The Human and Scientific Costs of Racial Profiling Must be Heard
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2021
Contact:
Senator Susan C. Lee susan.lee@senate.state.md.us
Terry Lierman terry@liermanadvisors.com
The Human and Scientific Costs of Racial Profiling Must be Heard
Scientific and Civil Rights Leaders and Organizations request US Representative Jamie Raskin, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, conduct House Hearings to address racial profiling and investigations of scientists and scholars of Chinese and Asian descent
February 1, 2021
Contact:
Senator Susan C. Lee susan.lee@senate.state.md.us
Terry Lierman terry@liermanadvisors.com
The Human and Scientific Costs of Racial Profiling Must be Heard
Scientific and Civil Rights Leaders and Organizations request US Representative Jamie Raskin, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, conduct House Hearings to address racial profiling and investigations of scientists and scholars of Chinese and Asian descent
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – An alliance of prominent scientific and civil rights leaders and organizations nationwide representing thousands of individuals, spearheaded by Maryland State Senator Susan Lee and the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland Co-Chair Terry Lierman, have signed a letter requesting that US Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Chair of the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, conduct an oversight hearing to address the profiling of scientists and scholars of Chinese or Asian descent based on the misguided perception that simply being of Chinese or Asian descent or having ties to China make them prone to espionage.
The alliance has requested the committee look into the broad sweep of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s counterintelligence efforts and the National Institute of Health’s related actions against scientists of Chinese or Asian descent which have resulted in the loss of their jobs, reputations and devastation of their lives and families, even though they were later proven innocent. Maryland State Senate Majority Whip Susan Lee, whose district includes NIH, stated, “While we strongly support efforts to safeguard America’s interests and prosecute wrongdoers, it would be a grave injustice to target, stereotype, or place under suspicion an entire ethnic group. Many of these patriotic scientists have spent a lifetime of work dedicated to advancing medical breakthroughs which have made America one the global leaders in science and technology. They are a part of the solution to the United States’ global challenges, not a threat.” “The overzealous, broad, unchecked, and overreaching activities fueled by a xenophobic and toxic political climate have not only led to mistakes in investigations or prosecutions and civil rights violations, but also have crippled America’s ability to develop medical innovations that can enhance the quality of and save lives, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic. We need the committee to shine light on any discriminatory policies being employed by those agencies to ensure there is fairness, transparency and accountability,” said Terry Lierman. For decades, international scientific collaborations and exchanges between United States and foreign academic and research institutions have been strongly encouraged and supported by the NIH and other academic entities, but now, they are being criminalized. “Science - like America itself - thrives on freedom, openness, and inclusiveness - there is no room for discrimination against men and women from China or anywhere else based on nationality," former White House science advisor Dr. Neal F. Lane said. "The PRC Government's rising nationalism and use of its economic clout to influence U.S. universities and society are real and growing, but any U.S. Government response that assumes all students, scientists, and scholars of Chinese descent are potential intelligence risks is unfair and unwise profiling that has no place in our democracy," said Dr. Wallace Loh, former President of the University of Maryland, College Park. To date, Congress has held numerous hearings focused only on the espionage threat, but it has not addressed the civil rights violations of Chinese Americans who have been wrongly targeted or the longterm consequences and damages to the American research enterprise and minority communities if this pattern of racial profiling continues. “The Department of Justice launched the ‘China Initiative’ to counter perceived ‘national security threats.’ But the past two years have shown an over-emphasis on national security and an underemphasis on bias. I join others in calling for the end of the ‘China Initiative’,” said Professor Margaret Lewis of Seton Hall University Law School. “We are deeply concerned with the racial profiling and unjust prosecutions of Asian Americans and immigrants by the government,” said John C. Yang, Advancing Justice – AAJC’s President and Executive Director. “This latest wave of xenophobia has instilled fear within our communities as many Chinese Americans and immigrants are once again caught in our country’s long history of suspicion and racial discrimination against Asian Americans. We urge Congress to engage in oversight on this issue by holding a public hearing on this issue.” “Xenophobic targeting and persecution of Chinese Americans is causing irreparable damage not only to the impacted persons and their families, but also creates fear, suspicion, and hate towards the Asian American community. It must stop. It is grossly unjust and unfair to target an entire ethnic group from specific countries,” said Dr. Steven Pei and Dr. Jeremy Wu, Co-Leaders of the APA Justice Task Force. |
2021/02/01 Calling for a Congressional Hearing on Racial Profiling of Asian American and Chinese Scientists (Full Package)
What You Can Do To Help
Additonal Links and References
2021/02/26 Science Editorial: Clarity on the crackdown 2021/02/22 Lawfare: Beyond the China Initiative 2021/02/16 The Atlantic: Fears of China Are Disrupting American Science 2021/02/09 GenomeWeb: Investigation of Racial Profiling Sought 2021/02/05 Science: U.S. scientists want Congress to look into complaints of racial profiling in China Initiative 2021/02/02 South China Morning Post: Letter urges US Congress to hold hearings on racial profiling of Asian-Americans 2021/02/01 Change.org: We Are All Gang Chen 2021/01/28 Bloomberg Law: Biden’s DOJ Needs to End War on Chinese-American Scientists |
Letter to President-Elect Biden to End "China Initiative"
On January 5, 2021, a group of community organizations, advocacy groups, science associations, and individuals sent a letter to President-elect Joe Biden urging the incoming administration to end the Justice Department’s “China Initiative” and take further steps to combat the pervasive racial bias and targeting of Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists, researchers, and students by the federal government. Among the signatories are people who have been directly impacted by the government’s unjust prosecutions of Asian Americans.
The letter, spearheaded by the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation, Brennan Center for Justice, and APA Justice Task Force, denounces the “China Initiative” for discriminatory investigations and prosecutions of Asian Americans and Asian immigrants, particularly those of Chinese descent working in fields of science. Many of the investigations and prosecutions under this initiative target people with any “nexus to China” rather than on evidence of economic espionage as it purports to do, which has revealed a sharp rise in the profiling and targeting of Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists and researchers.
Even after not finding any evidence of espionage, federal prosecutors are charging many Asian Americans and Asian immigrants with federal crimes based on administrative errors or minor offenses such as failing to disclose information to universities or research institutions and other activities under the pretext of combating economic espionage. As a result, Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists, researchers, and scholars are ensnared by overzealous prosecutions riddled with racial bias that are ruining careers and leaving lives in shambles.
The letter includes a set of recommendations, which first calls for an immediate end to the “China Initiative” and a complete review of all prosecutions and investigations closed prior to prosecution under the initiative. It also urges the incoming administration to review and take measures throughout the Federal Government’s law enforcement, intelligence, and scientific research funding agencies to combat other patterns of racial bias against Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists and federal employees. The letter and list of organizations and individuals that signed on can be found here.
“This latest wave of xenophobia against Asian Americans and Asian immigrants follows a long history of Asian Americans and immigrants being stereotyped as “perpetual foreigners,” scapegoated, and profiled as spies disloyal to the United States,” said John C. Yang, Advancing Justice – AAJC’s president and executive director. “Individual cases of wrongful arrests and prosecutions of Asian American scientists and researchers along with racial rhetoric from public officials reveal that racial bias exists and has translated into real harm for the Asian American community.”
"Basing criminal investigations on national origin and Chinese ancestry is unconstitutional and a waste of resources," said Glenn Katon, Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus Director of Litigation. "When the government prosecutes scientists and researchers simply so public officials can look tough, no one is made safer. The Biden administration has the chance to protect Asian Americans and Asian immigrants across this country - they should take it."
"Racial profiling has proven to be an ineffective, divisive, and counterproductive law enforcement tactic, and yet the Justice Department inexplicably still promotes its use through programs like the ‘China Initiative'," said Brennan Center fellow Michael German, a former FBI agent. "Pressuring all U.S. Attorneys' Offices to initiate 'China Initiative' cases compels racial, ethnic, and national origin profiling, which undermines our security and the rule of law by targeting investigations based on a person's 'nexus to China' rather than evidence of serious wrongdoing."
"Foreign-born scientists of Chinese origin have been an integral part of American innovation and global leadership. Our nation can protect our scientific and research security and successfully compete in the global marketplace for international scientific talent, but not by overzealous, xenophobic targeting of top talents that ruins lives and drives them to foreign countries that have been trying to recruit them unsuccessfully," said Professor Steven Pei, a leader for the APA Justice Task Force.
Links and References
2021/02/22 Lawfare: The Biden Administration Should Review and Rebuild the Trump Administration’s China Initiative From the Ground Up
2021/02/16 The Atlantic: Fears of China Are Disrupting American Science
2021/01/26 White House: Memorandum Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States
2021/01/08 Documented: Chinese Students In The US Caught Up In Geopolitics And Trump's Immigration Crackdown
2021/01/07 US-Asia Law Institute: Time to Reassess and Reframe the US Government's "China Initiative"
2021/01/06 Inside Higher Ed: Groups Call on Biden to End DOJ ‘China Initiative’
2019/10/03 Nature: Chinese scientists and US leadership in the life sciences
2019/09/04 60 Top Scientific Organizations: Call for Balance Between Open Scientific Environment and Protecting Our Economic and National Security
2019/08/21 150 Pharmaceutical Chiefs and Scientists: Chinese scientists and US leadership in the life sciences
2019/09/12 PEN America: Statement in Response to Report the FBI is urging Universities to Monitor Chinese Students and Scholars
2019/07/01 Committee of Concerned Scientists: U.S. Government Profiling Ethnic Chinese Scientists
2019/03/21 The Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America et al: Racial Profiling Harms Science
The letter, spearheaded by the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation, Brennan Center for Justice, and APA Justice Task Force, denounces the “China Initiative” for discriminatory investigations and prosecutions of Asian Americans and Asian immigrants, particularly those of Chinese descent working in fields of science. Many of the investigations and prosecutions under this initiative target people with any “nexus to China” rather than on evidence of economic espionage as it purports to do, which has revealed a sharp rise in the profiling and targeting of Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists and researchers.
Even after not finding any evidence of espionage, federal prosecutors are charging many Asian Americans and Asian immigrants with federal crimes based on administrative errors or minor offenses such as failing to disclose information to universities or research institutions and other activities under the pretext of combating economic espionage. As a result, Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists, researchers, and scholars are ensnared by overzealous prosecutions riddled with racial bias that are ruining careers and leaving lives in shambles.
The letter includes a set of recommendations, which first calls for an immediate end to the “China Initiative” and a complete review of all prosecutions and investigations closed prior to prosecution under the initiative. It also urges the incoming administration to review and take measures throughout the Federal Government’s law enforcement, intelligence, and scientific research funding agencies to combat other patterns of racial bias against Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists and federal employees. The letter and list of organizations and individuals that signed on can be found here.
“This latest wave of xenophobia against Asian Americans and Asian immigrants follows a long history of Asian Americans and immigrants being stereotyped as “perpetual foreigners,” scapegoated, and profiled as spies disloyal to the United States,” said John C. Yang, Advancing Justice – AAJC’s president and executive director. “Individual cases of wrongful arrests and prosecutions of Asian American scientists and researchers along with racial rhetoric from public officials reveal that racial bias exists and has translated into real harm for the Asian American community.”
"Basing criminal investigations on national origin and Chinese ancestry is unconstitutional and a waste of resources," said Glenn Katon, Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus Director of Litigation. "When the government prosecutes scientists and researchers simply so public officials can look tough, no one is made safer. The Biden administration has the chance to protect Asian Americans and Asian immigrants across this country - they should take it."
"Racial profiling has proven to be an ineffective, divisive, and counterproductive law enforcement tactic, and yet the Justice Department inexplicably still promotes its use through programs like the ‘China Initiative'," said Brennan Center fellow Michael German, a former FBI agent. "Pressuring all U.S. Attorneys' Offices to initiate 'China Initiative' cases compels racial, ethnic, and national origin profiling, which undermines our security and the rule of law by targeting investigations based on a person's 'nexus to China' rather than evidence of serious wrongdoing."
"Foreign-born scientists of Chinese origin have been an integral part of American innovation and global leadership. Our nation can protect our scientific and research security and successfully compete in the global marketplace for international scientific talent, but not by overzealous, xenophobic targeting of top talents that ruins lives and drives them to foreign countries that have been trying to recruit them unsuccessfully," said Professor Steven Pei, a leader for the APA Justice Task Force.
Links and References
2021/02/22 Lawfare: The Biden Administration Should Review and Rebuild the Trump Administration’s China Initiative From the Ground Up
2021/02/16 The Atlantic: Fears of China Are Disrupting American Science
2021/01/26 White House: Memorandum Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States
2021/01/08 Documented: Chinese Students In The US Caught Up In Geopolitics And Trump's Immigration Crackdown
2021/01/07 US-Asia Law Institute: Time to Reassess and Reframe the US Government's "China Initiative"
2021/01/06 Inside Higher Ed: Groups Call on Biden to End DOJ ‘China Initiative’
2019/10/03 Nature: Chinese scientists and US leadership in the life sciences
2019/09/04 60 Top Scientific Organizations: Call for Balance Between Open Scientific Environment and Protecting Our Economic and National Security
2019/08/21 150 Pharmaceutical Chiefs and Scientists: Chinese scientists and US leadership in the life sciences
2019/09/12 PEN America: Statement in Response to Report the FBI is urging Universities to Monitor Chinese Students and Scholars
2019/07/01 Committee of Concerned Scientists: U.S. Government Profiling Ethnic Chinese Scientists
2019/03/21 The Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America et al: Racial Profiling Harms Science
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2021/01/05 Letter to President-Elect Joe Biden
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Anti-Racial Profiling Project Launched 反对种族定性项目正式启动
On October 6, 2020, Advancing Justice | Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) launched the Anti-Racial Profiling Project (ARPP). Watch the press briefing here.
On October 7, 2020, Advancing Justice | AAJC launched the first webinar for ARPP for the public and followed with a detailed message about the project on October 9.
How You Can Get Help
How You Can Help
Stories from Impacted People
Links and References
Advancing Justice | AAJC: Anti-Racial Profiling Project
2020/10/09 Nature: US civil-rights group offers support to researchers facing China scrutiny
Advancing Justice | AAJC: Follow-up Message on Anti-Racial Profiling Project
2020/10/07 Advancing Justice | AAJC: Launch of Anti-Racial Profiling Project Webinar (video 1:00:49)
Advancing Justice | AAJC: Anti-Racial Profiling Project Webinar Presentation Package
APA Justice: Transcript of Anti-Racial Profiling Project Webinar by Dr. Jeremy Wu
AsAmNews: AAJC launches Anti-Racial Profiling Project
2020/10/06 Advancing Justice | AAJC: Press Briefing to Launch Anti-Racial Profiling Project (video 52:28)
On October 7, 2020, Advancing Justice | AAJC launched the first webinar for ARPP for the public and followed with a detailed message about the project on October 9.
How You Can Get Help
- Legal Referral. Contact AAJC via the Signal app with the number 202-935-6014 or text ONLY a name and phone number to 202-935-6014 and wait for an AAJC staff member to make direct contact.
- Know Your Rights. Covering 3 areas: (a) When approached by law enforcement (including the FBI, Special Agents from an agency’s Office of Inspector General or security office, or other Federal, state or local police); (b) When law enforcement comes to your house; (c) SPECIFIC PRECAUTIONS FOR SCIENTISTS, SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS
How You Can Help
- Make a Tax-Deductible Donation to Advancing Justice | AAJC. AAJC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
- Sign up for the APA Justice newsletter to keep informed on the latest developments
- Spread the word about the Anti-Racial Profiling Project
Stories from Impacted People
- Dr. Wei Su: Concern for the younger generation: The targeting and profiling of Chinese and Asian Americans and Immigrants
- Dr. Xiaoxing Xi: Spying charges against Chinese American scientists spakr fears of a witch hunt
- Ms. Sherry Chen: Ohio scientist accused of spying sues government after charges dropped
- Dr. Wen Ho Lee: The Making of a Suspect: The Case of Web Ho Lee
Links and References
Advancing Justice | AAJC: Anti-Racial Profiling Project
2020/10/09 Nature: US civil-rights group offers support to researchers facing China scrutiny
Advancing Justice | AAJC: Follow-up Message on Anti-Racial Profiling Project
2020/10/07 Advancing Justice | AAJC: Launch of Anti-Racial Profiling Project Webinar (video 1:00:49)
Advancing Justice | AAJC: Anti-Racial Profiling Project Webinar Presentation Package
APA Justice: Transcript of Anti-Racial Profiling Project Webinar by Dr. Jeremy Wu
AsAmNews: AAJC launches Anti-Racial Profiling Project
2020/10/06 Advancing Justice | AAJC: Press Briefing to Launch Anti-Racial Profiling Project (video 52:28)
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Two Asian American Civil Rights Organizations Submit Amicus Brief in United States v. Tao
Press Release
On August 20, 2020, Advancing Justice – AAJC and Advancing Justice – ALC filed an amicus brief in United States v. Feng "Franklin" Tao (陶丰教授), providing significant evidence of racial profiling against Asian American and immigrant scientists and researchers. The two Asian American civil rights organizations submitted the brief in support of Dr. Feng “Franklin” Tao to show opposition to the government’s increased efforts to profile and target Chinese American scientists and researchers based on ethnicity under the pretext of ferreting out economic espionage. In United States v. Tao, Dr. Tao, a tenured engineering professor at the University of Kansas, is fighting criminal allegations for not disclosing to the University an alleged affiliation with a university in China. “Failure to disclose information on a university form is not economic espionage,” said John C. Yang, president and executive director of Advancing Justice – AAJC. “Xenophobia from leadership and agents within the U.S. government has translated to real consequences for the Chinese and Asian American community. Chinese scientists and researchers, like Dr. Tao, are caught in the Department of Justice’s broad net for prosecutions and sudden criminalization of minor infractions and we are deeply concerned with the pattern of misguided suspicion and racial discrimination we are seeing in these cases.” The government has been mounting a broad campaign scrutinizing and targeting Chinese American scientists and researchers through the China Initiative. Fueled by xenophobia, the China Initiative was adopted by the Department of Justice in 2018 for the purported purpose of combating economic espionage. The China Initiative is part of the latest wave of xenophobia against Chinese and Asian Americans and follows a long history of Asian Americans and immigrants being criminalized, stereotyped as “perpetual foreigners,” scapegoated, and profiled as spies disloyal to the United States. “The government needs to prosecute people who steal national security and trade secrets, but targeting people of Chinese descent for investigation without evidence of wrongdoing is not how to do that,” noted Glenn Katon, litigation director at Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus and former Department of Justice trial attorney. “Bringing dubious charges against people like Dr. Tao, for conduct the government would not have known or cared about but for the China Initiative, is discriminatory and a waste of resources.” We have seen a surge in prosecutions as the government increases pressure on academic institutions to criminalize previously administrative issues and federal agencies to increase prosecution efforts across the country. Data and individual cases of wrongful arrests and prosecutions along with biased rhetoric from public officials reveal that racial bias exists in the charging, prosecution, and sentencing of Chinese, Asian Americans, and immigrants. The amicus brief addresses the government’s broad campaign to scrutinize and target Chinese American scientists and researchers and discusses how the government’s xenophobic and overzealous prosecutions does real harm to the individual lives of Chinese and Asian Americans and immigrant communities. Read the brief here. For more background about United States v. Tao (2:19-cr-20052), also visit Feng "Franklin" Tao. |
亚美公义促进会 | AAJC 与亚美公义促进会 - ALC 针对美国政府对华裔种族形象定性事件，正式递交法律申索
新闻稿
推进正义协会（AAJC）与推进正义协会 - ALC于今天正式向法院提交了一份 法庭之友书状，为陶丰教授案件提供了针对美籍亚裔与亚裔移民科学家、研究人员被种族定性的重要证据。 两家亚裔民权机构向法院提交书状以表示对陶丰博士的支持，反对美国政府以“经济间谍”为借口，打压美籍华裔科学家和研究人员，并将其作为审查目标。在美国诉陶丰一案中，美国司法部对堪萨斯大学陶丰教授以未能向大学披露与一所中国大学的关系为由，宣布刑事指控。 “未能在递交给大学的表格上披露部分信息并不属于经济间谍活动”，推进正义 - AAJC总裁兼执行董事杨重远说道。“美国政府内部的领导层与调查人员的排外情绪已开始对美籍华裔和亚裔社区造成影响。许多华人科学家和研究人员与如陶博士一样，在美国司法部撒下的大网下，因为轻微违规而突然受到多项指控，并被定为是刑事犯罪。我们在这些案件中看到种种无端怀疑与种族歧视的规律，并为此深感担忧。” 美国政府根据《中国倡议》，已开始将美籍华裔科学家和研究人员作为广泛审查的目标。在仇外情绪的推动下，美国司法部于2018年通过了《中国倡议》，旨在打击经济间谍活动。《中国倡议》是近期仇外浪潮为针对华裔和亚裔美国人而采取的行动，这种作为在美国历史上有许多先例，亚裔美国人和亚裔移民由于他们的族裔而被视为怀疑对象，被当作替罪羊对待，并且被定性为不忠于美国的间谍，是“永远的外国人”。 “美国政府应该将那些窃取国家安全和商业机密的人绳之以法，但是他们不应该在没有证据的情况下便直接将华裔群体作为调查目标。” 作为前任美国司法部审判律师，现任为推进正义— 亚裔法律联盟的法律主任格伦 · 卡顿指出，“如果不是因为《中国倡议》，政府根本不会关心像陶博士这样背景的人，更不会提出荒谬的指控，这是一种歧视，也是一种资源浪费。“ 随着美国政府对教育机构逐渐施加压力，要求高校将行政问题定位为刑事犯罪，同时督促联邦部门增加在全国范围内的指控次数。多个错误逮捕与错诉的案件，以及来自政府人员带有偏见的言论都表明，在对华裔、亚裔美国人和移民的指控和判决中，存在着种族偏见。这份“法庭之友书状”阐述了美国政府针对美籍华裔科学家和研究人员的广泛审查与种族定性，同时探讨在排外的政治氛围下，这些指控对华裔、亚裔美国人以及移民群体所造成的伤害。 点击阅读法庭之友书状 有关 United States v. Tao (2:19-cr-20052), 请参阅更多背景信息, 请参阅 Feng "Franklin" Tao. |
FOIA Request on Chinese and International Students
On August 10, 2020, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Asian Law Caucus (collectively hereinafter “Requestors”) submitted a Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) request for all records relating to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) enforcement, treatment, and denial of admissions of students with connections to China.
"Hateful rhetoric from public leaders has created a climate of fear for Asians and Asian Americans living in the United States. Public statements by government officials against Chinese students have had a chilling effect on international students and scholars, particularly those from China seeking only to graduate and finish their studies," the FOIA says. "In 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) laid the general groundwork for a hawkish shift towards China when they announced the China Initiative.7 With this initiative, the DOJ began to see connections to China as a threat and increased its efforts to investigate and prosecute individuals with Chinese ancestry for alleged espionage. This was despite growing concerns from civil society about implicit bias, discrimination, and race & ethnicity based profiling."
"Moreover, since 2019, we have seen reports of CBP denying admissions to Chinese students while providing little to no information for the reasons why.... It is imperative that CBP provides our communities and the public with information on its decisions to refuse entry and admission to students connected to China. The public has a strong interest in getting this information considering the government’s potential targeting of individuals of Chinese or Asian descent based on their race or ethnicity."
2020/08/10 FOIA Request on Chinese and International Students
"Hateful rhetoric from public leaders has created a climate of fear for Asians and Asian Americans living in the United States. Public statements by government officials against Chinese students have had a chilling effect on international students and scholars, particularly those from China seeking only to graduate and finish their studies," the FOIA says. "In 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) laid the general groundwork for a hawkish shift towards China when they announced the China Initiative.7 With this initiative, the DOJ began to see connections to China as a threat and increased its efforts to investigate and prosecute individuals with Chinese ancestry for alleged espionage. This was despite growing concerns from civil society about implicit bias, discrimination, and race & ethnicity based profiling."
"Moreover, since 2019, we have seen reports of CBP denying admissions to Chinese students while providing little to no information for the reasons why.... It is imperative that CBP provides our communities and the public with information on its decisions to refuse entry and admission to students connected to China. The public has a strong interest in getting this information considering the government’s potential targeting of individuals of Chinese or Asian descent based on their race or ethnicity."
2020/08/10 FOIA Request on Chinese and International Students
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Houston:
After the closure of Chinese Consulate General 
China's Consulate in Houston was shut down on July 24, after being accused of a "spy center" to conduct spying activities with medical center or universities in the Houston area. Within the past week, FBI agents have begun to knock on doors to demand interviews with persons of Chinese descent, creating fear and anguish. Community leaders expressed concerns about a "witch hunt" for “spies” by the FBI to use Chinese Americans as “scapegoat” to justify the political claim, for which the government has provided few supporting evidences.
On July 26, the Intercept published an article: Was The Chinese Consulate in Houston Really a Hotbed of Economic Espionage? According to the article, “people close to China-related investigations in Houston say the decision to close the consulate may be more about politics than spy threats.” On August 6, 2020, OCA, UCA, the Asian American Justice Center, and other organizations will co-host a “Know Your Rights” webinar to address the urgent question, "What to do if you are questioned by the FBI or police?" Call in phone number: +1 346 248 7799 Zoom meeting ID: 881 7264 1353 https://us02web.zoom.us/88172641353 Email your questions to
Resources
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休斯顿：
中国领事馆关闭之后 
在被指控为 “间谍中心” 与休斯顿地区的医疗中心或大学进行间谍活动之后，中国领事馆于2020年7月24日被关闭。在过去一周内，联邦调查局（FBI）特工开始敲门要求对在美华人进行采访，造成恐惧和担忧。政府对 “间谍中心” 的指控提供很少的支持证据。社区领袖对联邦调查局将问题政治化，以 “猎巫” 手段寻找 “间谍” ，将华裔美国人作为 “替罪羊” ，表示担忧。
7月26日，《拦截》杂志发表一篇文章：中国驻休斯敦领事馆真的是经济间谍活动的温床吗？文章称，“接近休斯敦与有关中国的调查人员说，关闭领事馆的决定可能更多是关于政治，而不是间谍威胁。” 2020年8月6日，OCA，UCA，亚裔司法中心和其他组织将共同举办“了解您的权利”网络研讨会，以解决紧急问题：“如果FBI或警察对您提出质疑，该怎么办？ ” 电话: +1 346 248 7799 Zoom meeting ID: 881 7264 1353 https://us02web.zoom.us/88172641353 Email your questions to
资源
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Links and References
2021/02/04 美国华人杂谈: 被起诉的教授们、中国计划和种族定性，美国华人该怎么办？
2021/02/01 正义补丁: 被起诉的教授们、中国计划和种族定性，美国华人该怎么办？
2021/01/22 Wall Street Journal: Justice Department Weighs Amnesty for Academics to Disclose Foreign Funding
2021/02/01 正义补丁: 被起诉的教授们、中国计划和种族定性，美国华人该怎么办？
2021/01/22 Wall Street Journal: Justice Department Weighs Amnesty for Academics to Disclose Foreign Funding