Newsletter - #357 Vincent Wang Honored; 10/16 Webinar; Mike German Remarks/Impacts; NSF Politicization+ #357 Vincent Wang Honored; 10/16 Webinar; Mike German Remarks/Impacts; NSF Politicization+ In This Issue #357 · Vincent Wang Inducted into Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame · Reminder: 10/16 Webinar "Bridging Nations" · Mike German's Remarks and Impacts over Time · Politicization at the National Science Foundation · News and Activities for the Communities Vincent Wang Inducted into Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame Wenkui “Vincent” Wang 王文奎 , Co-Organizer of APA Justice, was inducted into the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame at a ceremony and reception held at the Lincoln Theatre in Columbus, Ohio, on October 9, 2025.The Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame honors exceptional Ohioans recognized as pioneers in advancing human and civil rights, equality, and inclusion. Inductees are individuals who have made significant contributions to civil rights, cultural awareness, and understanding in pursuit of a more just society. Their achievements are officially recorded in Ohio’s history. This year’s class includes eight distinguished honorees.In accepting the honor, Vincent stated: “I am deeply humbled and honored to be inducted into the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame, alongside seven extraordinary individuals who have devoted their lives to advancing civil and human rights in their communities. I accept this honor not for myself alone, but for everyone who refuses to stay silent in the face of injustice—for those who choose hope over fear,trust over suspicion,and bridges over walls. Together, we will continue to defend civil rights, advance immigrant rights, and strengthen the democratic ideals that bind us as one people. My deepest gratitude to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, my fellow honorees, and all who continue to fight for a more just and inclusive Ohio—and America.” APA Justice congratulates Vincent on this distinguished recognition and his continued leadership in advancing civil and human rights.Watch the 2025 induction ceremony honoring Vincent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_jrtGze7nM (7:44) Reminder: 10/16 Webinar "Bridging Nations" Join APA Justice, Committee of 100, and the US-China Education Trust on Thursday October 16, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET for an expansive discussion of "Bridging Nations: People-to-People Exchange in U.S.-China Relations" with two distinguished Asian American ambassadors -- Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch and Governor Gary Locke – whose personal journeys and family histories bridge both nations. They will be joined in dialogue by Jessica Chen Weiss , David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.Register to attend the webinar by scanning the QR code above or clicking this link: https://bit.ly/20251016Webinar Mike German's Remarks and Impacts over Time On October 6, 2025, Mike German , Retired Fellow, Liberty & National Security, Brennan Center for Justice spoke at the APA Justice monthly meeting to reflect on his career and share his insightful thoughts.Mike opened by thanking APA Justice, Gisela Perez Kusakawa and Pat Eddington , noting with humor that his retirement “is not an obituary” and that he remains available to help.Reflecting on his career in the FBI, Mike described his years working undercover to infiltrate white nationalist networks. He emphasized that white nationalism is not a fringe ideology, as it is often portrayed, but rather a foundational force in American history that continues to influence society today. While his focus as an agent had been to stop people plotting violence, trafficking illegal weapons, and manufacturing explosives, the experience revealed to him how deeply these extremist ideologies are woven into the history of the United States—and how prevalent it still is.He observed that it has become easier to express such views openly in recent years. Mike left the FBI in 2004 after witnessing how the Global War on Terrorism was scapegoating Muslim Americans as a generalized threat. He recognized how easily those same FBI investigative methods could be turned against other communities. He had already seen a lot of targeting of the Asian American community in that process, particularly during the first Trump administration, when the China Initiative made such targeting more explicit. Mike was very pleased to be introduced to Jeremy and APA Justice, and so many of you. He already knew Gisella and Joanne. He shared how meaningful it was to connect with all of us who were ready to respond constructively. Together, we created a webinar series that educated policymakers, journalists, and the public about discriminatory practices within federal law enforcement.Mike said one of the most significant outcomes of that series was its impact on the media. In 2017 and 2018, coverage of alleged “China Initiative” cases was not very nuanced. When the FBI made an arrest, it was written in sensational terms, adopting the government’s accusations uncritically—before, months or even years later, it was discovered that the evidence was not nearly as strong as claimed, or had been mischaracterized. Through the webinars, the community helped reporters and scholars understand the broader context, which led to more nuanced, skeptical, and fairer coverage. We started to see that shift in the media. That change, Mike said, helped everyone and strengthened the quality of public discussion. It fueled better scholarship, and we were involved in identifying problems with the system.Mike credited the Asian American community’s remarkable organization and capacity for collective action as a central reason for this success. Having worked with many communities targeted by government programs, he noted that this one is unique in its resources, professionalism, and connections at high levels of government. He encouraged the group to extend that strength outward—supporting other communities who may now face similar injustices. He highlighted CAPAC and Judith’s collaborative work with the Congressional Black Caucus and others as examples of solidarity, stressing that “ultimately, it’s all the same issue.” Drawing on lessons from his undercover work, Mike reflected that the use of racial grievance to divide society is a powerful and enduring tool. If one community can be scapegoated, any can. He urged everyone to stay vigilant, to help others before they are directly targeted, and to recognize how division is used to weaken all of us.Although this is an old lesson, we, unfortunately, have to learn over and over again across generations. Mike said he is encouraged by the community’s strong organizational spirit and leadership. Looking ahead, Mike expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming webinar series co-organized by APA Justice, the Committee of 100 (C100), and the US-China Education Trust (USCET). He said the new series continues the essential work of promoting understanding in an era when media is fragmented and misinformation can easily amplify through narrow portals without understanding the nature of the threats that exist—or how those threats can be sensationalized and manipulated.Mike urged policymakers to focus on genuine threats rather than policies that harm innocent and productive individuals who are contributing to our society. Mike also invited participants to connect with organizations in Latino, Black, immigrant, and LGBTQ communities, offering to help make introductions so that knowledge and resources can be shared across movements. Mike closed by reaffirming his commitment to the cause:“Let’s keep working together. Keep up the good work… and if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”***** The webinar series on the China Initiative (2020-2021) Beginning in September 2020, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, APA Justice Task Force, APAPA, the Brennan Center for Justice, and United Chinese Americans (UCA) hosted a series of five webinars examining the civil rights and national security implications of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “China Initiative.”The series explored how this initiative—launched under the guise of countering economic espionage—disproportionately targeted Chinese American and Chinese immigrant scientists, often conflating legitimate academic collaboration with national security threats. Drawing historical parallels from the Chinese Exclusion Act to modern racial profiling, the webinars highlighted how recurring cycles of suspicion and xenophobia continue to harm Asian American communities and undermine U.S. democratic and scientific values.Featuring voices from civil rights organizations, academia, science, and law, the series aimed to raise public awareness, promote accountability, and foster dialogue toward protecting both civil liberties and national security. 1. 2020/09/30 The Human and Scientific Costs of The "China Initiative" ( YouTube 1:00:15) · Moderator: Mike German . Panelists: Steven Chu 朱棣文 , Margaret Lewis 陸梅吉 , John Yang 杨重远 2. 2020/12/02 Policy Needs for U.S. Science and Scientists ( YouTube 1:13:35) · Moderator: Mike German . Panelists: Alice S. Huang 黄诗厚 , Neal Lane , Sarina Neote , Xiaoxing Xi 郗小星 3. 2021/02/24 Building Coalition Against “China Initiative” Discrimination: Fighting racial targeting of Asian Americans and communities of color, past & present ( YouTube 1:16:13) · Moderator: Faiza Patel. Keynote: Judy Chu 赵美心. Panelists: Karen Korematsu , Becky Monroe , Leslie Wong 4. 2021/04/28 Legal Resources and Policy Advocacy: How to Combat Racial Profiling Under the “China Initiative" ( YouTube 1:05:36) · Moderator: Mike German . Panelists: Susan Lee 李凤迁 , Patrick Toomey , Frank Wu 吴华扬 , John Yang 杨重远 5. 2021/06/23 The Mistrial of Professor Anming Hu under the "China Initiative” ( YouTube 1 :12:52) · Moderator: Mike German . Keynote: Ted Lieu 刘云平 , Susan Lee 李凤迁 . Panelists: Phil Lomonaco , Guiyou Huang 黄桂友 , Margaret Lewis 陸梅吉 Politicization at the National Science Foundation On September 19, 2025, Science reported that the National Science Foundation (NSF) is held captive as Trump directives have undermined a 75-year history of independence and threaten the agency's vaunted track record for excellence.NSF, long regarded as the U.S. government’s most independent science agency, has seen its autonomy erode sharply under the Trump administration, according to scientists, former officials, and internal records. Once guided by peer-reviewed merit, NSF’s funding and priorities are now increasingly directed by White House political appointees and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which reportedly gives “thumbs-up or -down” to vetted research proposals.A hallmark example came when NSF abruptly cut its Graduate Research Fellowship program in half—then restored it only after “direct intervention” from the White House. The White House has ordered the $9 billion agency to abandon long-running programs, terminate more than 2000 grants, and reverse decisions on what to fund next based on the administration’s political agenda, which excludes DEI efforts, climate change research, and even mathematics institutes like UCLA's Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM), whose grants were suspended after the DOJ accused UCLA of antisemitism—later overturned by a federal judge.NSF is also making radical changes in its daily operations, including sharply reducing its reliance on top academic scientists on loan from their institutions and realigning the agency’s entire grantmaking apparatus to conform to Trump’s priorities.Critics say the administration’s agenda—focused on AI, quantum science, and industrial partnerships while defunding DEI and climate initiatives—marks a departure from NSF’s founding mission to fund “the best ideas across all fields.” As one former NSF official warned, “This administration doesn’t buy the idea that the government’s investment in basic research buys us anything useful.”Internal morale has plummeted. Senior leaders, including computing director Gregory Hager and former director Sethuraman Panchanathan , resigned over political interference. NSF is also eliminating most of its rotator scientists, a move seen as consolidating control and silencing independent scientific judgment.Several programs illustrate the shift: · The Carpentries, a nonprofit training underrepresented coders, was told to strip DEI language from its NSF proposal or lose funding. · A $75 million AI project was restructured to include Nvidia, aligning with Trump’s industrial priorities. · A New Mexico water initiative lost out after tailoring its proposal to avoid DEI language but still not meeting “NSF priorities.” Observers fear the reorganization will replace scientific leadership with political oversight, echoing what one former official compared to “Soviet-style political commissars.” Many warn that the cumulative effect of small changes could permanently redirect the agency’s mission away from open, merit-based science toward politically filtered research serving executive priorities. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/10/16 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 Hearing2025/11/25 Committee of 100 Conversations – “Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes” with Elaine ChaoVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. C100 Conversations: Elaine Chao 赵小兰 WHAT : Conversations, Recollections, Pioneers and Heros: Elaine Chao 赵小兰 WHEN : November 25, 2025, 6:00 pm ET WHERE : Online event HOST : Committee of 100 Moderator: Peter Young , Chair of the Conversations Initiative and Committee of 100 New York Regional Chair and Board Member Speaker : Elaine Chao , 24th U.S. Secretary of Labor and 18th U.S. Secretary of Transportation DESCRIPTION : Secretary Elaine Chao is the first Asian-Pacific American woman to serve in the President’s cabinet in American history. She has been confirmed to two cabinet positions by the United States Senate on a strong bipartisan basis: U. S. Secretary of Labor and U. S. Secretary of Transportation. She will reflect on her remarkable journey as an immigrant, trailblazer, and leader at the highest levels of government, and her insights on leadership, resilience, and service to the nation. REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/48ozpXq # # # 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 14, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #322 4/7 Monthly Meeting; Texas Rallies; Litigations; NAPABA/ABA statements; AAPI History + #322 4/7 Monthly Meeting; Texas Rallies; Litigations; NAPABA/ABA statements; AAPI History + In This Issue #322 · 2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · 2025/03/29-30 Texas Tri-City Rallies · Latest on Litigations Against Trump's Executive Actions · NAPABA and ABA Statements on Rule of Law · C100 Updates Data on Laws Requiring The Teaching of AAPI History in School Curricula · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, April 7, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates by Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: · Mark Takano , First Vice Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Member, U.S. House of Representatives · Erwin Chemerinsky , Dean, Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley · Cindy Tsai , Interim President, Committee of 100 · X. Edward Guo , President, Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering (AAASE) 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 . Congressman Mark Takano will make his remarks via recorded video on unprecedented challenges to our communities.In a recent opinion published by the New York Times , Dean Erwin Chemerinsky raised an alarming question: "if Trump defies the Courts, then what?" He also commented on President Trump's unprecedented demands on Columbia University. Dean Chemerinsky will share his thoughts on these recent developments and more.The Committee of 100 (C100) is a nonprofit leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans dedicated to advancing U.S.-China relations and promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in American society. On April 25-26, 2025, it will host its annual conference and gala in Los Angeles to share insights on the state of Chinese Americans and the current and future condition of the U.S.-China relationship. Interim President Cindy Tsai returns to update us on recent developments with C100 and the annual event. Professor X. Edward Guo, Stanley Dicker Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Medical Sciences at Columbia University, is current President of Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering (AAASE). Professor Guo will introduce AAASE and comment on recent developments in higher education and research communities. 2025/03/29-30 Texas Tri-City Rallies Texas grassroots groups with support of diverse national organizations will hold rallies in all three major cities this weekend to oppose Alien Land Bills - Senate Bill 17 (SB17) and House Bill 17 (HB17): · Saturday, 3/29 at 11 a.m. Texas Capitol Grounds East Steps, Austin, TX · Sunday, 3/30 at 2 p.m. zTAO Marketplace, 2049 Coit Rd #300 , Plano, TX · Sunday, 3/30 at 2 p.m. 9015 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX In an open letter addressed to Texas state senators and representatives, the groups denounce SB17, HB 17 and similar legislation as unconstitutional and discriminatory, as they target individuals based on their national origin, infringing upon rights protected by both the U.S. and Texas constitutions. It further argues that such legislation could discourage foreign investment and talent, leading to economic drawbacks for the state. In addition, the letter highlights concerns that these bills conflate individuals with foreign governments, potentially penalizing those without political affiliations, and lack factual evidence to justify their implementation. The organizers warn that enacting these laws may foster discrimination against Asian and immigrant communities.Drawing historical parallels, the letter references the 59th Texas Legislature's 1965 decision to abolish "alien land laws," cautioning against repeating past mistakes. It concludes with a call to action for legislators to oppose these bills to uphold constitutional protections and promote inclusivity within the state. Read the coalition open letter posted by United Chinese Americans: https://ucausa.org/ and call your legislators in Texas.The Yellow Whistle™ with the message "We Belong" will be distributed at all three rallies in Texas. The Yellow Whistle Project was launched in April 2022 after an Asian woman was brutally attacked in anti-Asian hate incident in front of a building in New York when the doormen closed the door instead of intervening. The Yellow Whistle is a symbol of self-protection and solidarity in our common fight against historical discrimination and anti-Asian violence. The whistle is a simple gadget with a universal purpose—to signal alarm and call for help—for all Americans. We shall not remain silent, because WE BELONG™. Latest on Litigations Against Trump's Executive Actions As of March 27, 2025, the number of lawsuits against President Donald Trump 's executive actions reported by the Just Security Litigation Tracker has grown to 146 (3 closed cases). According to the New York Times Tracker , at least 53 of the court rulings have at least temporarily paused some of the administration’s initiatives.These are some of the latest developments: · Block on Alien Enemies Act Deportations Upheld . In a 2-1 decision, the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., today denied the Trump administration’s request to lift the temporary restraining order against Trump's executive order invoking the Alien Enemies Act. The Plaintiffs led by ACLU, Democracy Forward, and the ACLU of the District of Columbia. have filed a Notice that they intended to file a new Motion for Preliminary Injunction on Friday, March 28, to incorporate “additional factual material so that there is a more complete record.” · Deportation of Columbia University Student Blocked . On March 24, 2025, U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald of the Southern District of New York granted Yunseo Chung 's attorneys a temporary restraining order, preventing her from being arrested or deported. Chung is a 21-year-old Columbia University student and legal permanent resident who has been involved in pro-Palestinian protests. She came to the U.S. with her family from South Korea at the age of 7. On March 27, TIME Magazine reported these other students targeted by Trump’s immigration enforcement over campus activism: Rumeysa Ozturk , a Turkish international student on a valid F-1 visa for her PhD studies at Tufts University in Boston, became the latest high-profile target of ICE after her arrest, which witnesses caught on video, outside her home in Somerville, Massachusetts, on March 26. Badar Khan Suri , an Indian citizen studying and teaching at Georgetown University on a valid J-1 visa, was detained by ICE on March 17. A lawsuit, Suri v. Trump (1:25-cv-00480) , has been filed in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Virginia. Momodou Taal , a 31-year-old Cornell University graduate student and dual U.K. and Gambian citizen, had his student visa revoked on March 14 and now faces the threat of deportation. Mahmoud Khalil was arrested at his home by ICE agents on March 8, 2025, and remains in custody as of March 27 at a Louisiana detention facility. Khalil, a Palestinian, moved to the U.S. in 2022 to attend Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, completing his master’s degree studies in December 2024. He married an American woman—making him eligible for a green card—who is eight months pregnant with their first child. Preservation of Signal Records on Military Strikes Ordered . On March 25, 2025, American Oversight, a nonprofit watchdog organization, filed American Oversight v. Hegseth (1:25-cv-00883) against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other senior Trump administration officials, seeking a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to prevent the deletion of critical national security communications related to a Signal group chat discussing U.S. military operations about a planned strike against Yemen's Houthis on March 11-15, 2025. Administration officials made apparently misleading or false claims that were contradicted by the Editor-in-Chief of the Atlantic . On March 27, Chief Judge James Boasberg of the District of Columbia ordered the Trump administration to preserve the Signal messages. The case raises serious concerns about potential violations of national security protocols and federal records laws. NAPABA and ABA Statements on Rule of Law On March 7, 2025, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) issued an advocacy update . It reaffirmed "[o]ur mission is broad. NAPABA is both a national civil rights organization and a preeminent bar association. We are the national voice for the AANHPI legal profession, promoting justice, equity, and opportunity for AANHPIs. We foster professional development, legal scholarship, advocacy, and community involvement."The NAPABA statement outlines significant legal and policy developments impacting the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. The organization is closely monitoring threats to the rule of law, including government intimidation of judges, law firms, and federal attorneys. It highlights recent executive orders that have targeted major law firms and restricted their access to government buildings and officials. The report expresses concern over the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal agencies, including the elimination of the White House Initiative on AANHPIs and restrictions on DEI programs in private institutions. NAPABA argues that these actions undermine fundamental rights, erode professional protections, and reverse decades of progress in ensuring equal opportunities for underrepresented communities. The NAPABA update also focuses on policy rollbacks affecting vulnerable populations. The revocation of Executive Order 13166, which previously mandated language access guarantees for limited English proficient individuals, creates uncertainty for AANHPI immigrants who rely on government services. The administration's restrictive immigration policies, including expanded expedited removal authority and curtailment of asylum rights, disproportionately impact immigrant communities. NAPABA further condemns recent executive actions targeting the LGBTQ+ community, stating that such measures promote discrimination and weaken legal protections. In response to these challenges, the organization reaffirms its commitment to defending civil rights, advocating for equal justice, and ensuring that marginalized communities are not left vulnerable to government overreach.Read the NAPABA statement: https://bit.ly/424d6Bl On March 26, 2025, NAPABA joined the American Bar Association and a coalition of bar organizations across the nation in the following statement to defend the rule of law and reject efforts to undermine the courts and the legal profession: "We endorse the sentiments expressed by the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in his 2024 Year End Report on the Federal Judiciary, '[w]ithin the past year we have also seen the need for state and federal bar associations to come to the defense of a federal district judge whose decisions in a high-profile case prompted an elected official to call for her impeachment. Attempts to intimidate judges for their rulings in cases are inappropriate and should be vigorously opposed.'"We support the right of people to advance their interests in courts of law when they have been wronged. We reject the notion that the U.S. government can punish lawyers and law firms who represent certain clients or punish judges who rule certain ways. We cannot accept government actions that seek to twist the scales of justice in this manner."We reject efforts to undermine the courts and the profession. We will not stay silent in the face of efforts to remake the legal profession into something that rewards those who agree with the government and punishes those who do not. Words and actions matter. And the intimidating words and actions we have heard and seen must end. They are designed to cow our country’s judges, our country’s courts and our legal profession."There are clear choices facing our profession. We can choose to remain silent and allow these acts to continue or we can stand for the rule of law and the values we hold dear. We call upon the entire profession, including lawyers in private practice from Main Street to Wall Street, as well as those in corporations and who serve in elected positions, to speak out against intimidation." If lawyers do not speak, who will speak for our judges? Who will protect our bedrock of justice? If we do not speak now, when will we speak? Now is the time. That is why we stand together with the ABA in support of the rule of law. "Read the ABA statement: https://bit.ly/43zP97z C100 Updates Data on Laws Requiring The Teaching of AAPI History in School Curricula On March 25, 2025, the Committee of 100 (C100) released updated data on its public policy research project that identifies and classifies state-level statutes, ongoing bills, and academic standards of K-12 curriculum pertaining to the study of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, as well as other non-white racial and ethnic groups. It includes an interactive map where users may select and filter among statutes, academic standards, and pending bills to meet their needs using the dropdown menus. As of March 25, 2025, · 12 states have statutes that require AAPI studies curriculum (no change since October 3, 2024 data) · 7 states are considering recently introduced bills that would require AAPI studies curriculum (an increase of 3 states since October 3, 2024 data) · 16 states have academic standards that require AAPI studies (an increase of 1 state since October 3, 2024 data) · 23 states have statutes that require ethnic studies curriculum (an increase of 1 state since October 3, 2024 data) · 12 states are considering recently introduced bills that would require ethnic studies curriculum (an increase of 9 states since October 3, 2024 data) · 37 states have academic standards that require ethnic studies (an increase of 4 states since October 3, 2024 data) · 6 states have no statutes, recently introduced bills, or academic standards that require or make optional AAPI studies or ethnic studies curriculum (a decrease of 2 states since October 3, 2024 data) Visit the C100 announcement and interactive map: https://bit.ly/4l351FE News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar 2025/03/29 No to Discrimination and Alien Land Bills - Austin, Texas2025/03/30 No to Discrimination and Alien Land Bills - Plano, Texas2025/03/30 No to Discrimination and Alien Land Bills - Houston, Texas2025/03/30 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/04/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/04/13 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/04/15 China Connections: A Conversation with Emily Feng2025/04/24-26 Committee of 100 Annual Conference and Gala2025/04/27 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF March 28, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #51 "Is This Patriot Enough?"; National Day Of Action And Healing; Upcoming Events #51 "Is This Patriot Enough?"; National Day Of Action And Healing; Upcoming Events Back View PDF March 29, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #174 4/3 Meeting; Texas SB 147; NYT Editorial; Arati Prabhakar; New Bills; Community News #174 4/3 Meeting; Texas SB 147; NYT Editorial; Arati Prabhakar; New Bills; Community News In This Issue #174 2023/04/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Opposing Texas SB 147 and Related Discriminatory Bills New York Times Editorial: "Who Benefits From Confrontation With China?" Disturbing Science Interview with OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar Two New Bills on TikTok and Beyond: The DATA Act and RESTRICT Act News and Activities for the Communities 2023/04/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, April 3, 2023, starting at 1:55 pm ET. Confirmed speakers include: Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) John Yang 杨重远 , President and Executive Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC Gisela Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum Robert Underwood, Member, President's Advisory Commission on AANHPI; Former President, University of Guam; former Chair, CAPAC; Co-Chair of the United States Institute of Peace China-Freely Associated States Senior Study Group John Liu 刘醇逸 , Senator, New York State Senate 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 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 . Opposing Texas SB 147 and Related Discriminatory Bills The UCA Action, a sister organization of the United Chinese Americans (UCA), is launching a media campaign against Texas Senate Bill 147 and other discriminatory bills in Texas. This campaign will soon come to the other states where similar bills have been introduced. According to UCA Action, this is a defining moment for our community as we seek equal protections under the law. This is an opportunity to join the Chinese American civil rights movement. The future of our community depends on each and every one of us rising up to this historic challenge. Visit the UCA Action website at: http://bit.ly/3G60QGg Federal Level of Texas SB147. On March 30, 2023, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), along with Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama), introduced the Not One More Inch or Acre Act , legislation. The bill prohibits the purchase of public or private real estate by any Chinese citizen, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) entity, or CCP agent. It is essentially a federal version of Texas SB 147. New York Times Editorial: "Who Benefits From Confrontation With China?" According to an editorial published by the Editorial Board of the New York Times on March 11, 2023, America’s increasingly confrontational posture toward China is a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy that warrants greater scrutiny and debate.For most of the past half-century, the United States sought to reshape China through economic and diplomatic engagement. The Biden administration, by contrast, has shelved the idea that China can be changed in favor of the hope that it can be checked.The White House has moved to limit economic ties with China, to limit China’s access to technology with military applications, to pull back from international institutions where the United States has long sought to engage China and to strengthen ties with China’s neighbors. In recent months, the United States has restricted semiconductor exports to China, and it moved ahead with plans to help Australia obtain nuclear submarines. The administration also is seeking to impose new restrictions on American investments in certain Chinese companies. In treating China as a growing threat to American interests, it is acting with broad support, including from leading Republicans, much of the military and foreign policy establishments, and a growing portion of the business community.It is true that engagement with China has yielded less than its proponents hoped and prophesied. China also is demonstrating a greater willingness to engage in worrying provocations and sailing a balloon over the United States. Yet the relationship between the United States and China, for all its problems, continues to deliver substantial economic benefits to the residents of both countries and to the rest of the world. Moreover, because the two nations are tied together by millions of normal and peaceful interactions every day, there is a substantial incentive to maintain those ties and a basis for working together on shared problems like climate change. Americans’ interests are best served by emphasizing competition with China while minimizing confrontation. Chinese actions and rhetoric also need to be kept in perspective. By the standards of superpowers, China remains a homebody. Its foreign engagements remain primarily economic. China has been playing a much more active role in international affairs in recent years, but China continues to show strikingly little interest in persuading other nations to adopt its social and political values.There are also signs that China’s leaders are not united in supporting a more confrontational posture. It behooves the United States to reassure those who may be open to reassurance. America and China are struggling with many of the same challenges: how to ensure what President Xi Jinping has termed “common prosperity” in an age of income inequality; how to rein in the worst excesses of capitalism without losing its vital creative forces; how to care for an aging population and young people who want more out of life than work; how to slow the pace of climate change and to manage its disruptive impacts, including mass migration.The core of America’s China strategy, building stronger relationships with our allies, is sound policy. Over time, the United States ought to seek a greater alignment between its economic interests and other national goals. But the United States should not pull back from forums where it has long engaged China. Declining to support the World Trade Organization is a mistake. The construction of a rules-based international order, in which America played the leading role, was one of the most important achievements of the 20th century. It cannot be preserved if the United States does not continue to participate in those institutions. The Biden administration’s continuation of Trump-era restrictions on trade with China, and its imposition of a host of new restrictions, is also a dubious strategy.The confrontational turn also makes it harder for the United States and China to cooperate on addressing climate change and on other issues where national interests could plausibly align.Much of the shift in China policy has been justified as necessary for national defense. National security considerations can provide a legitimate rationale for limiting some types of trade with China. But it can also provide a legitimizing vocabulary for protectionist measures that are not in the interest of Americans. In the long term, the best guarantee of American security has always been American prosperity and engagement with the rest of the world.That’s true for China, too.Read the New York Times editorial: https://nyti.ms/3K2svJm 2003 Academy Award-Winning Best Documentary - The Fog of War THE FOG OF WAR is the story of America as seen through the eyes of the former Secretary of Defense, under President John Kennedy and President Lyndon Johnson , Robert S. McNamara . McNamara was one of the most controversial and influential political figures of the 20th century. In the documentary, he offered a candid and intimate journey through some of the most seminal events in American history. As leader of the world's most powerful military force during one of this nation's volatile periods, McNamara offers new and often surprising insights into the 1945 bombing of Tokyo, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the effects of the Vietnam War. THE FOG OF WAR won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2003 In a preview of the documentary, McNamara was asked, "have you ever been wrong, sir?" At the end of the preview, McNamara said, "we saw Vietnam as an element of the Cold War, not what they saw it as a civil war. We were wrong." Watch the preview of THE FOG OF WAR: https://imdb.to/3JTpsED Disturbing Science Interview with OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar Arati Prabhakar was confirmed by the Senate to serve as the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) on October 3, 2022. According to a report by Science on March 28, 2023, she laid out her vision for the $700-billion-a-year enterprise in her first extended media interview on March 24, 2023.The daughter of Indian immigrants who came to the United States when she was 3 years old, Prabhakar flagged a more diverse scientific workforce as another essential ingredient. But Prabhakar offered no olive branch to those scientists of Chinese ancestry who feel the U.S. government has unfairly targeted them in seeking to thwart China’s efforts to overtake the United States in science and innovation.Earlier on March 23, 2023, Science reported that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted its own version of the “China initiative” and has upended hundreds of lives and destroyed scores of academic careers. Michael Lauer , NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research, led the NIH "China Initiative." He has also been a Co-Chair of the National Science and Technology Council's Subcommittee on Research Security, working closely with OSTP for the past two plus years.Also on March 23, 2023, a Science editorial called for the federal government to account for NIH's xenophobic program to harm Chinese scientists and cut off international scientific cooperation.In the original excerpt from the Science interview with Arati Prabhakar: Q: Do you think that Chinese-born scientists working in the United States have been unfairly persecuted as agents of the Chinese Communist Party and are owed some kind of apology from the government? A: I’m not in a position to comment on that. I don’t know enough about it. I don’t think it’s our role to determine precisely what happened in the past. … But the world has changed, and [China] has taken actions that are very concerning. And it’s very much our role to find a path forward for research security, one that treats people with respect but that also wrestles with this very tough issue. The subsequent revised excerpts from the Science interview with Arati Prabhakar: Q: Anything new on research security? A: It is one of the hardest issues that everyone is grappling with right now … because of the changes that have happened in the world, the competition that we’re in, and clear actions [by China] that are concerning. And there’s no place for xenophobia and people have to be treated fairly. Q: In that regard, do you think Chinese-born scientists working in the United States have been unfairly persecuted as agents of the Chinese Communist Party and are owed some kind of apology from the government? A: I’m not in a position to comment on that. I don’t know enough about [specific cases]. I don’t think it’s OSTP’s role to determine precisely what happened in the past. … [But] it’s very much our role to find a path forward for research security, one that treats people with respect but that also wrestles with this very tough issue. And we’re doing that work, because I think it has to get done. Note by Science: Update, 29 March, 5:10 p.m.: This story has been revised to include additional comments by Arati Prabhakar on research security and to clarify her response to a question about how Chinese-born scientists have been treated. For the many Chinese-born scientists who have been unfairly persecuted, their past sufferings are still their present and future that must not be ignored.Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/40rTbu3 Two New Bills on TikTok and Beyond: The DATA Act and RESTRICT Act According to a report by Lawfare on March 23, 2023, on February 24, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) introduced the Deterring America’s Technological Adversaries (DATA) Act , which would provide the president with more authorities to block transactions associated with the import or export of Americans’ “sensitive data” where there are national security risks. The bill quoted previous, public comments from FBI Director Christopher Wray , Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines , and CIA Director Bill Burns that they believe TikTok presents national security risks to the United States. On March 1, 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) condemned the DATA Act, due to First Amendment concerns. Jenna Leventoff , senior policy counsel at ACLU, issued the following statement: “We’re disappointed that the House Foreign Affairs Committee voted to approve a bill that would effectively ban TikTok in the United States, in violation of Americans’ First Amendment rights. We urge legislators to vote no on this vague, overbroad, and unconstitutional bill.”On March 7, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), along with 10 other senators, introduced the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act . It would authorize the secretary of commerce to review and prohibit certain transactions between persons in the U.S. and foreign adversaries, focused on information and communications technologies (ICTs) that pose risks to U.S. national security—put simply, investigating tech products and services that could pose national security risks. The bill did not name TikTok specifically, but it was clearly one of the companies in mind when the bill was written. According to a press release by ACLU on March 7, 2023, the RESTRICT Act would significantly expand the Executive Branch’s power to control what apps and technologies Americans can access, while limiting Americans’ ability to challenge those actions in court. It would also impose civil and criminal penalties for violating bans imposed pursuant to the legislation, which could be used against people attempting to evade a TikTok ban. Jenna Leventoff said in the press release, “the Senate bill would ultimately allow the Commerce Secretary to ban entire communications platforms, which would have profound implications for our constitutional right to free speech. If the Secretary uses this newfound power to ban TikTok or other communications platforms without evidence of overwhelming, imminent harm, it would violate our right to freedom of expression.”Read the Lawfare report: http://bit.ly/3ZqsaG1 1 . Republican Senator Rand Paul blocks bid to ban Chinese-owned TikTok . According to a report by Reuters on March 29, 2023, U.S. Republican Senator Rand Paul blocked a bid to fast-track a ban of popular Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, which more than 150 million Americans use, citing concerns about free speech and uneven treatment of social media companies."I think we should beware of those who use fear to coax Americans to relinquish our liberties," Paul said on the Senate floor. "Every accusation of data gathering that has been attributed to TikTok could also be attributed to domestic big tech companies.""If Republicans want to continuously lose elections for a generation they should pass this bill to ban TikTok -- a social media app used by 150 million people, primarily young Americans," Paul said on the Senate floor. "Do we really want to emulate Chinese speech bans?... We're going to be just like China and ban speech we're afraid of?" A small but growing number of Democrats and Republicans have raised concerns, citing free speech and other issues and have objected to legislation targeting TikTok as overly broad.Read the Reuters report: https://reut.rs/3nB8FNZ 2 . TikTok creators, some U.S. Democratic lawmakers oppose ban on app. According to a report by Reuters on March 22, 2023, TikTok creators and three U.S. Democratic Party lawmakers said they opposed any potential ban on the Chinese-owned short video sharing app that is used by more than 150 million Americans.Representatives Jamaal Bowman , Mark Pocan and Robert Garcia and TikTok creators called at a press conference in Washington for broad-based privacy legislation that would address all large social media companies. "Why the hysteria and the panic and the targeting of TikTok?" Bowman asked. "Let's do the right thing here - comprehensive social media reform as it relates to privacy and security." Creators talked about posting videos of baking cakes or selling greeting cards to TikTok followers. Some held up signs saying TikTok benefits small businesses. TikTok says 5 million businesses use the app.TikTok creator Jason Linton uses TikTok to share videos of his three adopted children in Oklahoma and has interacted with people around the world. "I am asking our politicians - don't take away the community that we've all built - a community that lasts, that loves," Linton said at the press conference. Pocan said a "xenophobic witch hunt" is motivating some in Congress to seek a TikTok ban. "Banning TikTok isn't the answer. Making sure Americans data is safe is," he said.Senator Ed Markey , a Democrat, said on the Senate floor that TikTok is a threat that needs to be addressed but it is not the only surveillance threat to young people. That position "is deliberately missing the Big Tech forest for the TikTok trees." Read the Reuters report: https://reut.rs/3TZoc67 News and Activities for the Communities On March 21, 2023, the 1882 Foundation presented The Summit Tunnel: Diversity and Pride in Building the American Nation, a film screening and reception event featuring film screenings and discussions with subject matter experts on the Summit Tunnel, a historic part of the Transcontinental Railroad constructed through the Sierra Nevada mountains by largely unrecognized Chinese workers. The Summit Tunnel is a critical cultural and historical site to Chinese Americans, but is threatened by graffiti defacement and a lack of preservation. Watch the video: https://bit.ly/3TXgJV8 (1:19:49) 2. The Data Delusion. On March 27, the New Yorker published a report on The Data Delusion. Jill Lepore , Professor of History at Harvard University, asks “What’s the price to humanity of uploading everything anyone has ever known onto a worldwide network of tens of millions or billions of machines and training them to learn from it to produce new knowledge?” The report goes through the history of data science, and examines the ways that humans have been collecting information—long before A.I. became the latest obsession. Even modern tools, with their bits and bytes of magic, have limits. It explores how ambitious endeavors in the field may eventually underwhelm us, and surveys the genius and folly of modern innovators. It turns out there is plenty of value left in older forms of knowledge. No one, after all, wants to sound like the disgraced cryptocurrency investor Sam Bankman-Fried, who declared in an interview last year, “I would never read a book.” Read the New Yorker report: http://bit.ly/3zluqUr 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 1, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #353 10/6 Meeting; Tariffs/AAPI; AASF Update; Detention Target Millions; Julia Chang Bloch+ #353 10/6 Meeting; Tariffs/AAPI; AASF Update; Detention Target Millions; Julia Chang Bloch+ In This Issue #353 · 2025/10/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Asian American Businesses Hit Hard by Trump Tariffs · Update from Asian American Scholar Forum · Mass Detention and Deportation Target Millions · The Honorable Julia Chang Bloch 張之香 · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/10/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on 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 . Asian American Businesses Hit Hard by Trump Tariffs On September 19, 2025, AsAmNews and South China Morning Post reported that Asian American businesses nationwide are bearing disproportionate costs from President Trump’s newly imposed tariffs. Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) warned that many small businesses—already operating on thin margins—now face steep cost increases that force them to raise prices, cut staff, or risk closure. Asian Americans own about 11 percent of U.S. small businesses, according to Pew Research. Yet many rely on imported goods not produced domestically, leaving them little choice but to absorb tariff hikes. As of August 6, the Yale Budget Lab estimated average U.S. tariffs at 27.9 percent on Chinese goods and 15.6 percent on imports from the rest of the world (excluding Canada and Mexico). Real-World Impacts · Chinatown Restaurants : A New York establishment reported that spice and seasoning costs have doubled since tariffs began. · Family Importers : A small business importing medicinal oils saw shipping fees spike from US$500 to US$13,000 per shipment. “At this point, Asian American businesses and communities are being treated as collateral damage,” said Rep. Grace Meng (NY), CAPAC chair, at a Capitol Hill event. Rep. Judy Chu (CA), CAPAC chair emerita, called the tariffs a “cruel betrayal” that inflicted “needless pain and uncertainty” on her constituents. Legal and Political Battles CAPAC members are pressing the administration to reverse course, warning that the tariffs threaten cultural and economic lifelines in communities like Chinatown and beyond. Meanwhile, the courts are weighing the legality of Trump’s policies: on August 29, a federal appeals court ruled that most of the tariffs were illegal, yet allowed them to remain in place while appeals proceed. The Supreme Court has agreed to consider the case on an expedited timeline in early November. Until then, the uncertainty continues to weigh heavily on small businesses and consumers alike. Impact Nationwide Under the banner “We Pay the Tariffs”, more than 100 small-business owners held a concurrent rally on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, joined by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA). Speakers warned that ballooning import costs jeopardize long-standing family enterprises and force layoffs, deepening strain on vulnerable communities. Tiffany Williams , a third-generation owner of the Luggage Shop of Lubbock, Texas, questioned Trump’s promises of long-term benefits: “What exactly does that mean? And is it worth risking the survival of small local businesses like ours?” Travis McMaster of Cocoon USA, an outdoor goods retailer in Washington state, said he shifted production from China to India—only to face new 50 percent tariffs on Indian imports: “We need to put a stop to this whiplash. Our business isn’t run on a whim, and our country shouldn’t be either.” Update from Asian American Scholar Forum During the APA Justice Monthly Meeting on September 8, 2025, Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director of Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), commended the Civil Society Letter that AASF—alongside Advancing Justice | AAJC, Stop AAPI Hate, and Chinese for Affirmative Action—has been leading. She urged everyone, in their personal capacities, to contact their Congressional representatives to oppose the revival of the China Initiative. AASF fellows, led by Professors Peter Michelson and Steven Kivelson , circulated a faculty letter to over 1,400 colleagues, urging them to reach out to Congress and educate lawmakers on the harms of the China Initiative. Gisela noted that the scientific community is both directly impacted by its return and uniquely qualified to explain why it undermines U.S. competitiveness in science and technology. A template letter from an academic perspective has been shared, and more than 70 individuals have already confirmed they contacted their representatives. Legislative and Advocacy Work: AASF is reviewing legislation at the intersection of national security, immigration, and academic freedom, with a focus on how scientists, scholars, and researchers are being unfairly targeted. Annual Symposium : AASF recently hosted its annual symposium at Stanford University with over 2,000 registrants, including three former Secretaries of State, industry leaders such as Jensen Huang , multiple Nobel laureates, and pioneers in science and technology. The symposium highlighted not only the need to protect civil rights but also to celebrate the vast contributions of Asian Americans and immigrants—whose innovations span from cell phones to platforms like Zoom. Celebrating Contributions : Gisela emphasized that defending a community is not enough—we must also uplift and spotlight its members as pioneers of the nation. To that end, AASF announced a forthcoming documentary, produced in collaboration with NBC’s Richard Lui and Alex Lo , featuring Dr. David Ho , whose groundbreaking work has saved over 25 million lives. The film will also profile other AASF medalists across diverse fields. A private screening of the trailer was shared at the symposium, with public release to come. Looking Ahead : Gisela stressed the importance of telling these stories so future generations understand how Asian Americans and immigrants have shaped American life. Countering scapegoating, misinformation, and fear-mongering requires knowledge of our shared history and recognition of contributions that strengthen the nation.Summary of the September 8 meeting has been posted at https://bit.ly/42MYKGy . We sincerely thank the following speakers for sharing their updates and thoughts at the meeting: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) · Cindy Tsai , Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Committee of 100 (C100) · Rosie Levine , Executive Director, U.S.-China Education Trust (USCET) · Bob Sakaniwa , Director of Policy and Advocacy, APIAVote · Thu Nguyen , Executive Director, OCA National Center The coalition of AASF, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Stop AAPI Hate continues to oppose the revival of the China Initiative and urges supporters to call their senators and track the responses. Mass Detention and Deportation Target Millions According to Politico (September 20, 2025), the Trump administration has launched a sweeping detention policy requiring nearly all undocumented immigrants—regardless of how long they have lived in the U.S. or their criminal history—to be held in custody during deportation proceedings. Since July 8, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reclassified long-time residents as “applicants for admission,” eliminating their ability to seek bond. Judges nationwide have overwhelmingly struck down the policy as unlawful, arbitrary, and unconstitutional, ordering many detainees released.The administration defends the policy as central to Trump’s mass deportation strategy, framing detention as both a deterrent and a mechanism to encourage “self-deportation.” Federal courts, however, have described it as a radical misinterpretation of immigration law and a violation of due process. The administration has also relied heavily on “automatic stays” to block release orders—tactics sharply criticized by judges as an abuse of power.This approach has swept up long-settled immigrants with deep U.S. roots, including parents of American-born children and individuals with no criminal records. With lawsuits mounting, a pivotal ACLU case in California could determine whether the policy is blocked nationwide. The administration, however, is betting on a favorable Supreme Court ruling to preserve its strategy.On September 13, 2026, The Guardian drew a direct line between ICE’s militarized raids and earlier chapters of American xenophobia, showing how generations of immigrants have been subjected to systemic exclusion. It profiled four Californians— Christine Valenciana , Felicia Lowe , Satsuki Ina , and Eliseo Medina —whose lives and family histories span forced Mexican repatriation in the 1930s, the discriminatory interrogations of Chinese “paper sons” at Angel Island, Japanese American internment during World War II, and labor struggles in immigrant communities.Their stories illustrate how today’s raids echo the past: mass roundups, fear-based tactics, racial profiling, and detention without due process. Yet the interviewees also voice cautious optimism. In an era of digital media and public accountability, they believe visibility, memory, and activism can help communities resist repetition of these cycles—and push the nation toward a more just and inclusive path. NIAC Deportation Defense Training and Tracker On September 17, 2025, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), along with Asian Law Caucus and the New York Civil Liberties Union, hosted a special training on building community power to equip the communities for successful defense against unjust detentions and deportations. Visit https://bit.ly/47Vdtmo to view the training video and presentation package. NIAC has also started a regularly updated tracker on Iranian nationals detained by ICE in 2025. The Honorable Julia Chang Bloch 張之香 The Honorable Julia Chang Bloch 張之香 is a featured speaker in the inaugural webinar titled "Bridging Nations: People-to-People Exchange in U.S. China Relations" on Thursday, October 16, 2025, starting at 8:00 PM ET. Register to attend the webinar by scanning the QR code above or clicking this link: https://bit.ly/20251016Webinar Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch was the first Asian American to serve as a U.S. Ambassador and the first Asian American Peace Corps Volunteer. She began her distinguished career in 1964 as a Volunteer in Malaysia and rose to become U.S. Ambassador to Nepal in 1989. Her public service included presidential appointments at the U.S. Agency for International Development, leadership roles in the U.S. Senate and U.S. Information Agency, and fellowships at Harvard University. She is recognized among 147 notable women in U.S. history in A to Z of American Women Leaders and Activists.After 25 years in government, Ambassador Bloch entered the private sector in 1993 as Group Executive Vice President at Bank of America, where she led Public Relations, Government Affairs, and Public Policy. She later served as President and CEO of the United States-Japan Foundation and, beginning in 1998, shifted her focus to China as a visiting professor and academic leader at institutions including Peking University, Fudan University, and the University of Maryland. She is the Founding President and Executive Chair of the US-China Education Trust (USCET) and co-founder of both the Organization of Chinese American Women and the Women’s Foreign Policy Group.A more personal story: Julia's family immigrated to the United States when she was nine, settling in San Francisco. Her father, Chang Fuyun 張福運 , a Boxer Indemnity Scholarship 庚子賠款獎學金 recipient, was the first Chinese national to graduate from Harvard Law School. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/10/01 C100: Obstacles and Opportunities in Media and Entertainment2025/10/03 Covering China—Journalism, Scholarship, and the Global Conversation2025/10/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/10/07 Conversations, Recollections, Pioneers and Heros: David Henry Hwang2025/10/16 Bridging Nations: The Power of People-to-People Exchange in U.S.-China Relations2025/10/23 C100 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative: Asian American Women in the LawVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. C100: Obstacles and Opportunities in Media and Entertainment WHAT : Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative: Obstacles and Opportunities in Media and Entertainment WHEN : October 1, 2025, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm ET WHERE : Webinar HOST : Committee of 100 Moderator: Peter Young , Chairman of the Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative and Committee of 100 member Speakers : · Albert Cheng , Vice President, Head of Prime Video · Richard Lui , NBC/MSNBC News Anchor · Nicole Dungca , Reporter, The Washington Post and President, Asian American Journalists Association DESCRIPTION : This is the 49th Committee of 100 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative event on "Obstacles and Opportunities in Media and Entertainment". There will be a one hour virtual panel with Q&A, followed by a 30 minute virtual networking event. This event will feature insights from accomplished panelists who have expertise on this topic from their current professional responsibilities as well as their own personal careers. REGISTRATION : https://c100-10-1-2025.eventbrite.com # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF September 26, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #212 10/2 Meeting; Section 702 Reforms; Anti-Asian Racism in the US; 2020 Census Data; More #212 10/2 Meeting; Section 702 Reforms; Anti-Asian Racism in the US; 2020 Census Data; More In This Issue #212 2023/10/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Report on The Warrantless Surveillance Program and Section 702 Reforms Report on Anti-Asian Racism in The United States 2020 Census Data for Nearly 1,500 Detailed Race and Ethnicity Groups, Tribes and Villages News and Activities for the Communities 2023/10/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, October 2, 2023, starting at 1:55 pm ET.In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna Derman , Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), and Clay Zhu 朱可亮 , Partner, DeHeng Law Offices 德恒律师事务所, confirmed speakers will also include: Nancy Chen , Founding President, Chinese American Women in Action (CAWA) on the history of CAWA and its interests and concerns in Illinois and national issues Andy Wong , Managing Director of Advocacy, Chinese for Affirmative Action, on the coalition letter on Section 702 reforms, responses, and related CAA activities such as the recently launched "Stop The Blame" campaign Haipei Shue (薛海培) , President, United Chinese Americans, on the recent hearings of Professor Feng " Franklin" Tao 陶丰 's appeal in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver and the administrative trial of New York Police Department Officer Baimadajie Angwang 昂旺 in New York City (new addition) 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 NOTE : A shutdown of the federal government happens when Congress fails to pass some type of funding legislation that is signed into law by the president. Funding expired on September 30, 2023, but a 45-day stop-gap bill was signed into law at the last minute to continue government operation until November 17, 2023. Report on The Warrantless Surveillance Program and Section 702 Reforms On September 28, 2023, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) released a 297-page report titled "Report on The Surveillance Program Operated Pursuant to Section 702 of The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act." According to The Hill on October 1, 2023, "the PCLOB report reveals deep divisions among its five members on how to reform Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows for warrantless surveillance of foreigners abroad. "In a departure from precedent, the report did not reach unanimous conclusions about how to update the law, a confusing prospect as a Congress divided on Section 702 stares down an end-of-the-year deadline to renew it. "The board’s two Republican-appointed members voted against its release, said its findings should not be attributed to them and attached their recommendations in a 56-page annex that read almost like a second report. "Civil liberties advocates have long viewed Section 702 as a backdoor for gaining access to information on Americans, whose communications get swept up in searches as they speak with those being surveilled abroad. It’s a factor they see as a violation of Sixth Amendment rights and a particular risk to Black and other communities of color. "The report, however, includes a third rail for the intelligence community — a suggestion the intelligence community first get a court order before reviewing any intel gleaned on Americans. "Doing so, PCLOB’s majority writes, would offer the 'most critical safeguard for Americans’ privacy rights.' "The FBI spied on 119,000 Americans last year, a sharp decline that reflects changes in FBI policy for how the agency accesses the information of citizens swept up in other searches. Still, an unsealed opinion from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the entity that would oversee the court order process recommended by the report, recently unsealed an opinion showing a string of abuses, including reviewing information on elected officials. "The inclusion of a recommendation to get a court order before reviewing information gathered on Americans and permanent residents was celebrated by civil liberties groups that have long pushed for such a requirement. " Elizabeth Goitein , senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, called the report an 'ironclad case for requiring a probable-cause order for U.S. person queries.'" On September 14, 2023, a coalition of 52 Asian American organizations wrote to Congress to oppose the renewal of Section 702 of FISA unless significant revisions are put into place. The letter, led by Asian American Scholae Forum (AASF), Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and Stop AAPI Hate, wrote "with a sense of urgency and a shared commitment to safeguarding the principles of justice, equality, and privacy in our nation. As Asian Americans and allies, we understand all too well the perils of unchecked national security programs and the historical discrimination our community has endured. Our shared history serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers of racial profiling and prejudice in the name of national security." Read the coalition letter: https://bit.ly/3LkEmnt . Read the PCLOB report: https://bit.ly/3PEutm3 . According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) , in May 2017, Professor Xiaoxing Xi 郗小星 filed a lawsuit against the lead FBI agent in the case, Andrew Haugen , and other agents, alleging that they made knowingly or recklessly false statements in support of the investigation and prosecution. Xi’s wife and oldest daughter later joined the case. The ACLU joined the case in October 2017. The lawsuit asks the court to award damages and to declare that the defendants violated the plaintiffs’ Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights. It also asks the court to order the government to return or delete any of the Xis’ communications that it obtained during the investigation. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals allowed Xi and his family to pursue their lawsuit against the U.S. government in May 2023. Report on Anti-Asian Racism in The United States On September 27, 2023, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) released its 2023 statutory enforcement report, The Federal Response to Anti-Asian Racism in the United States . The report assesses the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S. from 2019 through 2021, and the federal role in preventing and enforcing federal hate crime laws. According to USCCR, the report examines three main areas: 1) national trends and data regarding the rise of hate incidents and hate crimes against members of Asian communities; 2) local and state law enforcement’s prevention and reporting practices regarding hate crimes; and 3) federal efforts and policies that encourage greater participation in reporting hate crime incidents, as well as prosecution and enforcement efforts to prevent hate crimes. The report highlights that language barriers hinder the reporting of incidents, and many incidents, even if they don’t meet legal hate crime criteria, still evoke fear and are not accounted for in official statistics. A major impediment is the lack of comprehensive data and reporting in understanding the severity of hate crimes against individuals of Asian descent. The report notes that the transition to the National Incident-Based Reporting System has been slow for some agencies, leading to incomplete data. The Commission proposes a “holistic strategy” to combat anti-Asian hate incidents, including improvements in data collection, legal enforcement, community support and education initiatives. It recommends urging prosecutors and law enforcement to vigorously investigate and prosecute hate crimes against Asian Americans and providing first responders with training on identifying hate crimes. It also highlights the need to address language barriers in federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and victim services. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is an independent, bipartisan agency established by Congress in 1957. Its mission is to inform the development of national civil rights policy and enhance enforcement of federal civil rights laws. Read the USCCR report: https://bit.ly/3ZB9llm 2020 Census Data for Nearly 1,500 Detailed Race and Ethnicity Groups, Tribes and Villages On September 21, 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau released 2020 Census population counts and sex-by-age statistics for 300 detailed race and ethnic groups, as well as 1,187 detailed American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) tribes and villages. On the Asian Population Among Asian respondents, Asian Indian was the largest alone group (4.4 million) and Chinese, except Taiwanese the largest alone or in any combination group (5.2 million). Filipino (4.4 million), Vietnamese (2.3 million), Korean (2.0 million), and Japanese (1.6 million) all had alone or in any combination populations over 1 million in 2020. The Nepalese population was the fastest growing Asian group among those with populations of 50,000 or more in 2010. The Nepalese alone population increased 295.5% from 51,907 in 2010 to 205,297 in 2020, and the Nepalese alone or in any combination population grew 269.0% from 59,490 to 219,503 over the decade. On the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Population Native Hawaiian was the largest Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) alone group (199,880) and alone or in any combination group (680,442). Nearly all NHPI groups grew from 2010 to 2020. The Chuukese alone population was the fastest growing NHPI alone group, increasing 296.2% to 10,500 in 2020. The fastest growing NHPI alone or in any combination group was Papua New Guinean, which increased by 249.3% to 1,453 people during the decade. Read the Census Bureau news release: https://bit.ly/3rAYGdQ . Read the breakdown on the Asian population: h ttps://bit.ly/3PwxDby News and Activities for the Communities 1. Community Calendar The APA Justice Community Calendar is located on the front page of the APA Justice website at https://www.apajustice.org/ . Upcoming Events: 2023/10/02 APA Justice October Monthly Meeting 2023/10/08 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting 2023/10/12 Expert Panel on Open Data for Racial Equity 2023/10/12 C100 Webinar - Race-Based Admissions and the Supreme Court Court: An Asian American Perspective 2023/10/12 The FBI and Chinese Americans - From the Investigation and Defense Frontline 2023/10/15 State Legislature 101 Training 2023/10/15 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting 2023/10/22 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. 2023/10/12 Webinar: The FBI and Chinese Americans WHAT: On-site event - The FBI and Chinese American Community: Stories and Tips from the Investigation and Defense Frontline WHEN: Thursday, October 12, 6:30 - 8:30 pm PT WHERE: Santa Clara University School of Law, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95050 HOSTS: The Chinese American Lawyers of the Bay Area (CALOBA) and the Chinese American Semiconductor Professional Association (CASPA) DESCRIPTION: "A conversation with the FBI on criminal trade secret theft at the Santa Clara University School of Law. As members of the Chinese American community, we are committed to protecting our shared interests and promoting a safe and prosperous environment for all. Please join us and learn some frontline stories and practical tips offered by our distinguished panelists based on their decades of experience in the field!" REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/46cHiei 3. Foreign Affairs Essay: The Dysfunctional Superpower According to a Foreign Affairs essay on September 29, 2023, a looming government shutdown, a partisan impeachment inquiry, and the former president facing multiple felony charges across four criminal cases. Add to this chaos a presidential election and it’s fair to say that the U.S. political system will be preoccupied with its own drama and division for some time. Such paralysis could not come at a worse time. The United States should be in a strong position to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping —but “dysfunction has made American power erratic and unreliable, practically inviting risk-prone autocrats to place dangerous bets,” the essay said. “The United States finds itself in a uniquely treacherous position: facing aggressive adversaries with a propensity to miscalculate yet incapable of mustering the unity and strength necessary to dissuade them.” Only by working together can U.S. leaders contend with such grave threats. And “therein lies the rub.” Robert M. Gates , author of the essay, is former U.S. Secretary of Defense. Read the Foreign Policy essay: https://fam.ag/3LNONjN Back View PDF October 2, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #22 ARPP Webpage; Lost Students Or Inept Spies; Tao And Lieber Cases; Media Reports #22 ARPP Webpage; Lost Students Or Inept Spies; Tao And Lieber Cases; Media Reports Back View PDF October 13, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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

June 12, 2020 On June 12, 2020, Science Magazine reported that fifty-four scientists have lost their jobs as a result of NIH probe into foreign ties . Six questions are raised from the report about the National Institute of Health (NIH) investigations 1. Due process? What rights do the scientists have in terms of defense and representation? How are they informed and explained about these rights? How consistent is the decision process from case to case and from institution to institution? Are the standards public and publicized? How well are the scientists informed about these standards? 2. Shift and transparency in policy? As recently as July 1, 2014, current NIH Director Francis Collins spoke in Fudan University in Shanghai to promote international collaboration . This and similar reports have apparently been removed from the NIH website with one exception of this report about NIH leaders celebrate 30 years of research with China in 2009. Why were these reports removed? When did the shift in policy take place and why? How were the scientists notified of the change in policy? 3. How did NIH start these investigations? According to Page 19 of The Cancer Letter on April 26, 2019, Michael Lauer, NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research, stated that there are three ways to identify potential problems: (a) FBI and other law enforcement agencies, (b) anonymous complaints, and (c) stewardship of NIH program staff. For the targeted 189 scientists at 87 institutions, what is the respective count by these three ways? How is their pattern and distribution similar or different from previous years? 4. Criminalizing science and scientists? If the NIH is under pressure from the FBI and law enforcement to conduct these investigations, does it undermine the standard NIH procedures to deal with scientific ethical and integrity issues that may not be intrinsically criminal? How many of the scientists under NIH investigations conduct open fundamental research and how many on sensitive research that threatens national or economic security? Does their punishment fit the alleged act? What was actually stolen? 5. How will the NIH investigations enhance U.S. leadership in science and technology? Dr. Xifeng Wu was among the first scientists forced to leave MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. She is now recognized for her significant contributions to manage the COVID-19 pandemic in China. She is a U.S. citizen. Her family still lives in Houston. How did her departure help U.S. leadership in science and technology? Same question for the 54 scientists. What threats have we mitigated by their departures? 6. Oversight and accountability? Is NIH open to third-party independent audit and review about the standards, process, and decision about these investigations? If so, would NIH cooperate with Congress and scientific/community organizations to conduct such audit, review, and oversight? In the case of Dr. Charlie Lieber, he was not charged as a spy. On February 3, 2020, Science Magazine reported that “[w]hat worries Andrew Lelling, U.S. attorney for the Massachusetts district, is that Lieber was allegedly paid to carry out research in China, which, combined with his failure to disclose those relationships, makes him potentially vulnerable to pressure from the Chinese government to do its bidding at some future point.” Are we punishing a child because one day he may grow up to be a criminal? How far have we deviated from a justice system based on facts and evidence, rather than pretext, for individual prosecutions or investigations? When was the last time the U.S. government targeted a nation and a people for law enforcement? These issues about accountability, oversight, and transparency are at the heart of racial profiling (according to the definition in H.R. 7120 Justice in Policing Act of 2020 ), justice, and fairness concerns for the Asian American community that led to the formation of the APA Justice Task Force in 2015. Previous Next 54 scientists lose their jobs from NIH probe into foreign ties

Newsletter - #133 NSDD-189 Workshop; Santa Ono to Lead UMichigan; Mark 2022/09/13; 7/11 Meeting; Bills #133 NSDD-189 Workshop; Santa Ono to Lead UMichigan; Mark 2022/09/13; 7/11 Meeting; Bills Back View PDF July 15, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #139 Special Edition on the Campaign to Oppose the Nomination of Mr. Casey Arrowood #139 Special Edition on the Campaign to Oppose the Nomination of Mr. Casey Arrowood Back View PDF August 24, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

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