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Newsletter - #121 4/4 Meeting; End Injustice for Sherry; After the "China Initiative;" American History #121 4/4 Meeting; End Injustice for Sherry; After the "China Initiative;" American History Back View PDF March 28, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #385 Rep. Grace Meng Remarks; 3/24 Webinar; DHS Leadership Change; Birthright Citizenship+ #385 Rep. Grace Meng Remarks; 3/24 Webinar; DHS Leadership Change; Birthright Citizenship+ In This Issue #385 · Remarks by CAPAC Chair Rep. Grace Meng · 03/24 Webinar: Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know · Leadership Change at the Department of Homeland Security · 04/01 Supreme Court Hearing on Birthright Citizenship · News and Activities for the Communities Remarks by CAPAC Chair Rep. Grace Meng During the APA Justice monthly meeting on March 2, 2026, Congresswoman Grace Meng 孟昭文 thanked the APA Justice team for convening monthly meetings that allow community leaders to collaborate and support one another. She offered special gratitude to Mayor Kaohly Her , praising her “fearless leadership in the face of adversity and chaos” and noting that while the road ahead will be long, the mayor shared practical ideas that can be advanced both locally and nationally.” Turning to national politics, Rep. Meng criticized the president’s recent State of the Union address, saying it focused more on himself than on helping the American people. She pointed to what she described as broken promises, particularly to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities—such as pledges to lower costs, protect Medicaid, and allow legal immigration. Instead, she said, the administration attempted to eliminate the Minority Business Development Agency (which House Democrats preserved) and is seeking to change Small Business Administration loan rules in ways that would make it harder for community members to access capital. She also condemned intensified immigration enforcement actions that, as described by Mayor Her, have separated families—including those here legally and without criminal records. Rep. Meng said people are being unlawfully arrested, detained, or deported by masked agents, sometimes based on accent or appearance, leaving many afraid to leave home without carrying identification. Rep. Meng stressed that despite efforts to signal that AAPI communities do not belong or to erase their contributions from American history, their role is foundational to the nation. As the country approaches its 250th anniversary, she highlighted historic milestones—from Filipino sailors arriving in Morro Bay in 1587, to Chinese laborers building the transcontinental railroad, to Asian American athletes representing the United States at the recent Winter Olympics. She underscored that “our history is American history” and said both the good and the bad should be told for generations to come. She referenced legislation she authored, signed into law in 2022, establishing a commission to study the creation of the first national museum dedicated to AAPI history in Washington, D.C., noting that the bipartisan commission is traveling the country to advance that vision. Rep. Meng said the goal is not merely survival but ensuring families can thrive, lead, and leave the next generation better off. She highlighted the work of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) in advancing equity, defending rights, and promoting economic opportunity. Marking the nation’s 250th anniversary since the Declaration of Independence, she affirmed that whether families arrived through Ellis Island, worked on Hawaiian plantations, or came as refugees, their stories embody the American dream. At this critical moment, she said, the community “won’t back down” but will continue fighting for an equitable and affordable America where the American dream is within reach for all, closing with Lunar New Year and Ramadan greetings and wishes for safety and health. Watch Rep. Meng’s remarks at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffpdOHXYaKQ (6:45) ***** Rep. Grace Meng recently led a virtual press conference with the Minnesota State Asian Pacific Caucus and Minnesota-based community organizations to highlight the devastating impacts of the Trump administration’s immigration policies on Asian communities. CAPAC Chair Meng was joined by Minnesota State Representative Ethan Cha , Chair of the Minnesota Asian Pacific Caucus; Minnesota State Representative Liz Lee , Secretary of the National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators; Xay Yang , Executive Director of Transforming Generations; Quyen Ðình , Executive Director of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC); Chhaya Chhoum , Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Freedom Network (SEAFN); and ThaoMee Xiong , Executive Director of the Coalition of Asian American Leaders. Read the post at the Minnesota House of Representatives by Rep. Liz Lee at: https://www.house.mn.gov/members/Profile/News/15576/41342 . 03/24 Webinar: Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know On March 24, 2026, starting at 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT, APA Justice, Asian American Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum, and Committee of 100 will co-host a webinar on “ Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know. ” Moderator: Michael German , Retired Fellow, Liberty and National Security Program, Brennan Center for Justice. Speakers: · Kaohly Her , Mayor, St. Paul, Minnesota. · Saira Hussain , Senior Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation. · Xiaoxing Xi , Laura H. Carnell Professor of Physics, Temple University. · John Yang , President and Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3N5BbEy RESOURCES: · APA Justice: Timeline Visualization of U.S. Mass Surveillance · APA Justice: Warrantless Surveillance St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her — St. Paul's first woman and first Asian American mayor — spoke candidly about ICE operations in the Twin Cities at a recent invitation-only APA Justice monthly meeting. Her remarks are now publicly available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k850qWZ6ZWs (11:29) Do not miss the chance to hear more from Mayor Her alongside a distinguished panel of civil rights advocates, legal experts, and community leaders at our upcoming webinar. Founded in 1990, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. EFF champions user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development. Together, these four voices — a mayor, a civil liberties litigator, a wrongfully targeted scientist, and a civil rights leader — will help our community understand what is happening, why it matters, and what we can do about it. Leadership Change at the Department of Homeland Security On March 5, 2026, President Trump fired Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem following mounting criticism over her leadership, handling of immigration enforcement, and controversies regarding spending and conduct. The Department of Homeland Security oversees the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Senator Markwayne Mullin, nominated to replace her, appeared for his confirmation hearing on March 18, 2026. According to AP News , Senator Mullin faced one of the most combative confirmation hearings in recent memory — and the sharpest attacks came not from Democrats, but from the Republican chairing the committee. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has made clear he will vote against Mullin, opened the hearing with a direct challenge rooted in a long and bitter personal feud. Years ago, Mullin had sided with the neighbor who physically attacked Paul while he was doing yardwork, leaving the senator with multiple broken ribs. Mullin had called Paul a "freaking snake" and said he could "understand why your neighbor did what he did." Paul used his chairmanship to demand a public reckoning: "Tell it to the world why you believe I deserved to be assaulted. Explain to the American people why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and border patrol agents." Mullin, a former mixed martial arts champion, was unapologetic. "I am not apologizing," he said flatly. "If I have something to say, I'll say it directly to your face." He reiterated his earlier comments about Paul's neighbor and showed no sign of backing down — a combativeness that, paradoxically, may be precisely why Trump has chosen him to lead the agency at the forefront of his mass deportation agenda. Beyond the personal drama, the three-hour hearing exposed significant gaps in Mullin's policy depth. He is not a specialist in immigration enforcement, FEMA, or DHS operations, and his management experience is largely limited to running the family plumbing business before entering politics. What he brings to the job, by his own description, is a personal friendship with the president and a reputation as an affable relationship-builder. Senators on both sides were also left puzzled by Mullin's references to a secret trip he claimed to have made to a foreign country with warzone-like conditions — a trip for which the FBI, which conducts background checks on nominees, had no record. Committee leaders insisted Mullin meet them afterward in a secure facility to explain what they called his "super secret" mission. "I didn't say it was 'super secret,'" Mullin snapped. Despite Paul's opposition, Mullin was expected to narrowly survive a committee vote, with Democratic Senator John Fetterman signaling openness to crossing party lines to support his advancement. For the AAPI community, the hearing is a reminder that the agency responsible for ICE enforcement — and the surveillance and deportation operations that have disproportionately targeted communities of color — is headed toward new leadership whose defining qualities appear to be personal loyalty to the president and a willingness to fight. Read the AP News report: https://bit.ly/3NPPmxL . On March 19, 2026, in an 8-7 vote, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee sent Mullin’s nomination forward. 04/01 Supreme Court Hearing on Birthright Citizenship On April 1, 2026, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the legality of a January 20, 2025, executive order 14160 by President Trump aiming to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to undocumented or non-permanent resident parents. You can listen to the live oral argument audio at: https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx On March 26, 2026, starting at 3:00 pm ET, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) will host a webinar titled “ SCOTUS Oral Argument Preview: Who is Allowed to be a U.S. Citizen? Defending Birthright Citizenship and the Role of Asian American History .” NAPABA - along with a broad coalition of bar associations throughout the country - participated as amici and objected to the executive order . Now that the matter has reached the Supreme Court, please join NAPABA for a thoughtful discussion on its position defending birthright citizenship both in the lower federal courts and the Supreme Court , the importance of Asian American legal history, and how that history informs the arguments in this case. ACLU will be at the Supreme Court to defend birthright citizenship on April 1. It is calling for supporters to sign a petition at: https://action.aclu.org/petition/birthright-citizenship-scotus-your-voice-matters News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/03/23 America’s China Talent Challenge: Investing in Deeper American Understanding of China 2026/03/24 Mass Surveillance and the ICE Crackdown: What the AAPI Community Needs to Know 2026/03/25 The Perpetual Foreigner Stereotype: New Data on Asian American Experiences 2026/03/26 Who is Allowed to be a U.S. Citizen? Defending Birthright Citizenship and the Role of Asian American History 2026/04/06 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2026/04/08 Perspectives on Careers in Arts and Entertainment 2026/04/14 Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - Anla ChengVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. 2. USCET: America’s China Talent Challenge WHAT : America’s China Talent Challenge: Investing in Deeper American Understanding of China WHEN : March 23, 2026, 10:00 - 11:30 am ET WHERE : Hybrid Report Launch Event · Elliott School of International Affairs, 1957 E Street, NW Washington DC · Online on Zoom HOST : U.S.-China Education Trust Moderator : Rosie Levine , USCET Speakers: · Nicholas Burns , Former U.S. Ambassador to China · David Lampton , Johns Hopkins SAIS & Working Group Chair · Madelyn Ross , Senior Advisor & Rapporteur · Mark Lambert , Formerly State Department China House · Neysun Mahboubi , University of Pennsylvania · Jean Oi , Stanford University DESCRIPTION : The United States is losing its bench of China expertise at a moment when it can least afford to. With fewer than 2,000 Americans studying in China today, the talent pipeline feeding our government, universities, and private sector is under serious strain. The US-China Education Trust’s expert working group was constituted in the fall of 2025 in response to these dynamics. Through engagement with over 50 organizations and individuals in China and the United States, the report offers concrete, actionable recommendations for reversing the decline. Join USCET for a hybrid public launch to hear from working group members and explore key findings from the report. The event will also feature virtual opening remarks from former U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns. REGISTRATION : https://bit.ly/47axCUq ***** In a first-person account published by Business Insider , American writer Catherine Work offers a rare comparative perspective on higher education in China and the United States, having studied at universities in both countries — first in Wuhan in 2015 and again in Shijiazhuang in 2025 while completing a graduate degree in global health. The differences in cost, campus culture, and career pathways made her rethink American universities. On the question of affordability, the contrast is stark. Tuition in China is subsidized by the government, especially at public universities, making it relatively affordable compared with many Western countries — and many students she met were not going into debt to study. Campus life also differed in notable ways. Students on the campuses she studied entered by scanning their faces and were tracked by cameras. Politics felt more openly present in academic life — most of the professors and physicians she worked with were active members of the Communist Party and often wore pins on their lapels to signify it. One local friend offered a telling observation: having one state party means policies do not change every four years, which in their view creates a certain stability for universities. Read the Business Insider report: https://www.businessinsider.com/american-studied-china-universities-cheaper-2026-3 # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF March 20, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #363 Andy Phillips on Dr. Yanping Chen Case; US Science & Data at Crossrords; 10/3 Summary+ #363 Andy Phillips on Dr. Yanping Chen Case; US Science & Data at Crossrords; 10/3 Summary+ In This Issue #363 · Andy Phillips on The Privacy Case of Dr. Yanping Chen · Banning Collaboration, Fueling Brain Drain: U.S. Science at a Crossroads · U.S. Data at Risk · October 2025 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary Posted · News and Activities for the Communities Andy Phillips on The Privacy Case of Dr. Yanping Chen During the APA Justice monthly meeting on November 3, 2025, Andy Phillips , Managing & Founding Partner, Meier Watkins Phillips Pusch LLP, presented an in-depth briefing on Dr. Yanping Chen 陈燕平 ’s Privacy Act case, which he has been litigating for several years. Dr. Chen emigrated to the U.S. from China and has a medical degree as a cardiologist. She worked as a scientist and supervisor for China’s astronaut program. She came to the U.S. to be a visiting scholar at George Washington University in Washington, DC, in the late 80s, became a permanent resident in 1993, and a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2001. In the 1990s, she founded the University of Management and Technology (UMT) in Arlington, Virginia, focusing on post-secondary and graduate studies for working adults. A fairly large number of UMT’s students are service members who seek degrees and receive assistance from the Department of Defense (DOD)’s Tuition Assistance Program, which UMT participates in along with many other schools. The program allows UMT to receive subsidized tuition payments for service members from the DOD. Dr. Chen became the subject of a years-long Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) investigation beginning around 2010 concerning statements she made on her immigration forms related to her work for China’s astronaut program. Despite FBI raids on her home and office and interviews with her family, the U.S. Attorney’s Office closed the case in 2016 with no charges filed. A year later, in 2017, Fox News and then reporter Catherine Herridge published a series of television and online reports accusing Dr. Chen of being a Chinese spy and suggesting that UMT was a front for gathering sensitive U.S. military information. These reports contained leaked FBI materials, including Dr. Chen’s immigration forms, family photographs, and references to internal interview memoranda—clear signs of an unauthorized disclosure of Dr. Chen’s private government records. In response, Dr. Chen filed a Privacy Act lawsuit in 2019 against several federal agencies, including the FBI, Department of Justice (DOJ), DOD, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), arguing that government officials had unlawfully leaked her protected records to the press. Andy explained that the Privacy Act of 1974 was enacted to safeguard personal information collected by government agencies and to prevent such records from being used for unauthorized purposes. Under the Privacy Act, a plaintiff must prove that a government official intentionally or willfully disclosed private information. However, identifying the individual responsible for the leak proved to be the central challenge in Dr. Chen’s case. After two years of exhaustive discovery—including depositions, document requests, and interrogatories—Dr. Chen’s legal team was unable to pinpoint the leaker within the government. At that stage, Andy and his firm joined the case in 2022 (Dr. Chen was represented by co-counsel WilmerHale who handled initial stages of the case and discovery against the government) to focus on the media law issues, particularly journalist privilege, which they frequently encounter in First Amendment defamation litigation. They issued a subpoena compelling Catherine Herridge to reveal her source for the leaked materials. Herridge, represented by counsel, moved to quash the subpoena, citing a qualified First Amendment privilege that allows reporters to protect the identities of confidential sources. The privilege is “qualified,” not absolute, meaning it can be overcome under certain circumstances—specifically if the requested information is central to the case and the plaintiff has exhausted all other means of obtaining it. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in Dr. Chen’s favor, finding that both conditions were met: the identity of the leaker was essential to proving her Privacy Act claim, and Dr. Chen had already undertaken substantial efforts to discover the information elsewhere. Herridge’s arguments that national security, journalistic freedom, or Dr. Chen’s alleged misconduct should weigh against disclosure were rejected. The court stated firmly that the law must be applied equally and that courts should not make value judgments based on who the plaintiff is or what allegations have been made in the media. When Herridge refused to comply with the court order during her September 2023 deposition, Andy sought a contempt ruling, which the court granted, imposing a fine of $800 per day for noncompliance. The fine was stayed pending appeal as the case moved to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which was argued around November 2024. In September 2025, the D.C. Circuit issued a unanimous 3-0 decision affirming the District Court’s ruling, rejecting Herridge’s call for a broader balancing test and upholding Dr. Chen’s right to pursue her Privacy Act claim. Andy emphasized the broader implications of the case, calling it a vital reaffirmation of the rule of law and government accountability. He explained that the case is not about restricting the press but about ensuring that government officials cannot weaponize confidential information to destroy reputations without consequence. “If this decision had gone the other way,” Andy said, “it would have sent the message that government agents could leak with impunity, as long as they laundered their misconduct through a journalist who would protect them.” He drew parallels between Dr. Chen’s case and the case of Dr. Wen Ho Lee 李文和 , where another Chinese American scientist was falsely accused of espionage based on leaked government information and media misrepresentation. Both cases, he noted, reflect how racial bias and national security fears can combine to harm innocent individuals. Andy praised the amicus brief filed in support of Dr. Chen, which traced a long history of anti-Asian discrimination in both media coverage and law enforcement, arguing that accountability and transparency are critical to restoring trust. Concluding his remarks, Andy said the D.C. Circuit’s decision “reaffirmed 50 years of precedent” in the nation’s capital and represents a strong affirmation that every citizen—regardless of ethnicity or background—is entitled to equal protection under the law. He expects Herridge to request en banc (before the full court) review or possibly appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, but remains confident that the case has set an enduring precedent for privacy rights and justice in the face of abuse of power. A summary of the November 3 monthly meeting has been posted at https://bit.ly/49dbmuO . We thank these distinguished speakers for sharing their thoughts and updates: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) · Andy Phillips , Managing & Founding Partner, Meier Watkins Phillips Pusch LLP · Jane Shim , Director, Stop Asian Hate Project, Asian American Legal and Education Fund · Paula Williams Madison , Chairman and CEO of Madison Media Management LLC and 88 Madison Media Works Inc.; Retired Executive, NBCUniversal · Brian Sun , Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP; Former Attorney representing Dr. Wen Ho Lee Banning Collaboration, Fueling Brain Drain: U.S. Science at a Crossroads Congress’s proposed SAFE Act would bar federal funding to U.S. researchers who have collaborated with individuals from “hostile” nations such as China—drawing warnings from leading universities and civil rights groups that it would stifle innovation and revive discrimination. At the same time, deep federal research cuts and political pressures are driving a growing “brain gain” for China, as U.S.-trained scientists relocate there amid expanding investment and opportunity. China’s research output rose 17% last year while U.S. output fell 10%, signaling a widening gap. Without renewed openness and funding, experts warn, the U.S. risks losing its global scientific leadership. 1. Science : Congressional Push to Restrict Research Ties According to Science on November 6, 2025, nearly 800 American scientists have signed a letter opposing a proposed research restriction in the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) known as the Securing American Funding and Expertise from Adversarial Research Exploitation (SAFE) Act. Led by Stanford Professors Peter Michelson and Steven Kivelson , the letter warns that the measure—which would bar federal funding to U.S. researchers who collaborated within the past five years with individuals “affiliated with a hostile foreign entity” such as China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea—would weaken the very foundation of American innovation. “To maintain U.S. leadership in science and technology, we must preserve the thriving research ecosystem that laid the foundation for American competitiveness.” Major higher education groups, including the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), urged Congress to remove the provision, calling it overly broad and ill-defined. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) added that the SAFE Act “ignores, and in some cases contradicts, what is already in law.”Civil rights and Asian American advocacy organizations warn that the measure could echo the discriminatory effects of the defunct China Initiative, chilling legitimate academic exchange and disproportionately harming scientists of Chinese descent. During the APA Justice monthly meeting on November 3, Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director of the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), outlined four major concerns raised in AASF’s October 17 letter to the House Armed Services Committee: · Five-Year Lookback – AASF warns this could lead to retroactive punishment for past research activities that were legal or even encouraged, urging fairness and a reasonable transition period for agencies, universities, and individuals. · Co-Authorship Barriers – The provision could effectively bar co-authorship within the timeline provided, restricting international research collaboration and openness, undermining U.S. competitiveness. · Overly Broad Definitions – Vague terms like “affiliation” could include almost any international engagement, making compliance impractical and potentially harmful to innovation and education. Both international students and American-born students benefit from international programs and collaborations. · Disparate Impact on Asian Americans – Broad, ambiguous rules risk biased application and enforcement that could disproportionately harm Asian American scientists, especially those of Chinese descent. 2. WP : China’s “Brain Gain” Accelerates While Washington tightens its guardrails and budget, Beijing is expanding its global reach in science and technology. A Washington Post investigation finds that China is reaping a “brain gain” as hundreds of U.S.-trained researchers—many of them Chinese American—relocate to China or take joint appointments.In the first half of 2025 alone, about 50 tenure-track scholars of Chinese descent left U.S. universities for China, adding to more than 850 departures since 2011. More than 70 percent of these scientists work in STEM fields, particularly engineering and life sciences. Those who have recently moved include a senior biologist from the National Institutes of Health, a Harvard statistician, and a clean-energy expert from the U.S. Department of Energy. Their decisions reflect both “push” and “pull” factors—the deteriorating climate for research in the U.S. and Beijing’s aggressive efforts to attract world-class talent.Trump’s policies have deepened that push. His administration has slashed billions from science budgets, canceled research grants, and imposed visa restrictions that hinder international collaboration. The revived scrutiny of researchers with ties to China—echoing the discredited “China Initiative”—has also made many Chinese American scientists feel unwelcome in the U.S. “We hope Trump is president for life, because it’s the best thing to happen to Chinese science,” one Chinese researcher half-joked to a visiting Harvard immunologist.China, meanwhile, is offering generous incentives. The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) is channeling much of its $8 billion annual budget into talent programs, while cities and universities compete to lure foreign scientists with high salaries, lab funding, housing, and child care support. A new “K visa” aims to make it easier for young foreign STEM researchers to work in China. Westlake University and Tsinghua University’s Shenzhen International Graduate School have recruited leading U.S. academics, including Nobel-caliber scholars and rising stars.China’s total R&D spending—$917 billion in 2023—has nearly matched that of the United States, signaling a narrowing gap in global research leadership. As the two superpowers compete for scientific talent, individual researchers increasingly face painful trade-offs between opportunity and freedom. The result, experts warn, is a shifting global scientific order—one where U.S. skepticism toward science, combined with China’s strategic investment, may erode America’s long-held dominance in research and innovation. 3. Nature : U.S. Losing Ground as China’s Lead Expands Rapidly China’s dominance in global research is accelerating sharply, while U.S. scientific leadership is eroding at an alarming pace, according to the Nature Index 2025 Research Leaders report . The data show China expanding its lead in high-quality scientific output: its total research “Share” reached 32,122 in 2024, compared with 22,083 for the United States. That gap, which emerged only in 2023 when China first overtook the U.S., has now quadrupled in just one year. China’s adjusted Share grew 17.4%, while the U.S. fell 10.1%, marking its steepest decline in decades. Losses were sharpest in chemistry (−11.6%) and physical sciences (−10.6%), though the U.S. retains a narrow advantage in health and biological research. Other Western countries, including Canada, France, and the U.K., also saw declines of 9% or more.Experts describe the shift as structural, not cyclical. With a population four times larger than America’s, China now produces nearly twice as many STEM PhD graduates—projected 77,000 in 2025, compared with 40,000 in the U.S.—and employs more researchers than both the U.S. and the European Union combined. Although the report’s data predate Donald Trump’s January 2025 inauguration, analysts warn that his administration’s deep cuts to federal research budgets could further accelerate U.S. decline. “The United States has clearly crossed a threshold into actively abdicating our position as a global leader,” said Joanne Carney of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). AAAS CEO Sudip Parikh added, “If these cuts stand, the U.S. will no longer be in the global race for R&D leadership.” As U.S. collaboration with foreign partners wanes, China is strengthening ties across Asia. South Korea, Singapore, and others have posted double-digit gains, particularly in green technology and advanced materials, signaling a regional surge in scientific capacity. While some private U.S. funders have stepped in, experts warn they cannot offset federal pullbacks. “We are going through a national crisis,” said Caroline Wagner of Ohio State University. “It’s more than a malaise.” She added that research funding cuts, DEI crackdowns, and visa denials for foreign scholars “send a signal to global talent to look for opportunities elsewhere.” U.S. Data at Risk On November 3, 2025, the "Practical Significance" podcast of the American Statistical Association featured Nancy Potok , former chief statistician of the United States and CEO of NAPx Consulting, and Connie Citro , Senior Scholar at the National Academies’ Committee on National Statistics. The discussion focuses on the state of federal statistics, challenges faced by federal statistical agencies, and efforts to modernize the federal statistical system.Both guests expressed concerns about U.S. statistical systems at a crossroads with staff losses, hiring freeze, difficulty recruiting skilled professionals, and declining budgets under the current environment. Nancy Potok highlighted the need for modernization to stay relevant in a rapidly changing data environment, including addressing competition from other data sources and maintaining public trust. Connie Citro emphasized the labor-intensive nature of statistical agencies, the need for modernization, and the challenges of data sharing and blending data sets.Dr. Ji-Hyun Lee , Professor of Biostatistics at University of Florida, serves as 2025 ASA President. The Cato Institute’s October 8, 2025, discussion “ A Conversation with Former BLS Commissioners William Beach and Erica Groshen ” explored the challenges and importance of maintaining trust, accuracy, and modernization within the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).The conversation featured · Erica Groshen . Former Commissioner of Labor Statistics (2013-2017); and Senior Economics Advisor, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University · William Beach . Former Commissioner of Labor Statistics (2019-2023); Executive Director, Fiscal Lab on Capitol Hill; and Senior Fellow in Economics, Economic Policy Innovation Center · Norbert Michel . Vice President and Director, Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, Cato Institute Both former commissioners emphasized that the agency’s credibility hinges on its ability to produce data that is both reliable and timely. As Groshen put it, “They want two things: accurate … and they want it to be timely,” highlighting the constant balance between speed and precision in official labor reporting. Beach and Groshen explained that revisions to monthly job numbers, often criticized by the public, stem largely from the late submission of firm data rather than from methodological flaws. “The first revision of the preliminary number is mostly driven by late-reporting firms,” Beach clarified, underscoring that revisions are a feature of transparency, not evidence of manipulation. They also warned that political interference—even the perception of it—can undermine the BLS’s mission. “Trust is mission-critical for a statistical agency. You might as well not produce statistics if they’re not trusted,” Groshen said.The speakers voiced deep concern about staffing shortages and systemic neglect within the BLS, noting the agency is operating with 20 percent fewer staff and one-third of its top leadership positions vacant. Yet they also saw a potential opening for reform. “This administration is not worried about disruption,” Beach observed, suggesting that current upheavals could create “an opportunity … for really modernizing the statistical system.” The discussion closed on a cautious note: without adequate investment and protection from political pressure, the nation’s core economic data—essential for markets, policy, and public trust—faces growing fragility. October 2025 APA Justice Monthly Meeting Summary Posted Summary for the October 2025 APA Justice monthly meeting has been posted at https://bit.ly/43W4qyC . We thank these distinguished speakers for sharing their insightful remarks and updates: · Judith Teruya, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus · Joanna YangQing Derman, Director, Anti-Profiling, Civil Rights & National Security Program, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) · Mike German , Retired Fellow, Liberty & National Security, Brennan Center for Justice · Margaret Lewis , Professor, Seton Hall University School of Law · Pat Eddington , Senior Fellow, Homeland Security and Civil Liberties, Cato Institute The October meeting brought together congressional, advocacy, academic, and policy leaders to discuss ongoing efforts to defend civil rights, research integrity, and democratic governance affecting Asian American and allied communities.Past monthly meeting summaries are posted at: https://www.apajusticetaskforce.org/library-newsletters-summaries News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2025/11/14 Film Screening and Discussion: Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story2025/11/25 Committee of 100 Conversations – “Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes” with Elaine Chao 2025/12/01 Cook County Circuit Court Hearing - Estate of Jane Wu v Northwestern University2025/12/01 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2025/12/08 Conversations, Recollections, Pioneers and Heros: Alice Young Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF November 11, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #185: Florida SB264 Sued; Texas SB147 Dies; Section 702 Abuse; Agnes Hsu-Tang; News/Events #185: Florida SB264 Sued; Texas SB147 Dies; Section 702 Abuse; Agnes Hsu-Tang; News/Events In This Issue #185 Chinese Immigrants Sue Florida Over Unconstitutional and Discriminatory Law Banning Them From Buying Land Texas SB147 Dies in Legislature, with Help from Protests; Louisiana and Alabama Surveillance Misuse Will Impact Section 702 Reauthorization Yellow Whistle Campaign Co-Founder Agnes Hsu-Tang Receives 2023 Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Award News and Events for the Communities Chinese Immigrants Sue Florida Over Unconstitutional and Discriminatory Law Banning Them From Buying Land On May 22, 2023, a group of Chinese citizens who live, work, study, and raise families in Florida, as well as a real estate brokerage firm in Florida that primarily serves clients of Chinese descent, filed a lawsuit to combat Florida’s discriminatory property law, SB 264. Signed by Governor Ron DeSantis , the legislation unfairly restricts most Chinese citizens — and most citizens of Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Russia, and North Korea — from purchasing homes in the state. Unless the courts act, the law will take effect on July 1, 2023.The plaintiffs are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Florida, DeHeng Law Offices PC 德恒律师事务所, and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), in coordination with the Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance 华美维权同盟 (CALDA).The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Florida of the U.S. District Court. It argues that SB 264 will codify and expand housing discrimination against people of Asian descent in violation of the Constitution and the Fair Housing Act. It will also cast an undue burden of suspicion on anyone seeking to buy property whose name sounds remotely Asian, Russian, Iranian, Cuban, Venezuelan, or Syrian. Gov. DeSantis has argued that this law is necessary to protect Florida from the Chinese Communist Party and its activities. But this misguided rationale unfairly equates Chinese people with the actions of their government, and there is no evidence of national security harm resulting from real estate ownership by Chinese people in Florida.Florida’s dangerous new law recalls similar efforts over the past century to weaponize false claims of “national security” against Asian immigrants and other marginalized communities. In the early 1900s, politicians across the country used similar justifications to pass “ alien land laws ” prohibiting Chinese and Japanese immigrants from becoming landowners. These racist policies not only hurt immigrants financially, but also severely exacerbated violence and discrimination against Asian communities living in the United States. Over time, these laws were struck down by the courts or were repealed by state legislatures because they violated the Constitution’s equal protection guarantees. APA Justice has created a web section to track the lawsuit via CourtListener at https://bit.ly/3OzDEFv. Clay Zhu 朱可亮, Partner of DeHeng Law Offices PC 德恒律师事务所 and Co-Founder of CALDA 华美维权同盟, is scheduled to speak at the June 5 APA Justice monthly meeting. Please send a request to contact@apajustice.org if you wish to join the by-invitation-only meeting. A tentative agenda will be sent to the invitees early next week. Related References and Links ACLU Press Release: Chinese Immigrants Sue Florida Over Unconstitutional and Discriminatory Law Banning Them From Buying Land Complaint: SHEN v. SIMPSON 4:23-cv-00208-AW-MAF ACLU Case Page: Shen v. Simpson - What's at Stake Media reports: AP News , AsAmNews , Axios , CBS News , Forbes , Fortune , Politico , Reuters , The Hill , Independent Florida Alligator , and Tallahassee Democrat Smithsonian Institution: A More Perfect Union - Japanese Americans and the U.S. Constitution Equal Justice Initiative: California Law Prohibits Asian Immigrants from Owning Land APA Justice: Lawsuit Against Florida Senate Bill 264 Texas SB147 Dies in Legislature, with Help from Protests; Louisiana and Alabama According to the Houston Chronicle on May 22, 2023, Texas Senate Bill 147 to stop Chinese citizens from buying land in Texas won’t become law.Even after major revisions were made to the bill to respond to statewide protests, the Texas House did not pass the legislation out of committee over the weekend — effectively killing the legislation for the regular session, which ends next week.The bill triggered protests among Asian-American communities and civil rights groups who said it would block even Chinese citizens who fled the communist nation and are legal permanent residents — including green card holders —from buying property. There are about 100,000 legal green card holders in the United States from the four targeted nations, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security."We've got to quit dividing our society," state Sen. John Whitmire , D-Houston, said during a debate in the Senate last month on the bill.Though it passed the Texas Senate, the House State Affairs Committee declined to even hold a hearing on the legislation.State Rep. Gene Wu , a Houston Democrat whose family is from China, said the changes made to the bill didn't dispel the major problems he had with it."National security is a serious issue, but if we are concerned about the actions of foreign governments, then legislation should only affect foreign governments and their agents,” Wu said. “Labeling every person from a nation as an agent of that government is not only unjust, but is also counterintuitive given the number of asylum-seekers and refugees that our nation welcomes from those same counties."Read the Houston Chronicle report: https://bit.ly/3Izh7oG Louisiana Protests Against Alien Land Bills According to The Advocate on May 23, 2023, the Louisiana Legislature is advancing a slate of bills that seek to ban certain “foreign adversaries” – including Chinese companies and people – from buying land in Louisiana, part of a national effort largely pushed by Republican-led states to prevent foreign actors from buying up important land.The bills have garnered a wave of opposition and protests from Chinese-American citizens, including college professors who say the legislation is discriminatory and could threaten their ability to buy homes, either through law or through discrimination from sellers.At least three Republican legislators are pushing bills targeting foreign land ownership, but House Bill 537 by Rep. Valarie Hodges , R-Denham Springs, has drawn the most scrutiny. Hodges’ bill, which the House approved on a 78 to 22 vote, would ban anyone tied to the governments of China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela from buying or leasing property in Louisiana. “This bill tells us we’re not good Americans,” Abigail Hu , a recent high school graduate in New Orleans, said during a committee hearing on Hodges’ bill. “I believe the language in this bill continues to have an anti-immigrant and xenophobic fear-mongering undertone.” Chinese companies own relatively little U.S. farmland – less than 1%, according to Pew Research – but some U.S. farming groups have nevertheless raised concerns. Read the Advocate report: https://bit.ly/3oB05PU NAPABA Statement on Alabama House Bill 379 The Alabama Asian Bar Association (AABA) and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) issued a statement strongly urging the Alabama legislature to safeguard the property rights of all Asian American Alabamians, including the many lawfully present Chinese Americans who call the state home, and who contribute economically, socially, and culturally to life in Alabama. HB 379, known as the “Alabama Property Protection Act,” as introduced, would bar “any individual who is a citizen of China” from purchasing any real estate. Surveillance Misuse Will Impact Section 702 Reauthorization According to the Washington Post on May 22, 2023, the battle to reauthorize expiring surveillance authorities that U.S. national security officials describe as a key cybersecurity tool may have just gotten even more difficult.The FBI has misused the powers — known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — more than 278,000 times between 2020 and early 2021, according to an unsealed April 2022 court ruling by Judge Rudolph Contreras of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. “Yet again, the public is learning about shocking abuses of FISA Section 702, in particular the FBI’s warrantless searches through 702 data for information on Americans,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). “These abuses have been going on for years and despite recent changes in FBI practices, these systematic violations of Americans’ privacy require congressional action. If Section 702 is to be reauthorized, there must be statutory reforms to ensure that the checks and balances are in place to put an end to these abuses.”The redacted document details instances where the FBI violated its own standards when officials searched for information about Americans. Section 702 is used to spy, without a warrant, on the electronic communications of foreign targets, but that can include their communications with Americans. Agencies can later query the repository using identifiers of those Americans, such as Social Security numbers.The opinion is more proof of the need for a warrant requirement before agencies conduct queries on Americans, the Brennan Center for Justice’s Elizabeth (Liza) Goitein said via email. The Biden administration opposes such a requirement.“The government is trying to dismiss these examples as irrelevant because it has since implemented changes to its training and oversight requirements,” she wrote. “But for 15 years, the government has been telling Congress and the American people that its training and oversight requirements were more than sufficient to protect Americans’ privacy. Clearly, that wasn’t true. This is a textbook case of ‘fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.’”Liza Goitein will speak on this topic at the June 5 monthly meeting. Please send a request to contact@apajustice.org if you wish to join the by-invitation-only meeting.Read the Washington Post article: https://wapo.st/43lfIdb Yellow Whistle Campaign Co-Founder Agnes Hsu-Tang Receives 2023 Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Award Since 2001, The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation has celebrated individuals who embrace the best of what these two American treasures represent: the unique tapestry woven from the stories of our nation’s immigration history, and the role of America and its citizens in championing the ongoing global struggle for liberty and freedom.One of three recipients of the award this year is Yellow Whistle Campaign Co-Founder Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang . Dr. Hsu-Tang is the first Asian American to lead an American history museum, as Board Chair of the New-York Historical Society, New York’s first museum founded in 1804; she is also Co-Chair of The Met Museum’s Objects Conservation Visiting Committee. Born in Taipei and educated in the U.S. and England in Archaeology and Art History, Dr. Hsu-Tang served on UNESCO scientific committees and participated in missions to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan; she later advised President Obama’s Cultural Property Advisory Committee on the U.S.-China bilateral agreement to reduce the illicit trafficking of cultural objects. Dr. Hsu-Tang was a Mellon Fellow at Cambridge University and taught at Brown and Stanford, and has authored academic publications and white papers. She was the host of History Channel’s Mysteries of China series and a Discovery Channel Asia contemporary art series that debuted during Art Basel Hong Kong in 2014. A Classical musician, Dr. Hsu-Tang performed at the Kennedy Center at 18 and was a Managing Director on the board of the Metropolitan Opera (2014-2021).APA Justice is a proud member of the Yellow Whistle Team, helping to distribute some of the 500,000 yellow whistles with the message of "We Belong." Read about the Yellow Whistle Campaign: https://bit.ly/2RDZMmB . Read the award announcement: https://bit.ly/3Wvvno2 News and Events for the Communities 1. Episode 1 of 3-part PBS Series, Between Black & White: Asian Americans Speak Out On May 18, 2023, PBS, in partnership with The Serica Initiative, aired Episode 1 of a 3-part series, Between Black & White: Asian Americans Speak Out. “There was a lot of fear in the community. How do we nurture trust? How do we build trust?” — Eddie Zheng , president of The New Breath Foundation and former inmate Eddie Zheng spent 21 years behind bars in California for a crime he committed at age 16. Now he’s committed to building bridges — and bridging the divide between Asian Americans and other communities of color. But he’s not doing it alone. In one San Francisco neighborhood, Blacks and Asian Americans are working together to confront racism, fear, and misperceptions about one another.Watch the PBS Episode: https://to.pbs.org/3op3sJV (video 7:30) 2. AAUP Calls to Fight ‘Tooth and Nail’ in Florida According to Inside Higher Ed on May 24, 2023, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) released a preliminary report sounding alarm about Florida higher education under Ron DeSantis ’s governorship—and calling for academe to fight back.“It is imperative that we pay attention to the dire situation in Florida now,” the report says. “What is happening in Florida will not stay in Florida. We call on all professional organizations, unions, faculty, staff and administrators across the country to fight such ‘reforms’ tooth and nail and to offer support to our colleagues in Florida however they can. We are in this together.”Read the Inside Higher Ed report: https://bit.ly/3IEiVg5 3. Advancing Health and Well-Being of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Communities On May 25, 2023, the National Academy of Medicine, the Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association, and the National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians will co-host “Advancing Health and Well-Being of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Communities through Leadership Development and a Shared Health Equity Research Agenda.” This free virtual event will bring together leaders, researchers, and community members alongside professional organizations to discuss strategies for advancing health equity and leadership development for AANHPI communities.The event will feature keynote speakers and panel discussions exploring topics such as the current state of health disparities among AANHPI communities, effective models for leadership development within AANHPI communities, and strategies for developing a shared health equity research agenda that addresses the unique needs of these communities.Participants will have the opportunity to engage in interactive sessions, networking opportunities, and discussions to exchange knowledge and ideas on how to improve health outcomes and well-being for AANHPI communities. By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, this event aims to foster collaboration and inspire action towards achieving health equity for AANHPI communities.Registration is free, but is required for attendance. Read and register for the event: https://bit.ly/3MxY4fx 4 . Our Voices Now: A Black and Asian Dialogue to Action On May 24, 2023, AARP will convene Asian American and Pacific Islander and Black communities to address the double pandemic of COVID and systemic racism. In this free online event, AARP will explore the overlooked history of working together for positive change and open up the conversation on empathy, healing and the shared vision of tomorrow.Where do we go from here, and how might we build bridges for multi-generational Asian and Black solidarity? By bringing the communities together, we can move towards our collective physical, mental and financial well-being and how we can uplift Black and Asian communities.The event will be moderated by Richard Lui , NBC News anchor. Panelists are Paula Madison , author and journalist Jose Antonio Vargas , Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Alex Reid , the first non-Asian Black K-Pop Star Read and register for the event: https://bit.ly/3WvQ6rL Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF May 24, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #124 Bipartisan Innovation Act; Professor Mingqing Xiao; APS Webinar: Supreme Court Ruling #124 Bipartisan Innovation Act; Professor Mingqing Xiao; APS Webinar: Supreme Court Ruling Back View PDF April 12, 2022 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #176 4/17 Roundtable; Red Scare/McCarthyism; Texas; ISSCO Videos/Photos; Non-Random Surveys #176 4/17 Roundtable; Red Scare/McCarthyism; Texas; ISSCO Videos/Photos; Non-Random Surveys In This Issue #176 2023/04/17 Roundtable on a National Alert Network Fight Back the Return of the Red Scare and McCarthyism Chinese Americans Fight for Their Place in Texas Online Videos and Photos of the ISSCO 30th Anniversary Conference "Inference Using Non-Random Samples? Stop Right There!" 2023/04/17 Roundtable on a National Alert Network WHEN: Monday, April 17, 2023, 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT WHAT: Online Roundtable DESCRIPTION: Inaugural roundtable to establish the purpose and functions of a national media alert network and strike teams to assertively address immediate xenophobic challenges to our freedoms and longer-term proactive actions to ensure fairness and justice for all, including the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and immigrant communities. REGISTRATION: This is an event by invitation only to guests and official representative(s) of AAPI organizations. Members at the Roundtable will be sent a panelist link. Others please register at http://bit.ly/3KvlMI8 Fight Back the Return of the Red Scare and McCarthyism According to a report by the Los Angeles Times on April 9, 2023, the far-rightring site Daily Caller, co-founded by Fox News showman Tucker Carlson , published a hit piece devoid of damning facts, heavy on innuendo and liberally sprinkled with the words "alleged" and "allegedly," that painted former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Walter Wang as dangerous stooges of the Chinese Communist Party. Walter Wang, a Taiwanese immigrant, is chief executive of Los Angeles-based pipe manufacturer JM Eagle and a longtime American citizen.Wang 's friends and close business associates know better than to believe the story, "but the people who are not close to me and don't know me well are going to think of me now in a negative light. It could really hurt my reputation." The Garcetti piece also lit into Dominic Ng , Chief Executive of Pasadena-based East West Bank. And previous Daily Caller stories have taken aim at Frank Wu , the president of Queen's College, City University of New York, and Asian Americans involved with the mainstream news outlet the China Project. As tensions rise between the governments of the United States and China, the Daily Caller has leaned into narratives with a similar theme: Chinese and Taiwanese Americans with any connections to China are probably up to some unAmerican activities."If every Chinese American in a photo with any Chinese official is suspect, you're talking about every successful Chinese person," said Frank Wu, "this is about whether or not you have an Asian face."Wu himself became a target of accusations by the Daily Caller last December. That story went after an English language news site called the China Project. No solid facts underpin the innuendo. The article named Wu and other ethnic Asians who sit on the China Project's advisory board. They "appear to belong," the Daily Caller said, to a group called the Committee of 100. Wu says he is in fact a proud members of the committee, which was founded by architect I.M. Pei and cellist Yo-Yo Ma and comprises prominent Chinese Americans who work together to address political, cultural and economic issues between the U.S. and China.Wu, Ng, and Wang see the articles as part of a poisonous campaign to smear political opponents, an approach that pairs McCarthy-era Red Scare tactics with anti-Asian racism.At the same time, all three say they enjoy powerful positions that protect them to some extent from the worst forms of racism.Asian Americans in general have been known to keep a low profile in politics, but it is time to speak up. "We can't just be talking among ourselves in the Asian community, the outreach has to be broader. I'm worrying about being the silent majority," Ng said."We have to fight this," said Wang, who is contemplating a lawsuit. "If we don't fight it, who will?" Read the Los Angeles Times report: http://bit.ly/3GqwM8I Chinese Americans Fight for Their Place in Texas According to a report by the Texas Tribune on April 3, 2023, a mid-January Twitter post by Governor Greg Abbott alerted Chinese Americans across Texas that their rights might be trampled as state lawmakers rushed to burnish their geopolitical credentials.On January 15, the Republican governor told his 1 million followers he was ready to sign into law Texas Senate Bill 147 that would ban “citizens, governments & entities” of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from purchasing land in the state, in effect blocking some immigrants from becoming homeowners.The bill restricting land ownership was followed by kindred proposals to ban international college students from those same countries and to cut off Texans’ access to TikTok and another social media platform that’s become crucial for the Chinese diaspora living in the state to communicate with family in China.As the Legislature’s work has ramped up, the political headwinds have drafted Chinese Americans into defending their foothold in a state where many have lived for decades, and where Asian Americans have reliably made up the fastest-growing segment of population for years. They’ve grown fearful of a legislative culture that could feed challenges to the rights of Asian Texans, as well as Texans from the other targeted countries. “You can target foreign governments, you can target [the] foreign Chinese Communist Party, but you have to separate that from the individuals that are already in this country and protected by the Constitution,” said Hugh Li , president of the Austin Chinese-American Network and a naturalized citizen of 18 years. “This is our land too. This is our home too. So for the Texas Legislature to want to pass these kinds of bills targeting us and strip away our rights, it’s just not right.”More recently, House Bill 2206 was introduced to ban social media platforms “developed or provided” by entities in the four countries. The social media bill echoes federal efforts to scrutinize popular platforms like TikTok and WeChat over security concerns related to China’s access to Americans' data.The proposals have left it to Chinese Americans to delineate for lawmakers that their lives in Texas exist far apart from geopolitical considerations. At a House hearing in March, a contingent of Chinese Americans waited more than six hours to testify against the legislation that would ban social media platforms, detailing how they rely on WeChat to stay in touch with family. They held up screenshots of video chats between grandparents and grandchildren. One Texan grew emotional as they described how the bill would sever the “bridge for emotional connection” for many Chinese Americans.WeChat is used by 1.3 billion people every month. In China, the platform is reportedly heavily censored and serves as an instrument for mass government surveillance. In households across the state, however, Chinese Americans primarily rely on the messaging and calling tools available through WeChat to connect with family members and friends back in China, where the use of the app is ubiquitous and where other social media or messaging platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp are banned.In 58 pages of testimony submitted in writing to the committee, Texans described WeChat as an “indispensable lifeline connecting us to our families, friends, and culture.” Some described how the use of WeChat in the U.S. has grown into an important tool for businesses connecting with supplies overseas. It was crucial for Chinese restaurants fighting to stay afloat at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s used by day cares to send notifications to parents and by community groups to distribute news, notifications and even weather warnings that otherwise would not be translated from English. The app even serves as a platform for Bible studies among Chinese-speaking churches.Others raised claims of unconstitutionality and questioned why Chinese Americans would be targeted in what they described as an affront to their First Amendment and equal protection rights. Federal courts blocked the Trump administration’s 2020 efforts to block TikTok and WeChat in the United States through executive orders, though the effort has more recently gained bipartisan support in Congress, where national security concerns have reverberated among lawmakers from both parties. Some described how the use of WeChat in the U.S. has grown into an important tool for businesses connecting with supplies overseas. It was crucial for Chinese restaurants fighting to stay afloat at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s used by day cares to send notifications to parents and by community groups to distribute news, notifications and even weather warnings that otherwise would not be translated from English. The app even serves as a platform for Bible studies among Chinese-speaking churches.Others raised claims of unconstitutionality and questioned why Chinese Americans would be targeted in what they described as an affront to their First Amendment and equal protection rights. Federal courts blocked the Trump administration’s 2020 efforts to block TikTok and WeChat in the United States through executive orders, though the effort has more recently gained bipartisan support in Congress, where national security concerns have reverberated among lawmakers from both parties. “It’s just a reminder that the place of immigrants in this country and this state is so tenuous, and it can all be taken away so easily,” she said.Read the Texas Tribune report: http://bit.ly/40RvbRi Online Videos and Photos of the ISSCO 30th Anniversary Conference ISSCO, the International Society for the Study of Chinese Overseas, was established in 1992. On November 11-12, 2022, ISSCO convened its 30th Anniversary Conference in San Francisco.Five videos from the plenary sessions of the conference are online: Keynote by Mae Ngai and Welcome (1:22:08). Introduction: Lok SIU; Welcome: Raka RAY, LIN Rupeng, LI Minghuan, WANG Gungwu, and Ling-chi WANG; Keynote: Mae M. NGAI Racial Profiling and Discrimination against Chinese American Scientists and Engineers (1:39:06). Speakers: Sherry CHEN, Xiaoxing XI, Gang CHEN, and Jeremy S. WU; Moderator: Lillian K. SING The Pandemic and Anti-Asian Violence in the U.S. (1:30:43). Welcome: Lok SIU; Speakers: Russell JEUNG, John WALSH, and Cynthia CHOI, Moderator: Henry DER Changing US-China Relations and Their Impact on Chinese in the U.S. and Elsewhere (1:27:43). Speakers: Julie TANG, Gordon CHANG, K.J. NOH, and George KOO; Moderator: Don TOW; Concluding remarks: Lok SIU ISSCO Founders Roundtable (54:24). Moderator: Madeline HSU; Slideshow by: Wei LI; Speakers: Ling-chi WANG, Karen HARRIS, Emmanuel MA MUNG, and Teresita ANG SEE An album of photos from the conference is available here: https://bit.ly/3mj3py2 . If you would like to use the photos for any purpose, please contact the photographer Joyce Xi at joyceyxi11@gmail.com . Joyce can also provide higher-resolution files. "Inference Using Non-Random Samples? Stop Right There!" Surveys are commonly used to measure the current state of affairs or the opinions of a group of people. One of the most significant scientific innovations at the end of the nineteenth century is the introduction of probability-based or random sampling. According to the Significance Magazine in October 2021 ,"statistical inference is a powerful concept. Among other things, it allows us to infer information about a population based on a sample of data from that population. To make appropriate inferences from sample to population, certain pre-conditions need to be met. One of these pre-conditions is that data come from a random sample." Incredibly, a small random sample of say 1,000 individuals would allow statistical inference to be made about the Chinese American population of about 5.5 million within some margin of measurable sampling error.However, random surveys can be costly, laborious, and difficult to conduct. Non-random surveys are also conducted, but the scope of inference is limited to the survey respondents. The temptation to go beyond this boundary is strong. The Significance article observes that inferential statistics should not be used in non-random studies. "However, in many cases, they are. A lack of awareness of the need for random sampling among researchers leads them to go through the motions... Even when researchers themselves do know this, they can find themselves compelled to perform inference by ignorant referees.""in short, if we do not start with a random sample, turning what we have into one is challenging or even impossible. In such cases, we should accept the hard truth that statistical inference is not possible. We must simply report what the data show - and refuse to push them statistically further," the Significance article concludes.In a separate article by Nature in December 2021 which examined the estimates of first-dose COVID-19 vaccine uptake in US adults from 9 January to 19 May 2021, it was shown "how a survey of 250,000 respondents can produce an estimate of the population mean that is no more accurate than an estimate from a simple random sample of size 10. Our central message is that data quality matters more than data quantity, and that compensating the former with the latter is a mathematically provable losing proposition." Next time you see the release of a survey and its results, you may want to look deeper into how the inferences are made on the respondents only or an entire population. Subscribe to The APA Justice Newsletter Complete this simple form at https://bit.ly/2FJunJM to subscribe. Please share it with those who wish to be informed and join the fight. View past newsletters here: https://bit.ly/APAJ_Newsletters . Back View PDF April 10, 2023 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #404 8/3 Monthly Meeting; Science in US Needs Plan; Coalition Pushes Back; AASF Symposium;+ #404 8/3 Monthly Meeting; Science in US Needs Plan; Coalition Pushes Back; AASF Symposium;+ In This Issue #404 · 2026/08/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting · Science : University Science in the US Needs a Coherent Plan · A Coalition Pushes Back Against OMB Rule · AASF 2026 Frontiers and Pioneers Symposium · News and Activities for the Communities 2026/08/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting The next APA Justice monthly meeting will be held on Monday, May 4, 2026, starting at 1:55 pm ET. In addition to updates from: · Judith Teruya , Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) · Joanna YangQing Derman , Program Director, Advancing Justice | AAJC · Gisela Perez Kusakawa , Executive Director, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) We are honored to welcome the following distinguished speakers: · Tam Dao , Associate Vice President of Public Safety and Research Security, Rice University · Kenny Evans , Fellow in Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Rice University · Sarah Stalker-Lehoux , Acting Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy, National Science Foundation · Roger Innes , Distinguished Professor, Biology, Indiana University 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 - Vincent Wang 王文奎 and Jeremy Wu 胡善庆 - or send a message to contact@apajustice.org . Science : University Science in the US Needs a Coherent Plan The Science editorial , published July 23, 2026, argues that the Trump administration's ongoing actions are systematically undermining U.S. academic science, and that universities' collective silence in response is making the crisis worse. The Evidence of Harm: · Graduate student enrollment at major research universities (which award half of all U.S. doctorates) has dropped 15% year-over-year, driven by immigration policies deterring international students and funding uncertainty that makes universities hesitant to commit to new doctoral students. · National Science Foundation (NSF) recently cut basic science grants by up to 30% or more, shifting support away from academic research toward entrepreneurial tech initiatives. · Office of Management and Budget (OMB) ignored bipartisan pushback and refused to extend the comment period on its proposal to shift grant-approval power from peer review boards to political appointees — the same rule covered in APA Justice's prior newsletter coverage . · High-profile scientists are leaving: Nobel laureate chemist Omar Yaghi departed UC Berkeley for Tsinghua University in China to lead a new AI-driven materials science institute, and chemist David Nicewicz left UNC Chapel Hill for Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, citing a desire to be in a "country that truly cares about the development and welfare of its citizens." The Core Critique: The editorial's central argument is not just about administration policy — it is about institutional failure. Only a handful of organizations (AAAS and the Association of American Medical Colleges) issued immediate, firm condemnations of the OMB rule. Most universities that objected did so quietly, at the last minute, with minimal follow-through beyond their formal comments — Yale and Duke are cited as rare exceptions. The author attributes this caution to fear of retaliation from the administration. The most concrete, actionable resistance is coming not from universities but from activist organizations like Stand Up for Science. Meanwhile, university leadership is described as more focused on competing with each other for visibility than coordinating a unified response. The Ask: The editorial calls for a "coherent plan" — a clear, practical strategy from academic leadership on how U.S. science can survive and adapt to the current political climate. If university leaders disagree with the more confrontational approach of groups like Stand Up for Science, the piece argues they owe the scientific community a clearly articulated alternative — rather than leaving faculty, students, and prospective students to navigate a "messy patchwork of guidance" without direction. A Coalition Pushes Back Against OMB Rule As the White House's sweeping OMB grantmaking rule moves toward finalization, a coalition of activist organizations, faculty unions, and scientific societies has emerged as the clearest, most organized source of opposition — filling a vacuum left by largely quiet university leadership, as covered in a separate article in this issue. Stand Up for Science: Leading the Fight Founded in 2025 amid the administration's disruption of federal science funding, Stand Up for Science (SUFS) has become one of the most active organizations tracking and opposing the OMB rule specifically. Founder and CEO Colette Delawalla described the group's work as "a frankly enormous campaign educating the public and scientists" on what the rule actually contains. SUFS published a detailed " Impact Report " on the proposal and a plain-language explainer flagging specific legal vulnerabilities — including its finding that the rule's "domestic first framework" restricting foreign collaboration appears to conflict with CHIPS and Science Act carve-outs that expressly permit certain international research exchanges, and that OMB devoted unusually extensive legal justification to its DEI restrictions and expanded grant-termination authority, a sign the agency may be bracing for litigation. This CHIPS Act tension echoes the concerns Stanford physicist Peter Michelson raised regarding NSF's SECURE program, covered in our OMB rule article elsewhere in this issue. SUFS also built public tools making it easier to file substantive, individualized comments rather than form letters, and partnered with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) on public action events, including a June 18 educational webinar and a July 13 "OMB Deadline Day Rally" billed as "the fight is just beginning." For more information, visit the Stand Up for Science website. The Scientific Societies Mobilize According to an analysis by Tech Policy Press , roughly 70 scientific and professional societies filed formal comments opposing the rule, an outsized share by influence, since organizational comments tend to carry more technical and legal weight than individual submissions. Among the most prominent: · AAAS , publisher of Science , submitted a comment identifying three core harms: OMB overreach, political control over grantmaking and terminations, and expanded restrictions on international cooperation — arguing the rule would "overemphasize political objectives in scientific priority setting" while "deemphasiz[ing] scientific opportunity, merit-based expert peer review, and the needs of American patients, industries, and workers." · The American Physical Society called the rule an "unequivocal threat" to the peer-review system underlying U.S. scientific leadership. · The American Astronomical Society , representing roughly 9,000 members, warned the rule would "cause significant harm to the scientific community, research institutions, and professional societies," specifically flagging new restrictions on covering conference attendance and publishing costs. · The American Association for Cancer Research mobilized its 66,000 members, warning the rule would "undermine scientific independence, restrict collaborations, disrupt the dissemination of research, and seriously threaten progress against cancer." · The American Society for Microbiology flagged that the rule's prohibition on using federal funds for publication costs would force researchers to divert limited funding away from training and mentoring early-career scientists. · The American Geophysical Union , whose board member Tanya Furman warned that restricting scientists' ability to share results "damages our nation and leaves us unable to compete," joined the American Mathematical Society in filing detailed technical objections. · The Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS) , representing the federal statistics and data research community, filed a comment calling for the rule to be "withdrawn in their entirety," warning that "by introducing political oversight, sudden funding instability, and broad self-censorship requirements into the grant-making process, this rule directly threatens the integrity, continuity, and accessibility of vital research" — arguing that accurate, objective, and timely federal data is "the bedrock of public policy, economic forecasting, and scientific progress." · The American Council on Education (ACE) led a coalition of over 60 higher education associations in a joint formal response calling on OMB to withdraw the proposal entirely. · Even the New England Journal of Medicine weighed in: Editor-in-Chief Eric Rubin , a Harvard professor, said the rule "would certainly be bad for Boston," reflecting concern from a region where research institutions employ thousands of federally funded workers. · FASEB , a federation of scientific societies, has announced a "Phase 2" of advocacy focused on direct congressional engagement now that the comment period has closed. An analysis by STAT of the submitted comments found that science advocacy groups and scientific journals led the initial wave of opposition, with higher education coalitions, professional societies, and individual researchers following — and even some industry groups, typically cautious about criticizing the administration, submitting comments as well. Bipartisan Congressional Pushback This advocacy coalition found some traction on Capitol Hill. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, criticized the rule's mid-award termination provisions and new payment-justification requirements, warning they would disproportionately burden small and rural communities alongside scientific and biomedical research. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) submitted a letter of opposition with 125 co-signers. House Democrats Frank Pallone , Diana DeGette , and Yvette Clarke separately called the rule an "obvious power grab" that "threatens to inflict severe harm on the nation's biomedical research enterprise by usurping the critical role of scientific experts in the approval and funding of grants." What's Next With the comment period closed and OMB expected to review nearly 497,000 submissions before finalizing the rule by its October 1 target date, this coalition's next moves — particularly FASEB's promised congressional engagement push and any legal challenges organizations may be preparing — will likely determine whether the record public opposition translates into meaningful changes to the rule. AASF 2026 Frontiers and Pioneers Symposium WHAT: 2026 Frontiers and Pioneers Symposium WHEN : August 7-9, 2026 WHERE : Stanford University HOSTS : Asian American Scholar Forum, Asian American Research Center at Stanford DESCRIPTION : A 3-day gathering hosted by the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), in partnership with Stanford University's Asian American Research Center, bringing together scholars, researchers, students, and thought leaders to explore the contributions of Asian Americans in STEM and academia — and the challenges they face. The event includes panels, sessions, and a formal medal ceremony honoring Asian American pioneers in fields like energy, AI, life sciences, and leadership. REGISTRATION: https://www.aafuturefoundation.org/ News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/08/03 APA Justice Monthly Meeting 2026/08/05 C100: The Impact of AI on Asian American Careers in Technology 2026/08/07-09 AASF: Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony 2026/08/26 C100: An Advice and Networking Event (Technology)Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the APA Justice website at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF July 27, 2026 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #27 Biden-Harris Elected; Second Webinar On Science Policy; Upcoming Events​ #27 Biden-Harris Elected; Second Webinar On Science Policy; Upcoming Events Back View PDF November 9, 2020 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

Newsletter - #368 Gary Locke Honored by NAPA; William Tong Elected; APA History in CT; NAPABA Updates; + #368 Gary Locke Honored by NAPA; William Tong Elected; APA History in CT; NAPABA Updates; + In This Issue #368 · NAPA Honors Gary Locke for Excellence in Public Service · Connecticut AG William Tong Elected President of NAAG · Asian Pacific American History in Connecticut Schools · Update from NAPABA · News and Activities for the Communities NAPA Honors Gary Locke for Excellence in Public Service On December 10, 2025, the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) announced that Secretary Janet L. Yellen , American Economist, former Treasury Secretary and former Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States, and Governor Gary F. Locke 骆家辉 , former U.S. Ambassador to China, U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Washington State Governor, will receive the Elliot L. Richardson Prize for Excellence in Public Service on January 28, 2026.The award ceremony will take place at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C, from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28 after a reception beginning at 6:00 p.m. Journalist Jenn White , host of NPR’s 1A program, will moderate a discussion with the two award recipients as part of the event.The Elliot L. Richardson Prize is presented on a biennial basis to individuals exemplifying the public service virtues demonstrated by the award’s namesake. The prize in the amount of $50,000 will be split between the two awardees. Consistent with the public-spiritedness of Elliot L. Richardson, recipients of the award are required to designate one or more charities to receive half the prize amount they are awarded. Elliot L. Richardson is considered to be one of the nation’s finest public servants. An Academy Fellow, he served in four Cabinet-level positions in the U.S. government: Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW); Secretary of Defense, Attorney General; and Secretary of Commerce under both Republican and Democratic Presidents. Richardson is remembered for his integrity and courage that saved the nation from a constitutional crisis during the “Saturday Night Massacre” incident during the Nixon administration.Gary F. Locke’s legacy has many dimensions reflecting his varied roles as a trailblazing politician, public servant, and a diplomat who has been a leader in the areas of education, employment, trade, human services, and the environment.Locke served as the 10th United States Ambassador to China from 2011–2014, the 36th U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 2009–2011, and Washington State’s 21st Governor from 1997–2005. He was the first Chinese American elected governor in U.S. history, the first Asian American governor in the continental United States, and the first Chinese American Secretary of Commerce.As Governor, Locke earned national recognition for innovations in government efficiency, customer-focused service delivery, and priority-based budgeting. Under his leadership, Washington State was ranked among the nation’s best-managed states, with major initiatives delivered successfully and under budget. His work has been cited by leading scholars and institutions, including Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.Locke later brought his pragmatic, cross-cultural leadership to diplomacy, strengthening U.S.–China engagement while advancing American economic and strategic interests. He currently serves as Chairman of Locke Global Strategies, advising clients on trade, regulatory, and investment matters, and as Chair of the Committee of 100 .Previous recipients of the Elliot L. Richardson Prize include Secretary Norman Mineta . NAPA is a Congressionally chartered, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization that advances excellence in public administration through its research programs and its nearly 1,000 elected Fellows. Comparable in structure and mission to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), NAPA serves as a national resource for objective expertise on governance and public management.Read the NAPA press release: https://bit.ly/4rX1FaI . Register to attend the January 28 event in person or virtually: https://bit.ly/4iZPIgu . Connecticut AG William Tong Elected President of NAAG On December 12, 2025, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) elected Connecticut Attorney General (AG) William Tong 湯偉麟 as President of the association during its annual Capital Forum, held December 8–10. Attorney General Tong succeeds New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella , who served as NAAG President in 2025.William Tong is the 25th Attorney General of Connecticut, first elected in 2018 and currently serving his second term. A national leader in high-impact litigation and investigations, Attorney General Tong has led bipartisan, multistate efforts to hold the addiction industry accountable for the opioid crisis, restore competition in the generic drug market, and protect consumers from data breaches and unfair practices. He has also prioritized reducing energy costs, expanding broadband access, and ensuring affordable healthcare.The son of immigrant small-business owners, Attorney General Tong brings a personal understanding of the challenges facing working families. He has worked to safeguard civil rights, defend Connecticut’s gun safety laws, and hold corporations accountable for climate-related deception. Before becoming Attorney General, Tong served 12 years in the Connecticut General Assembly and practiced law for nearly two decades. He is the first Asian American elected to statewide office in Connecticut and the first Chinese American elected Attorney General in the United States.During the APA Justice monthly meeting on May 5, 2025, Attorney General Tong reflected on the significance of his historic election, noting that its rarity underscores the continued underrepresentation of AAPI communities in political leadership. He spoke candidly about persistent xenophobia and racism, and about how Asian Americans—particularly East Asian Americans—are often perceived as perpetual foreigners who are quiet, passive, and unlikely to lead, contributing to the rise in anti-Asian hate. Tong argued that greater AAPI representation in positions of power would allow communities to prevent discrimination rather than merely react to it, and he strongly defended birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment as central to his own identity. Drawing on the long history of Chinese American contributions to the nation, he emphasized that AAPI stories are deeply American, concluding with a call for solidarity, collective voice, and mutual protection so that no one in the community faces discrimination alone. Read his remarks at the APA Justice monthly meeting: https://bit.ly/4oYIMSf Asian Pacific American History in Connecticut Schools According to AP News on December 12, 2025, three years after Connecticut mandated Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history in K–12 education, West Hartford Public Schools are rolling out a comprehensive, year-round curriculum that integrates AAPI history across most grade levels. Students will learn not only about familiar topics like Japanese American incarceration during World War II, but also lesser-known stories such as Medal of Honor recipient Sadao Munemori , as well as immigration history, birthright citizenship cases like Wong Kim Ark ’s, and contemporary figures such as architect Maya Lin . Educators say the expanded curriculum addresses long-standing gaps that left many students feeling invisible and reflects the district’s diverse population. The effort is part of a broader national movement accelerated by the surge in anti-Asian hate during the pandemic, with roughly a dozen states now requiring AAPI history.At the same time, the push for inclusive education has exposed tensions within the AAPI community and across states, particularly where lawmakers resist teaching systemic racism or broader ethnic studies. While AAPI history mandates have sometimes gained bipartisan support, critics argue that similar openness has not been extended to Black, Latinx, or LGBTQ+ histories, raising concerns about sanitized or selective narratives. Educators in Connecticut emphasize that the goal is not ideological instruction but a “deeper, richer” understanding of American history—one that includes struggle, resilience, and achievement. District leaders plan to continue refining the curriculum, using literature and age-appropriate lessons to embed AAPI experiences into a balanced and inclusive view of the nation’s past. Update from NAPABA During the APA Justice monthly meeting on December 1, 2025, Edgar Chen 陳春品 , Special Advisor, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), provided an overview of NAPABA’s recent annual convention and the organization’s broader civil-rights–focused work. He began by thanking APA Justice for the opportunity to share updates and participate in discussion of Florida’s SB 264 during the Q&A.Edgar explained that NAPABA represents more than 80,000 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students across the United States, with additional Canadian affiliates. Each year, NAPABA convenes members in a different host city for its annual convention. The 2025 gathering took place in Denver, Colorado, and was NAPABA’s second-largest convention ever, with over 2,800 attendees. He noted that last year’s Seattle convention reached a record 3,400 attendees and featured Governor Gary Locke as an opening speaker.Edgar highlighted several elements of the Denver convention that intersect with current civil rights issues. Responding to earlier panel discussion about the federal Community Relations Service (CRS), he noted that CRS — often called “the nation’s peacemakers” — has historically had four directors of Asian American descent: Grand Lum , Rose Ochi , Justin Locke , and Julius Nam . Grand Lum participated in a Denver panel on alternative dispute resolution. Edgar also connected other speakers’ points to NAPABA’s recent work, noting, for example, that NAPABA included the Congressional Gold Medal for Chinese American WWII veterans as part of its 2018 lobby-day agenda.NAPABA’s continuing legal education offerings at the convention spanned more than 43 breakout sessions covering emerging and specialized practice areas, including artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, healthcare law, tariffs, and even Asian American leadership in the outdoor and skiing industries — a nod to the Colorado setting. From this broad program, Edgar emphasized several civil rights sessions that were most relevant to the APA Justice audience. These included programming on birthright citizenship, such as a reenactment of the landmark Wong Kim Ark case; discussions about discrimination against Pacific Islander women; sessions addressing sexual violence; and a program on language access in the wake of the recent rescission of the Clinton-era executive order guaranteeing federal language-access services. The convention also explored book bans and the erosion of intersectional identities in public education and discourse.Edgar personally moderated a panel on immigration enforcement featuring Greg Chen of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He summarized the panel’s key conclusion: the central issue currently shaping immigration outcomes is “discretion,” particularly the growing use of negative discretion across U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and other parts of the federal immigration system. He stressed that, beyond ICE, these shifts have implications for refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable communities — especially in the context of the recent shooting in Washington, D.C., which has further intensified national debate over immigration policy and public safety. The convention also featured a major plenary session with Justice Goodwin Liu of the California Supreme Court and Ajay Mehrotra of the American Bar Foundation. They discussed the “Portrait Project,” a data-driven analysis of AANHPI representation in the legal profession and the barriers that impede career advancement. The research identifies three persistent barriers: lack of mentorship, limited networking infrastructure, and insufficient development of soft skills that are rarely taught in law school but crucial to professional success. Edgar emphasized that first-generation lawyers in particular face challenges in navigating these unwritten rules of the legal profession, and that part of NAPABA’s mission is helping to close these gaps.He also noted that NAPABA honored several Trailblazers this year, including Committee of 100 member Alan Tse and Rutgers Law Professor Rose Cuison-Villazor , both widely recognized for their leadership and contributions to civil rights and legal scholarship. The convention concluded with a gala featuring an in-depth conversation between actor Rich Ting and journalist Katie Fang — a session Edgar described as especially compelling.Looking ahead, Edgar announced that the next NAPABA convention will take place in Los Angeles, where attendance could reach 5,000 members. He invited APA Justice participants and interested community members to follow upcoming announcements about the 2026 program.A summary of the December 1 APA Justice monthly meeting is being prepared at this time. News and Activities for the Communities 1. APA Justice Community Calendar Upcoming Events: 2026/01/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2026/01/13 Conversations, Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes: Leroy Chiao2026/01/29-30 The Jimmy Carter Forum on U.S.-China Relations2026/02/02 APA Justice Monthly MeetingVisit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details. # # # APA Justice Task Force is a non-partisan platform to build a sustainable ecosystem that addresses racial profiling concerns and to facilitate, inform, and advocate on selected issues related to justice and fairness for the Asian Pacific American community. For more information, please refer to the new APA Justice website under development at www.apajusticetaskforce.org . We value your feedback. Please send your comments to contact@apajustice.org . Back View PDF December 15, 2025 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter

1. From Past Prejudice to Present Policy: The Impact of Land Ownership Exclusion Laws on Diverse Communities 2024-2025 Alien Land Laws Wednesday, December 11, 2024 An insightful discussion on the troubling resurgence of alien land laws — historically discriminatory policies that are reemerging in state legislatures across the U.S. Originally designed to prevent non-citizens, particularly those from AAPI communities, from owning property, these laws are now being reframed as safeguards to national resources. We discussed whether these laws properly address national security concerns or whether they are merely a pretext that infringes upon civil rights and liberties under the guise of protection. Our panel of legal experts and advocates delved into the history of alien land laws, examine their renewed impact on vulnerable communities and discuss key cases, including a bill recently introduced in Florida. Whether you’re a policymaker, legal professional, journalist, or concerned citizen, this event was essential for anyone committed to upholding justice and equity in America. Previous Item Next Item

2. Fair Housing Rights & Alien Land Laws: Challenges and Advocacy for the Asian American Community 2024-2025 Alien Land Laws Tuesday, March 4, 2025 The second installment of the Alien Land Law Webinar Series examined how nationality-based homeownership restrictions are affecting real estate professionals and homebuyers—especially within the Chinese American community. With new laws limiting property ownership based on nationality, real estate professionals and advocates are stepping up to challenge these discriminatory policies. This webinar provided critical insights into how these restrictions are reshaping the housing landscape and what we can do to fight back. The webinar covered: Your Rights Under the Fair Housing Act – Understand the legal protections in place to combat discrimination. How These Laws Affect Asian Homebuyers & Real Estate Professionals – Hear real-world impacts from industry experts. Community & Legal Advocacy in Action – Learn how grassroots efforts and legal challenges are pushing back and how you can get involved. This webinar was for real estate professionals, homeowners, prospective buyers, community leaders, and advocacy groups looking to stay informed and take action. Stay ahead of these evolving legal challenges by exploring Committee of 100’s interactive map , which tracks ongoing land ownership exclusion laws, and APA Justice’s Alien Land Bills webpage, where you’ll find the latest updates on lawsuits and policy developments. Together, we can stand up for fair housing rights and fight back against discrimination. 20250304 SecondWebinar3.jpg Previous Item Next Item

Newsletter - #97 DOJ Changed Report; Trial Dates; Yale/Princeton/Stanford/SIU News; Happy Thanksgiving #97 DOJ Changed Report; Trial Dates; Yale/Princeton/Stanford/SIU News; Happy Thanksgiving Back View PDF November 22, 2021 Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter