Politics

President Trump on Haley: “She got to know the players. She got to know China, Russia, India” By Geeta Goindi Washington, DC, October 9, 2018 – In a major blow to the Donald Trump presidency, Nikki Haley, the highest-ranking Indian-American in the administration, has abruptly announced her resignation as US ambassador to the United Nations. She will step down from …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   Only in America can dreams like this come true. Kathy Tran came to the U.S. as a Vietnam refugee when she was less than two years old. Kelly Convirs-Fowler was the first in her family to graduate from college. Last November 7, these inspiring women made history when they were both elected to the Virginia …

Twenty-three US lawmakers and three envoys address attendees in Senate office building By Geeta Goindi Washington, DC, November 9, 2017 – Some two dozen US lawmakers, joined by three ambassadors, graced the fourth Diwali celebration in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room of the US Senate. Looking on were about 400 guests, mostly members of the Indian-American community and some Congressional …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Asian American advocacy groups are unanimously condemning President Trump’s executive action on September 5, ending the 2012 Deferred Action for Children Arrivals (DACA) program signed by President Obama. They also strongly urged the 115th U.S. Congress to pass the 2017 DREAM Act, or a similar legislation protecting DACA. Remarked OCA National Vice President of Public Affairs …

  By Jennie L. Ilustre Ever wonder why the month of May was chosen to celebrate Asian Pacific American (APA) Heritage Month? May honors two historic milestones: The arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in May 1843, and also the completion of the transcontinental railroad in May 1869. In 1978, the U.S. Congress established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week through a …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Asian Pacific American (APA) organizations, outraged over the “use of excessive force” in the removal of Vietnamese American (initially thought to be Chinese American) passenger, identified by the media as Dr. David Dao, 69, from a United Airlines plane on April 9, are demanding: 1) a thorough investigation of the incident; 2) accountability on the part …

by Andrew Lam (New American Media) In America, when a source of authority says it randomly singles you out, you should always be wary. On Monday, video surfaced of a Vietnamese American, David Dao, being forcefully dragged from a United Airlines flight departing Chicago for Louisville, Kentucky. Dao, 69, had allegedly refused to voluntarily give up his seat on the …

National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) National Director Christopher Kang issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s address to Congress: Tonight, President Trump’s address started with an essential response to recent hate crimes, including the shooting in Olathe, Kansas, that targeted two Indian Americans and repeated anti-Semitic threats and vandalism:  “We are a country that stands united in …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In light of the recent resignation of over two-thirds of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) sent a letter to President Trump requesting that he meet with Members of CAPAC. This follows a letter that Chair Chu sent on November 23, 2016 …

By Geeta Goindi Washington, DC, February 28, 2017 – After nearly a week of stoic silence, President Trump has condemned the shooting in Olathe city, Kansas, which left one Indian engineer dead and two other men injured. Under fire for not speaking earlier, the president opened his first major address to both houses of the US Congress, Tuesday night, by …

US lawmakers denounce xenophobic attack, bemoan uptick in violence against minorities By Geeta Goindi Washington, DC, February 28, 2017 – In the wake of a tragic shooting in Olathe city, Kansas, which left one Indian national dead and two other men injured, the Trump administration is being tested for its fair treatment of minorities as well as its views on …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Asian American leaders have denounced the expanded, expedited crackdown on the nation’s 11 million undocumented, as announced on February 21 – but some were heartened to know that President Donald Trump has so far decided not to touch the Deferred Action on Children Arrivals (DACA) program.   DACA was a program under an Executive Order signed …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Asian American advocacy organizations have lambasted the two memorandums by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), issued on February 21, which implement the immigration policies under President Donald Trump in line with his campaign promises on tightening border control. The move would increase the categories of people subject to priority deportation, as well as speed up …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates denounced the plan to institute a “Muslim registry” and the appeal to the unconstitutional Japanese American incarceration during WWII as a possible grounds for justification of the registry. This Wednesday on Fox News, Carl Higbie spoke out in favor of a “Muslim registry” that would maintain a list of Muslim immigrants …

GOP White House hopeful calls Prime Minister Modi a “great man” at anti-terror rally in New Jersey By Geeta Goindi Edison, New Jersey, October 15, 2016 – Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has pledged that India-US ties will reach a new high if he wins the election. Addressing a sizable gathering at the spacious New Jersey Convention and Expo Center …

By Jennie L. Ilustre On November 8, the nation will elect a new president. As exciting as that is, other candidates are also on the ballot. These include the candidates for vice president, all 435 incumbent members of the US House of Representatives, and 34 of the 100-member US Senate. Incumbents running for reelection, as well as first-timers from both …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   So what exactly happened recently that has a big impact on the November 8 presidential elections? Answer: Two Supreme Court decisions on issues that have divided this great nation: Immigration and Abortion. Leaders from both political parties and Asian Pacific American (APA) leaders predict the decisions would energize voter turn-out on Election Day. Reason: The …

UCLA Study Shows More AAPI Voters is What Really Counts By Jennie L. Ilustre In 2040, one out of 10 Americans would be of Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage. That translates to a projected 37 million, or 10 percent of the nation’s total population over the next 25 years.     But Paul M. Ong, senior editor of UCLA …

This is a list of young Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) who are making a difference in politics and public service in this great country. Indeed, these stars shine brightly, and their potentials are boundless. Quite likely, some of them will be the kingmaker or the queenmaker in the future, helping elect the president of the United States. In …

  By Jennie L. Ilustre Former New York City Police Officer Peter Liang will not serve any prison time for the fatal shooting of Akai Gurley in November 2014. On April 19, after reducing Liang’s February jury conviction from second-degree manslaughter to criminally negligent homicide, Acting Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun sentenced Liang, 28, to five-year probation and 800 …

By Lily Qi Saturday night, March 26, 2016, exactly one month before the Maryland primary election, over 350 people packed the Cabin John Middle School Cafeteria in Potomac, Maryland, to meet 10 candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties running for Maryland’s 8th Congressional District seat. According to the candidates, it was the second largest event of the 17 …

By Christopher Kang   (This editorial appeared in the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA). Christopher Kang is the NCAPA National Director. He is a former Deputy Assistant and Deputy Counsel to President Barack Obama in the Office of the White House Counsel, where he was in charge of the selection, vetting, and confirmation of the president’s judicial nominees.) …

By Jennie L. Ilustre The demise of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on February 13 has given rise to two important questions. First, should his replacement be confirmed this year, or should that await the results of the Nov. 8 presidential elections? A Feb. 18-21 Pew Research Center survey shows 56 percent of Americans believe the Senate should hold hearings …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   In a show of unity, coalitions of Asian American groups held nationwide rallies and issued supportive letters and public statements, urging a fair and just decision for former New York police officer Peter Liang, while emphasizing that all cops must be held accountable for their actions. Liang was convicted on Feb. 11 on charges of …