Newsletter - #120 Sign On Letter; 3/7 Meeting Summary; Tao Trial; Upcoming Events; One Year After #120 Sign On Letter; 3/7 Meeting Summary; Tao Trial; Upcoming Events; One Year After Back View PDF March 24, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #301 1/6 Monthly Meeting; Honoring President Carter; 12/11 C100 Webinar; AAAS Updates; More #301 1/6 Monthly Meeting; Honoring President Carter; 12/11 C100 Webinar; AAAS Updates; More In This Issue #301 · 2025/01/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Honoring Former President Jimmy Carter (1924-2024) · 2024/12/11 Webinar on Alien Land Bills · Updates from AAAS · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/01/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, January 6, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Dr. Kai Li , Vice President, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), invited and confirmed speakers are: · Congresswoman Judy Chu , Chair Emeritus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) (invited) · Judith Terayu , Executive Director, CAPAC · Sudip Parikh , Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Executive Publisher of the Science family of journals · Robert S. Chang , Executive Director, Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality, University of California Irvine School of Law · Yawei Liu , Senior Advisor, China Focus, Carter Center 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 APAJustice - Steven Pei 白先慎 , Vincent Wang 王文奎 , and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . ***** Dr. Yawei Liu , Senior Advisor, China Focus, Carter Center, has agreed to speak at the January 6 monthly meeting Yawei has ben involved with the Carter Center for over 25 years. He directs the Center’s China Focus Program. He is also chief editor of the Center’s U.S.-China Perception Monitor and China-America Stories websites. Yawei will give his tributes as we honor the legacies of former President Jimmy Carter and describe the China Focus Program and its activities. Honoring Former President Jimmy Carter (1924-2024) President Joe Biden has declared January 9, 2025, a national day of mourning, ordering federal offices to close and flags to be flown at half-staff for 30 days to honor former President Jimmy Carter 's legacy. Memorial Schedule: · January 4-7: President Carter's remains will lie in repose at the Carter Center in Atlanta, allowing the public to pay their respects. · January 7: A motorcade will transport his remains to Washington, D.C. · January 7-9: President Carter will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, providing an opportunity for national mourning. · January 9: A state funeral service is scheduled at the Washington National Cathedral, with President Joe Biden expected to deliver the eulogy. · Post-Funeral: Following the Washington service, President Carter's remains will return to Georgia for a private funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, culminating in his interment at his home. Legacies of President Jimmy Carter His many legacies include: 1. Camp David Accords : President Carter brokered a historic peace agreement between Israel and Egypt in 1978. The Camp David Accords, signed on September 17, 1978, marked a groundbreaking achievement in Middle East diplomacy. Carter's tireless efforts brought Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar El-Sadat together for 13 days of intense negotiations at Camp David. The resulting treaty ended decades of conflict between Israel and Egypt, establishing a framework for peace that has endured for over four decades. 2. Human Rights Advocacy : President Carter emphasized human rights as a core aspect of U.S. foreign policy. His commitment to human rights marked a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy. He established the State Department's Human Rights Bureau and made human rights a central consideration in diplomatic relations. President Carter's advocacy helped raise awareness about human rights abuses worldwide. 3. Post-Presidency Humanitarian Work : President Carter's dedication to humanitarian causes has improved lives worldwide. Since leaving office, he has continued to work tirelessly on humanitarian initiatives through the Carter Center. Founded in 1982, the Center focuses on promoting democracy, human rights, and global health. Carter's efforts have helped eradicate diseases, promote fair elections, and support human rights defenders worldwide. His commitment to humanitarian work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. 4. Environmental Protection : President Carter's commitment to environmental protection led to significant legislative achievements. His administration prioritized environmental protection, resulting in landmark legislation including the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) and the Superfund law. ANILCA protected millions of acres of wilderness, while the Superfund law enabled the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. His environmental policies set a precedent for future administrations. 5. Energy Policy : President Carter's administration developed a comprehensive national energy policy. In response to the 1970s energy crisis, his administration developed a comprehensive national energy policy to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, promote energy conservation, and develop alternative energy sources. Key initiatives included deregulating the energy industry, imposing fuel efficiency standards, and investing in renewable energy technologies. Carter's energy policy laid the groundwork for future efforts to address energy security and climate change. 6. Panama Canal Treaties : President Carter successfully negotiated the transfer of the Panama Canal from U.S. to Panamanian control. The Panama Canal Treaties, signed in 1977, provided for the transfer of ownership of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama by the end of 1999. This diplomatic achievement demonstrated Carter's commitment to respecting the sovereignty of other nations and promoting peaceful cooperation. 7. Diplomatic Relations with China : President Carter established formal diplomatic relations with China on January 1, 1979, ending decades of isolation. The breakthrough paved the way for expanded economic, cultural, and strategic cooperation between the two nations. 8. Carter Center's Election Monitoring : The Carter Center promotes democracy worldwide by monitoring elections and ensuring their integrity. The Carter Center has become a leading authority on election monitoring, promoting democratic elections and transparent governance worldwide. Since 1989, the Center has observed over 100 elections in more than 30 countries, helping to ensure the integrity of electoral processes and promoting peaceful transitions of power. 9. Habitat for Humanity : President Carter's partnership with Habitat for Humanity has helped provide affordable housing for countless individuals and families worldwide. Since 1984, he has worked with Habitat for Humanity to build and renovate homes for low-income families. His commitment to affordable housing has inspired countless volunteers and helped improve the lives of millions. 10. Moral Leadership : President Carter's commitment to moral leadership and his willingness to take unpopular stands have inspired generations. Throughout his career, his leadership style, guided by a strong sense of morality and justice, has inspired generations of leaders and citizens. His moral leadership has been recognized globally, earning him numerous awards and accolades. 11. Advancements in Healthcare : The Carter administration's healthcare initiatives, including the creation of the Department of Health and Human Services, improved healthcare access and quality. This reorganization streamlined healthcare policy and administration, improving access to healthcare services for millions of Americans. His administration expanded community health centers, increased funding for healthcare research. 12. Federal Government Reform : President Carter's efforts to reform the federal government, including the creation of the Department of Education and the Senior Executive Service, aimed to increase efficiency, reduce bureaucracy, and promote accountability. Key initiatives included the creation of the Department of Education and the Senior Executive Service (SES). The SES reformed the federal government's personnel management system, providing more flexibility in hiring and promoting top executives. Additional Information President Carter is survived by his children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy ; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. Married in 1946, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter 's enduring marriage and partnership have been a hallmark of their remarkable lives. They shared a lifelong commitment to public service, human rights, and humanitarian work. Their 77-year marriage came to a close with Rosalynn's passing on November 19, 2023, at the age of 96.President Carter is known to be a man of unwavering integrity, compassion, and humility. His strong Christian faith and rural Georgia upbringing have instilled in him a deep sense of morality, empathy, and responsibility. He has a quick wit and a gentle smile, exuding a quiet confidence and authenticity that has earned him the respect and admiration of people around the world. His home in Plains, Georgia, holds a special place in his heart. The modest, two-story house, built in 1961, has been the Carter family's residence since 1960. After leaving the White House in 1981, Jimmy and Rosalynn returned to Plains, where they continue to live part-time. The house is now part of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site.Members of the public are encouraged to visit the official tribute website to the life of President Carter at www.jimmycartertribute.org . This site includes the official online condolence book as well as print and visual biographical materials commemorating his life.The Carter family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Carter Center, 453 John Lewis Freedom Parkway N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307. 2024/12/11 Webinar on Alien Land Bills On December 12, 2024, the Committee of 100 and APA Justice co-hosted a webinar titled "From Past Prejudice to Present Policy: The Impact of Land Ownership Exclusion Laws on Diverse Communities." It focused on the resurgence of "alien land laws," historically discriminatory policies that are reemerging in state legislatures across the United States. The discussion covered whether the alien land laws properly address national security concerns or serve as a pretext that infringes upon civil rights and liberties under the guise of protection. The webinar marked the first joint event where APA Justice partnered as a member-driven, "powered by" affiliate with the Committee of 100. Cindy Tsai , Interim President of the Committee of 100, gave opening remarks and moderated the webinar. Panelists included · Edgar Chen , Special Policy Advisor at the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) · Ashley Gorski , Senior Staff Attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) · Gene Wu , Chair, Texas House Democratic Caucus; Member, Texas House of Representatives Congressman Ted Lieu , Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, gave summary remarks. Jeremy Wu , Founder and Co-Organizer of APA Justice and Member of the Committee of 100, gave closing remarks.Alien land laws are discriminatory policies that historically targeted specific immigrant groups, particularly Asian communities, by restricting their ability to own property. These laws were originally enacted to prevent Japanese immigrants from owning land, reflecting deep-seated racial prejudices of the time. The resurgence of such laws in recent years has raised significant concerns. Florida enacted a law banning non-resident Chinese nationals from purchasing property. The reintroduction of these laws is a stark reminder of how history can repeat itself if we are not proactive in safeguarding civil rights. These laws not only perpetuate racial discrimination but also violate constitutional protections against discrimination. Read more about the webinar and background: https://bit.ly/3CEWK9p . Watch the video of the webinar at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfjrVAZrjj8 (1:00:56).Professor Robert S. Chang , Executive Director, Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality, University of California Irvine School of Law, will speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on January 6, 2025, to provide a basic description of a recent District Court preliminary injunction against two state laws that restricted foreign ownership of property and data centers in Arkansas.If you have been impacted by the alien land laws in your state or have a story to tell, please contact us at contact@apajustice.org . Updates from AAAS Dr. Sudip Parikh , Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Executive Publisher of the Science family of journals, will also speak at the APA Justice monthly meeting on January 6, 2025. He last spoke at the September 2023 APA Justice monthly meeting, covering open science, basic research, and US-China collaboration when the renewal of the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement was delayed. Founded in 1848, AAAS was the first permanent organization established to promote the development of science and engineering at the national level and to represent the interests of all its disciplines.Sudip said in a recent AAAS statement, "at a time of tremendous scientific promise, scientific advances are critical to ensuring future prosperity and to solving problems that jeopardize the health of the planet and the wellbeing of people. But, as knowledge and expertise are increasingly called into question, our ability to seize this momentum is at risk. To maintain U.S. global competitiveness and put the world on positive footing, we must redouble our collective efforts to advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all. This means stepping out of silos to connect researchers with leaders across sectors, across the country, and across the globe. AAAS is uniquely positioned to lead the way. In our 176-year history, we have stood at the intersection of science across disciplines and public good. We have built essential relationships that have prepared us for this next era and the challenges and opportunities it will bring to our community." The 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting with the theme of "Science Shaping Tomorrow" is scheduled to take place from February 13 to 15, 2025, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Read more about the event at: https://bit.ly/3BQVi3y Sudip will update us about these and other AAAS activities and developments at the APA Justice monthly meeting on January 6, 2025. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/01/05 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/01/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/01/15 Master Class: Maintaining the Effectiveness of Organizational Equity Initiatives in the Current Environment2024/01/16 Master Classes: Asian American Career Lessons2025/01/19 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/13-15 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting2025/02/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. No 大年三十 This Year - Blame the Moon! January 29 will be New Year Day for the start of the Year of Snake, but there is no 大年三十 (da nian san shi) – the 30th day of the 12th lunar month. In fact, there will be no da nian san shi until February 2, 2030, when the Year of the Rooster makes way for the Year of the Dog. In the Chinese lunisolar calendar, the first day of each month begins with a new moon, where the moon is least visible to us. A full moon appears around the fifteenth day of each month, and the moon wanes as the month ends.On January 1, 2025, the South China Morning Post provided an explanation. Read https://bit.ly/4gTrthE As the moon’s orbit around Earth does not follow a perfect circle, the interval from one new moon to the next is not fixed. Instead, a lunar month ranges from around 29.27 days to 29.82 days, with an average length of 29.53 days. To correct for, and adjust to, the differences, the traditional Chinese calendar divides the year into “big months” lasting 30 days and “small months” lasting 29 days. The last lunar month is typically a big month, which is why the eve of Lunar New Year is referred to colloquially as “the 30th day of the big year” – da nian san shi. But having a shorter twelfth lunar month is not particularly rare – the month was also a small month in 2022, 2016, and 2013. What makes the coming one special is that it marks the first of five consecutive years to have the twelfth lunar month only lasting 29 days. This means that technically, according to the traditional Chinese calendar, there will be no Lunar New Year’s Eve again until 2030.Interestingly, because of the quirk in the lunisolar calendar, calculations suggest there will be two Lunar New Years in the year 2262.Blame The Moon! Now that we have that cleared away, let's start preparing the celebrations! # # # 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 January 2, 2025 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

Qing Wang 王擎 Docket ID: 1:20-mj-09111 District Court, N.D. Ohio Date filed: May 12, 2020 Date ended: July 20, 2021 Table of Contents Overview Deletion from DOJ China Initiative Online Report 2021/09/15 Washington Post Report Cleveland Clinic Foundation Held Accountable in 2024 Links and References Overview On May 14, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrest of Dr. Qing Wang as a former Cleveland Clinic employee and a Chinese “Thousand Talents” participant. The case was listed under the China Initiative. Dr. Wang was charged with false claims and wire fraud related to more than $3.6 million in grant funding that he and his research group received from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Cleveland Clinic fired Dr. Wang the same day he was arrested. Dr. Wang was born in China, began his work at the Cleveland Clinic in 1997 and became a U.S. citizen in 2005. He specialized in breakthroughs in heart disease at the Lerner Institute of the Cleveland Clinic—one of the world’s leading research centers. On July 15, 2021, DOJ moved to dismiss its case against Dr. Qing Wang. In a statement, the DOJ explained, "The United States Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss the complaint, without prejudice, against Qing Wang, a.k.a. Kenneth Wang. The Office has made this decision after a review of the case and will decline further comment at this time." The Cleveland Clinic also released a statement saying, “We have fully cooperated with federal law enforcement’s investigation into this matter. Dr. Wang’s employment was terminated following an internal review which revealed violations of Cleveland Clinic and National Institutes of Health (NIH) policies.” On July 20, 2021, U.S. Magistrate Judge William H. Baughman, Jr. ordered the dismissal of Dr. Wang’s case. After DOJ made the motion to dismiss Dr. Wang’s case, it proceeded to delete it from its online report on the China Initiative – a practice that was continued unannounced and without explanation for several months until November 2021 when APA Justice reported it to the Attorney General and MIT Technology Review began to build a database on the online report. On September 15, 2021, the Washington Post published an interview with Dr. Wang, who later restarted his research career at China’s Huazhong University of Science and Technology. On June 21, 2024, Science reported that DOJ reached a settlement with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF), requiring CCF to pay $7.6 million to resolve allegations of mismanagement involving three NIH grants. This settlement sends a clear message that research institutions will be held accountable for failing to adequately monitor outside support provided to their faculty. Defense attorney for Dr. Wang maintained that his client had followed the rules and voluntarily disclosed his Chinese support. “He told them everything—both NIH and CCF.” The CCF settlement, he added, simply confirmed Dr. Wang’s innocence. Deletion from DOJ China Initiative Online Report The Department of Justice (DOJ) maintained an online report on China Initiative cases since the initiative's launch in November 2018, including Dr. Qing Wang's case. However, after the DOJ moved to dismiss Dr. Wang’s case, DOJ deleted his case from the online report. This unannounced practice of removing dismissed or acquitted cases continued for several months without explanation. On November 24, 2021, APA Justice reported the removal of about 20 cases from its online China Initiative report to Attorney General Merrick Garland. MIT Technology Review brought this practice to light with a published investigative report on December 2, 2021. DOJ ceased to update its online report on November 19, 2021. The end of the China Initiative was formally announced on February 23, 2022. 2021/09/15 Washington Post Report According to the Washington Post on September 15, 2021, in the weeks leading up to his arrest, Dr. Qing Wang was interviewed by the Cleveland Clinic and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) about his grants. He got no indication he was under criminal suspicion. “I was shocked,” he said about his early morning arrest in May 2020. “At that moment,” he said, “I felt that my life was over.” Dr. Wang was the lead investigator on a research project on the genetics of cardiovascular disease, funded by more than $3.6 million in NIH grants. He allegedly neglected to disclose to NIH that even as he was a professor at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner College of Medicine, he was a beneficiary of the Thousand Talents Program, through which the Chinese government recruits academics in the West whose expertise might benefit Beijing. In an affidavit , FBI agent John Matthews alleged that through the program, Dr. Wang was made dean of the College of Life Sciences at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. The agent said Wang concealed receiving Chinese government grants totaling $480,000 for research that overlapped with his U.S.-funded work. In particular, Matthews alleged, citing NIH information, “the families used in both studies were mostly the same.” Dr. Wang’s lawyer, Peter Zeidenberg, disputed the allegations, saying Wang disclosed his research in China as part of the NIH application and did not use American families for the Chinese study. Dr. Wang also disclosed to the Cleveland Clinic that he was affiliated with the talent program, said Zeidenberg, a former federal prosecutor and a partner at Arent Fox in Washington. “Ultimately this came down to whether the grant forms were filled out correctly,” Zeidenberg said. “The information was all there. It just wasn’t where the NIH was looking.” Over 34 years of research in the United States, including 21 at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Wang led a team that discovered the first gene for Brugada syndrome, a disorder causing irregular heart rhythm, which can be fatal — especially in young people. He wanted to stay in the United States because it “has the best environment for science in this area,” and because he thought he would have the most impact in a country where heart disease is the leading cause of death. The arrest terrified Dr. Wang, his wife, Qiuyun Chen, and their two daughters. “We worked so hard day and night just trying to understand how to prevent human disease,” said Chen, who also came to the United States in 1986 to study and was a member of Dr. Wang’s Cleveland Clinic research team. “And you never think this would be criminal.” Cleveland Clinic Foundation Held Accountable in 2024 According to a report by Science on June 21, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has signaled that research institutions will be held accountable for oversight failures. In a settlement reached on May 17, 2024, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) agreed to pay $7.6 million to resolve allegations of mismanaging three National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants. As part of the settlement, a senior CCF administrator must personally attest to the accuracy of all NIH submissions, a significant responsibility. The case began in 2018 when NIH investigated CCF cardiovascular geneticist Dr. Qing Wang, based on an FBI list of scientists allegedly receiving Chinese funding. Following a CCF investigation, NIH suspended Dr. Wang’s $2.8 million grant in April 2020, and CCF terminated his employment. Dr. Wang was arrested in May 2020 under the China Initiative but was later cleared when the DOJ dropped the charges in July 2021 without explanation. Dr. Wang’s lawyer maintained that Dr. Wang had disclosed all necessary information to NIH and CCF, asserting his client's innocence. The CCF settlement follows earlier civil settlements with the Van Andel Institute, where scientists were not criminally charged, amounting to $6.6 million in 2019 and 2021. Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #190: Florida Lawsuit; Section 702 Webinar; AANHPI Commission; US-China Science Pact; More #190: Florida Lawsuit; Section 702 Webinar; AANHPI Commission; US-China Science Pact; More In This Issue #190 Update on Florida Alien Land Bill Lawsuit - Schedule and Amicus Brief Registration Open: June 26 Webinar on Perils of Warrantless Surveillance Register Now: July 6 President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI Public Meeting New Scrutiny on U.S.-China Landmark Science Deal News for the Communities Update on Florida Alien Land Bill Lawsuit - Schedule and Amicus Brief According to Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA), Judge Allen C. Winsor has set the following schedule: 2023/07/03 Florida government submits its objection to the motion for preliminary injunction 2023/07/11 Plaintiffs submits its reply 2023/07/18 U.S. District Court holds hearing The July 18 hearing will be held at 111 N. Adams Street, Tallahassee, starting at 1:30 pm ET. It will be public, but no photography and audio or video recording will be allowed. The Florida state law becomes effective on July 1, 2023. The Court may make a ruling on the injunction by early August. An immediate appeal by either side is anticipated. On June 14, 2023, 19 racial justice centers, affinity bar and professional associations, and civil rights organizations submitted a 25-page amicus curiae ("friend-of-the-court") brief in support of the plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction. The lead counsels are: Madeleine K. Rodriguez , Partner, Foley Hoag LLP Robert S. Chang , Ronald A. Peterson Law Clinic; Counsel for Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality Rose Cuison-Villazor , Rutgers Law School; Counsel for Center for Immigration Law, Policy and Justice Gabriel J. Chin , UC Davis School of Law; Aoki Center for Critical Race and Nation Studies This is a list of the coalition of 19 racial justice centers, affinity bar and professional associations, and civil rights advocacy organizations: Racial Justice Centers: Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality at Seattle University School of Law Center for Immigration Law, Policy and Justice at Rutgers Law School Aoki Center for Critical Race and Nation Studies at UC Davis School of Law LLS Anti-Racism Center of LMU Loyola Law School Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at New York University School of Law Boston University Center for Antiracist Research Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law Affinity Bar/Professional Associations: Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Tampa Bay Conference of Asian Pacific American Law Faculty Hispanic National Bar Association National Asian Pacific American Bar Association South Asian Bar Association of North America Civil Rights and Other Advocacy Organizations: Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta Asian American Women’s Political Initiative Asian Law Alliance Chinese for Affirmative Action Japanese American Citizens League LatinoJustice PRLDEF Read the CALDA announcement: https://bit.ly/3qU2Ah2 (in Chinese). Read the amicus brief: https://bit.ly/42DT9Q8 Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) Media Release. In response to FBI policy changes. AASF issued a media release urging the US Government to take more steps to put an end to warrantless and discriminatory investigations on June 14, 2023. AASF and other national advocacy groups have vocally agreed that the FBI announcement falls short of the level of vigilance needed to hold intelligence agencies accountable to the many human rights and privacy abuses they have perpetrated against countless numbers of people—including the nation’s top researchers and scholars that contribute greatly to the United States’ leadership in science and technology.While AASF welcomes any efforts from the federal government to create mechanisms for increased transparency and accountability of its agencies, they call on the federal government to take more serious steps to reform Section 702 and FISA, and to address the legal loopholes that allow warrantless surveillance of innocent people. Read the AASF media release: https://bit.ly/3CBhz2b Registration Open: June 26 Webinar on Perils of Warrantless Surveillance The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), APA Justice, the Brennan Center for Justice, and the Committee of 100 will co-host a webinar on "Perils of Warrantless Surveillance: The Case for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Reform." (note title of the webinar has been updated) WHEN: June 26, 2023, 4:00 pm ET/1:00 pm PT WHAT: The U.S. Constitution protects its people against unreasonable searches and seizures. However, under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), the U.S. government engages in mass, warrantless surveillance of phone calls, text messages, emails, and other electronic communications between Americans and foreigners. Information collected under this law without a warrant can be used to prosecute and imprison people, even for crimes that have nothing to do with national security. Asian Americans, especially Chinese Americans and the immigrant and scientific communities, have been targeted for warrantless surveillance that led to wrongful and unjust prosecutions. The current authorization of Section 702 will expire on December 31, 2023. What should the Asian American and immigrant communities know about Section 702? If it is not sunset, what reforms will be needed? What are the next steps for the communities? WHO: Keynote speaker. Rep. Pramila Jayapal , the first South Asian American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives; a member of the House Judiciary Committee; Ranking Member of House Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security and Enforcement Moderator. Lillian Sing 郭丽莲 . Judge (retired), California Superior Court; first Asian American woman judge in Northern California Panelist. Gang Chen 陈刚 . Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering, MIT; Member, National Academy of Sciences; prosecuted under "China Initiative" with case dismissed; "We Are All Gang Chen" Panelist. Elizabeth Goitein. Senior Director, Liberty and National Security Program, Brennan Center for Justice Panelist. Ashley Gorski . Senior Staff Attorney, National Security Project, American Civil Liberties Union Panelist. Brian A. Sun 孙自华 . Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright; Board Member, Committee of 100 REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/42AbNIF Additional information about the webinar including bios of the speakers and references are posted at the Warrantless Surveillance webpage: https://bit.ly/3O6T43Q Register Now: July 6 President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI Public Meeting The President's Advisory Commission on Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) will hold its next meeting, the sixth of a series, on July 6, 2023 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The meeting serves to continue the development of recommendations to promote equity, justice, and opportunity for the AANHPI communities. It is open to the public and will be live streamed. The Commission seeks written comments that may be emailed to AANHPICommission@hhs.gov at any time. Individuals may also submit a request to provide oral public comments.For details, directions, and registration, visit: https://bit.ly/3NqpQMB .Dr . Robert Underwood , a member of the Commission, also urges all of us to feel free to communicate with him directly at anacletus2010@gmail.com . Read his remarks at the APA Justice monthly meeting: https://bit.ly/3qogBU1 . Watch his remarks at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnIrq1hfl4A (video 11:48 to 25:21) New Scrutiny on U.S.-China Landmark Science Deal According to Reuters on June 18, 2023, for over 40 years, a landmark agreement between the United States and China has yielded cooperation across a range of scientific and technical fields, a powerful sign that the rivals could set aside their disputes and work together.Now with bilateral relations in their worst state in decades, a debate is underway within the U.S. government about whether to let the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA) expire on August 27, 2023.The agreement, signed when Beijing and Washington established diplomatic ties in 1979 and renewed about every five years since, has been hailed as a stabilizing force for the countries' relations, with collaboration in areas from atmospheric and agricultural science to basic research in physics and chemistry. It laid the foundation for a boom in academic and commercial exchanges.Inside the U.S. government, including the State Department, which leads the negotiations, there are competing views about whether to renew the pact, let it expire or renegotiate to add safeguards against industrial espionage and require reciprocity in data exchanges. Given the state of U.S.-China ties, trying to renegotiate could derail the agreement.Read the Reuters report: https://reut.rs/42M8Rsz News for the Communities Confirmations of Nusrat Jahan Choudhury and Dale Ho On June 15, 2023, the U.S. Senate voted 50-49 to confirm Nusrat Jahan Choudhury to serve as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, and voted on June 14, 2023 50-49 to confirm Dale Ho to serve as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York. Rep. Judy Chu , Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), issued the following statement:“I am thrilled that the Senate has voted to confirm Nusrat Jahan Choudhury to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and Dale Ho to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.“Ms. Choudhury is a champion for racial justice, religious freedom, and privacy rights. While working at the ACLU, she challenged stop-and-frisk policies and the racial profiling and surveillance of Arab, South Asian, Muslim, and Sikh Americans. Ms. Choudhury’s confirmation is also historic, as she is now the first Bangladeshi American and first Muslim American woman to serve on the Federal bench.“Mr. Ho has a storied career as one of our nation’s leading civil rights lawyers and successfully argued at the Supreme Court against the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 Census. He most recently was the director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, where he spearheaded challenges on partisan gerrymandering, restrictive state voting laws, disenfranchisement of underrepresented and marginalized communities, and more. “I offer my heartiest congratulations to Ms. Choudhury and Mr. Ho on their historic confirmations. I commend President Biden for his ongoing commitment to ensuring that our judicial system reflects the diversity of our country, and I thank Majority Leader Schumer for his leadership on these successful confirmations.” Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF June 19, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #355 10/6 Meeting: Yanping Chen Prevails; AAUP/Landmark Ruling; Defend Academics Webinar; + #355 10/6 Meeting: Yanping Chen Prevails; AAUP/Landmark Ruling; Defend Academics Webinar; + In This Issue #355 · 2025/10/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Dr. Yanping Chen Prevails in Appeals Court Decision · Landmark Ruling: AAUP v Rubio (1:25-cv-10685) · Defending Academics and Institutions in Foreign Interference and Research Security Matters · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/10/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held Monday, October 6, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates from: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) We are honored by and welcome the following distinguished speakers: · Mike German , Retired Fellow, Liberty & National Security, Brennan Center for Justice · Margaret Lewis , Professor, Seton Hall University School of Law · Pat Eddington , Senior Fellow, Homeland Security and Civil Liberties, Cato Institute 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 . Dr. Yanping Chen Prevails in Appeals Court Decision According to Courthouse News Service , a three-judge panel of the DC Circuit Appeals Court upheld a contempt finding against former Fox News reporter Catherine Herridge for refusing to reveal the government source who leaked FBI records about Chinese American scientist Dr. Yanping Chen 陈燕平 .The court rejected Herridge’s claim of reporter’s privilege, ruling that Dr. Chen had met the legal test by showing the source’s identity was central to her Privacy Act case and that Dr. Chen had exhausted other reasonable avenues to obtain it. Dr. Chen, never charged despite FBI scrutiny, argues Herridge’s reporting falsely suggested espionage. The Circuit Court also affirmed the District Court’s imposition of an $800 a day fine if Herridge continues to refuse to comply, though the contempt penalty will effectively remain stayed if Herridge pursues a petition for rehearing and/or en banc reconsideration in the Circuit Court. Dr. Chen, an immigrant from China, became a U.S. citizen in 2001 and founded the University of Management and Technology in Arlington, Virginia, in 1998. Dr. Chen is a cardiologist and received a a Ph.D. in Public Policy from George Washington University.Starting in 2010, Dr. Chen became the focus of a Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) investigation for alleged discrepancies in her immigration forms. After 6 years of investigation including searches of her home and office, Dr. Chen was told that no charges will be filed against her in 2016. However, beginning in February 2017, Fox News , in stories led by reporter Catherine Herridge, aired a series of negative reports about Dr. Chen using heavily leaked materials from the FBI investigation. On December 21, 2018, Dr. Chen filed a privacy lawsuit against the FBI and the Departments of Justice, Defense, and Homeland Security. Dr. Chen conducted extensive discovery, including depositions and subpoenas, but could not identify the leaker. Dr. Chen subpoenaed Fox News and Herridge to force her to disclose the source of her reports. On August 8, 2022, Fox News and Herridge filed motions to quash the subpoena, citing journalists’ First Amendment protections, but the district court denied Herridge's motion. The district court ordered Herridge to disclose her sources.After Herridge was deposed and refused to disclose her source, on February 29, 2024, Judge Christopher Cooper held Herridge in civil contempt and imposing a fine of $800 per day until Herridge reveals her source. The court agreed to stay the imposition of fine to give Herridge time to seek an appeal.Herridge appealed. On July 29, 2024, the Asian American Legal and Education Defense Fund (AALDEF) and a coalition of 11 organizations, including APA Justice, filed a 43-page amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals in support of Dr. Chen. The brief addressed issues of racial prejudice and the negative stereotyping of Asian Americans, particularly in the context of government actions against Dr. Chen. The U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia Circuit held a hearing on oral arguments on Herridge's appeal on November 18, 2024. On September 30, 2025, a three-judge panel of the Appeals Court unanimously ruled Herridge cannot assert qualified privilege to quash a subpoena for her source, upholding the district court decision. The three judges are: Gregory Katsas , a Donald Trump appointee; Harry Edwards , a Jimmy Carter appointee; and Michelle Childs , a Joe Biden appointee. Andy Phillips , Dr. Chen’s attorney of Meier Watkins, welcomed the panel’s decision in an email to Courthouse News Service .“Two federal courts have now agreed that Catherine Herridge has no privilege to continue to shield the identity of a federal official who broke the law and leaked protected material to Ms. Herridge,” Phillips wrote. “Dr. Chen looks forward to continuing to pursue redress for the government’s egregious violation of her rights.” For more information about Dr. Chen's case, visit this APA Justice web page . Landmark Ruling: AAUP v Rubio (1:25-cv-10685) According to CNN , New York Times , The Guardian , and multiple media reports, a federal judge has ruled on September 30, 2025, that the Trump administration’s policy to detain and deport foreign scholars over their pro-Palestinian views violates the US constitution and was designed to “intentionally” chill free speech rights. The opinion rules against the Trump administration’s immigration policy, and executive orders, and harshly critiques President Donald Trump’s approach to using his power.The case, American Association of University Professors v. Rubio (1:25-cv-10685) , was brought by the national AAUP; its Harvard, Rutgers and New York University chapters; and the Middle East Studies Association (Mesa).Judge William G Young of the District of Massachusetts, a Ronald Reagan appointee, issued an extraordinary 161-page ruling . In a set of large, bolded print on the first page of the opinion before even its formal header, Judge Young makes public a photocopy of a postcard he received in his judicial chambers in June.The handwriting, chillingly, says “Trump has pardons and tanks … what do you have?”Judge Young's response: "Dear Mr. or Ms. Anonymous, Alone, I have nothing but my sense of duty. Together, We the People of the United States – you and me – have our magnificent Constitution. Here’s how that works out in a specific case – “At the end of his official opinion, Judge Young added, "I hope you found this helpful. Thanks for writing. It shows you care. You should." He invited the person to visit the courthouse and observe "the Constitution is most vibrantly alive, for it is well said that 'Where a jury sits, there burns the lamp of liberty.'"Judge Young signed the opinion merely as "Judge of the United States," a style reportedly not seen since before the Civil War.In his concluding remarks, Judge Young reflected on the broader implications of the case, criticizing the Trump administration's disregard for constitutional norms and its fixation on retribution against dissenting voices. He underscored the importance of protecting free speech as a cornerstone of American democracy and expressed concern about the erosion of constitutional values.The court scheduled a hearing to determine the appropriate remedy for the violations, emphasizing the need to safeguard the rights of all individuals lawfully present in the United States. Defending Academics and Institutions in Foreign Interference and Research Security Matters WHAT : Defending Academics and Institutions in Foreign Interference and Research Security Matters WHEN : October 10, 2025, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm ET WHERE : · In person: One Logan Square, Philadelphia, PA, 19103 · Virtual: please register HOST : Federal Criminal Law Committee (FCLC) Moderator: Abe Rein , Chair of Post & Schell’s White Collar Defense & Investigations Group (and FCLC Chair) Speakers: · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director of the Asian American Scholar Forum · Michael Vernick , Partner and Head of the Government Contracts Group at Akin Gump · Jennifer Beidel , Member, White Collar Group at Dykema DESCRIPTION : “China Initiative” redux? In this era of academic global engagement, the federal government’s increasing focus on scrutinizing foreign ties leads to new levels of enforcement against researchers and their institutions. These matters, increasingly prioritized by DOJ, present unique challenges, from dealing with difficult scientific concepts (and explaining them to agents and prosecutors) to analyzing potential immigration consequences, to working with experts unused to legal proceedings.Admission is $15 for FCLC members and $25 for non-members. MORE INFORMATON/REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/42RMEfr News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/10/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/10/07 Conversations, Recollections, Pioneers and Heros: David Henry Hwang2025/10/10 Defending Academics and Institutions in Foreign Interference and Research Security Matters2025/10/16 Bridging Nations: The Power of People-to-People Exchange in U.S.-China Relations2025/10/23 C100 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative: Asian American Women in the Law2025/11/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/11/20 Cook County Circuit Court HearingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. C100 Conversations: David Henry Hwang WHAT : Conversations, Recollections, Pioneers and Heros: David Henry Hwang WHEN : October 7, 2025, 6:00 pm - 6:45 pm ET WHERE : Online event HOST : Committee of 100 Moderator: Peter Young , CEO and President of Young & Partners; Committee of 100 New York Regional Chair and Board Member Speaker : David Henry Hwang , playwright, librettist, and screenwriter DESCRIPTION : David Henry Hwang is an American playwright, librettist, screenwriter, and theater professor at Columbia University in New York City. He has won three Obie Awards for his plays FOB, Golden Child, and Yellow Face. He has one Tony Award (M. Butterfly) and three other nominations (Golden Child, Flower Drum Song, and Yellow Face), as well as a Grammy Award (Ainadamar) and one other nomination (Soft Power). Three of his works (M. Butterfly, Yellow Face, and Soft Power) have been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/4nLsnAf # # # 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 October 6, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

website under development Birthright Citizenship Learn more China Initiative Chinese academics and researchers were systemically targeted in a government-led initiative and may be at threat again in the future Learn more Racial Profiling Targeting of individuals or groups due to their race or ethnicity Learn more History and Purpose of APA Justice A platform for Asian American justice and fairness Learn more Warrantless Surveillance The U.S. government engages in mass, warrantless surveillance of American citizens Learn more Alien Land Bills Communities fighting back against discriminatory land laws Learn more Birthright Citizenship Details Birthright Citizenship Details Birthright Citizenship Details Birthright Citizenship Details The Latest Court Hearing and A New Movement Emerges Read More We published a Special Edition of our newsletter to cover the July 18 court hearing on Florida's new discriminatory housing law. Lawsuit Against Florida Senate Bill 264 Read More A group of Chinese citizens who live, work, study, and raise families in Florida filed a lawsuit to combat Florida’s discriminatory property law, SB 264. Texas House Bill 1075 and Senate Bill 552 Read More Texas state representatives are attempting to stop foreign governments from purchasing Texas agricultural land. Rep. Judy Chu's New Year Greetings and 2022 Review Read More During the first APA Justice monthly meeting of 2023, Rep. Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, reviewed the accomplishments of 2022, highlighted by the end of the "China Initiative" and Sherry Chen's historic settlement. Community Calendar 01 Racial Profiling 03 Warrantless Surveillance 02 The China Initiative 04 Alien Land Bills Learn more about the pressing AAPI issues of today. Yellow Whistle Campaign Our partnership with the Yellow Whistle Project to promote self-protection and solidarity against discrimination and violence. Advocacy Our work with policy makers to push for AAPI rights and to ensure justice for AAPI academics and scientists. Know your rights Protect yourself by knowing your rights. National Media Network A national media alert network giving greater resources and a more assertive voice to the Asian American community. WHAT WE DO Learn more Watchlist See important issues and legislation we're monitoring Report a Hate Incident Learn what it means to be Chinese American Library See important issues and legislation we're monitoring Report a Hate Incident Learn what it means to be Chinese American Resources Learn about the history, responses, and current state of the APA community. Name Email I accept terms & conditions Stay informed Stay up to date with the latest news and developments from APA Justice Last name Subscribe You've signed up for the APA Justice newsletter. Stay informed Stay up to date with the latest news and developments from APA Justice Name Email I accept terms & conditions Subscribe You've signed up for the APA Justice newsletter.

Newsletter - #305 AAAS Update; Science/Sustaining Collaboration; Franklin Tao Lawsuit; Johns Hopkins ACF #305 AAAS Update; Science/Sustaining Collaboration; Franklin Tao Lawsuit; Johns Hopkins ACF In This Issue #305 · Updates from the American Association for the Advancement of Science · FP: Science Could Be a Bright Spot in U.S.-China Relations · Sustaining Scientific Collaboration Amid Worsening US–China Relations · University Daily Kansan on Franklin Tao Lawsuit · 02/03 Launch of ACF Institute at SAIS, Johns Hopkins University · News and Activities for the Communities Updates from the American Association for the Advancement of Science Dr. Sudip Parikh is Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); Executive Publisher of the Science family of journals. Sudip last spoke at the September 2023 APA Justice monthly meeting covering open science, basic research, and US-China collaboration in today's environment. He returned to give an update on the latest activities and developments of AAAS during the APA Justice monthly meeting on January 6, 2025. AAAS was the first permanent organization established to promote the development of science and engineering at the national level and to represent the interests of all its disciplines. Sudip emphasized the significance of leading an organization with a storied history since 1848, stating that it gives “a sense of perspective” about the evolution of science in the United States.Sudip noted the symbolic power of his role as a first-generation immigrant of Indian descent leading the AAAS. Reflecting on the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, he remarked, “I wouldn’t exist without [it]… several of us would not exist.” This underscored the importance of inclusivity in science leadership. He acknowledged the organization's historical challenges: "When AAAS was formed in 1848, it was by 87 men—white men only—because that was the demographic practicing science at the time.” Today, AAAS reflects diversity in gender, race, and geography, with a majority-female board, which he described as a hopeful sign of progress.Acknowledging the complex challenges of the next two years, including divisive policy and rhetoric, Sudip found inspiration in AAAS’s history of overcoming its "baggage"; and shameful moments. “An organization that can evolve… can rise above and continue to advance science.” On Global Science Diplomacy and Collaboration: 1. U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement : This long-standing agreement, renewed for five years over the holidays, symbolizes critical cooperation. Sudip highlighted the new focus on reciprocity and transparency, which were absent in the 1979 framework. He described the renewal as "a good agreement” and crucial for fostering future collaborations. 2. India and Immigration Policy : Sudip’s visit to India highlighted the strong scientific ties between the two nations. He also addressed controversies surrounding H-1B visas, particularly on social media. “It turns out two things can be right at the same time—a program can be really important, and it can need to be reformed.” He encouraged constructive discussions on immigration policy reform. 3. Japan and Collaboration : During his visit to Japan, Sudip discussed the challenges of scientific collaboration despite the close alliance between the U.S. and Japan. He stressed the importance of distinguishing economic decisions from cultural signals, advocating for open and active collaboration in science. 4. Science Diplomacy Efforts : Sudip reaffirmed AAAS’s commitment to Track II diplomacy, which maintains dialogue even in strained geopolitical climates. He emphasized fostering long-term relationships, especially among junior scientists, to sustain international cooperation for decades. AAAS Annual Meeting Sudip previewed the upcoming AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston (February 13–15), themed Science Shaping Tomorrow . He noted the event’s focus on international collaboration and breakthroughs of the year, particularly the development of a small-molecule drug providing six-month protection against HIV transmission. “It’s not a vaccine, but it’s as close as we’ve ever gotten,” he noted. Vision for American Science and Technology Sudip discussed his role as chair of a task force developing a new vision for American science and technology—Endless Frontier 2.0, referencing Vannevar Bush ’s seminal 1945 report. Recognizing changes since 1945, Sudip said, “Vannevar Bush never imagined me,” emphasizing the increased role of diversity, philanthropy, and international parity in modern science.This updated vision will be released in late February, featuring multimedia formats to spark national conversations. Sudip reminded listeners of the historical precedent, noting that the original Endless Frontier was initially rejected and took five years of debate before leading to the National Science Foundation. He called for similar discussions today, concluding, “It’s time for an update… to look forward, not backward.”Sudip closed by reaffirming AAAS’s dedication to advancing science and fostering collaboration globally. He emphasized the importance of maintaining dialogue, covering critical issues like immigration and international relations, and inspiring the next generation to continue building bridges through science. A summary for the January 6 monthly meeting is being prepared at this time. FP : Science Could Be a Bright Spot in U.S.-China Relations On January 16, 2025, a Foreign Policy report highlights the renewal of the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA), a longstanding pact that has underpinned bilateral scientific collaboration since 1979. The updated agreement, extended for another five years, is limited to basic research and incorporates new safeguards addressing intellectual property and researcher safety concerns. However, it explicitly excludes sensitive areas like artificial intelligence and quantum computing, reflecting rising national security concerns and intensifying U.S.-China technological competition. The report underscores the mounting challenges in scientific collaboration due to China’s military-civil fusion policy and espionage concerns, which have raised fears in Washington about the potential misuse of joint research for military advancements. Additionally, China’s increasingly restrictive information environment and limited transparency in research-sharing practices have cast doubt on the equity and mutual benefit of such collaborations.Amid these developments, the STA’s renewal marks a cautious continuation of scientific diplomacy. Yet, the broader relationship between the two nations remains strained, particularly in the tech sector, where the U.S. has enacted export controls and promoted domestic production to counter China’s advancements. While the agreement aims to maintain dialogue and cooperation, its future impact will depend on navigating geopolitical and strategic tensions. *****According to an opinion of the China-based China Daily on January 11, 2025, the signing of a protocol by China and the United States recently to amend and extend the US-China Science and Technology Agreement is a crucial development given the fraught geopolitical relationship between the world's two largest economies. Originally signed in 1979 by former US president Jimmy Carter and former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping , the agreement coincided with the resumption of academic exchanges between the two countries. Following the signing of a 1978 memorandum of understanding on student and scholar exchanges — the first official agreement between the two governments — 52 Chinese students departed from Beijing to the US, with American students arriving in China two months later.The number of Chinese students in the US has declined for the fifth consecutive academic year. According to the Open Doors Report, published by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the number of Chinese students had fallen from 372,532 in 2019-20 to 277,398 in 2023-24.The careers of the "Beijing Eight" — the first group of American students to enroll in Chinese universities in February 1979 — exemplify the profound impact of early academic exchanges. Figures such as Madelyn Ross , former president of the US-China Education Trust; Frank Hawke , former China director of Stanford University Graduate School of Business; and Stephen Allee , curator of Chinese art at the Smithsonian Institution, highlight the importance of these programs in shaping future leaders and fostering international collaboration. Diplomacy, after all, begins in classrooms, lecture halls and research labs — places where future leaders learn to see the world through each other's eyes. It is a bridge worth preserving. Sustaining Scientific Collaboration Amid Worsening US–China Relations According to the University of California at San Diego (UC San Diego) School of Global Policy and Strategy on January 16, 2025, a recent commentary in Nature , coauthored by six senior scientists from the United States and China, calls for renewed efforts to protect and expand scientific collaboration between the two nations amid growing geopolitical tensions. The authors, including David Victor of UC San Diego, stress that U.S.–China cooperation has historically produced transformative global benefits, such as advancements in clean energy and medicine. However, they note that restrictive visa policies, political friction, and the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a sharp decline in student exchanges and joint research efforts. The authors highlight the limitations of the recently renewed U.S.–China Science and Technology Agreement (STA), which excludes collaboration in security-sensitive fields and focuses solely on basic science. They advocate for a more comprehensive framework to address shared global challenges like climate change, public health, and sustainable development. For example, the number of Chinese students in the U.S. has dropped from nearly 400,000 in 2019-2020 to under 300,000 in 2021-2022, while U.S. student exchanges to China have fallen from a peak of 15,000 in 2012-2013 to fewer than 1,000 in 2022-2023. The Nature commentary offers several solutions to increase collaboration in the face of challenging times, such as: · Identifying “safe zones” : Collaboration should focus on less sensitive fields like polar science and cosmology. These areas could offer less blowback compared to research on machine intelligence or pharmacology. Scientists need to identify and champion these “safe zones” to reduce political interference. · Securing funding : Federal and philanthropic organizations should offer reliable funding mechanisms for cross-border research. The U.S. Chips and Science Act, for example, prohibits individuals receiving federal research funding from participating in “Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs.” The authors argue that “when funders take on these dual roles — supporters and punishers — it becomes harder for scientists to secure reliable funding for work involving cross-border collaborations.” · Making the case for collaboration : Scientists must communicate the benefits of collaboration to policymakers, the public and funding agencies, countering nationalist narratives and fostering mutual understanding. “Scientists must better explain the benefits of joint work, root out and combat cases of mistreatment, racism and alienation, and restore science to its true purpose: a global pursuit of ideas that benefits from collective progress, not nationalism,” the authors write. Read the UC San Diego report: https://bit.ly/4hmHuNg . Read the Nature commentary: https://go.nature.com/3WqCUpf University Daily Kansan on Franklin Tao Lawsuit On January 17, 2025, the University Daily Kansan reported on a lawsuit Professor Franklin Tao filed against the university, alleging discrimination and wrongful termination following his prosecution under the now-defunct "China Initiative." The lawsuit claims that a visiting scholar at KU demanded $300,000 from Tao, threatening to report him to the FBI when he refused. Following the scholar's false accusations, KU reported Tao to the FBI without conducting its own investigation. The lawsuit further claims that the university collaborated closely with the FBI and DOJ, with evidence collected by KU forming the basis of the eventual charges against him.Text messages obtained by Tao’s legal team reportedly show close communication between KU’s then-deputy general counsel and FBI agents, including one exchange where the counsel referred to the agents as “my Wonder Twins,” to which the agents replied, “Ok mom.” Another message sent after Tao’s arrest allegedly stated, “Job well done, gentlemen.”The University Daily Kansan is an independent student newspaper established in 1904. It has long been a key source of news and analysis for the KU community, covering campus and university-related issues.Read the University Daily Kansan report: https://bit.ly/4gbX9OM 02/03 Launch of ACF Institute at SAIS, Johns Hopkins University On February 3, 2025, the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) will launch the Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF). This new institute seeks to add rigor and reason to public and policy discussions on China and the range of domestic and international issues that intersect China’s global role, bringing together experts and practitioners to foster informed public dialogue, promote evidence-based research, and support the next generation of scholars and practitioners. The event will be held at Johns Hopkins SAIS, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001.This day-long event will include sessions on what’s at stake in U.S. policy making on China, the Chinese economy, artificial intelligence and emerging threats to U.S. interests, and a new report on "Getting China Right at Home," analyzing the domestic challenges posed by intensifying competition. Jessica Chen Weiss will serve as the inaugural Director of ACF. She is also the David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, Weiss was the Michael J. Zak Professor for China and Asia-Pacific Studies at Cornell University's Department of Government. For more information and registration to attend the event, visit: https://bit.ly/4am8fPG News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/02/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/02/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/02/03 Getting China Right: Launch of ACF Institute at SAIS, Johns Hopkins University2025/02/13-15 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting2025/02/16 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2025/03/02 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/03/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Get Help Today on LA Fires Californians can go to CA.gov/LAfires – a hub for information and resources from state, local and federal government. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses from wildfires in Los Angeles County can apply for disaster assistance: · Online at DisasterAssistance.gov · Calling 800-621-3362 · By using the FEMA smart phone application · Assistance is available in over 40 languages · If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Please share with your families, friends, and colleagues in the Los Angeles area. 3. NIH Developments National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Monica Bertagnolli resigned on January 17, 2025, ending her tenure as the head of the $48 billion biomedical research agency after one year. According to Science on January 16, 2025, after over three years of organizing, early-career researchers at NIH have secured the first union contract at a federal research institution. The contract, covering around 5,000 graduate students, postdocs, and post-baccalaureates, includes paid parental leave, harassment protections, work hour limits, and a 40-hour workweek baseline. It also promises pay increases—raising graduate stipends to $50,400 and postdoc pay to $68,544—but these raises won't start until 2026.The deal, approved by the Department of Health and Human Services, guarantees up to $1,500 in relocation benefits, professional development time, gender-neutral restrooms, and remote work accommodations. While the pay increases depend on congressional appropriations and could be delayed, the contract is seen as a significant victory, especially in high-cost areas like Washington, D.C.This agreement may set a precedent for other institutions, encouraging similar pay and benefit negotiations. Despite frustrations over delays and uncertainties, union members view the contract as a major achievement that provides stability in the face of potential federal changes.Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/4h5y09x Back View PDF January 20, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #243 Florida Rally Today; AAJC Updates; History in California; Corky Lee; Mexico Brief; + #243 Florida Rally Today; AAJC Updates; History in California; Corky Lee; Mexico Brief; + In This Issue #243 · Rally Today: Florida Professors and Advocates Demand Board of Governors Address SB 846 · Advancing Justice | AAJC Updates from March APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Humanity in Confronting History in California · Fifty Years of Photographic Justice: Corky Lee’s Asian America · Mexico Files Amicus Brief; Chinese Crossing Southern Border · News and Activities for the Communities Rally Today: Florida Professors and Advocates Demand Board of Governors Address SB 846 On March 26, 2024, professors, students, and advocates will host a rally before the Florida Board of Governors meeting at the University of Florida. Asian American scholars and local and national community members will gather to demand that the Florida Board of Governors address their concerns with SB 846, which restricts Florida’s public colleges and universities from hiring graduate students and researchers from certain “countries of concern,” including China and Iran. The legislation, which took effect on July 1, 2023, further restricts Florida’s public colleges and universities from participating in partnerships or agreements with individuals or entities from these countries. It has raised concerns on academic freedom and impacts on the Asian American community not just in Florida but nationwide. The law has created confusion and a chilling effect on researchers, and could lead to broader harms on scientific innovation and the pipeline of scientific leadership in Florida and the U.S. At this rally, students and professors will share personal stories about the negative impact of the legislation on themselves, peers, and their local community, as well as the fearful environment that it has fostered especially at a time of increased anti-Asian hate and violence. National representatives are flying in from across the country to support local community members and to voice that what is happening in Florida could have a rippling effect across the country. Vincent Wang , Co-Organizer of APA Justice, will speak at the rally, which will be held at Reitz Union, North Lawn, University of Florida Gainesville Campus, on March 26, 2024, starting at 12 noon ET. The "We Belong" Yellow Whistles will be distributed during the rally. Please join.Read the media advisory: https://bit.ly/3PEyOq9 Breaking News: Academics challenge Florida law restricting research exchanges from prohibited countries like China According to AP on March 26, 2024, two graduate students from China whose studies were put on hold, and a professor who says he is unable to recruit research assistants, sued Florida education officials, trying to stop enforcement of a new state law which limits research exchanges between state universities and academics from seven prohibited countries.The law is discriminatory, unconstitutional and reminiscent of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which instituted a 10-year ban on Chinese laborers immigrating to the United States, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Miami. The new law also usurps the power of the federal government, which has exclusive authority over immigration, national security and foreign affairs, the lawsuit said.Read the AP report: https://bit.ly/3PEfkCd Advancing Justice | AAJC Updates from March APA Justice Monthly Meeting During the APA Justice monthly meeting on March 4, 2024, Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC, reported that the House cancelled a much anticipated vote on Section 702, the circumstances around which are highly problematic. The key takeaways include: 1. The House Intelligence Committee, led by Chairman Mike Turner , reneged on a pre-negotiated deal to move FISA reauthorization and reform to the House floor; 2. The House Judiciary Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over Section 702, submitted amendments to the base bill and testified in favor of their amendments while the House Intelligence Committee failed to even appear. Chair Turner and other House Intelligence Committee members also cryptically hinted at a so-called destabilizing foreign military capability that they heavily implied was related to Section 702, but it was later identified to be completely unrelated. Chair Turner undermined national security and wrongfully created national panic. It was clearly designed to scare members ahead of the plan to vote on Section 702, which was ultimately taken down. The White House and members of Congress and Civil Society have all been appalled at this behavior and issued statements to that effect. But in terms of next steps, Advancing Justice | AAJC will, in coalition with other AAPI organizations, prepare to defend against any efforts to jam Section 702 reauthorization into any imminent must-pass legislation. To that end, Joanna learned that 702 reauthorization is not in the first minibus and will continue to stay vigilant and monitor. Joanna deferred to Thông Phan to report on the state alien land laws. Advancing Justice | AAJC is tracking land-law-related language in the national security supplemental. It appears that a narrowly tailored version of the Rounds amendment was ultimately dropped, and the national security supplemental at the time of reporting looks to be less harmful.A summary for the meeting is being prepared at this time. 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 . Humanity in Confronting History in California According to AP , in May 2021, Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe had issued a formal apology for Antioch’s mistreatment of early Chinese immigrants, including the torching of Chinatown and driving out its residents, which has been documented by local newspapers and historians. Thorpe’s actions led to major cities like San Jose, Los Angeles and San Francisco passing similar resolutions.The 2021 apology has also led to local residents and historians delving deeper into the past and working to establish a Chinatown Historic District, complete with murals and museum exhibits highlighting the history and accomplishments of the community in Antioch.Before getting involved with the Antioch Historical Society and becoming committee chair for its Chinese History Project, Hans Ho said he had no idea a Chinatown once existed there. Chinese people were undoubtedly treated as second-class citizens, said Ho, who emigrated from Hong Kong in the 1960s. He was also one of the representatives from the Chinese American community to receive Thorpe’s apology, an act that moved him to tears.Chinese laborers were among the early population in Antioch, which was named in 1851. They likely numbered just under 100, said Lucy Meinhardt , an Antioch Historical Society Museum board member. They worked in farms, canneries and mines. They helped build river levees and established a Chinatown where the city’s downtown now stands. Today, the city of more than 111,000 is 25% white while Asians make up 12%. Hispanic and Black residents are 35% and 20% of the population, respectively. Even creating a space for some materials related to Chinese residents at the Antioch Historical Society Museum has gotten pushback. “(One board member) said that they wanted this to be an ‘American’ museum,” said Dwayne Eubanks , a past president of the historical society, who is African American. “I took umbrage to that.” He held up a picture of his father in his Army uniform and told the man: “This is an American.”On March 16, 2024, Eubanks, Meinhardt and Ho all attended the May We Gather event in Antioch, which organizers described as the first national memorial service and pilgrimage in response to anti-Asian violence. Attendees, including the three local residents, walked meditatively with Buddhist monks, nuns and lay leaders, around the city block where Antioch’s Chinatown stood 150 years ago.Read the AP report: https://bit.ly/49elUGm According to NBC News on March 6, 2024, In 1939, the Dongs, a Chinese American family in Coronado, California, found themselves unable to rent a house amid racially restrictive housing laws that favored white buyers and renters. Emma and Gus Thompson , a Black entrepreneurial couple in town, allowed the family to rent and eventually buy their Coronado property when nobody else would. Now, to thank the Thompsons for helping them get a toehold in American society, the Dongs are donating $5 million to Black college students using proceeds from the sale of the house. “It may enable some kids to go and flourish in college that might not have been able to otherwise,” Janice Dong , 86, said about the plan to sell the family home they later purchased, as well as an adjacent property. The Dong family will also work to have San Diego State University’s Black Resource Center named after Emma and Gus, who was born into slavery in Kentucky. Lloyd Dong Jr. , 81, said the Thompsons gave their family a start with the land, and it is time for them to do the same for others. “Without them, we would not have the education and everything else,” Lloyd Dong Jr. said. The Dong family’s roots in California date back to the late 19th century. Lloyd Dong Sr. was a farmer in the Central Valley before he moved to Coronado to become a gardener. In 1939, Gus and Emma Thompson gave the Dong family a place to stay, a promise to sell them the land and a chance to build a better life. It was a time in Coronado, a resort city known for its opulent hotel and white sand beaches on the San Diego Bay peninsula, when people living on the margins of society found it difficult to live within city limits. Racially restrictive housing covenants prohibited immigrants and people of color from renting and buying in Coronado.The Dong and Thompson families were on the same side of history. They were people trying to make it in a land that didn’t see them as full citizens. It wasn’t abnormal then to have marginalized individuals living together and supporting one another.Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/3vAdCL7 Fifty Years of Photographic Justice: Corky Lee’s Asian America Corky Lee 李扬国 (1947-2021), known also as "Asian American Photographer Laureate," was a Chinese American activist, community organizer, and photojournalist. He called himself an "ABC from NYC ... wielding a camera to slay injustices against APAs." Corky documented Asian American and Pacific Islander communities for fifty years, breaking the stereotype of Asian Americans as docile, passive, and, above all, foreign to this country. A selection of the best photographs from his vast collection will be officially released on April 9, 2024. It covers his start in New York’s Chinatown in the 1970s to his coverage of diverse Asian American communities across the country until his untimely passing in 2021. Read about the book: https://www.corkylee.org/about-1 . The link also provides information about a national book tour starting at the Chinese American Museum in Washington DC on April 11, and including New York events at the Asia Society on April 18 and Chinatown on May 4, as well as stops at Boston, Los Angeles, Oakland, Pasadena, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle. For more information, contact Tina Wang , National Book Tour Coordinator, at wangxintian0928@gmail.com . Mexico Files Amicus Brief; Chinese Crossing Southern Border According to CNN on March 21, 2024, Mexico is warning a federal US court in a friend-of-the-court brief that if its judges permit a controversial Texas immigration law known as SB 4 to take effect, the two nations would experience “substantial tension” that would have far-reaching consequences for US-Mexico relations.“Enforcement of SB 4 would inappropriately burden the uniform and predictable sovereign-to-sovereign relations between Mexico and the United States, by criminalizing the unauthorized entry of noncitizens into Texas from outside the county and creating diverging removal requirements between and among individual states and the national government,” they wrote in the brief. “Enforcement of SB 4 would also interfere with Mexico’s right to determine its own policies regarding entry into its territory, undermine U.S.-Mexico collaboration on a legal migration framework and border management, and hinder U.S.-Mexico trade,” the attorneys told the court.Mexico said it was backing the law’s challengers, which include the Biden administration. Its attorneys argued in the brief that the law – if allowed to take effect – “will be applied in a discriminatory manner.”Mexico’s 11 consulates in Texas have been ordered to provide protection and guidance and have made legal support available for any Mexican nationals across the state who “starts to have a problem,” under the new law, Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena said.Read the CNN report: https://cnn.it/497YaDR . According to a 60 Minutes report on February 4, 2024, about 37,000 Chinese nationals trying to escape repressive politics and a bleak economy, headed to the U.S. via the southern border in 2023. This is about 1.5% of the total of 2.5 million. It is an increase from 323 in 2021.According to the South China Morning Post on February 15, 2024, from a high of 2.2 million temporary visas granted to Chinese nationals in 2016, only about 160,000 were granted in 2022, a fall of more than 90%. This has led some Chinese citizens to take desperate measures to enter the US for a better life. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/03/26 Rally: Florida Professors and Advocates Demand Board of Governors Address SB 8462024/03/28 CSIS: U,S,-China Scholarly Recoupling: The Path Forward2024/04/02 AA and NHPI Higher Education Leadership Summit2024/04/07 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/04/08 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/04/17 Racially Profiled for Being A Scientist: A Discussion of the US DOJ's China Initiative2024/04/18 Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic JusticeVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. AA & NHPI Higher Education Leadership Summit WHAT: AA & NHPI Higher Education Leadership Development Summit WHEN: APRIL 2, 2024, 8:30 - 5:15 pm Pacific Time WHERE: UC Berkeley - Martin Luther King, Jr. Building, 2495 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA 94704 HOSTS: White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; U.S. Office of Personnel Management DESCRIPTION: The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) is dedicated to advancing educational equity and opportunity for all Americans. In 2024, we are continuing to bring together students, faculty, and administrators from across the country to highlight the critical role that Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs) play in increasing access to higher education and promoting workforce development. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3Vncrco Back View PDF March 26, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #112 FBI/DOJ Accountable? Xiaoxing Xi/OSTP; Science Needs Affirmative Action; COMPETES Act #112 FBI/DOJ Accountable? Xiaoxing Xi/OSTP; Science Needs Affirmative Action; COMPETES Act Back View PDF February 9, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #179 05/01 Meeting; Florida Rallies; CALDA; Indiana Hate Crime; Economic Peace Terms; News #179 05/01 Meeting; Florida Rallies; CALDA; Indiana Hate Crime; Economic Peace Terms; News In This Issue #179 2023/05/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2023/04/29 Florida Rallies; CALDA Issues Statement Indiana Woman Charged with Federal Hate Crime in Bus Attack America Has Dictated Its Economic Peace Terms to China Activities and News for the Communities 2023/05/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, May 1, 2023, starting at 1:55 pm ET. Erika L. Moritsugu , Deputy Assistant to the President and Asian American and Pacific Islander Senior Liaison, will deliver a special message from the White House to start the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Brenna Isman , Director of Academy Studies, National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), will provide a brief description of the history, mission, and purpose of NAPA, its "Grand Challenges" campaign for public administration, and its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) efforts and commissioned studies. Paula Williams Madison , Paula Williams Madison, Former Print and TV Journalist, Retired NBCUniversal executive and GE Company Officer, Former Vice President of the Los Angeles Police Commission and owner of The Africa Channel, will provide a recap of the April 17 Roundtable and share the possible next steps for this important work that may have long-lasting impact to the AAPI community and the American society overall.Updates will be provided in the meeting by: Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); John Yang 杨重远 , President and Executive Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum.The virtual monthly meeting is by invitation only. 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 . 2023/04/29 Florida Rallies; CALDA Issues Statement 1. 2023/04/29 Florida Rallies A 6-city rally is being organized by The Florida Asian American Justice Alliance to oppose the unfair and discriminatory Florida Senate Bill 264 and House Bill 1355 on Saturday, April 29, 2023, starting at 11:00 am ET. Tallahassee . 400 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399 Jacksonville . Memorial Park, 1620 Riverside Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32204 Miami . Torch of Friendship, 301 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33126 Other cities are Gainesville, Orlando, and Tampa. For more information about the rally and how to get involved, please contact Jin at faaja.org@gmail.com . 2. CALDA Issues Statement Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against systematic racial discrimination for Chinese Americans. According to statement released by CALDA on April 23, 2023,"Our specialty is filing legal actions to invalidate laws, policies, or practices that are racially biased against Chinese Americans. Two years ago our founders successfully obtained a preliminary injunction in court against President Trump for his WeChat ban, and forced the federal government to pay nearly one million dollars for our attorney fees in the lawsuit. Recently we have filed legal actions to expose the racial bias behind several federal agencies’ unfair investigation of Chinese American scientists. In the last several months, we have been monitoring the situation in Texas, Florida, South Carolina and other southern states for their bills banning Chinese Americans from acquiring or owning real estates.These bills are racist, no matter what 'legitimate' purposes that the state legislators claim to serve. They are no different from the so-called 'alien land laws' that many states passed more than a hundred years ago to ban Asian people from owning land. All of the alien land laws were struck down by courts or repealed by the states subsequently. CALDA has decided to take on the same legal challenge in court if the current bills are passed.These bills are a blatant violation of the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution by singling out Chinese Americans for unequal treatment. They also violate the federal Fair Housing Act for discriminatory practices. CALDA has already started the preparation of the legal challenges, and is now working with ACLU and several major law firms to join forces. Our plan is to file lawsuits as soon as any of these bills are passed, and we will not stop fighting until all of these laws are overturned."Read the CALDA statement: https://bit.ly/3oHzyAj Sunday Strategy Town Hall Meetings Opposing Alien Land and Other Discriminatory Bills For the past two months, a strategic town hall meeting has been held every Sunday under the organization and leadership of Professor Steven Pei , Inaugural Chair of United Chinese Americans and Co-Organizer of APA Justice. Frequent participants include community organizers of protests in not only all four major cities in Texas, but also Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee as well as supporters from California and other states. Paula Madison , retired media executive, and Gene Wu , Texas state representative, led recent discussions in very productive meetings with Florida community leaders and organizers. A media training by Gene Wu and Helen Shih of Texas followed just before the Florida hearing on April 19, 2023, despite the short notice and allowed speaking time (30 seconds per testifying person). Organizations and individuals interested in participating in future town hall meetings should contact Steven Pei at peiuh8@gmail.com . Indiana Woman Charged with Federal Hate Crime in Bus Attack According to a report by AP on April 21, 2023, Billie R. Davis , 56, of Bloomington, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Evansville on a charge of willfully causing injuries to the victim due to her race and national origin.” Davis, who is white, is accused of repeatedly stabbing the 18-year-old woman about seven times with a folding knife on January 11 as the victim, from Carmel, Indiana, waited to get off a bus in downtown Bloomington. WRTV-TV has reported that Davis told police she stabbed the woman multiple times in the head because it “would be one less person to blow up our country.” Asian Americans have increasingly been the target of racially motivated harassment and assaults in recent years, particularly since the coronavirus pandemic began, with many worrying that anti-Asian rhetoric linked to fraught relations between the U.S. and China could lead to more violence. Read the AP report: https://bit.ly/3V8st7Z In early January, local prosecutors told NPR that Davis was not charged with a hate crime because Indiana is one of four states that lack a comprehensive law. David Goldenberg , the Midwest regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said the lack of comprehensive hate crime laws in the state has major consequences. "Prosecutors need to prosecute these incidents as hate crimes when they are," Goldenberg told NPR in January. "The thing about hate crimes is it affects not only the individual victim but it affects the entire community." Read the NPR report: https://bit.ly/3Lrtsx2 America Has Dictated Its Economic Peace Terms to China According to an opinion in Foreign Policy by Adam Tooze , the Director of the European Institute at Columbia University, on April 24, 2023, after a rash of sanctions and overtly discriminatory legislation, with action on U.S. investment in China pending, and with talk of war increasingly commonplace in the United States, the Biden administration knows that it needs to clarify its economic relations with the country that is the largest U.S. trading partner outside North America. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has made her first major statement on economic relations with China since 2021. Judged by the tone, her message is intended to clarify and calm the waters of speculation and debate about motives and intentions. In the current situation, however, it is far from clear whether clarity actually contributes to calm.“The United States remains the most dynamic and prosperous economy in the world.” So, Yellen insists, America has no reason to seek to “stifle China’s economic and technological modernization” or to pursue a deep decoupling. Even when the Biden administration professes to be confident about America’s economic prospects, Yellen insists: “As in all of our foreign relations, national security is of paramount importance in our relationship with China.”At one level, this is obvious. No public official will ever say anything else. Security is the basic function of states. But everything depends on the scope of your vision of national security and the level of trust. And if you have to state the priority of national security in foreign relations out loud, you know you have a problem.So a strong and self-confident America has no reason to stand in the way of China’s economic and technological modernization except in every area that America’s national security establishment, the most gigantic in the world, defines as being of essential national interest. For this to be anything other than hypocrisy, you have to imagine that we live in a goldilocks world in which the technology, industrial capacity, and trade that are relevant to national security are incidental to economic and technological modernization more broadly speaking.Yellen pays lip service to that goldilocks vision, by insisting that U.S. measures against China will be tightly targeted. But, as everyone knows, those targeted measures have so far included massive efforts to hobble the world leader in 5G technology, Huawei, sanctions against the entire chip supply chain, and the inclusion of most major research universities in China on America’s entities list that strictly limits trade. The upshot is that America welcomes China’s economic modernization and will refuse the lure of the Thucydides trap so long as China’s development proceeds along lines that do not infringe on American leadership and national security. And America’s attitude will be all the more benign the more successful it is in pursuing its own national prosperity and preeminence precisely in those areas.Read the Foreign Policy opinion: https://bit.ly/41CwSlW Activities and News for the Communities 1. Xenophobia in America WHAT: Xenophobia in America with historian and author, Erika LeeWHEN: April 26, 2023, starting at 7:30 pm WHERE: In Person at Temple Emanu-El at 756 East Broad Street, Westfield, NJ 07090 and livestreaming WHO: Kol Tzedek Speaker: Erika Lee, Regents Professor, the Rudolph J. Vecoli Chair in Immigration History, the Director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota, and the President of the Organization of American Historians. Beginning July 1, 2023, Lee will join the History Department at Harvard University as the the inaugural Bae Family Professor of History. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3AqMyNh DESCRIPTION : The Kol Tzedek Speakers Series is an annual program addressing various topics of critical importance to the betterment of our world and how we can move forward with hope and action. This year, we are thrilled to present this program in person for the very first time. The lecturers we consider will be acclaimed authorities from their respective fields of specialization. The Hebrew term Kol Tzedek means righteous voice. 2. Bill to Teach Hmong and Asian American History in Wisconsin According to AsAmNews on April 22, 2023, a new bill in Wisconsin would require schools to teach Asian American, and specifically Hmong American history. Senate Bill 240 was introduced by Republican Senator Jesse James of Altoona and other lawmakers in early April. The bill was referred to the Committee on Education on April 14. It has received bi-partisan support so far. A total of 19 states now require Asian American studies to be taught in public schools. Wisconsin could be the next state to mandate an AAPI studies curriculum. Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/41MD3Um 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 April 25, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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