AAPI Hate Community Town Hall - Trump’s Travel Ban: How to Prepare and Push Back2025/04/28 California AANHPI Advocacy Day2025/04/30 Beyond the China Initiative: Civil Rights, National Security, and the Future of AAPI Communities2025/05/04 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/05/06 Asian American Careers - How to Build Your Personal Network, including Through Strategic Allies2025/05/12-14 APAICS Annual Summit and GalaVisit 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 April 24, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter