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Newsletter - #358 Vincent Wang Speech; Maggie Lewis & Pat Eddington Remarks; Trump "Compact" Rejected; + #358 Vincent Wang Speech; Maggie Lewis & Pat Eddington Remarks; Trump "Compact" Rejected; + In This Issue #358 · Vincent Wang's Acceptance Speech · Remarks and Updates by Professor Margaret Lewis · Remarks and Updates from Pat Eddington · Universities Reject Trump's "Compact" · News and Activities for the Communities Vincent Wang's Acceptance Speech 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. He was recognized for his leadership in the Ohio Chinese American Association, the Asian American Coalition of Ohio, and the APA Justice Task Force.Below is his acceptance speech in its entirety:"Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you, Ohio Civil Rights Commission. It is a profound honor to stand here today at the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame ceremony along with my fellow Hall of Fame inductees."This moment is not mine alone. It belongs to countless people who have stood shoulder to shoulder in the long unfinished struggle for equal rights and justice for all. "Our story as Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is woven deeply into American history - a story of perseverance, contribution, and courage. "From the Chinese laborers who built the transcontinental railroad to the Japanese American soldiers who served in the most decorated unit in US history, and to the scientists and engineers who transformed modern physics and led the treatment breakthroughs in HIV disease and revolutionize artificial intelligence technologies, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have helped shape this nation in every field."Yet, throughout history, our communities have often been seen through the lens of suspicion, painted as perpetual foreigners and threat in our own land, especially in times of conflict and uncertainty."We remember the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the unjust incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. And now the renewed use of Red Scare tactics that cast Chinese Americans as spies without evidence."From the so-called Chinese initiative that unfairly targeted scientists to Ohio House Bill number one and Senate bill number 88, which would bar ownership by certain immigrant groups, dividing our communities and questioning our loyalty to this nation."But we are part of America - its past, its present, and its future."We have always believed in the promise of this country, liberty and justice for all. When our community stood up, we did not stand alone. "We reached out to allies in civil society, to civil rights groups, to faith communities and government, all who believe in the fairness and due process for all Americans. Together, we help bring an end to the controversial China Initiative program."Today we continue to fight Ohio House Bill One and Senate Bill 88. And we have hope that as more Ohioans learn about the truth about these bills, more will stand with us to stop these bills and many other bills targeting immigrants and the minority groups. "Because when people understand what is at stake, they choose fairness over fear. These moments remind us that equality is not self-sustaining. It demands vigilance, courage and solidarity."That is why we need to continue to organize, continue to speak up and to build broad coalition with communities of every background, black, white, Latino, indigenous, and all who share our belief that equal rights, equal opportunity and justice for all."We must also empower our own community to get involved, to serve and to vote. Every ballot cast, every conversation started, every young person who decides to lead brings us one step closer to the America we believe in - a nation where immigrants are valued, where diversity is celebrated, and where everyone has a fair chance of opportunity."Today, I accept this honor not for myself alone, but for everyone who refuses to stay silent in the face of injustices. For those who choose hope over fear, trust over suspicion, and bridges over walls. Together, we'll continue to defend civil rights for all, defend immigrant rights, and strengthen the democratic ideals that binds us all as a nation, as one people. "Thank you so much."Watch the 2025 induction ceremony honoring Vincent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UTMds014Nc (7:43) Remarks and Updates by Professor Margaret Lewis Professor Margaret "Maggie" Lewis 's research focuses on China and Taiwan with an emphasis on criminal justice and human rights as well as on legal issues in the U.S.-China relationship. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the National Committee on United States-China Relations Board of Directors, for which she is also a Public Intellectual Program fellow. During the APA Justice monthly meeting on October 6, 2025, she returned to update us on her activities and share her perspectives on the C100-USCET-APA Justice webinar series and how organizations and communities might work together. Maggie opened her talk by joining others in thanking Mike German for his continued leadership after “retirement,” humorously noting that figures like Jeremy Wu and Steven Pei show retirement rarely means disengagement. She then paid tribute to her mentor, the late Professor Jerry Cohen —calling him a titan of Chinese law who built bridges and human connections. His passing at 95, she said, was deeply felt, but his influence lives on in the collaborative spirit of those he inspired: “The work continues because Jerry would want nothing less.”Acknowledging today’s discouraging geopolitical climate, Maggie encouraged perseverance and optimism, wishing attendees “中秋快乐” (Happy Mid-Autumn Festival) and adding a lighthearted note about finding joy in the new “happy Taylor Swift” album.She then discussed her current work with the U.S.–China Education Trust (USCET) and academics such as David M. Lampton and Jessica Chen Weiss , emphasizing the importance of people-to-people exchange—especially increasing the number of American graduate students studying and conducting research in China. While Chinese students continue to arrive in the U.S. in large numbers, American participation in China has dwindled to a “trickle.” Graduate-level fieldwork and archival access have become increasingly difficult compared with the relative openness of the 1990s and early 2000s.Maggie stressed that firsthand experience in China provides irreplaceable understanding, contrasting it with the growing reliance on data scraping and satellite imagery in China studies. Without human interaction, she warned, the “texture” and empathy that shaped earlier generations of scholars risk being lost. She reaffirmed her commitment—and that of her colleagues—to keeping people physically crossing borders.She also highlighted new teaching developments: Seton Hall University will soon offer its first course on Asian Americans, which she will teach. The course, framed around law, geopolitics, and identity, will cover topics such as the China Initiative (versions 1.0 to 2.0), transnational repression, birthright citizenship, and technology issues like TikTok. Citing models such as Fordham University’s “Asian Americans and the Law” course by Tom Lee and Judge Denny Chin , she expressed hope that these subjects will spread more widely across law schools. Maggie agreed with Gisela Perez Kusakawa that fostering a new generation of lawyers—civil rights, employment, immigration, and others—who are civically engaged and pro bono-oriented is vital.As a “realistic optimist,” Maggie acknowledged that structural tensions in U.S.–China relations will persist. The goal, she said, is to navigate them intelligently and adapt as conditions evolve.She then updated the group on the National Science Foundation’s SECURE initiative (“Safeguarding the Entire Community of the U.S. Research Ecosystem”), for which she serves on the advisory board of the University of Washington’s main center. The program seeks to integrate research security across disciplines rather than treat it as isolated issues. Initially focused on STEM, these policies now affect the social sciences and humanities as well—restricting, for example, the ability of some state university scholars to use research funds for China-related work.The SECURE network includes partners such as the Hoover Institution, Texas A&M, Emory University, and Northeastern. Maggie also noted that restrictive research and educational policies are emerging at the state level, including in Florida, Texas, and Indiana, where universities like Purdue and Indiana University are adopting tighter research security measures.She concluded by warning that while universities must protect themselves legally, overbroad or reactive policies risk unfairly targeting individuals and accelerating an unnecessary decoupling from China—something that would harm research, education, and mutual understanding alike.A summary of the October 6 APA Justice monthly meeting is being prepared at this time. Remarks and Updates from Pat Eddington Pat Eddington is Senior Fellow of Homeland Security and Civil Liberties at Cato Institute. He served nearly a decade at the CIA and later as a senior policy adviser on Capitol Hill, where he worked extensively on intelligence oversight, surveillance, and drone policy. He is a prolific writer and commentator, committed to advancing government transparency, protecting civil liberties, and ensuring accountability in national security policy. During the APA Justice monthly meeting on October 6, Pat returned to update us on his latest activities and current affairs of our nation.Pat introduced his new book, The Triumph of Fear: Domestic Surveillance and Political Repression from McKinley through Eisenhower , which includes analysis through 2023. He shared details about its launch in April and a discount for purchase, joking about the high pricing typical of academic publishers but noting that the paperback is affordable. It is available at Georgetown University Press . Pat’s central message was a stark warning about what he called the existential threat posed by the current “Trump 2.0 regime,” which he said has deliberately fostered a climate of fear and political intimidation that endangers the rule of law and the “very survival of the Republic.” He condemned recent attacks on the judiciary and inflammatory rhetoric from figures like Stephen Miller as part of a campaign to erode democratic norms.At Cato, Pat works with the Criminal Justice and Constitutional Studies teams to file amicus briefs—often in partnership with the ACLU—challenging unconstitutional government actions. He warned about the unprecedented use of Title 32 authority to deploy Red State National Guard units into Democratic-led areas, describing it as a serious abuse of power. Oregon’s appeal to the Ninth Circuit is ongoing, but he expressed skepticism due to the Supreme Court’s frequent reliance on the “shadow docket” to uphold executive overreach.While noting limited tools available to state leaders, Pat praised governors such as Gavin Newsom and J.B. Pritzker for resisting these measures. He also discussed the government shutdown’s impact on federal law enforcement, pointing out that ICE, FBI, DEA, and other agents are working without pay. Ironically, he suggested, the resulting attrition could be a peaceful way to slow down domestic political repression operations.Pat stressed that regardless of politics, Congress must uphold existing laws like the Affordable Care Act and use the appropriations process as its last nonviolent means of checking executive power. He urged Democrats to act decisively—cutting or restricting funding for unauthorized National Guard deployments and aggressive ICE actions—to prevent the nation from sliding into “truly dangerous territory.”He echoed Governor Pritzker’s warning that National Guard deployments are “pretextual,” meant less for law enforcement than for normalizing troops in civilian settings—possibly as a precursor to using them in “election integrity” operations. Pat cited the appointment of election denier Heather Honey to a DHS election security role as further evidence of politicized control over federal institutions.Concluding on a somber note, Pat said he is “deeply fearful for the future of the country.” The crisis, he argued, stems from a century-long accumulation of unchecked presidential power, congressional passivity, and judicial deference—adding, “unfortunately, this is where it’s brought us.”A summary of the October 6 APA Justice monthly meeting is being prepared at this time. Universities Reject Trump's "Compact" According to CNN , Insight Into Academia , Los Angeles Times , Washington Post , and multiple media reports, the Trump administration’s latest attempt to reshape higher education through federal leverage has drawn significant backlash, as five major universities—MIT, Brown, University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, and University of Virginia (UVA)—have rejected a proposed “compact” offering preferential funding in exchange for sweeping ideological and policy changes. Sent on October 1, 2025, to nine prominent universities, including Vanderbilt, Dartmouth, University of Texas (UT) Austin, and Arizona, the compact would require institutions to eliminate consideration of sex and ethnicity in admissions, cap international enrollment at 15%, freeze tuition for five years, and redefine gender “according to biological function.” It would also mandate ideological balance on campus, assessments of faculty viewpoints, and reforms to “units that punish conservative ideas.” Signatories would gain priority for federal grants and direct access to White House events.The proposal is part of a broader White House push to exert unprecedented control over universities—long targets in Trump’s cultural and political agenda. University leaders who declined the offer cited threats to core academic values. USC’s interim president Beong-Soo Kim warned the compact would “undermine free inquiry and academic excellence,” while MIT’s Sally Kornbluth said it would “restrict freedom of expression.” Brown President Christina Paxson noted it would “undermine the autonomy of Brown’s governance,” and Penn’s J. Larry Jameson emphasized alignment on some issues but “substantive concerns” overall. UVA Interim President Paul Mahoney wrote, "a contractual arrangement predicating assessment on anything other than merit will undermine the integrity of vital, sometimes lifesaving, research and further erode confidence in American higher education.”Other universities remain undecided or cautious. Vanderbilt and Arizona are reviewing the proposal; Dartmouth reaffirmed its commitment to self-governance; and UT Austin expressed openness to collaboration.More than 30 major higher education associations jointly condemned the Trump administration’s proposed Compact, warning that it represents unprecedented federal overreach threatening academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and innovation, and urged the administration to withdraw it. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/10/20 USCET: Building a Career in US-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. 2025/10/16 Inaugural Webinar on "Bridging Nations" We extend our sincere thanks to Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch , Governor Gary Locke , and Professor Jessica Chen Weiss for leading an engaging, insightful, and thought-provoking webinar on “ Bridging Nations: People-to-People Exchange in U.S.–China Relations ” held on October 16, 2025. The Committee of 100, U.S.-China Education Trust, and APA Justice co-hosted the event.A video recording will be available soon. This event marked the first in our ongoing webinar series exploring key dimensions of U.S.–China relations and rights for the Asian Pacific American communities. The Winter webinar is tentatively scheduled for mid-January of 2026—stay tuned for details. 3. USCET: Building a Career in US-China Relations and Internship Opportunities WHAT: Building a Career in US-China Relations WHEN: October 20, 2025, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm ET WHERE: In person event: Lindner Family Commons, Elliott School of International Affairs, Washington, D.C. HOSTS: The U.S.-China Education Trust, the Black China Caucus, the U.S.-China Business Council, and the Young Professionals in Foreign Policy DESCRIPTION: A panel discussion featuring early and mid-career professionals working on U.S.-China relations in the consulting, think tanks, corporate, non-profit, and government sectors, all drawing upon their China expertise. Panelists will share their experiences, offer practical advice on how to break into the field, and reflect on the skills that have helped them succeed. This event is a unique opportunity for upcoming professionals to hear about various career paths in the U.S.-China field and network with young professionals who share similar interests and passions. REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/4ovVGY9 *****USCET is now welcoming applications for its spring 2026 internship!Undergraduate juniors, seniors, and graduate students are welcome to apply. This opportunity is ideal for students passionate about U.S.-China relations and cross-cultural dialogue. Interns gain hands-on experience working in a dynamic nonprofit environment dedicated to fostering mutual understanding between the United States and China.The interns work a hybrid and part-time schedule with a time commitment of a minimum of 20 hours per week. The position includes a stipend or academic credit. We encourage all eligible students to apply. Submit your application by November 14, 2025, to employmenta@uscet.org . Click here to learn more about our internship opportunities and application process: https://uscet.org/internships/ # # # 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 20, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #283 10/7 Meeting; Firsthand Accounts; Chinese American Survey; McCarthyism; Dr. Min Wu; + #283 10/7 Meeting; Firsthand Accounts; Chinese American Survey; McCarthyism; Dr. Min Wu; + In This Issue #283 · 2024/10/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Firsthand Accounts of the Harmful Effects of the China Initiative · C100 Unveils The 2024 State of Chinese Americans Survey · Dr. Min Wu Recognized with Top Faculty Honor · McCarthyism and the House Un-American Activities Committee · News and Activities for the Communities 2024/10/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, October 7, 2024, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Nisha Ramachandran , ExecutiveDirector, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: · Grace Meng , Member, U.S. House of Representatives; First Vice-Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus · Gene Wu , Texas State Representative · Min Fan , Executive Director, U.S. Heartland China Association 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 . *****U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng is serving her sixth term in the United States House of Representatives, where she represents New York's Sixth Congressional District. She returns to update us on the current state of Asian Pacific Americans.State Representative Gene Wu serves the people of District 137 in the Texas House. Rep. Gene Wu will urge the community to wake up to the threats of anti-Asian laws at the state and federal level. Min Fan introduced USHCA to us at the February 2024 monthly meeting. She returns to update us on an upcoming hybrid event "China in the Heartland: Building a Balanced Approach" at the University of Kansas, the 4th Annual U.S.-China Agriculture Roundtable in June, and related activities of USHCA. ***** Summary for the September 2024 APA Justice monthly meeting has been posted here: https://bit.ly/3zzWcjR . In addition to Nisha Ramachandran, Joanna YangQing Derman , and Gisela Perez Kusakawa who gave their updates about CAPAC, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and AASF respectively, we thank these invited speakers: · Christine Chen from APIAVote for her discussion to boost voter participation among AA and NHPI, and its efforts to intensify outreach through events, mailings, and phone banking while emphasizing early and mail-in voting, aiming to engage first-time voters, especially in battleground states. · Jane Shim from AALDEF for her discussion of the ongoing case of Dr. Yanping Chen , who is suing the government for leaking her personal information to Fox News , which falsely implied she was spying for China. AALDEF has filed an amicus brief supporting Dr. Chen’s privacy rights, emphasizing the harm caused by irresponsible media reporting and the need to protect Asian Americans from discrimination. · Sandy Shan from Justice Is Global led a discussion on a brief advocating for a progressive U.S.-China policy to replace the current confrontational approach, which fuels xenophobia and geopolitical tensions. Tori Bateman from the Quincy Institute proposes reforms to foster cooperation, address shared challenges, and promote global sustainability, especially during Congress's "China Week." Read past summaries of APA Justice monthly meetings at https://bit.ly/3kxkqxP Firsthand Accounts of the Harmful Effects of the China Initiative On September 25, 2024, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) posted a video (3:51) on X and Instagram, providing firsthand accounts of the harmful effects of the China Initiative, which "painted academics of Chinese descent as spies for the CCP, leading to the racial profiling and wrongful arrests of innocent researchers." Testimonies were made by Professors Gang Chen , Anming Hu , and Franklin Tao and Hong Peng , Professor Tao's wife. Watch the video on X: https://bit.ly/3zzfwxA and Instagram: https://bit.ly/4eeTHCH C100 Unveils The 2024 State of Chinese Americans Survey On September 25, 2024, the Committee of 100 (C100) unveiled the findings of its 2024 State of Chinese Americans Survey. The survey was conducted to help address the insufficient data necessary to inform and address ongoing discrimination, stereotypes, and misperceptions about Chinese Americans, and the many gaps in knowledge that remain about Chinese Americans’ political attitudes and behaviors.“Understanding the mental health, discrimination and political perspectives of Chinese Americans is essential to create inclusive and informed policies,” said Cindy Tsai , Interim President, Committee of 100. “These insights not only enrich political dialogue but also foster a more equitable society."According to the survey, about three quarters of Chinese American citizens (76%) are certain they will turn out to vote in November’s presidential election. A little less than half of Chinese Americans (46%) identify as Democrats, 31% Republicans, and 24% Independents.Chinese Americans have been targeted in a surge of both popular and policy-driven racism over the last decade. The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a wave of anti-Asian and anti-Chinese hate across the country that endures at an elevated level, causing lasting and severe financial, social, health, and emotional harm across the Asian American population.Chinese Americans also face discrimination from federal and state policies. Many were falsely accused of espionage under the auspices of the China Initiative, further extending racist stereotypes of the population as perpetual foreigners loyal to Chinese national interests. While the codified racism of the China Initiative formally ended in 2022, many states have recently passed legislation prohibiting U.S. residents with Chinese citizenship from owning property. The Washington Post reported that the survey showed that 68% of Chinese Americans said they face at least one form of discrimination in an average month, while 65% said they think the state of U.S.-China relations negatively impacts how other Americans treat them. The survey also asked about mental health, and 43% of Chinese Americans said they felt depressed. A large majority — 81 percent — of Chinese Americans said they are “at least a little concerned” about rhetoric used by presidential candidates when talking about China or U.S.-China relations, and 61 percent said U.S. news media rhetoric on the subject “negatively affects how strangers treat them,” Read the Washington Post report: https://wapo.st/3XXTUo9 The South China Morning Post reported that nearly six in 10 Chinese Americans reported hearing about legislative efforts by many states and the US Congress to limit individuals who hold Chinese citizenship from owning houses, farmland and other stateside property. Of those who had heard about the legislation, two thirds thought it had a negative effect on how others treated them.“We were surprised at the large percentage of responses when it came to issues of mental health and wellness and how the relationship with the US and China impacts how Chinese-Americans are feeling discriminated against,” said Sam Collitt , a research and data scientist with C100. “We know there are issues related to shame and language barriers that prevent discussions from taking place,” said Collitt, adding that overall Asian Americans were 60 per cent less likely to seek mental health services than other racial groups. Chinese Americans express high levels of concern about the state of U.S.-China relations, the likely sources of poor bilateral relations, and the downstream effects of domestic policy discrimination and discriminatory political rhetoric. Despite this, many Chinese Americans are cautiously optimistic about the ability of the U.S. and China to cooperate on a number of issues. They identified areas where Washington and Beijing could, at the margin, improve ties, including student exchanges and in fighting climate change and infectious diseases.A majority of respondents said being Chinese and being American were very important to their identity.Read the South China Morning Post report: https://bit.ly/4do9g9Y NBC News reported that 54% of Chinese Americans felt that the current relationship between the U.S. and China has had a “somewhat negative” impact on how those of Chinese descent are treated. Another 10% said the current environment had a “very negative” effect on the group. Only about 3% felt that current relations between the two countries had a positive impact on the community. Almost two-thirds think that such contentious relations can affect how other Americans treat them.“Rhetoric and language is impacting relationships with how strangers treat them, acquaintances even treat them, co-workers and colleagues,” said Nathan Chan , a co-author of the study and an assistant professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University. “This is really infiltrating into the lives of everyday Chinese Americans.” Professor Chan pointed to policies like the controversial Trump-era surveillance program the China Initiative and the former president’s language around economic espionage. The “rhetoric is not doing any good for a large swath of Chinese Americans that are then being scapegoated or held under a suspicious lens.” Jo-Ann Yoo , who heads New York City-based Asian American nonprofit Asian American Federation, said that too often, language used by media has been imprecise, leading to “sweeping generalizations” about the Chinese community. Yoo said the study’s results reflect discussions she has heard in the local community. Citing discussions around the land bans and the looming TikTok ban, which was signed into law earlier this year in an effort to combat Chinese influence, Yoo said those in the heavily immigrant community are unsure of their safety amid contentious relations.C100 partnered with NORC at the University of Chicago to reach a sample of 504 Chinese American adults for the survey. Gordon H. Chang , Professor, Stanford University; Daphne Kwok , Vice President, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Asian American & Pacific Islander Audience Strategy at AARP; and Jeremy Wu , PhD, Founder and Co-Organizer, APA Justice, serve on the Advisory Committee.Read the NBC News report: https://nbcnews.to/4doBjG2 Additional media reports:2024/09/25 AsAmNews: Belonging and discrimination weigh on Chinese Americans 2024/09/25 Bloomberg: Chinese Americans Face Racism, Mental Health Risks Amid Tensions 2024/09/25 AP: The Latest: Candidates try to counter criticisms in dueling speeches Read the C100 press release: https://bit.ly/47EQCcs , executive summary: https://bit.ly/3TIxPHG , and infographics: https://bit.ly/3N0fRfV Dr. Min Wu Recognized with Top Faculty Honor The University of Maryland (UMD) has selected Min Wu 吴旻 , Professor and Associate Dean of Engineering, as 2024 Distinguished University Professor—the highest appointment bestowed on a tenured faculty member. The title is a recognition not just of excellence, but of impact and significant contributions to the nominee’s field, knowledge, profession, and/or practice.According to the UMD announcement, Dr. Wu holds appointments in UMD’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, as well as leads the UMD Media, Analytics, and Security Team (MAST). She is a Fellow of the IEEE, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the National Academy of Inventors. Dr. Wu was elected to serve as president of the IEEE Signal Processing Society for 2024–2025, the first woman of color to be elected to this leadership role.Read the UMD announcement: https://bit.ly/4exf4in McCarthyism and the House Un-American Activities Committee According to Wikipedia, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on the part of private citizens, public employees, and those organizations suspected of having communist ties. It became a standing (permanent) committee in 1946, and from 1969 onwards it was known as the House Committee on Internal Security. When the House abolished the committee in 1975, its functions were transferred to the House Judiciary Committee.The committee's anti-communist investigations are often associated with McCarthyism, although Joseph McCarthy himself (as a U.S. Senator) had no direct involvement with the House committee. McCarthy was the chairman of the Government Operations Committee and its Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the U.S. Senate, not the House.In the wake of the downfall of McCarthy, the prestige of HUAC began a gradual decline in the late 1950s. By 1959, the committee was being denounced by former President Harry S. Truman as the "most un-American thing in the country today".HUAC hearings in August 1966 called to investigate anti-Vietnam War activities were disrupted by hundreds of protesters. The committee faced witnesses who were openly defiant.According to The Harvard Crimson :"In the fifties, the most effective sanction was terror. Almost any publicity from HUAC meant the 'blacklist'. Without a chance to clear his name, a witness would suddenly find himself without friends and without a job. But it is not easy to see how in 1969, a HUAC blacklist could terrorize an SDS activist. Witnesses like Jerry Rubin have openly boasted of their contempt for American institutions. A subpoena from HUAC would be unlikely to scandalize Abbie Hoffman or his friends." In an attempt to reinvent itself, HUAC was renamed the Internal Security Committee in 1969. On January 14, 1975, coinciding with the opening of the 94th Congress, the House Committee on Internal Security was officially disbanded. Its files and staff were subsequently transferred to the House Judiciary Committee on the same day. In July 1995, the National Archives and Records Administration published the Records of The House Un-American Activities Committee, 1945-1969, and The House Internal Security Committee, 1969-1976, which is available online at https://bit.ly/4gGw7Aq .Read Wikipedia on the House Un-American Committee: https://bit.ly/3N23NL1 News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events:2024/10/02 C100: Asian American Career Ceiling Initiative2024/10/06 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/07 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/10/08 Media Training for Election Season2024/10/10 China in the Heartland: Building a Balanced Approach2024/10/11 China and the World Forum2024/10/13 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/16 Rebuilding Trust in Science2024/10/20 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/10/25-27 Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the American Studies NetworkVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. Delaware OKs Asian American Studies and new AAPI commission According to AsAmNews , Delaware Governor John Carney signed two bills into law on September 26, 2024, making his state the seventh in the nation to integrate Asian American and Pacific Islander history into k-12 schools along with all other American histories. The other establishes a statewide Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage and Culture. Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/3TOaF2t 3. 2024 National Overview of AANHPI According to a Fact Sheet based on Census Bureau data created by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) in collaboration with AAPI Data, the Asian American population was estimated to be around 24.2 million, including one race alone or in combination of other races. The top five ethnic groups are Chinese, Asian Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Korean. About 75% are native born or naturalized citizens. The top five most populous states are California, New York, Texas, New Jersey, and Washington. Read the WHIAAPINH Fact Sheet: https://bit.ly/3Nokq45 4. APA Justice Newsletter Web Page Moved to New Website As part of its continuing migration to a new website under construction, we have moved the Newsletters webpage to https://www.apajusticetaskforce.org/newsletters . Content of the existing website will remain, but it will no longer be updated. We value your feedback about the new web page. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF September 30, 2024 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #331 5/5 Meeting; Student Visas Reversal; Higher Ed United; Litigations; Heritage Month; + #331 5/5 Meeting; Student Visas Reversal; Higher Ed United; Litigations; Heritage Month; + In This Issue #331 • 2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting • International Student Visa Revocations and New ICE Policy • Higher Education Against Political Interference/Government Overreach • Latest on Litigations Against Trump's Executive Actions • May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month • News and Activities for the Communities 2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, May 5, 2025, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates by Judith Teruya, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Joanna YangQing Derman, Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC, and Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), confirmed speakers are: • William Tong 湯偉麟, Attorney General, State of Connecticut • Robert L. Santos, Former Director, U.S. Census Bureau; Former President, American Statistical Association • Haifan Lin 林海帆, President, Federation of Asian Professor Associations (FAPA); Professor, Yale University • Gee-Kung Chang 張繼昆, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology; and his attorney Robert Fisher 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. International Student Visa Revocations and New ICE Policy On April 25, 2025, Politico reported that more than 100 lawsuits and dozens of restraining orders from federal judges challenged the Trump administration’s mass termination of student visa records. After 20 days of consistent legal defeats, the administration capitulated and reversed its decision. Notable lawsuits include • Chen v. Noem (3:25-cv-03292), filed April 11 in the Northern District of California by the Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (华美维权同盟 CALDA) • Jane Doe 1 v. Bondi (1:25-cv-01998), filed April 11 in the Northern District of Georgia by CAIR-Georgia, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, and American Civil Liberties Union-Georgia. Inside Higher Ed reported that over 280 colleges and universities have identified at least 1,879 international students and recent graduates had their visa revoked and their records terminated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)—actions that carry significant immigration and employment consequences. On April 29, Politico reported that the visa revocations were part of the "Student Criminal Alien Initiative," which involved running 1.3 million student names through a federal criminal database run by the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Approximately 6,400 matches were found, many of which were minor infractions or dismissed charges. Despite this, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) used the data to terminate student records in the SEVIS tracking system. In parallel, the State Department revoked visas for roughly 3,000 individuals based on similar data, separate from the SEVIS terminations. Hundreds of the terminations, an ICE official who helped oversee the effort said, came less than 24 hours after an April 1 email exchange between his office and the State Department, with little sign of review of individual cases to ensure the decisions were accurate. The lack of due process became especially clear during an April 29 hearing before U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, where ICE officials admitted that hundreds of terminations were made within 24 hours of receiving raw data—with little or no individual case review. “When the courts say due process is important, we’re not unhinged, we’re not radicals,” Judge Reyes said during an hourlong hearing. “I’m not on a lark questioning why students who have been here legally, who paid to be in this country by paying their universities … they’re cut off with less than 24 hours of consideration and no notice whatsoever." Akshar Patel brought the suit that led to the April 29 hearing. He is an international student from India who pursued undergraduate studies in computer science at the University of Texas at Arlington. He graduated prior to 2025 and has since been working in the computer science field in North Texas. His legal status in the U.S. was abruptly terminated after his name appeared in the ICE sweep of the NCIC database. He had faced a reckless driving charge in 2018 but it was ultimately dismissed. When colleges discovered the students no longer had legal status, it prompted chaos and confusion. In the past, legal statuses typically were updated after colleges told the government the students were no longer studying at the school. In some cases this spring, colleges told students to stop working or taking classes immediately and warned them they could be deported after the ICE sweep. According to AP News, NBC News, and multiple media reports on April 29, an internal memo to all Student and Exchange Visitor Program personnel, which falls under ICE, shows an expanded list of criteria for ICE to terminate foreign-born students’ legal status in the U.S., including a “U.S. Department of State Visa Revocation (Effective Immediately).” It was filed in court by the Justice Department on April 28 and dated April 26. This new ICE policy could foreshadow another new round of deportation efforts. Brad Banias, an immigration attorney who represents Patel, said the new guidelines vastly expand ICE’s authority beyond previous policy, which did not count visa revocation as grounds for losing legal status. In the past, if a student had their visa revoked, they could stay in the U.S. to finish their studies — they simply would not be able to reenter if they left the country. “This just gave them carte blanche to have the State Department revoke a visa and then deport those students even if they’ve done nothing wrong,” Banias said. Follow the continuing development at https://bit.ly/3Yd6gIH. Higher Education Against Political Interference/Government Overreach On April 22, 2025, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) published a statement denouncing the Trump administration’s “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” with higher education. According to the Guardian, the joint condemnation followed a convening of more than 100 university leaders called by the AACU and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences to “come together to speak out at this moment of enormity”, said Lynn Pasquerella, the president of the AACU. Pasquerella said that there was “widespread agreement” across a variety of academic institutions about the need to take a collective stand. In the powerful unified statement, leaders of America’s colleges, universities, and scholarly societies voiced strong opposition to “unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.” While affirming their openness to “constructive reform” and “legitimate government oversight,” the signatories declared: “We must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses.” The statement emphasized the unique role of higher education in sustaining democracy and fostering innovation, asserting that “American institutions of higher learning have in common the essential freedom to determine, on academic grounds, whom to admit and what is taught, how, and by whom.” It warned that undermining these freedoms would come at a steep cost: “The price of abridging the defining freedoms of American higher education will be paid by our students and our society.” The signatories from large state schools, small liberal arts colleges and Ivy League institutions declared: “We must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses” and concluded with a call for “constructive engagement that improves our institutions and serves our republic.” The number of signatories rose from about 180 on the day the statement was issued to over 594 as of 6:00 pm ET on May 1, 2025. AACU continues to accept signatures from current leaders of colleges, universities, and scholarly societies. Separately on April 22, 2025, a group of at least 122 retired university and college presidents and chancellors issued a powerful "Pledge to Our Democracy" warning that the United States is facing an unprecedented constitutional and political crisis. They condemn the current administration for ignoring court rulings, attacking the press, punishing free speech, and undermining independent institutions like universities and research centers—hallmarks of democratic societies. Drawing parallels to autocratic regimes in Russia, Turkey, and Hungary, the signatories argue that America’s democratic institutions are being dismantled in favor of authoritarian control. They call for a broad, nonpartisan coalition—including educators, students, unions, and community leaders—to resist this slide into autocracy and defend constitutional values, urging Americans to stand up before democracy is lost. Read the Pledge to Our Democracy: https://bit.ly/437C0BI Latest on Litigations Against Trump's Executive Actions As of May 1, 2025, the number of lawsuits against President Donald Trump's executive actions reported by the Just Security Litigation Tracker has grown to 222 (7 closed cases). 1. Mass Termination of F-1 Foreign Student Visa Records One of the most significant waves of legal action involves the mass termination of F-1 foreign student visa records. The Tracker consolidates as one case Jane Doe 1 v. Bondi (1:25-cv-01998) all the lawsuits involving the removal of F-1 foreign student visa registration, representing over 100 lawsuits filed (and 50 restraining orders) against the administration’s actions. They include Liu v. Noem (1:25-cv-00133), Deore v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2:25-cv-11038), and Chen v. Noem (3:25-cv-03292) although each case may vary in facts and legal arguments. According to a policy brief by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and as reported by AsAmNews on April 22, Indian and Chinese nationals account for the majority of revoked student visas -- 50% and 14% respectively -- followed by South Korea, Nepal and Bangladesh. Amy Grenier, AILA’s Associate Director of Government Relations, advises students to document any notices received from the government or their universities. Tejas Shah, president of the South Asian Bar Association’s charitable arm, expressed concern over the lack of clarity and due process: “Students have not been given an opportunity to properly challenge the grounds for the revocations,” he said. While some students have opted to self-deport, Shah urges caution and emphasizes the importance of legal counsel and consular support before making such decisions. 2. District Court Rules Invocation Of Alien Enemies Act Was Unlawful According to AP News, Wall Street Journal, and multiple media reports, on May 1, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. of the Southern Disatrict of Texas ruled in the case of J.A.V. v. Trump (1:25-cv-00072) that the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) cannot be used against people who, the Trump administration claims, are gang members invading the United States. He is the first judge to bar the Trump administration from deporting any Venezuelans from South Texas under the 18th-century wartime law. “The Court concludes that the President’s invocation of the AEA through the Proclamation exceeds the scope of the statute and, as a result, is unlawful,” wrote Judge Rodriguez, who was nominated by Trump in 2018. His ruling is significant because it is the first formal permanent injunction against the Trump administration using the AEA and contends the president is misusing the law. “Congress never meant for this law to be used in this manner,” said Lee Gelernt, the ACLU lawyer who argued the case, in response to the ruling. The Alien Enemies Act has only been used three times before in U.S. history, most recently during World War II, when it was cited to intern Japanese Americans. 3. 220+ Lawsuits for First 100 Days in Office According to ABC News, in the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term, his administration has faced an unprecedented wave of legal challenges—more than 220 lawsuits—averaging over two per day. Approximately 60 of those cases have focused on the president's immigration policy, These lawsuits target executive orders, sweeping immigration changes, mass firings, and attacks on higher education and civil liberties. Judges across the country have blocked key parts of his agenda, including attempts to end birthright citizenship, punish sanctuary cities, and eliminate diversity initiatives. While the administration has won some temporary reprieves, courts have harshly criticized its disregard for due process and constitutional norms. In the first hundred days since Trump took office, lawyers challenging his actions in court alleged that his administration violated court orders at least six times. The administration has rebutted orders to bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States despite the Supreme Court ordering them to facilitate his release. Federal judges have accused the Trump administration of acting in "bad faith," willfully ignoring court orders, and launching what one judge called a “shock-and-awe” campaign against legal guardrails. High-profile rulings have exposed how ICE used the Alien Enemies Act to deport individuals without proper review and how student visas were revoked based on speech or minor offenses. Four law firms have sued the Trump administration after they were targeted for their past work, with each firm arguing the Trump administration unlawfully retaliated against them and violated their First Amendment rights. Judges have temporarily blocked the Trump administration from targeting Susman Godfrey LLP, Jenner & Block LLP, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, and Perkins Coie LLP. "The framers of our Constitution would see this as a shocking abuse of power," U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan said regarding the order targeting Susman Godfrey LLP. According to the New York Times Tracker, as of May 1, at least 132 of the court rulings have at least temporarily paused some of the Trump administration’s initiatives. May is Asian Pacific American 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. The monthlong celebration honors the contributions and history of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities in the United States. The activities have grown beyond cultural festivities to include serious themes addressing community grief and social justice, especially in response to recent anti-Asian hate incidents. Events are now held in various public spaces across the U.S., highlighting the diversity within AANHPI communities. Despite recent federal rollbacks on diversity initiatives, public interest and participation in AANHPI Heritage Month continue to expand, reflecting broader engagement in civic life and a reclaiming of space for underrepresented voices. Over 30 members of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) members & House Democratic leaders celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month with this statement: https://bit.ly/3GwLRbL. The website asianpacificheritage.gov is the official U.S. government portal for AANHPI Heritage Month. It is a collaborative project curated by various federal cultural institutions including the Library of Congress, National Archives, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The website covers: • History of AANHPI Heritage Month: Its origins, significance, and how it came to be recognized in May. • Feature Exhibits and Collections: Digital exhibits, archival materials, and special collections that highlight AANHPI contributions to American history and culture. • Events and Programs: A calendar of public lectures, virtual tours, and educational programs hosted by federal agencies and museums. • Resources for Educators: Lesson plans, teaching materials, and historical documents that support classroom learning. • Spotlights on Notable Figures: Biographies and achievements of prominent AANHPI individuals across diverse fields such as arts, science, politics, and activism. Some of the state and local activities for the Heritage Month: • Asia Society: https://bit.ly/3EyjdGB • Asia Society Texas: https://bit.ly/3YXa40S • Cincinnati, Ohio: https://bit.ly/3S4kiJn • Fairfax County, Virginia: https://bit.ly/42SYLIn • Houston: https://bit.ly/4lUVQYn • Kansas City: https://bit.ly/44dxgM1 • Lincoln, Nebraska: https://bit.ly/4iFQpd6 • Los Angeles: https://bit.ly/3EH5gpN • Middle Tennessee: https://bit.ly/4jB5oq5 • Montgomery County, Maryland: https://bit.ly/4jQWkNs • New York: https://bit.ly/3YVuLKI • Orlando, Florida: https://bit.ly/42PWZry • San Francisco: https://bit.ly/42CO5ib • Seattle: https://bit.ly/3GuFTrB • Unexpected: https://bit.ly/42RaEhV News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/05/04 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2025/05/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2025/05/05 Silk Road Connection: Oklahoma and Gansu Celebrate 40 Years of Friendship through Culture, Music, and Education 2025/05/06 Asian American Careers - How to Build Your Personal Network, including Through Strategic Allies 2025/05/12-14 APAICS Annual Summit and Gala 2025/05/18 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2025/06/01 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting 2025/06/02 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2025/06/15-18 2025 Applied Statistics Symposium Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. The Silk Road Connection On May 5, 2025, the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) will host a "Silk Road Connection" performance to celebrate 40 years of sister-state friendship between Oklahoma and the Gansu province of China. The in-person event is free and open to the public. It will be held at Constitution Hall in the George Nigh Center, University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, Oklahoma. Reception starts at 6 pm. Performance starts at 7 pm. The event will feature traditional Chinese music and dance, hors d'oeuvres, photo opportunities with Chinese performers in traditional costumes and a performance from Oklahoma’s own Kyle Dillingham & Horseshoe Road. A delegation from Gansu will bring both government officials and a large group of professional dancers and musicians. Former UCO President and Oklahoma Governor George Nigh will also be in attendance. For more information and tickets to to event, visit: https://bit.ly/44Q5S6Z # # # 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 May 2, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #105 2022 Starts with a Bang; NSPM-33 Guidance; More on Lieber Verdict/"China Initiative;" + #105 2022 Starts with a Bang; NSPM-33 Guidance; More on Lieber Verdict/"China Initiative;" + Back View PDF January 10, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #215 C100 Visit; Senate Hearing on NIH Director; AAPI Voters Targeted; Andy Kim; AAUC Hub #215 C100 Visit; Senate Hearing on NIH Director; AAPI Voters Targeted; Andy Kim; AAUC Hub In This Issue #215 C100 Delegation Visits Washington DC Senate Hearing on NIH Director Nomination Asian Americans Say AAPI Voters are Targeted by New Laws Criminalizing Election Assistance Rep. Andy Kim Runs for New Jersey Senate Seat More on AAUC Asian American Pacific Islander Hub News and Activities for the Communities C100 Delegation Visits Washington DC A Committee of 100 (C100) delegation visited Washington DC on September 28-29, 2023. Highlights of the trip included meetings with · Rep. Rick Larsen, Co-Chair, U.S.-China Working Group · Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State · Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative · Erika Moritsugu, Deputy Assistant to the President and AANHPI Senior Liaison; Sarah Beran, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs, National Security Council; and Jenny Yang, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council for Racial Justice & Equity at the White House · Stapleton Roy, Former U.S. Ambassador to China and Robert Daly, Director of the Wilson Center's Kissinger Institute on China and the United States · Jill Murphy, Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) · Senior Staff to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell On September 28, C100 hosted a reception celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival with the co-hosts the US-Asia Institute and partners the Council on Korean Americans and the US-China Business Council on September 28, 2023. Joining the delegation in the reception were Congressman Rick Larsen, Congressional staffers, diplomats, and leaders in AAPI communities. C100 also co-hosted with the National Museum of Asian Art a private viewing of the exhibit: Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings on September 29, 2023. Read about the C100 visit and view a photo album at: https://bit.ly/3LYkTtk Senate Hearing on NIH Director Nomination On Wednesday, October 18, 2023, The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will hold a hearing on the nomination of Dr. Monica Bertagnolli to be the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The hearing starts at 10 am ET in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building, 50 Constitution Ave NE, Washington, DC. There will be no video broadcast for this event. Dr. Bertagnolli began work as the 16th director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on October 3, 2022. https://bit.ly/4039K0c According to a Science report titled " Pall of Suspicion " on March 23, 2023, NIH’s “China initiative” led by Dr. Michael Lauer has upended hundreds of lives and destroyed scores of academic careers. NIH sent emails in 2018 asking some 100 institutions to investigate allegations that one or more of their faculty had violated NIH policies designed to ensure federal funds were being spent properly. Most commonly, NIH claimed a researcher was using part of a grant to do work in China through an undisclosed affiliation with a Chinese institution. Four years later, 103 of those scientists—some 42% of the 246 targeted in the letters, most of them tenured faculty members—had lost their jobs.In contrast to the very public criminal prosecutions of academic scientists under the now-defunct "China Initiative" launched in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump to thwart Chinese espionage, NIH’s version has been conducted behind closed doors.NIH’s data also make clear who has been most affected. Some 81% of the scientists cited in the NIH letters identify as Asian, and 91% of the collaborations under scrutiny were with colleagues in China.NIH is by far the largest funder of academic biomedical research in the United States, and some medical centers receive hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the agency. So when senior administrators heard Lauer say a targeted scientist “was not welcome in the NIH ecosystem,” they understood immediately what he meant—and that he was expecting action.Read the Science report: https://bit.ly/3ZbJL4B Asian Americans Say AAPI Voters are Targeted by New Laws Criminalizing Election Assistance According to the Milwaukee Independent on October 13, 2023, for a century, the League of Women Voters in Florida formed bonds with marginalized residents by helping them register to vote and, in recent years, those efforts have extended to the growing Asian American and Asian immigrant communities. But a state law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in May would have forced the group to alter its strategy. The legislation would have imposed a $50,000 fine on third-party voter registration organizations if the staff or volunteers who handle or collect the forms have been convicted of a felony or are not U.S. citizens. A federal judge blocked the provision this week. But its passage reflects the effort by DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, and other GOP leaders to crack down on access to the ballot. Florida is one of at least six states, including Georgia and Texas, where Republicans have enacted voting rules since 2021 that created or boosted criminal penalties and fines for individuals and groups that assist voters. Several of those laws are also facing legal challenges. In the meantime, voting rights advocates are being forced to quickly adapt to the changing environment. Before the ruling in Florida, for instance, the League of Women Voters started using online links and QR codes for outreach. It removed the personal connection between its workers and communities and replaced it with digital tools that are likely to become a technological barrier.In states where penalties are getting tougher, the developments have sowed fear and confusion among groups that provide translators, voter registration help, and assistance with mail-in balloting — roles that voting rights advocates say are vital for Asian communities in particular. In a number of states, language barriers already hamper access to the ballot for a population that has been growing rapidly. Asian, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander populations grew 35% between 2010 and 2020, according to Census data. The new laws in mostly Republican-led states are seen by many voting groups as another form of voter suppression. “It’s specifically targeting limited English proficiency voters, and that includes AAPI voters,” said Meredyth Yoon , litigation director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Atlanta.In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill in June that raises the penalty for illegal voting to a felony, upping it from a misdemeanor charge that was part of a sweeping elections law passed two years earlier. Alice Yi , who is Chinese American, used to help translate in Austin, Texas, but said the new law isn’t clear about whether good faith mistakes will be criminalized and worries that she could get into trouble by offering assistance.But voting rights supporters like Ashley Cheng — also in Austin — remain committed to reaching Asian voters, despite the threat of jail time. Cheng, the founding president of Asian Texans for Justice, recalls discovering her mother was not listed in the voter rolls when she tried to help her vote in 2018. They never found out why she wasn’t properly registered. Advocates say this highlights flaws in the system and illustrates how volunteers are essential to overcoming them. James Woo , the communications director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, said he won’t even get his parents a drink of water while helping them with their ballots. “It’s simple things like that, which would have been like a conversation starter or just like helping them throughout the process, might be viewed as like something illegal I’m doing,” he said.Read the Milwaukee Independent report: https://bit.ly/3QfI44U Rep. Andy Kim Runs for New Jersey Senate Seat Rep. Andy Kim has announced his candidacy to become New Jersey’s next Senator. He would challenge incumbent Bob Menendez in the Democratic Senate primary next year. His entrance into the race came one day after federal prosecutors unsealed a staggering indictment against Menendez. Rep. Kim spoke at the APA Justice September 2021 monthly meeting. Prior to serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Kim worked as a career public servant. He served at USAID, the Pentagon, the State Department, the White House National Security Council, and in Afghanistan as an advisor to Generals Petraeus and Allen . Congressman Kim is a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).Read Rep. Kim's remarks at the APA Justice September 2021 monthly meeting: https://bit.ly/3kg687M . Watch his remarks in video: https://bit.ly/3ki3jmI (48:00 starting at 15:07). More on AAUC Asian American Pacific Islander Hub On October 13, 2023, Dr. S.K. Lo , Founder and President of Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC), provided additional information about its Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hub. The first phase (beta version) of the AAPI Hub was launched at the AAUC National Unity Summit in September. The goal of the Hub is to connect different AAPI communities with shared information to empower each other through collaboration.The AAPI Hub now contains shared information that includes census data from previous work done by the ESRI nonprofit program team as the first prototype in 2020. The census data includes voting powerbase down to each congressional district showing different AAPI community representations. It can also be shown down to precinct level as the map is expanded. Different maps show racial representation of each state, county and district. However, these maps have not been updated.The work done in 2022-2023 mainly focused on developing a comprehensive database for the AAPI communities. It was decided that the AAPI communities would be best described by the nonprofit organizations that many belong and that public information are available. Currently the AAPI Hub displays nearly 15,000 AAPI nonprofit organizations in all 50 states with administrative records data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The beta version of the AAPI Hub has these known limitations: 1. Incomplete data on all AAPI nonprofits which do not contain any of our search words that are commonly used to describe AAPI. To overcome this, AAUC relies on prior knowledge or crowd sourcing. 2. IRS data is updated monthly which needs to be updated correspondingly in the AAPI Hub. AAUC needs to develop a way to compare the filtered data with the new updated information using machine logic then manual determination. 3. Not all organizations have websites or Facebook pages or mission statements listed in their 990-return form. Often, AAUC can find the website through online search manually. The AAUC write-up also outlines the future directions of the AAPI Hub. Visit the AAUC AAPI Hub website: https://bit.ly/3FbmpEu . Read the AAUC write-up here: https://bit.ly/48SOGNI . Contact Dr. Lo at: sklo@asamunitycoalition.org 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: 2023/10/15 State Legislature 101 Training 2023/10/15 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting 2023/10/18 Senate Nomination Hearing of NIH Director 2023/10/22 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting 2023/10/25-26 President's Advisory Commission Meeting 2023/10/29 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting Visit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details. 2. 2023/11/16: C100 Forum Debate WHAT: Hybrid in-person and virtual event: "Has the Chinese Economy Slowed Down Permanently, Temporarily, or It Depends?" WHEN: Thursday, November 16, from 5:00pm - 6:15pm Eastern Time WHERE: J Conference Bryant Park, 109 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018 HOST: The Committee of 100 MODERATOR: Peter Young, CEO and President, Young & Partners, C100 member SPEAKERS: · Stephen Roach, Professor, Yale University · Dan H. Rosen, Partner and Co-Founder, Rhodium Group · Shang-Jin Wei, Professor, Columbia University DESCRIPTION: Will the world’s second-largest economy and a critical part of global trade and manufacturing rebound with a strong manufacturing cost position, large investments in technology and the advanced education of millions of students, a potential surge in consumer spending, and continued investments in infrastructure by the government? Or, will high levels of debt, an overbuilt real estate sector, increasing government controls of the economy and technology, a shrinking population, and growing dissatisfaction on the part of those in the 18 to 30 year age bracket stifle growth on a long-term basis? REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3M0XcRd Back View PDF October 16, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

A group of 177 Stanford University faculty members sent an open letter to US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, requesting that he terminate the China Initiative. The campaign became national and continued until the end of the China Initiative. More than 3,100 faculty, researchers, and scientists representing over 230 institutions from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico co-signed the letters. September 8, 2021 Table of Contents Overview The Winds of Freedom Website APA Justice Launched Parallel Campaign Final Tally of the National Campaign Links and References Overview On September 8, 2021, a group of 177 Stanford University faculty members from more than 40 departments, including 8 Nobel laureates, sent an open letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, requesting that he terminate the Department of Justice's "China Initiative." Three key flaws of the "China Initiative" were identified: The "China Initiative" disproportionally targets researchers of Chinese origin. In most of the "China Initiative" cases involving academics, the alleged crime has nothing to do with scientific espionage or intellectual property theft. The "China Initiative" is harming the U.S. science and technology enterprise and the future of the U.S. STEM workforce. While acknowledging the importance to U.S. of protecting both intellectual property and information that is essential to our national and economic security, the faculty members express their concerns of racial profiling and the harm to the United States' research and technology competitiveness. The initiative has led to a significant increase of investigations and prosecutions to researchers in academia, with most cases unrelated to intellectual property theft or scientific/economic espionage. The investigations have been disproportionately targeting researchers of Chinese origin. According to the letter, the chilling effect of the "China Initiative" is discouraging many scholars from coming to or staying in the U.S. Therefore, the "China Initiative" should be terminated. The Winds of Freedom Website The Stanford faculty members created a website to host the open letter and provide background and other related information . The name "Winds of Freedom" for the website comes from the Stanford motto "Die Luft der Freiheit weht" ("The Winds of Freedom Blow"). The website provides instructions on further action and tracks continuing developments. In particular, a qualified endorser is encouraged to consider a letter from faculty at his/her institution to either endorse the Stanford letter or send a similar letter. A copy of the Stanford letter is provided, along with a Google form template and some instructions which could be used to collect signatories. A qualified endorser is defined as a person with the current or former rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, lecturer, scholar, or administrator, who has a valid and verifiable .edu email address at an accredited university or similar educational institution in the United States. Titles and associations are for identification only; endorsers do not represent the university or institution. Where judgment on the status of an endorser may be needed, final decision will be made by the organizers of the campaign. Faculty members at Baylor College of Medicine, Princeton University, Southern Illinois University Faculty Senate, Temple University, University of California at Berkeley, University of California at Irvine, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University would soon send their letters to Attorney General Garland. APA Justice Launched Parallel Campaign On October 14, 2021, APA Justice launched a campaign in collaboration with the Stanford co-organizers, calling for additional faculty members and qualified endorsers from universities and educational institutions across the U.S. to endorse the Stanford letter. Qualified endorsers might therefore join the campaign in two ways: Sign on to this nationwide campaign as individuals: https://bit.ly/EndorseStanfordLetter Follow the Instructions in the Winds of Freedom website on further action to endorse the Stanford letter as part of an institutional letter: https://bit.ly/38ZxKre On November 3, 2021, APA Justice submitted a letter to Attorney General (AG) Garland. It was co-signed by 841 faculty members, scholars, and administrators from 202 universities and educational institutions across all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The letter called for AG Garland to terminate the “China Initiative.” On November 24, 2021, APA Justice sent a letter to AG Garland and requested the inclusion of letters and comments from almost 2,000 faculty members, scholars, and administrators nationwide as part of the thorough review of the “China Initiative” being conducted by Assistant AG Matt Olsen. January 21, 2022, APA Justice sent a letter to AGl Garland , adding another 357 co-signers to the nationwide campaign. The parallel campaigns continued until the end of the China Initiative in February 2022. Final Tally of the National Campaign On March 3, 2022, the records showed that 3,119 faculty members from 231 institutions co-signed letters to AG Garland, calling for the termination of the China Initiative. They covered all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. In addition, 251 individuals endorsed the Stanford faculty letter to end the "China Initiative" at change.com . Jump to: Overview The Winds of Freedom Website APA Justice Launched Parallel Campaign Final Tally of the National Campaign A group of 177 Stanford University faculty members sent an open letter to US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, requesting that he terminate the China Initiative. The campaign became national and continued until the end of the China Initiative. More than 3,100 faculty, researchers, and scientists representing over 230 institutions from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico co-signed the letters. Previous Next 9. Stanford Faculty Starts Nationwide Campaign to End China Initiative

Following a public campaign led by Maryland State Senator Susan Lee and a coalition in February 2022, Reps. Jamie Raskin and Judy Chu hosted a Democratic Member Roundtable on “Researching while Chinese American: Ethnic Profiling, Chinese American Scientists and a New American Brain Drain” in June 2022. It was the first congressional hearing where the profiling of Chinese American scientists and the damage to American leadership in science and technology were heard. June 30, 2021 Table of Contents Overview The Human and Scientific Costs of Racial Profiling Must be Heard Congressional Staffer Roundtable on Research Integrity Bicameral Letter Urging DOJ Probe into Racial Profiling Links and References Overview Watch the video here. (1:42:15) On June 30, 2021, Representative Jamie Raskin, Chair of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, and Representative Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, held a Democratic Member Roundtable titled “Researching while Chinese American: Ethnic Profiling, Chinese American Scientists and a New American Brain Drain.” The Department of Justice (DOJ) has long targeted Chinese Americans in extensive investigations into foreign espionage, leading to multiple false arrests of innocent Chinese American scientists. These efforts ramped up in federal agencies under the Trump Administration’s China Initiative, causing numerous scientists to lose their jobs despite not unveiling chargeable criminal conduct. This roundtable examined the federal government’s alleged racial profiling of Chinese American scientists, and addressed how the continued harassment harms the broader U.S. scientific community. Opening Remarks by Representative Jamie Raskin: “That is not acceptable in the United States of America, which was founded on principles of equality and justice. We reject guilt by association, we reject notions of collective guilt or ethnic or racial guilt. The United States is a welcoming place, it is open to people of all backgrounds and to creative ideas, and to scientific research and inquiry. That is how we established ourselves as a world leader in innovation and technology, by allowing for free-flowing thoughts and theories. By targeting people who are ethnically Chinese, without evidence, we are hampering our ability to be that world leader and we are harming an entire community.” Opening Remarks by Rep. Judy Chu: “We need to make sure we don’t repeat the mistakes of the Cold War. That means not spreading unfounded suspicions that paint all Chinese people as threats and which put innocent Chinese Americans at risk.” Witnesses and Their Testimonies Sherry Chen , a renowned hydrologist who was falsely accused of espionage in 2014, described the long-lasting effects of her mistaken arrest: “Until now, my life is still in limbo. My reputation is still under a cloud. The ordeal has taken away precious time in my professional career, and I can never recover the years I have lost. This injustice has now entered its tenth year and sadly there is still no end in sight. I keep fighting not only for myself but to do my part to make sure no one should ever be harmed because of their race or country origin.” Her written testimony: https://bit.ly/3S46zmo The Honorable Steven Chu , former Secretary of Energy and current Stanford professor, characterized the impact of racial profiling on Chinese American scientists: “Many of my Chinese-American faculty colleagues feel that they are under increased and unjustified scrutiny by the U.S. government. The Department of Justice’s ‘China Initiative’ and statements by U.S. funding agencies is [ sic ] creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.” His written testimony: https://bit.ly/3S4pTA8 Dr. Randy Katz , the Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of California, Berkeley, expressed how this targeting has affected the greater scientific community: “These investigations and related actions – such as the increased interrogation of Chinese-American researchers by Customs and Border Patrol officers at airports – have resulted in a chilling effect on our Chinese-American research community in particular, and America’s international collaborations and our continued ability to attract the world’s best and brightest. My university has seen a precipitous decline in graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and visiting students from China that began even before the Covid-19 pandemic. This will have ramifications for America’s research enterprise for many years to come.” His written testimony: https://bit.ly/3Y9GoLo Dr. Xiaoxing Xi , a professor of physics at Temple University and naturalized citizen who was falsely arrested for alleged spying in 2015, explained: “People have asked me, ‘How can the Department of Justice avoid wrongly accusing innocent people like they did in your case?’ My answer is that they can’t unless they stop considering Chinese professors, scientists, and students as nontraditional collectors, or spies, for China. For example, in all the criminal cases involving university professors under the China Initiative, the DOJ has shown no evidence, zero, that those charged have stolen intellectual property. Yet, they are being prosecuted for felony crimes.” His written testimony: https://bit.ly/48kZUKe Statements from concerned advocates and experts including Maryland Senator Susan C. Lee , who contextualized the current racial profiling in the broader history of discrimination against Asian-Americans. American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , which explained how actions taken by the Department of Justice and research grantmaking agencies has a chilling effect on international scientific collaboration. Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC , which submitted a number of recommendations of how to address racial profiling. Asian American Scholar Forum , which noted that Asian American professors chose to stay in the United States because they “believe, in democracy, freedom of speech, rule of law, and the research environment of freedom and exploration without fear.” Asian Pacific American (APA) Justice , which explained that “whether it is with malice or implicit bias or both, the checks and balance system has failed not only individuals but also an entire group of people who are targeted for their race, ethnicity, and national origin.” The Committee of 100, which submitted the research of Andrew Chongseh Kim and white paper on Prosecuting Chinese “Spies:” An Empirical Analysis of the Economic Espionage Act . Defending Rights & Dissent , which raised concerns about the FBI’s rhetoric around the “alleged threat from Chinese Americans in academia.” Patrick Eddington , of Defending Rights & Dissent, who expressed that freedom of association and open scientific exchange are “absolutely essential to advance human progress on a range of issues.” Stefan Maier , who stressed the importance of “academic freedom and a healthy, global scientific collaboration” to addressing “global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.” Tennessee Chinese American Alliance, called for attention to the recent trial of Dr. Anming Hu (United States v. Hu; Case No. 3:20-CR-00021) at Knoxville, Tennessee. Testimonies from the trial have alarmingly revealed the FBI’s violation of Dr. Hu’s civil rights and misconduct during the investigation. [download and link to PDF at https://bit.ly/48Gia0G .] The Human and Scientific Costs of Racial Profiling Must be Heard On February 1, 2021, concerns about racial profiling culminated in a request by an alliance of prominent scientific and civil rights leaders and organizations nationwide for a congressional hearing spearheaded by Susan Lee, Maryland state senator, and Terry Lierman, Co-Chair of the University of Maryland. For a good part of 2021, scholars, think tanks, media, professional and community organizations began to collect data, conducted surveys, analyzed case studies, and reported on their findings, most of them do not support the government’s rhetoric on the China Initiative and instead point to its damaging impact on individuals and communities, open science, and international exchange. The alliance wrote to Jamie Raskin, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and called for an oversight hearing to address the profiling of scientists and scholars of Chinese or Asian descent based on the misguided perception that simply being of Chinese or Asian descent or having ties to China make them prone to espionage. The alliance requested the committee look into the broad sweep of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s counterintelligence efforts and the National Institute of Health’s related actions against scientists of Chinese or Asian descent which have resulted in the loss of their jobs, reputations and devastation of their lives and families, even though they were later proven innocent. Maryland State Senate Majority Whip Susan Lee, whose district includes NIH, stated, “While we strongly support efforts to safeguard America’s interests and prosecute wrongdoers, it would be a grave injustice to target, stereotype, or place under suspicion an entire ethnic group. Many of these patriotic scientists have spent a lifetime of work dedicated to advancing medical breakthroughs which have made America one the global leaders in science and technology. They are a part of the solution to the United States’ global challenges, not a threat.” “The overzealous, broad, unchecked, and overreaching activities fueled by a xenophobic and toxic political climate have not only led to mistakes in investigations or prosecutions and civil rights violations, but also have crippled America’s ability to develop medical innovations that can enhance the quality of and save lives, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic. We need the committee to shine light on any discriminatory policies being employed by those agencies to ensure there is fairness, transparency and accountability,” said Terry Lierman. For decades, international scientific collaborations and exchanges between the United States and foreign academic and research institutions have been strongly encouraged and supported by the NIH and other academic entities, but now, they are being criminalized. “Science - like America itself - thrives on freedom, openness, and inclusiveness - there is no room for discrimination against men and women from China or anywhere else based on nationality," former White House science advisor Dr. Neal F. Lane said. "The PRC Government's rising nationalism and use of its economic clout to influence U.S. universities and society are real and growing, but any U.S. Government response that assumes all students, scientists, and scholars of Chinese descent are potential intelligence risks is unfair and unwise profiling that has no place in our democracy," said Dr. Wallace Loh, former President of the University of Maryland, College Park. To date, Congress has held numerous hearings focused only on the espionage threat, but it has not addressed the civil rights violations of Chinese Americans who have been wrongly targeted or the long term consequences and damages to the American research enterprise and minority communities if this pattern of racial profiling continues. “The Department of Justice launched the ‘China Initiative’ to counter perceived ‘national security threats.’ But the past two years have shown an over-emphasis on national security and an underemphasis on bias. I join others in calling for the end of the ‘China Initiative’,” said Professor Margaret Lewis of Seton Hall University Law School. “We are deeply concerned with the racial profiling and unjust prosecutions of Asian Americans and immigrants by the government,” said John C. Yang, Advancing Justice – AAJC’s President and Executive Director. “This latest wave of xenophobia has instilled fear within our communities as many Chinese Americans and immigrants are once again caught in our country’s long history of suspicion and racial discrimination against Asian Americans. We urge Congress to engage in oversight on this issue by holding a public hearing on this issue.” “Xenophobic targeting and persecution of Chinese Americans is causing irreparable damage not only to the impacted persons and their families, but also creates fear, suspicion, and hate towards the Asian American community. It must stop. It is grossly unjust and unfair to target an entire ethnic group from specific countries,” said Dr. Steven Pei and Dr. Jeremy Wu, Co-Leaders of the APA Justice Task Force. Full Package of Call for Congressional Hearing 2021/02/01 Calling for a Congressional Hearing on Racial Profiling of Asian American and Chinese Scientists Cover and Table of Content Press Release Letter to Rep. Jamie Raskin, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties with Signatories Articles, Letters and Statements from Professional Associations, Organizations and Societies Congressional Staffer Roundtable on Research Integrity On May 5, 2021, a Congressional Staffer Roundtable on Research Integrity was organized by the majority and the minority of the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and Armed Services (House and Senate). Speakers for the event included: Dr. Sudip Parikh, Chief Executive Officer, American Association for the Advancement of Science Mr. Tobin Smith, Vice President for Science Policy & Global Affairs, Association of American Universities Dr. Maria Zuber, Co-Chair, NASEM National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable; Vice President for Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mr. Alexander Bustamante, Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance and Audit Officer, University of California System Mr. Frank Wu, President, Queen’s College, City University of New York Frank Wu’s remarks emphasized three “Cs” that should be promoted and one “C” to be avoided: Consistency of rules and enforcement priorities (among agencies and over time) Clarity of policies Communications to promote compliance (including anti-bias aspects) And not Criminalization Bicameral Coalition Letter Urging DOJ Probe into Racial Profiling On July 29, 2021, Rep. Ted Lieu delivered a bicameral coalition letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling for an investigation into the Department of Justice's "repeated, wrongful targeting of individuals of Asian descent for alleged espionage." "Over the years, multiple people who happened to be of Asian descent have been falsely accused by the Department of Justice of espionage," including the false accusations of spying alleged against Wen Ho Lee , Sherry Chen , Xiaoxing Xi , Anming Hu , and many others. "The common thread in every one of these cases was a defendant with an Asian surname — and an innocent life that was turned upside down." "No person should be viewed by our government as more suspicious because of the individual’s race. We thus request an update on the mandated implicit bias training and request an investigation to determine whether the Department of Justice has a written or unwritten policy, program, pattern or practice of using race (or other civil rights classifications such as religion, gender and national origin) in targeting people for arrest, surveillance, security clearance denials or other adverse actions. We also specifically request whether, under the 'China Initiative,' there is a written or unwritten policy, program, pattern or practice to target people based on their race, ethnicity or national origin." Jump to: Overview The Human and Scientific Costs of Racial Profiling Must be Heard Congressional Staffer Roundtable on Research Integrity Bicameral Letter Urging DOJ Probe into Racial Profiling Following a public campaign led by Maryland State Senator Susan Lee and a coalition in February 2022, Reps. Jamie Raskin and Judy Chu hosted a Democratic Member Roundtable on “Researching while Chinese American: Ethnic Profiling, Chinese American Scientists and a New American Brain Drain” in June 2022. It was the first congressional hearing where the profiling of Chinese American scientists and the damage to American leadership in science and technology were heard. Previous Next 7. Congressional Roundtable on Racial Profiling

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

China Initiative: Past and Present 中国行动的前世今生 2025 MSU China Initiative Wednesday, March 12, 2025 A virtual discussion on the life and afterlife of the China Initiative, a Trump Administration program that has used racial profiling and fears of espionage to target Asian American scholars and researchers for investigation. Lok Siu presentation Jeremy Wu presentation The webinar was not recorded. 20250312 China Initiative_APAS.png 20250312 Wu & Siu Bios.png Previous Item Next Item

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

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

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