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Newsletter - #260 FBI Asks Scientists for Trust; FBI Forum Video/Summary; Texas Alien Land Bill Hearing #260 FBI Asks Scientists for Trust; FBI Forum Video/Summary; Texas Alien Land Bill Hearing In This Issue #260 · Nature : FBI Asks Scientists for Trust in Taking Anti-Asian Bias Seriously · The FBI Forum Video Now Online · A Summary of The FBI Forum by NAA United · Texas Senate Committee Hearing on Alien Land Bills · News and Activities for the Communities Nature : FBI Asks Scientists for Trust in Taking Anti-Asian Bias Seriously According to Nature on June 7, 2024, US investigators seek to repair damage from China Initiative with researchers of Asian descent at a public forum held at Rice University in Houston, Texas.In the rare meeting between the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the academic community, members of the FBI sought to reassure researchers of Asian descent that their concerns over discrimination are being heard.“We want you to feel comfortable. That’s why we’re here,” said Douglas Williams , special agent in charge of the FBI’s Houston field office, which, among other things, investigates hate crimes based on ethnicity. “More importantly, we want you to trust us, so that when something does happen in this community, which I believe it does, that you feel comfortable calling us and that we can investigate it.”The two-hour session, sponsored by APA Justice, Rice University's Baker Institute and Office of Innovation, and the Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition, was organized in response to growing concerns among students and professors of Asian descent in the United States. One reason for the concerns is the China Initiative, a program launched in 2018 by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) under Donald Trump ’s administration. The initiative resulted in the arrest of a number of scientists of Chinese descent and swept into criminal court. Most were eventually acquitted or had their cases dropped. The DOJ discontinued the initiative in 2022, acknowledging that cases against the researchers triggered a perception of racial bias. However, scrutiny of Chinese-born scholars by the US government appears to have persisted. In April, the Chinese embassy in the United States reported that since July 2021, at least 70 foreign students with valid documentation had been turned away at US airports and forced to return to China. At the forum, David Donatti , a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas, highlighted that these students, including fifth-year PhD candidates who were close to defending their dissertations, were interrogated and deported without explanation. Many of them now face five-year bans on re-entering the country. Gisella Perez Kusakawa , executive director of the Asian American Scholar Forum, said that ending the China Initiative was a crucial step towards de-escalating tensions and decriminalizing Asian scholars, but only a single step. “There is still significant progress that needs to be made to ensure that the US is a welcoming environment that can attract and retain the best and brightest talents,” she said.FBI representatives said that while their charge includes protecting the United States from foreign threats, including technological espionage, it also includes protecting the civil rights of all individuals in the country. That includes protecting Chinese citizens working in the United States, said Kelly Choi , supervisory special agent at the FBI’s Houston Field Office.Although the FBI investigates crime, it is not in charge of screening people coming into the United States. That responsibility falls under the purview of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an arm of the Department of Homeland Security (the FBI is part of the DOJ). Steven Pei , APA Justice Co-Organizer and an electrical engineer at the University of Houston, in Texas, who moderated the forum, told Nature that although the CBP had been invited to the panel, it had declined. The CBP did not respond to Nature’s request for comment before this story published. When contacted by Nature , Qin Yan , president of the Asian Faculty Association at Yale University, who helped to organize the forum, called for direct dialogue with CBP representatives to address border issues. He also expressed worries about other efforts to tamp down foreign influence, such as a Florida law that limits universities’ ability to recruit students and faculty members from China and other countries of concern. “We are still a long way from repairing the damage caused by the China Initiative. The chilling effects will last a very long time,” he added. Read the Nature report: https://go.nature.com/3XgcAzs The FBI Forum Video Now Online left to right: Jill Murphy, Steven Pei, Neal Lane A video of the June 6 forum on "A Dialogue Between Academic and Asian American Communities and The FBI" is now available for public viewing at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csqLJo869ZY (1:55:23)Time mark and speakers: 3:27 Sergio Lira , Vice President, Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC) and President, Houston Council, League of United Latin American Citizen (LULAC)4:28 Paul Cherukuri , Chief Innovation Officer, Vice President for Innovation, Rice University 10:52 Jill Murphy , Deputy Assistant Director for Counterintelligence, FBI Headquarters 14:08 Steven Pei , Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition and APA Justice Task Force17:44 Panel Discussion · Kelly Choi , Supervisory Special Agent, FBI Houston Field Office · David Donatti , Senior staff attorney, Legal department, American Civil Liberties Union of Texas · Alamdar S. Hamdani , U.S. Attorney for Southern District of Texas · Gisela P. Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum · Jill Murphy , Deputy Assistant Director for Counterintelligence, FBI Headquarters · Georgette "GiGi" Pickering , Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI Houston Field Office · Gordon Quan , Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Quan Law Group, PLLC. Former Houston City Mayor Pro-Tem · Douglas A. Williams, Jr , Special Agent in Charge, FBI Houston Field Office 1:48:10 Neal F. Lane , Senior Fellow in Science and Technology Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy. Former OSTP Director, The White House 1:54:57 Forum adjourned Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csqLJo869ZY (1:55:23) A Summary of The FBI Forum by NAA United National Asian American (NAA) United, a non-profit organization that serves to educate Asian Pacific Americans on public affairs, posted a blog covering the forum to bridge the gap between the FBI and Asian American academics concerning research security policies. The blog is reproduced in its entirety with the permission of NAA United: Houston Event Fosters Dialogue on Research Security and Civil Liberties A collaborative effort by the Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, and the APA Justice Task Force convened a forum on June 6, 2024. Held at Rice University's O'Connor Building, the event (also accessible virtually) brought together academics, Asian-American leaders, and the FBI to discuss a critical topic: balancing research security with civil liberties. The event aimed to bridge the gap between the FBI and Asian-American academics regarding research security policies. · Concerns were raised about the impact of past initiatives, particularly the China Initiative, on Asian-American researchers. · The FBI emphasized its commitment to safeguarding national security while protecting civil liberties. · Recommendations included creating more transparent, data-driven, and inclusive policies. · Continuous dialogue and collaboration were highlighted as essential for all stakeholders. Examples of Overreach: · The China Initiative was cited for unfairly targeting Asian-American scholars. · Attendees shared experiences of foreign researchers facing difficulties at U.S. ports of entry. · Historical examples, like the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, served as a reminder of the importance of avoiding discriminatory policies. · Recent legislation, such as Texas' Senate Bill 147 (restricting property purchases by certain nationalities), was discussed as an example of overreach. · Concerns regarding invasive electronic device searches at the border by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were also addressed. Building Trust: Recommendations and Solutions · Transparency and Clarity: Policies should be clear and easy to understand to ensure compliance and build trust. · Improved Communication and Training: Regular dialogues and open communication channels are essential. · Involving Experts: Scientific and community expertise should be incorporated into policy making. · Protecting Civil Liberties and Academic Freedom: These fundamental rights must be safeguarded in research policies. · Enhanced Inter-Agency Coordination: Standardization of practices across federal agencies is crucial. · Mechanisms for Redress: Clear avenues for individuals to seek redress if they feel unfairly targeted. · Public Leadership and Advocacy: Leaders should publicly oppose discriminatory policies. The event served as a reminder of the U.S.'s long history of benefiting from top international scholars. It emphasized the importance of maintaining this momentum through open communication and collaborative efforts.Read the NAA United blog: https://bit.ly/3x8F6s9 Texas Senate Committee Hearing on Alien Land Bills On May 29, 2024, The Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs held a public hearing including a session on alien land bills. John Yang , President and Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice |AAJC, delivered testimony about discriminatory land laws at the hearing.John Yang was quoted in an Instagram post about his testimony:"Advancing Justice | AAJC is deeply concerned by the resurgence of land laws. Though they are ostensibly designed to protect U.S. agricultural land, real property, and critical infrastructure from malign foreign influence, in reality, they not only fail to address legitimate threats in a targeted and proportional manner, but also raise serious concerns regarding the balance of national security equities with civil rights, federal pre-emption, and other issues related to building and maintaining a robust local economy."It is also important to note that some land laws include overly punitive criminal and civil penalties. This language similarly fails to address national security concerns and instead contributes to an overall environment of fear for the Asian immigrant and Asian American communities which have already endured the China Initiative and a spike in anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic."It is critical that this country recognizes its problematic treatment of Asian Americans and immigrants as perpetual foreigners and national security threats based on race, ethnicity, and national origin ... civil rights organizations have stepped up to fight this type of discrimination. Florida, which enacted its own land law in May 2023, currently faces two separate lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union and Advancing Justice | AAJC. "The current crop of land laws is neither an appropriate nor a constructive policy remedy. Vague, overbroad land acquisition restrictions that could apply to entire nationalities implicate individuals and institutions outside of the scope of the actual bad actors and their machinations. And such laws will only result in a backlash against Asian Americans and other American immigrant communities."Watch the Texas Senate Committee hearing: https://bit.ly/4bRDbHA (13:32:49). Watch John Yang's testimony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDDeTCAbA64 (5:38) .Read the Instagram post at https://bit.ly/45hi3YG News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/06/20 U.S.-China Relations: Untangling Campaign Rhetoric & Understanding Policy – Teachers Workshop2024/06/20-22 Social Equity Leadership Conference2024/06/27-30 UCA: 2024 Chinese American ConventionVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. President’s Advisory Commission on AANHPI Public Meetings WHAT : President's Advisory Commission Public Meeting WHEN: · July 1, 2024, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time · July 2, 2024, 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. ET. WHERE: · July 1, livestreaming · July 2, in-person listening session in Saint Paul, Minnesota HOST: The President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) COMMENTS: The Commission seeks responses to several questions contained within this Federal Register Notice. Written comments are welcomed throughout the development of the Commission’s recommendations and may be emailed to AANHPICommission@hhs.gov at any time. Individuals may also submit a request to provide oral public comments at the Commission’s July 2, 2024 listening session in Minnesota responding to those questions. For details and directions, please click here . REGISTRATION: Registration is required · July 1: https://bit.ly/3RjiJHm · July 2: https://bit.ly/3KAUzUX Back View PDF June 10, 2024 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 - #9 Anti-Racial Profiling Actions; Future Of U.S. Science Paper #9 Anti-Racial Profiling Actions; Future Of U.S. Science Paper Back View PDF August 12, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Legislative Alert Victims Federal Agencies Congress Media Watch Legislative Alert H.R. 3038 Securing American Science and Technology Act of 2019 was introduced by Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) on May 30, 2019. It has 33 bipartisan co-sponsors (17 D and 16 R). According to Science , this bill has been folded into H.R. 2500 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA), which passed the House with a 220 - 197 margin on July 12. The Senate version of the NDAA, S. 1790 passed earlier on June 27, 2019 with a margin 86-8 . Its difference with the House will be resolved in conference. S. 2133 Secure American Research Act of 2019 was introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on July 16, 2019. It has 7 co-sponsors (4 R and 3 D). H.R. 2133 and H.R. 2500 are listed as related bills. Section 2.(3).F of S. 2133 reads as follows: "(F) develop and ensure the implementation of a means for Federal agencies listed in paragraph (2)(A) to aggregate and share Federal agency information regarding completed investigations of researchers that were determined to be knowingly fraudulent in disclosure of foreign interests, investments, or involvement relating to Federal research, which shall-- (i) be shared among agencies listed in paragraph (2)(A); (ii) not be made available to the public; and (iii) not be subject to the requirements of section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the “Freedom of Information Act”);" "Malign Foriegn Government Talent Recruitment Program" The Bipartisan Innovation Act is the bill merging the House's America COMPETES Act and the Senate's USICA. On April 6, 2022, the White House announced a bipartisan and bicameral Congressional briefing to discuss the urgent need to invest in made-in-America semiconductors as well as research and development that will protect our economic and national security: https://bit.ly/3rhJtea . The America COMPETES bill was passed by the House on February 4, 2022. It has 3,610 pages: https://bit.ly/3vlzeXL . Pages 670-674 covers Subtitle E—Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program Prohibition and SEC. 10651. Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program Prohibition. The Senate passed its revised USICA on March 28, 2022. That bill has 2,326 pages: https://bit.ly/3M32KIh . Pages 263-267 covers Section 2303. Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Program Prohibition. Where APA Justice keeps an eye on individual and group victims, selected legislative bills and actions, federal policies and practices, and media reports and bias that may enable racial profiling and adversely impact the Asian American community Explore Watchlist WATCHLIST

Go Go Prev Next The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the principal federal law enforcement agency of the United States, operating under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Established in 1908, the mission of the FBI is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States, including safeguarding the rights and liberties of all citizens. The FBI operates several branches including Intelligence, National Security, Criminal and Cyber, Science and Technology, and Information and Technology. With its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and 56 field offices across the nation, the FBI’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget was $11.3 billion with 37,000 authorized positions, 260 attorneys, and 13,600 agents. The FBI’s role and activities related to the China Initiative may arguably be traced to Director Christopher Wray’s testimony in a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on February 13, 2018, in which he targeted all students, scholars and scientists of Chinese origin as “non-traditional collectors” and a national security threat to the United States. Alarmed by the racial and ethnic profiling overtone, a coalition of organizations led by the Committee of 100 (C100) wrote to Director Wray on March 1, 2018, and requested a meeting to “engage in positive dialogue to advance our nation’s ideals as well as its national security.” On August 8, 2018, the FBI warned over 100 top leaders of Texas academic and medical institutions from the Texas Medical Center and across Texas about security threats from foreign adversaries as the first step in a new initiative the bureau planned to replicate around the country. In response to the reported FBI initiative, the Asian American community organized two educational events in Houston and at the United Chinese Americans National Convention in Washington, DC. Special agents from the FBI Houston and New York Field Offices participated in these events in September 2018, less than two months prior to DOJ’s launch of the China Initiative. A month after the launch of the China Initiative, a group of community leaders met with a senior-level FBI official and representatives at the FBI Headquarters to convey concerns raised within the Chinese American community about the role of bias in its investigations, among other issues. An attempt to establish a dialogue was largely unsuccessful as the discussions devolved into two separate monologues. Tensions between the U.S. and China intensified in July 2020 when the U.S. abruptly ordered China to close its consulate in Houston within 72 hours, accusing diplomats of aiding economic espionage and the attempted theft of scientific research, but gave few details to support the allegation. At the same time, DOJ filed charges against five scientists from China in five separate cases under the “China Initiative," alleging them to be part of China’s military. The FBI interviewed visa holders in more than 25 U.S. cities suspected of hiding their Chinese military memberships. A year later, all five visa fraud cases were dismissed. In Houston, FBI agents began to knock on doors to demand interviews with persons of Chinese descent, creating fear and anguish. The Chinese American community in Houston were deeply concerned about a witch hunt for spies by the FBI to use Chinese Americans as scapegoats to justify the political claim. A “Know Your Rights” webinar was organized to address the urgent question, "What to do if you are questioned by the FBI or police?" It was attended by over 830 participants. All the attorneys advised the community not to speak to the FBI as "nothing good will come out of it." Three months after the announced end of the China Initiative in February 2022, the FBI San Francisco Field Office hosted an Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) town hall meeting in downtown Oakland. Acknowledging the community’s concerns surrounding FBI national security investigations related to the People’s Republic of China, the purpose of the town hall meeting was to engage in an open and honest discussion about the FBI program, better understand the AANHPI community’s concerns, and exchange ideas on ways we can collectively work to address those concerns. The successful conclusion of the town hall meeting led to additional plans and activities at the local and national levels. The FBI San Francisco Field Office spoke at a roundtable in the 2023 C100 Annual Conference in San Jose, California. A C100 delegation visited Washington, DC, on September 28-29, 2023, including a 90-minute meeting with Jill Murphy, Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) of the Counterintelligence Division, and other FBI personnel at the FBI Headquarters. Jill Murphy was a featured speaker in a panel at the 2024 C100 Annual Conference in New York City. She spoke about some of the unintended negative consequences of U.S. national defense policies particularly those that have adversely affected the U.S. scientific and Chinese American communities. On June 6, 2024, Rice University’s Baker Center and Office of Innovation, Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition, and APA Justice co-hosted an unprecedented forum on “A Dialogue Between the Academic and Asian American Communities and the FBI.” The event was held in person at Rice University and also live streamed nationwide. While there is still significant progress that needs to be made to ensure that the U.S. is a welcoming environment that can attract and retain the best and brightest talents, the FBI acknowledged the negative impact that the China Initiative had made and is seeking to rebuild trust and continue a dialogue with the communities. “We’ve talked today about the implementation steps, the progress we can make. (This) could prove to be one of the most important events that ever occurred on campus, so I’m very appreciative for being a part of it,” said Neal Lane, senior fellow in science and technology policy at the Baker Institute and former director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. References and Links 2024 Department of Justice: FY2024 Federal Bureau of Investigation Budget Performance Summary Section II 2020/12/22 Department of Justice: Organization Chart of Federal Bureau of Investigation 2018/03/01 Committee of 100: Community Organizations Call for Meeting with FBI Director Christopher Wray Regarding Profiling of Students, Scholars, and Scientists with Chinese Origins 2018/02/13 U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence: Hearing on Global Threats and National Security Overview Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to customize this theme across your site. You can update and reuse text themes. Timeline Contents Select Title FBI & Law Enforcement WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME

Newsletter - #350 9/8 Meeting; National Security/Xenophobia? Gisela Honored; Shifting Visa/Deportation+ #350 9/8 Meeting; National Security/Xenophobia? Gisela Honored; Shifting Visa/Deportation+ In This Issue #350 · 2025/09/08 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · BBC : "National security or xenophobia? Texas restricts Chinese owning and renting property" · Congratulations to Gisela Perez Kusakawa on Prestigious NAPABA Award · Student Visa and Deportation as Trump Policies Shift · News and Activities for the Communities 2025/09/08 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, September 8, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET. The meeting is postponed one week because September 1 was Labor Day, a federal holiday. 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: · Rosie Levine , Executive Director, U.S.-China Education Trust (USCET) · Cindy Tsai , Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Committee of 100 (C100) · Bob Sakaniwa , Director of Policy and Advocacy, APIAVote · Thu Nguyen , Executive Director, OCA National Center Rosie and Cindy return to announce the launch of a series of webinars co-hosted by C100, USCET, and APA Justice. The dual mission of C100 is to promote the full participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life and to advance constructive relations between the U.S. and Greater China. The mission of the US-China Education Trust (USCET) is to promote US-China relations through education and exchange for China's next-generation leaders by fostering greater mutual understanding of the US and China.Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to strengthen and sustain a culture of civic engagement. Bob will update us on APIAVote's plans and activities as we approach the November election.Founded in 1973, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates is a 501(c)(3) national member-driven nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. with 35+ chapters and affiliates across the U.S. The 2025 OCA National Convention was held in Seattle, Washington, July 24 - 27, 2025. Thu returns to update us on OCA's latest plans and activities.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 . BBC : "National security or xenophobia? Texas restricts Chinese owning and renting property" According to BBC News on August 28, 2025, Texas Senate Bill 17 (SB 17), scheduled to take effect on September 1, 2025, prohibits citizens and entities from China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia from buying property or signing leases longer than one year. Texas Governor Greg Abbott , framed the measure as a national security necessity, presenting the bill as a shield against foreign influence.Opponents, however, argue the law revives an old pattern of discrimination. Many compared SB 17 to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the alien land laws of the early 20th century. Community members warned the bill stigmatizes Asian immigrants and undermines basic property rights. “Banning home ownership from folks just like me based on their country of origin—that is discriminatory in nature,” said Houston small-business owner Jason Yuan . Qinlin Li , a recent graduate of Texas A&M University and a plaintiff of the lawsuit filed against SB 17, said she was shocked when she first learned about the bill. "If there's no human rights, then we [are] back to like 150 years ago, we were like the railroad labourers," Li said.Civil rights advocates have been vocal as well. Patrick Toomey of the ACLU criticized the law’s premise, arguing, “There is no evidence that harm to national security has resulted from Chinese people owning or leasing residential properties in Texas... Texas's law should sound alarm bells,," adding that the legislation weaponised false claims of national security against Asian immigrants and other communities.Experts also question the necessity of Texas's new law from a regulatory standpoint. It was preferable for federal government to handle such matters to avoid overlapping jurisdictions, said Sarah Bauerle Danzman , from the Atlantic Council think tank.In the Texas House, State Representative Gene Wu (吴元之) emerged as one of the strongest critics of SB 17. "It is anti-Asian, anti-immigrant, and specifically against Chinese-Americans," as he and others warned that policies rooted in fear, not facts, risk isolating communities and damaging Texas’s reputation as a hub for investment, education, and innovation. Nancy Lin , a commercial estate agent based in Dallas, told the BBC that several prospective Chinese clients she has spoken to are pausing their investment plans, including some in the electric vehicle and solar panel sectors. "If this issue can't be resolved, I think it will be more difficult for Chinese companies to enter Texas. As for those that already have existing leases, they can't renew them. If they do, it can only be for no more than one year."The right to own land has been a struggle for Chinese Americans, dating back over a century. A previous alien land law in Texas, which restricted non-US citizens from purchasing land, was in force until 1965. It was deemed to be "unreasonable and discriminatory" and against "economic development".The Committee of 100, a nonpartisan Chinese American leadership organization, placed SB 17 in a broader national context. Their research shows that since 2021, dozens of states have introduced or passed restrictions on property ownership by “foreign adversaries.”The Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA), which is leading the legal challenge to SB 17, argued that the law is unconstitutional. The judge later dismissed the case, Wang v. Paxton (4:25-cv-03103) , siding with the state attorney general who said the plaintiffs - who are student-visa and work-visa holders living in Texas - would not be personally affected by the law. But, for the wider group of visa-holders from the four countries, the lack of clear interpretation of the legal clauses still stokes uncertainty. CALDA has filed an appeal . Congratulations to Gisela Perez Kusakawa on Prestigious NAPABA Award APA Justice warmly congratulates Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director of the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), on being named one of this year’s award recipients by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). This highly competitive and prestigious honor recognizes rising stars who have achieved distinction in their fields while demonstrating a steadfast commitment to advancing Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) civic and community affairs. Ms . Kusakawa will be recognized at the 2025 NAPABA Convention in Denver, November 6–8, 2025, where more than 3,000 attendees are expected. She joins a distinguished cohort of honorees, including leading partners and managing attorneys across the nation.Throughout her career, Ms. Kusakawa has been a trailblazer at the intersection of criminal law, civil rights, national security, and research security. She founded the first Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights, and National Security department at Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC and co-founded a joint program with the U.S.-Asia Law Institute at NYU School of Law. She has also served on the advisory board of SECURE Analytics, the $67 million National Science Foundation program authorized by Congress, at the invitation of former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice .Beyond her legal and policy contributions, Ms. Kusakawa has been a familiar and valued voice in the APA Justice community. She is a regular speaker at APA Justice monthly meetings, first during her tenure as Program Director at Advancing Justice | AAJC and continuing today in her leadership role at AASF. Her insights have been vital in advancing understanding of civil rights challenges faced by AANHPI communities and in fostering collaboration across organizations.NAPABA’s recognition of Ms. Kusakawa underscores her exceptional leadership and her unwavering dedication to equity and justice. APA Justice is proud to celebrate this achievement and looks forward to continuing to learn from her work and vision in the years ahead. Student Visa and Deportation as Trump Policies Shift According to AP News on August 31, 2025, a 22-year-old Chinese philosophy student, identified only as Gu , was deported from the U.S. after landing in Houston despite holding valid paperwork and a full scholarship to the University of Houston. Previously a Cornell exchange student, Gu expected no issues, but instead was interrogated for over 10 hours, detained for 36 hours, and sent back to China with a five-year entry ban. His case reflects rising uncertainty for Chinese students under the Trump administration, which has fluctuated between welcoming them and imposing restrictions over national security concerns.Gu ’s treatment highlights broader tensions between the U.S. and China. The Chinese Embassy reported more than 10 similar cases of students and scholars facing prolonged interrogations, harassment, and forced repatriation, often under harsh conditions. Beijing condemned these actions as discriminatory and politically motivated. While Trump has publicly stated that he values Chinese students, U.S. law enforcement has intensified scrutiny of their potential ties to the Chinese government. Gu, who insists he has no such connections, now faces an uncertain future, considering a costly and lengthy appeal of his deportation.The deported student posted an unconfirmed account of his experience at Reddit: " As a Master of Arts student, I was deported and barred by CBP in Houston ." According to this account, after landing in Houston on August 15, the student was pulled into secondary inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). What began as routine questioning over visa documentation escalated into hours of interrogation focused on ties to the Chinese Communist Party, the Communist Youth League, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), and the Chinese Scholarship Council.CBP officer “D” searched the student’s belongings and devices, demanded passwords, and used social media activity and a past school essay praising the CCP as grounds for suspicion. Despite explanations that these affiliations were common or superficial, the officer accused the student of lying and pressed aggressively for answers.By early morning, the student was informed of deportation and a five-year reentry ban. During detention—lasting 36 hours—conditions were harsh: cold temperatures, constant lighting, minimal food, no contact with family, and warnings not to speak with other Chinese detainees. Ultimately, the student was placed on a flight out of the U.S., left feeling stripped of freedom, dignity, and a future in America.*****On September 1, 2025, Chemistry World reported that the Trump administration has proposed limiting U.S. student (F-1) and exchange visitor (J-1) visas to a fixed four-year period, ending the long-standing “duration of status” policy. The Department of Homeland Security argues the change is needed to reduce overstays and security risks, citing more than 2,100 students who have remained in F-1 status for decades.Higher education leaders strongly oppose the proposal, warning it would deter international talent, harm the U.S. economy and competitiveness, increase bureaucracy, and worsen immigration backlogs. Fanta Aw , chief executive of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, cautioned: “These changes will only serve to force aspiring students and scholars into a sea of administrative delays at best, and at worst, into unlawful presence status – leaving them vulnerable to punitive actions through no fault of their own.”The move contrasts with China’s recent introduction of a more flexible “K visa” for young science and technology talent, signaling increased global competition to attract researchers and students. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/09/06 The 2025 Asian American Youth Symposium2025/09/08 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/09/08 Committee of 100 Conversations – “Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes” with Janet Yang2025/09/09 China Connections — Chinese Encounters with America: Profiles of Changemakers Who Shaped China2025/09/16-17 2025 AANHPI Unity Summit 2025/09/23 Committee of 100: Is Deglobalization Inevitable?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 September 4, 2025 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

Thank you for supporting APA Justice. To donate online, please visit https://donate.committee100.org/apa-justice/ to contribute to APA Justice through the Committee of 100. To donate by check, please address the check to: APA Justice 28 West 44th Street, Suite 1014, New York, NY 10036 Donate online

Newsletter - #148 "China Initiative" Cases Crumble; Caught in Tension/Hate; 10/03 Meeting; 09/12 Summary #148 "China Initiative" Cases Crumble; Caught in Tension/Hate; 10/03 Meeting; 09/12 Summary Back View PDF September 30, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #14 September 14 Meeting Agenda And Link To Join #14 September 14 Meeting Agenda And Link To Join Back View PDF September 9, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #251 5/6 Monthly Meeting; Rally Against FL SB846; FISA in 2 Years; AANHPI Heritage Month; + #251 5/6 Monthly Meeting; Rally Against FL SB846; FISA in 2 Years; AANHPI Heritage Month; + In This Issue #251 • 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting • Organizer Report on Florida Rally Against SB 846 • Expanded FISA Authorized for Two Years • May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month • News and Activities for the Communities 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, May 6, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC); Joanna YangQing Derman, Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC; and Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), Two speakers will describe an upcoming forum with the Asian American and academic communities and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in Houston, which will be co-hosted by TMAC and the Science and Technology Policy Program, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Office of Innovation at Rice University. • Nabila Mansoor, President, Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC); Executive Director, Rise AAPI • Kenneth M. Evans, Scholar in Science and Technology Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University In addition, • Rebecca Keiser, Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy, National Science Foundation (NSF), returns to update us on the JASON report on Safeguarding the Research Enterprise, MacroPolo's Global AI Talent Tracker 2.0, and related activities and development at NSF. 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 . Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition The Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC) is a coalition of multicultural groups in Houston that is dedicated to promoting justice and progress for marginalized communities. Comprising a diverse range of organizations, the coalition works to raise awareness about issues affecting communities of color, advocate for policy changes, and promote collective action to achieve greater equity and social justice. By bringing together different communities and organizations, TMAC aims to create a more inclusive and equitable society for all. Baker Institute for Public Policy, Office of Innovation, at Rice University The Science and Technology Policy Program, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Office of Innovation at Rice University provides a space for policymakers and scientists to engage in substantive dialogue on critical scientific issues facing the U.S. and the world. Through this program, scholars address a broad range of policy issues that affect scientists and their research, as well as the application of science for the public good. Organizer Report on Florida Rally Against SB 846 During the APA Justice monthly meeting on April 8, 2024, Professors Jiangeng Xue 薛剑耿, Zhong-Ren Peng 彭仲仁, and Chenglong Li 李成龙 reported on their organization and observations of the rally against a state law known as SB 846 in Gainesville on March 26, 2024. Professor Xue, Peng, and Li are President, Board Member, and President-elect of the Florida Chinese Faculty Association (FCFA) respectively. FCFA was created about 10 years ago with the original goals of developing collaborations among the faculty members and mentoring the younger members. National and local media including NBC News, AsAmNews, WUFT, and Alligator had wide coverage of the rally. Professor Xue began by outlining the history and current challenges faced by FCFA, emphasizing their shift towards addressing campus influences. During the China Initiative, FCFA met with the provost, the vice president for research, and the president and talked about issues of concern such as compliance and outside activity reports that led to some regulations that may be less intrusive. The SB 846 bill came out of the 2023 legislative session to target academic exchange and collaborations. Despite assurance about SB 846 that students would not be affected, the Board of Governors – the governing body for all state universities in Florida – put out more restrictions including those on hiring graduate students and scholars in October 2023. This has become the focal point of the FCFA fight, prompting FCFA's response, including a rally and media engagement with help from national and local organizations such as the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF). Over 200 participants, including faculty, students, and national organization representatives, joined the rally, raising awareness and advocating for academic freedom and non-discriminatory hiring practices. FCFA expressed gratitude for the support received, including the Graduate Assistants United, AASF, Advancing Justice | AAJC, APA Justice, UCA, ACLU Florida, and the Brennan Center. FCFA outlined three key requests: restoring faculty hiring rights, upholding academic freedom, and depoliticizing education. Positive outcomes included media attention and strengthened connections between local and national groups. Though direct feedback from the Board of Directors was limited, FCFA remains optimistic about potential amendments. Professor Peng highlighted the establishment of a supportive relationship with the faculty union and participation in a public comment session at the Board of Governors meeting. Professor Li emphasized the importance of national support, a well-structured platform, and individual responsibilities in achieving a successful rally. A summary for the April APA Justice monthly meeting has been posted at. https://bit.ly/3vVMsif . We thank these speakers for their reports and updates: • Nisha Ramachandran, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, nisha.ramachandran@mail.house.gov • Joanna YangQing Derman, Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC • Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), gpkusakawa@aasforum.org • Professors Jiangeng Xue, Zhong-Ren Peng, and Chenglong Li, Florida Chinese Faculty Association (FCFA) • Robert Underwood, Commissioner, President's Advisory Commission on AA and NHPI; Former Chair, CAPAC; Former President, University of Guam • Yvonne Lee, Commissioner, USDA Equity Commission David Inoue, Executive Director, Japanese American Citizens League, was not able to join the meeting. Expanded FISA Authorized for Two Years Authority of The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was expanded and extended for two years under the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act. This is the text for P.L. 118-49: https://bit.ly/3WbyNOH According to Forbes on April 24, 2024, more than 10 years have passed since Edward Snowden revealed the worst surveillance scandal of the FBI and the NSA in U.S. history. His revelations sparked a vivid discussion—one that can be looked at with more precision now that the heated debate that started one decade ago has settled for the next two years: How can we balance the security and privacy requirements of our modern societies? Snowden brought some of the most intrusive surveillance programs of U.S. authorities to light, the most prominent ones being PRISM, XKeyscore and Boundless Informant. Once the public started to understand how much of their private data they willingly share online is being siphoned off, analyzed and scanned, the question arose whether this form of surveillance is required to keep citizens safe or violate citizens' privacy rights without measurable benefit. Regarding the Snowden leaks, there is only one solution to balancing security and privacy requirements: Privacy rights are indisputable. Governments and authorities must (and can) find ways to combat terrorists and other threats to national security with targeted surveillance measures—not by monitoring the entire population of a country. If we submit to general mass surveillance out of false fears of terrorists, we give up not just our privacy but also our freedom. 100% security is never possible—whether we allow mass surveillance or not. But the best possible security can only be achieved with maximum privacy because the encryption that makes our online life private also protects us from terrorists, such as malicious attackers on the web, as well as state-sponsored surveillance by autocratic countries. Read the Forbes report: https://bit.ly/49ZUWT7 May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Asian Pacific American Heritage Month originated in June 1977 when Representatives Frank Horton (New York) and Norman Y. Mineta (California) called for the establishment of Asian/Pacific Heritage Week. Hawaii senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both bills passed, and in 1978 President Jimmy Carter signed the resolution. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush expanded the celebration from a week to a month. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated to commemorate the arrival in May 1843 of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States and the role of Chinese laborers in the completion of the first transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. We celebrate the contributions that generations of AANHPIs have made to American history, society, and culture. This year's theme set by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center is "Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future." The Census Bureau produces these facts about the AANHPI populations in 2024: https://bit.ly/3ITFME7 . Here is a sampling of activities across the country: • Chicago • East Bay Regional Park • Houston • Library of Congress • New York City arts and culture • Orlando • Philadelphia • Seattle • U.S. Government News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2024/04/30 Understanding Implicit Bias and How to Combat It 2024/05/02 AAGEN 2024 Executive Leadership Workshop 2024/05/04 Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice Book Tour 2024/05/05 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2024/05/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2024/05/13-14 2024 APAICS Legislative Leadership Summit 2024/05/14 Serica Initiative: 7th Annual Women's Gala dinner Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. Heritage, Culture, and Community: The Future of America's Chinatowns WHAT: Heritage, Culture, and Community: The Future of America's Chinatowns WHEN: May 22, 2024, 5:00 pm ET WHERE: Hybrid event; 901 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 HOST: US-China Education Trust Moderator: Jen Lin-Liu, author Panelists: • Grace Young, cookbook author, culinary historian, and activist • Di Gao, senior director of research and development, National Trust for Historic Preservation • Penny Lee, documentary producer, director, and film editor DESCRIPTION: The panel will examine the importance and preservation of America’s Chinatowns today and delve into DC Chinatown and Chinese food’s unique and evolving role in the nation’s capital. REGISTRATION: To be announced Back View PDF April 29, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #164 Austin/Dallas Rallies; 2/6 Monthly Meeting; Fred Korematsu; America v America; Census #164 Austin/Dallas Rallies; 2/6 Monthly Meeting; Fred Korematsu; America v America; Census In This Issue #164 Rallies in Austin and Dallas to Protest Texas Senate Bills 147 and 552 2023/02/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 85 Organizations Signed On to Letter to Honor Fred Korematsu America Against America: Anti-Chinese Racism in the Race for Talent Initial Proposals for Revising the Federal Race and Ethnicity Standards Rallies in Austin and Dallas to Oppose Texas Senate Bills 147 and 552 On January 29, 2023, hundreds of people from Austin and Dallas rallied to voice their opposition toward two Texas senate bills that unjustly target Chinese Americans.According to the Dallas Morning News , multiple organizations with ties to the Chinese American community have planned rallies in major Texas cities to protest the proposed legislation after Gov. Greg Abbott expressed his support for Senate Bill 147 on Twitter. Democrats in the state held a news conference last week to denounce Senate Bill 147 and described it as racist and unconstitutional. The Senate bills have elicited outrage from Chinese Americans in North Texas, who have large enclaves in multiple cities, including Plano, Richardson, Irving and Allen. More than 250 people showed up to the January 29 rally, which was held at John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza. Hailong Jin , board director of the DFW Chinese Alliance, which hosted the rally, said the bills are a painful reminder for the Chinese American community of the country’s past anti-Chinese legislation, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and California’s “Alien Land Law.” “You pass this law, other states will follow and anti-Asian hate will increase in this country — definitely,” Jin said.Plano City Council member Maria Tu , who spoke to attendees of the rally, called on Austin lawmakers to do right by their Chinese American constituents and to fight against the Senate bills. “I’m here today, not to represent any political position or stance,” Tu said. “I am here because I am Chinese, American, and I’m Texan.” Tu was joined by other local elected officials, including Democratic state representatives Carl Sherman , DeSoto , and Rafael Anchía , who urged attendees to continue speaking out against the bills and to make their voices heard by lawmakers in Austin.Read the Dallas Morning News report: http://bit.ly/3DAdcFD On January 30, 2023, the Austin American-Statesman reported that hundreds gathered at the Texas Capitol to protest Senate Bill 147.According to the report, for activist Helen Shih , hearing about Senate Bill 147 — a proposal to bar citizens of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from buying property in Texas — was stressful in a week filled with preparations for Lunar New Year events. The week also ended in grief after a mass shooting at a Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park, Calif."So it's like all of these things were happening simultaneously, and it was extremely stressful," said Shih, a member of the Rise AAPI board and an adviser to the United Chinese Americans board.Shih said SB 147 discriminates against the very people trying to flee oppression in those countries and find safety in America. Being able to buy a condominium or a small home helps people build a life here, the Houston-area activist said. She helped Austin activists organize a rally at the Capitol after co-organizing protests in the Houston area.Community organizations including United Chinese Americans, the Austin Chinese Engineers Society and the Asian Americans Leadership Council organized the rally. State Reps. Gene Wu , D-Houston, and Vikki Goodwin , D-Austin, and Austin City Council Member Zohaib "Zo" Qadri spoke at the demonstration.Austin resident Sheng Peng said the rally was not just about protesting SB 147, but about raising alarm against these kinds of proposals, which might further provoke hatred and violence against Asians. Peng said that even if you are an American citizen, you are not safe from discrimination, stoked by SB 147, as long as you look Chinese. "And it's not good for the country," Peng said. "It's already a divided country. It will deepen the division further. So that's what this is about. It's not about a political game. It's about human rights. It's about the whole society." Read the Austin American-Statesman report: https://bit.ly/3Rv 2023/02/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, February 6, 2023. Speakers include: Nisha Ramachandran , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), to provide updates on the latest developments and activities of CAPAC John Yang 杨重远 , President and Executive Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC review 2022 to provide updates on the Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program and related Activities Gisela Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum, to provide updates on AASF activities Les Wong , President Emeritus, San Francisco State University, and Frank Wu 吴华扬 , President, Queen's College, City University of New York, will report on the latest development of forming a network of Asian American university presidents/chancellors. Michele Young , Attorney, Michele Young Law; Member of Sherry Chen Legal Team will reflect on Sherry Chen's fight for justice and historic settlement. Gene Wu 吳元之 , Member, Texas House of Representatives, has been a leading voice for Asian Americans and other communities across Texas in opposing Texas Senate Bill 147. As part of the expansion of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, California enacted the Alien Land Law in 1913, barring Asian immigrants from owning land. Other states followed with their discriminatory laws restricting Asians’ rights to hold land in America. These laws remained in place until the 1950s, some even longer. What do we know about Texas SB 147 and its implications? Rep. Wu . Please join this important discussion. 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 . Read past monthly meeting summaries here: https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP . 85 Organizations Signed on to Letter to Honor Fred Korematsu On January 30, 2023, Demand Progress Action and the Fred T. Korematsu Institute announced that a coalition of 85 civil society organizations called on Congress to support a new bicameral legislative package introduced by Senators Hirono and Duckworth and Reps. Takano and Tokuda to recognize civil rights hero Fred Korematsu for his activism against US incarceration of American citizens and residents of Japanese ancestry in concentration camps during World War II. APA Justice is one of the co-signers of the letter.Specifically, the broad coalition sent a letter to Senators Hirono and Duckworth and Reps. Takano and Tokuda endorsing: Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act , which would prohibit detention or imprisonment based solely on an actual or perceived protected characteristic of an individual. Recognizing the importance of establishing a national "Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution," which will help to ensure that Fred Korematsu's legacy is remembered and honored and that the lessons of the internment are not forgotten. Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act, which will honor Fred Korematsu for his decades-long fight for justice, and will serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of protecting civil liberties for all Americans. Read about the Fred Korematsu story Fred T. Korematsu Institute: Fred Korematsu's Story 2017/01/30 Smithsonian Magazine: Fred Korematsu Fought Against Japanese Internment in the Supreme Court… and Lost America Against America: Anti-Chinese Racism in the Race for Talent On January 30, 2022, Alex Liang , Yale University's 2022-2023 Fox International Fellow at the Australian National University, posted an article titled "America Against America: Anti-Chinese Racism in the Race for Talent."According to the article, while President Xi Jinping laid out his vision for China at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 2022, sitting quietly behind him was the introverted and discreet professor-turned-politician who crafted ‘Xi Jinping Thought’: Wang Huning 王沪宁 . Since the late 1990s, Wang has served three General Secretaries at the highest levels and is China’s top ideologue, or political theorist. In his 1991 book America against America , then-Professor Wang focused on contradictions and conflicts in American society and predicted America’s fall due to domestic strife. He called out America’s systemic racism writing that racial discrimination, particularly against Black Americans, was potentially ‘the biggest social problem’ and may ‘eventually become a fatal problem’. Today, his government is leveraging America’s racial challenges in the race for scientific talent.In the final days of the Trump Presidency, in January 2021, the US Attorney for Massachusetts charged Professor Gang Chen 陈刚 with grant fraud and making false statements, felonies that could have landed Chen twenty years in prison. Chen immigrated to the United States from China over thirty years ago and has been an American citizen for over two decades. Yet, at the press conference announcing the charges against Chen, the US Attorney, Andrew Lelling, said they "were not just about greed, but about [Chen’s] loyalty to China." A year later, its case fell apart and the government dropped all charges. Chen was vindicated. "We thought we had achieved the American Dream…until this nightmare happened," Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Gang Chen said in February 2022.Questioning Chen’s loyalty to his country was not only insulting to him and other Chinese Americans. It may also have long-term strategic consequences for America’s race for talent. The US Attorney’s ‘loyalty’ comment fed into a long-standing stereotype that casts Chinese Americans ‘as inherently foreign and therefore not truly “American”’ — the perpetual foreigner stereotype. Chen is not alone. During the September 2021 trial of Professor Anming Hu 胡安明 of the University of Tennessee Knoxville, US law enforcement agents admitted to falsely accusing him of spying for China, using false information to surveil him and his teenage son for two years, and trying to convince Hu to become an American spy. Ultimately, a court found Hu innocent. Reflecting on the ordeal, he said, ‘It was the darkest time of my life.’Both Chen and Hu belong to an unfortunate group of ethnically Chinese scientists who became victims of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) "China Initiative." This outraged both the Asian American and scientific communities. Randy Katz , Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of California Berkeley went so far as to say that these investigations were "conducted in a manner that does not adhere to our American values." The "China Initiative" and its consequences threaten America’s preeminence in science and technology as it has forced people to ask the question of who can attain the American Dream.Although the Biden Administration ended the "China Initiative" in February 2022, it had a "chilling" effect that lingers in American academia. As Xi Jinping continues to promote his "China Dream" narrative in China, racial discrimination in America imperils the very values that define America. To dispel the "American nightmare" narrative, the American Dream has to be seen as attainable regardless of background or skin color. As with China’s rise we enter a new age of great power competition, Western liberal democracies should not shy from, but should instead double down on these values, including respect for civil rights and freedom from racial discrimination. If we do not, Wang may ultimately be proven right.Read Alex Liang's article: http://bit.ly/3jozh2P Gordon Chang on A Long History of Insecurity, Fear, Vulnerability among Asian American Communities. In an interview conducted by Stanford News , Gordon Chang 张少书 , Olive H. Palmer Professor in Humanities in the School of Humanities and Science, talked about the recent tragedies in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay as part of a long history of violence inflicted upon Asian Americans. “Asian Americans in American history have often been seen as quiet and unassuming. Some believe this makes them easy targets for assault, insult, and robbery, and that they won’t respond,” Chang said. “But there is a contrary narrative, which is that Asians can be cruelly violent, irrational, and dangerous – for example, in films such as Apocalypse Now , Kill Bill , Chinatown , and Gran Torino . I fear that these recent incidents will stimulate further anti-Asian fears and cycles of further prejudice and violence.” It’s now up to all of us to think about how to address gun violence and other injustices, he added. Read the Stanford News interview: https://stanford.io/3jqShOh Initial Proposals for Revising the Federal Race and Ethnicity Standards On January 26, 2023, the Office of the Chief Statistician announced that it is taking a key step forward in its formal process to revise OMB’s (Office of Management and Budget) statistical standards for collecting and reporting race and ethnicity data across Federal agencies (Directive No. 15) by publishing an initial set of recommended revisions proposed by an Interagency Technical Working Group. Those initial proposals include: Collecting race and ethnicity together with a single question; Adding a response category for Middle Eastern and North African, separate and distinct from the “White” category; and Updating SPD 15’s (Statistical Programs and Standards) terminology, definitions, and question wording. Input from non-governmental stakeholders and the public will help guide the Working Group as it continues to refine and finalize its recommendations. The White House encourages everyone to provide your personal thoughts and reactions on these proposals, including how you believe they may affect different communities, by April 12, 2023. Read the announcement and how you can provide input and participate in the process: http://bit.ly/3jrDwLa Read NPR's report for additional background and context: https://to.pbs.org/3JBE0J7 Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF February 2, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter