An infamous swear curse becomes a rallying cry of Filipino pride

Filipino American rapper Ruby Ibarra joins the PTI challenge.
Follow her work on her Instagram page.

My mom would have washed my mouth out with soap if I said the expletive, "Putang Ina," shorthand for "Putang Ina mo," (Literally, "Your mother is a whore," but when you spit it out, it is used in the same context as the English "mother f****r").

WHen Filipino tennis prodigy Alexandra Eala made history with her first-round victory in the US Open, it wasn't just her killer serve that set social media on fire. It was what some fans claim was a very spicy, split-second, post-point expression caught on camera.

We’re talking about a viral clip that has everyone hitting replay. After a heart-stopping rally in the third set against Denmark's Clara Tauson, the cameras zoomed in just as Eala appeared to mouth a word that sounded a lot like "Putang ina" or maybe even just the infamous "Puta".

The internet, naturally, has zero chill. The debate is raging harder than an Eala forehand: was it a genuine, heat-of-the-moment curse, a classic Filipino expression of surprise, or maybe just a misheard "muntik na" ("almost did")?

And get this—the drama has totally spilled over into the music scene in the Philippines and in the US! The clip is everywhere, with Filipino singers and even local hip-hop artists sampling the moment, creating memes, and giving the expletive a whole new meaning. Forget tennis commentary, we're talking about a new track inspired by a US Open hot mic moment!

The roots of the song began before Eala's historic US Open victory. “PTI” didn’t start off as the war cry for the people it is now. It started off as a swaggy, Filipino pride track," says Carl Angelo, a rapper based in Los Angeles.

The song became a collaboration among Filipino American hip-hop artists in California. Morobeats’ Miss A, Yamz, Talilo and David Ira, were brought in. Ruby Ibarra, fresh off her Little Desk tour for NPR, was brought in. The track pays homage to both Filipino and rap culture.

Then Eala won her match at the US Open and uttered the curse. It went viral and the song exploded all over social media. Eala isn't just making waves in tennis; she's officially gone mainstream cultural icon, one controversial syllable at a time. This is the kind of crossover content we live for!

Eala's US Open clip and the subsequent discussion have been widely shared on platforms like TikTok and Instagram by Filipino artists, media pages, and community groups, amplifying the conversation and leading to various interpretations and memes.

FYI: You can listen to the PTI track on Spotify

A number of Filipino and Filipino Amereican hip-hop artists and singers have notably commented on and even been inspired by the viral clip. The word in the clip, often shortened from "Putang Ina," has been reclaimed by some artists as a rallying cry for Filipino pride rather than a mere curse word.

Filipino American rapper Ruby Ibarra is featured on a track titled "PTI" (short for "Putang Ina"), which uses the expletive as a statement of pride, rage, and community for Filipinos across the world. The song's cover art even spotlights tennis prodigy  Eala, acknowledging the viral moment as the inspiration for its title.

Eala has never admitted to saying it but you don't have to be a lip reader to see Eala mouthed a "P", not an "M" in her spontaneous outburst of disbelief.

A snippet of Eala's soundbite even opens the track, and she is featured on the song's cover art. 

At least one independent artist, Ravenson Biason, was inspired to write a song titled "Vaporwave Hero" dedicated to Eala as a sign of support and national pride, though this was a direct tribute rather than a commentary on the "puta" moment specifically.
The incident has generally led to a broader cultural conversation among Filipino artists and the community about national pride and the various meanings and contexts of the Tagalog phrase.

FYI: The Carl Angelo PTI Challenge is an open-verse rap challenge started by Filipino American rapper Carl Angelo for his hit single "PTI," inviting artists (Filipino or not) to spit a verse over the instrumental, share it online, and tag him to get reposted, celebrating Filipino culture and Hip Hop while reclaiming a Filipino slang term as a rallying cry for artistry and identity.

Eala's authentic exclamation went viral, sparking a national conversation about authenticity, pressure, and just being human under the global spotlight.

Around the same time, the Philippines was rocked by major anti-corruption protests. The swear word is being used as a powerful and defiant rallying cry to express rage, frustration, and condemnation against government corruption, injustice, and political figures, most notably by Vice Ganda directed at the allegedly crooked politicians.

Ganda is a wildly popular and influential Filipino comedian, actor, singer, host, and entrepreneur, known for his flamboyant personality, hit movies and songs, and as a mainstay on the daytime variety show "It's Showtime". He is a major LGBTQ+ icon, a top-earning celebrity, and a powerful force in Philippine entertainment, often called "The Phenomenon" due to his massive success and cultural impact.

The song was always intended to be a "swaggy, Filipino pride track," but these moments solidified its purpose. It's about taking shared struggles and flipping them into collective strength. It unites the Filipino diaspora, from the streets of Manila to L.A. parking lots,  in an unapologetic stand against colonial and political forces who prefer to dilute the power of the people to challenge the powers-that-be.

In the US, the FilAm rappers are using their voices and in particular, "PTI," to tackle serious issues of identity and the challenges facing the Filipino American community through art. The chant is considered a bold and expressive way to challenge authority, as using such language in public discourse pushes boundaries and amplifies the protesters' message against those in power, against the status quo.

Angelo reflected on how real-world events, from Alex Eala’s historic US Open win to Vice Ganda’s fiery protest chant, gave new meaning to the song’s message. Even my mom might have agreed with that.

“We may not have started off as a war cry, but we ended it that way,” Angelo says in an Instagram post.

For Angelo, “PTI” represents every shade of being Filipino – whether you’re “a non-Tagalog speaking, super American Filipino kid” or “a modern-day, tattooed head-to-toe tribal warrior proud of your heritage,” he posts on social media.

“Nobody is more or less Filipino than anybody,” Angelo emphasized. “Once we realize AND accept that we’re all different, we’ll realize we’re actually in unison. We all come from different backgrounds and walks of life, but one thing is for sure — ‘Putang Ina’ means something to all of us.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Trump's preference for Europeans and ban vs. Asian and African immigrants is pure racism

As difficult as Donald Trump's Asian American supporters hate to admit, but Trump is a full-blown racist. He doesn't even try to hide it anymore.

Proving that he learned precisely nothing from the 2018 firestorm. Reeling from polls saying most Americans say Donald Trump is the worst US President in history. He had to shore up his base, his hardcore MAGA cultists, so at a rally on December 10, 2025, the Trump, doubled down on his latest immigration demands by resorting to the well of xenophobia and racism.

When a supporter helpfully fed him his favorite derogatory phrase, Trump gleefully repeated his infamous 2018 comments: "Why is it that we only take people from s---hole countries? Why can't we have some people from Norway, Sweden, just a few, let us have a few, from Denmark ... send us some nice people, do you mind?"

He wasn't done, either. He then called Somalia "filthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crime," continuing his pattern of conflating entire nations and their people with societal ills.

His comments came as the administration implements an effective freeze on all immigration applications from 19 nations, several of which are in Asia: Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos and Turkmenistan. 

Turkmenistan? What did Turksenistan, one of least touristy nor visited countries in the world, do to offend Trump and get on list of banned immigrants?

Notice a pattern here? The countries Trump wants fewer people from are overwhelmingly Black and brown nations, while those he name-drops as "nice" are predominantly white.

Trump's behavior is nothing new. He has a long history of actions and speech that many have described as racist or sympathetic to white supremacist tropes, including"

• Accusations include a 1973 lawsuit alleging housing discrimination against Black renters, 

• His promotion of the "birther" conspiracy theory about President Obama, and his statement during his 2016 campaign launch about immigrants from Mexico being criminals and rapists.

• Following a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville in 2017, Trump stated there was "blame on both sides" and "very fine people" among the protesters.

• In 2019, he told congresswomen of color to "go back" to their countries, which the House of Representatives condemned as racist.

• He also used racialized language like "Chinese virus" for COVID-19, which critics argued fueled xenophobia and attacks against Asian Americans.

These instances contribute to ongoing public and academic discussion about Trump's views on race and their effect on American politics and race relations.

 A shift back to the left

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 19 percent of non-white Trump voters regretted their decision in late 2025, a significantly higher percentage than the 5 percent of white Trump voters who expressed regret. This suggests a notable portion of Asian American voters may be included in this group.

The same poll noted that many minority voters had mixed feelings, with some still hoping for promised economic benefits and others being alienated by Trump's racist rhetoric or actions.

Some Asian Americans who supported Trump's general immigration crackdown were surprised or dismayed to learn that his plans included restrictions on legal immigration pathways like H-1B visas and family reunification policies, which many in their communities rely on.

Some voters expressed general disappointment with Trump's job performance, even if they did not fully regret their initial vote, often feeling he did not deliver on economic promises.

It's racism, plain and simple

Let's not mince words: Trump's rhetoric is a classic example of using racially coded language to advocate for a white-centric immigration policy. By framing a preference for Norwegians and Danes over Afghanis, Laotians, Somalis and Haitians, Trump is clearly promoting a race-based, white-supremacist view of who is "worthy" of coming to America.

As an Asian American, and technically a first-generation immigrant to boot, it hits close to home. The "model minority" myth often shields us from the crude public slurs directed at Black or Latinx communities, but policies like these — and the underlying sentiment that only certain (read: white) immigrants are "nice people" — remind us that our status is conditional. Our families came here seeking a better life, contributing greatly to this country, just as immigrants from these 19 nations have been doing for generations.

To suggest that people from these countries are inherently lesser than those from Scandinavia isn't just "frustration over security issues," as some defenders claim; it's a deeply troubling display of racism and xenophobia. The international community called out the original comments as racist in 2018, and they are no less racist today.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

AANHPI nominees for Golden Globe awards and the Big Snub

Golden Globe nominee Dwayne Johnson is nearly unrecognizable in "The Smashing Machine."

OPINION

Well, here we are again. Another awards season kicks off, another round of Golden Globe nominations announced, and yet again we're left asking: Where's the AANHPI love?

It seems the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (or whatever they call themselves these days) is sticking to their old script. We get a token nod here, a "snub" that screams louder than a Mariah Carey high note there. It's the same story, different year. The "edge" of inclusion is apparently still a cliff they are afraid to jump off.

Let's break down the hits and, more importantly, the misses.

Who Got In?

Lee Byung-hun managed to break through the white noise, snagging a well-deserved nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his work in

No Other Choice. A win is a win, and we'll take it. But does one man make a movement?

Dwayne Johnson is a surprise nominee, but maybe this is Hollywood's way of showing an appreciation for his box office hits and popular appeal. He  foregoes his usual cinematic wisecfracking persona and gets serious as martial artist Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, a gritty biopic that sidesteps cliché earning him a nomination as Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama.

We saw a couple of mentions in the animation and music categories:

KPop Demon Hunters earned a couple of nods: Best Animated Feature, and a song from that film, "Golden," the song from 

Wicked: For Good

, got a Best Original Song nomination. Good for them, but these categories often feel like the "kids' table" of the awards circuit when we're talking major industry recognition.

Perhaps animated AANHPI characters are easier to accept for the Hollywood denizens than live actors.

The Snubs Heard 'Round Hollywood

Here's where the real story is. The one that makes you shake your head and wonder if these voters even watch the same movies as the rest of us. Jon M. Chu, the man behind the camera for the mega-hit Wicked: For Good, was left out of the Best Director race. 

A massive blockbuster with critical buzz and strong performances from its leads (Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who did get nominations) is apparently not "directing" enough for the Globes. The film itself was also shut out of the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy category. 

It's a snub that is, frankly, hard to defend and typical of the industry's blind spot for AANHPI creative talent at the highest level.

In addition, Hailee Steinfeld was left out of the supporting actress nominations for her role in Sinners, a film that received seven nominations.

AANHPI representation this year is better than last year when there were no AANHPI actors nominees. There's definitely room for improvement.

Hollywood's systemic bias

As awards season rolls into high gear, Asian and Asian American actors and projects are comparatively few and far between, according to interviews with some of Hollywood's AANHPI creatives. Despite the box office and creative success of films like Crazy Rich Asians, Everything, Everywhere All At Once, and Minari on the big screen and Shogun and Beef for TV, Hollywood's apparent commitment to diversity appears to waning.

Simu Liu has been an outspoken voice regarding diversity and inclusion in the film and TV industries, using his platform as Marvel's first Asian superhero to advocate for change.

In social media posts in November this year, Liu described the current state of Asian representation as "f***ing appalling". He noted that while Asian-led films like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Crazy Rich Asians, and Shang-Chi have been financially successful, studios still seem to view Asian actors as a risk.

Liu points to a "deeply prejudiced system" where white male actors can star in multiple box-office flops and still land leading roles in tentpole films, whereas Asian actors face much higher scrutiny and fewer chances.

Director Chloe Zhao could be a multi-ward winner for the Golden Globes.

Following are the AANHPI projects and actors nominated for the Golden Globes:     

Best Motion Picture – Drama

    HAMNET (directed by Chloé Zhao)

Best Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy

    NO OTHER CHOICE 

Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Motion Picture – Drama

    Dwayne Johnson, The Smashing Machine

Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy

    Lee Byung-Hun, No Other Choice

Best Director – Motion Picture

    Chloé Zhao, Hamnet

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

    Chloé Zhao, Hamnet

 Best Motion Picture – Animated

    KPop Demon Hunters  

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language

    No Other Choice

Best Song – Motion Picture

    “Golden,” KPop Demon Hunters

Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy or Television

    Kumail Nanjiani, Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts

The 2026 Golden Globes ceremony will air live on CBS on Sunday, January 11, at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET, and will also stream on Paramount+ in the US. The show returns to the Beverly Hilton and will once again be hosted by comedian and actress Nikki Glaser.

        FYI: For a complete list of Golden Globenominees.

The bottom line? The 2026 Golden Globes are, once again, a mixed bag. We're seeing slow, glacial progress in some areas, but the key power-player categories like directing and non-stereotypical roles remain elusive. It just goes to show, we still have a long way to go before the "edge" becomes the mainstream.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Trump cancels citizenship swearing-in ceremony

At some naturalization ceremonies like the one above, flags are handed out to the new US citizens.

It looks like the Trump administration has found another way to make life harder for immigrants, especially those from certain countries they've decided are "high-risk." The latest target? The final, joyous step of the naturalization process: the citizenship ceremony itself.

A recent Trump administration policy has led to the cancellation of naturalization oath ceremonies for some immigrants in Massachusetts and across the US. This policy specifically affects individuals who are originally from one of 19 countries deemed "high-risk."

The cancellations are a direct result of a new order from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), issued on Dec. 2, which mandated an immediate pause on all immigration applications for nationals from these specific countries as part of an effort to strengthen screening processes.

Reports out of Massachusetts describe US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers playing a real-life version of "red light, green light" at Faneuil Hall. Except, instead of a game, they were asking people their country of origin and "plucking" those from specific nations right out of line, effectively canceling their long-awaited moment to become US citizens. 

This is a direct result of a new USCIS memo, issued on December 2, 2025, that mandates a total freeze on applications for nationals from 19 identified countries to allow for "strengthened screening." Mind you, many of these individuals had already jumped through every hoop the system put in front of them, some after decades of legal residency. This isn't about security; it's about cruelty and creating a system "stacked against immigrants of color."

This blanket policy is a slap in the face to due process and an affront to America's  guiding principle that immigrants make this country better.

Here are the 19 countries impacted by this discriminatory order, including several in Asia: 

• Afghanistan
• Burma (Myanmar)
• Burundi

• Chad
• Republic of the Congo
• Cuba
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Iran
• Laos
• Libya
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Togo
• Turkmenistan
• Venezuela
• Yemen

Advocacy groups like the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) are calling it what it is: un-American. They are among the legal advocates exploring challenges, arguing the policy violates basic due process and treats people as security risks based solely on where they were born, not their individual merits or security history.

 "The administration’s exploitation of the tragedy to push xenophobic policies is misguided and cruel. These new policies fuel racial animus and seek to vilify many based on the alleged actions of one," states AAAJ in a press release.  

“The United States was founded on the principles of protecting and accepting immigrants seeking safety, opportunity, and liberty from oppression. The new constraints victimize immigrants going through the legal immigration process, especially endangering those seeking asylum and refuge from life-threatening conditions in their countries of origin." 

The AAAJ statement continues: “Individuals with canceled naturalization ceremonies and green card interviews have followed the rules and waited years for the immigration process to play out. Others who have already received benefits will now have to fear losing their status. ... In addition, needlessly re-reviewing applications worsens immigration case backlog and will strain government resources."  

In the meantime, the customary flag-waving at previous events will have to wait. People's dreams and hopes of becoming US citizens , a process that takes years, were suddenly crushed. Instead of celebrating, they find themselves  in a legal limbo, being told they'll get more info via a separate notice.

This policy, effective Dec. 2, requires all nationals from these countries with pending applications to undergo a thorough re-review process, including potential re-interviews, which has caused immediate delays and cancellations of previously scheduled ceremonies.

The message is clear: the administration is determined to put up as many barriers as possible for people they deem undesirable. The fight for human rights is constant, and this is just the latest battleground.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Get Angry! ICE separates six-year old from his father

Six-year old Yuanxin Zheng remains at an undisclosed location.

Do you know a six-year old kid? Usually, he or she, is curious, takes joy in simple things and easy to have fun with. But can that child take care of himself? No. The six-year old needs an adult to feed, clothe, bathe him- or herself.

Now imagine taking that six-year old away from family; away from the adults who love and take care of him or her; who can speak to him or her in a language he or she can understand.

That's what happened to Yuanxin Zheng.

As of a recent update on December 6, 2025, the missing six-year-old Chinese boy,  Yuanxin Zheng, is reportedly in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). However, the federal agency refused to reveal his exact location.

It has been almost two weeks that the youngster was separated from his father during a routine check-in with ICE in New York. It should be noted that they were following instructions, obeying the law, to check in periodically when the father was detained and whisked away to an ICE facility.

Yuanxin and his father, Fei Zheng, who are Chinese legally seeking asylum, were detained and separated from each other on November 26, 2025, during a scheduled check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Manhattan.

The child, who had just started first grade in New York City, is in ORR custody, which typically handles unaccompanied or separated minor immigrant children. 

His father is being held at the Orange County Correctional Facility in Goshen, New York, where he can be located using the ICE online detainee locator.  Just yesterday, Fei was allowed to speak to his son but they wouldn't tell him where young Yuanxin is.

Advocacy groups and New York politicians, including Senator Chuck Schumer and Representatives Nydia Velázquez and Grace Meng, are working to locate Yuanxin and secure the family's immediate reunification and release.

The family was reportedly living in Queens, New York, and Yuanxin was enrolled in the first grade at a local elementary school prior to their detention. They were previously released on parole after attempting to cross the border in April 2025 and had a valid asylum case before it was administratively closed in September.

Community advocates and officials held a rally in Queens on December 7, 2025, to protest the family separation and demand their immediate release. The father and son were finally able to speak via phone call a week after their separation.

NYC officials, including the mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, have spoken out against the separation and are demanding the family's immediate reunification and release. Advocates are urging the public to contact the ORR hotline to pressure them into disclosing his whereabouts to officials and securing his release to his father. 

ICE maintains that it does not separate families, but places children in the "safe custody" of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) when a parent cannot be safely detained with them or refuses to be removed with them.

A spokespers for the Department of Homeland Security said the family was given an order of removal and that the father "was acting so disruptive and aggressive that he endangered the child's wellbeing," the spokesperson said.

It's understandable why the father was upset. 

Advocates for the family argue that Zheng refused to board the flight to China in September and again in October out of fear of government retribution and torture in his home country, not to abandon his child. They view the separation as a tactic by ICE to coerce the father into complying with the deportation order, calling the action "inhumane" and "torturous".

The six-year-old is part of a growing number of children arrested and detained by ICE, according to newly released data obtained by the Deportation Data Project through a Freedom of Information Act request. One hundred and fifty-one children under the age of 18 have been arrested between January and October.

On Dec. 7, Sunday, supporters, including Yuanxin,'s first-grade classmates, held a rally at the playground of P.S. 166 where Yuanxin us enrolled.

"I have seen some brutal family separations," City Comptroller Brad Lander said at the rally. "But I have to tell you, I still have not heard anything as rotten as family separating and jailing a 6-year-old boy. We're not gonna stand for it. Shame."

Whether or not father and son are deported or their asylum request is granted is not the issue here; keeping a six-year old away from the one person who loves him is wrong. It is cruel. Intentionally cruel.

If this situation doesn't get you angry I don't know what to tell you. At the very least, forward this blog to your congressional representative and have them join Sen. Schumer and Rep. Grace Meng in demanding that father and son are reunited.

“Six-year-old Yuanxin had just enrolled in the first grade at an elementary school in Astoria,” said Mamdani. “Now he’s in custody, alone. ... This cruelty serves no one. It must end.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Rachel Maddow's podcast uses Japanese American incarceration as a lesson versus today's Trump policies

Japanese American groups, remembering their own history of unjust mass incarceration during WWII were among the first to condemn  the Trump administration's immigration policies, viewing similarities in rhetoric and actions, particularly mass detention and family separation, as echoing past injustices to their families.

The similarities between their incarceration and this administration's attitudes toward immigrants is largely unknown by most Americans. All that may change as their struggle is the subject of a podcast by progressive media host Rachel Maddow.

 "Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order" is a new, six-episode narrative podcast that tells the story of the executive order that authorized the roundup and incarceration of innocent Japanese Americans during World War II. The podcast was released on December 1, 2025.

"Rachel Maddow’s new series lays bare one of the most shocking decisions in American history," posts the Manzanar Committee on social media. "It’s a story that reveals how an executive order authorizing the mass roundup of innocent Japanese Americans came to be, the powerful players who engineered it, and the burn order that tried to erase it from history."

SCREEN CAPTURE / CBS

Japanese Americans were among the first to protest Donald Trump's immigration policies.

The series investigates one of the most shocking decisions in American history, focusing on the powerful figures who engineered the policy, those who tried to stop it, and a "burn order" that attempted to erase the official report from history. A copy of the crucial government memo was discovered decades later, despite orders for its destruction.

"I'm angry, I'm angry," said 81-year-old Satsuki Ina to CBS. "It's frightening. It's terrifying that this is happening again."

"It is a replication of our own history," explains Inak, a survivor of the Tule Lake Ssegregation Center. "They're using the same legal false justification, removing people without due process."

Rachel Maddow

Maddow is arguably the most in-fluential voice in progressive media. She is the highest paid host on MSNBC, now rebranded as MS NOW. Maddow has approximately 9.4 million followers across her primary social media accounts, with nearly 9.4 million on X (formerly Twitter) and 2.5 million on the Facebook page for The Rachel Maddow Show. Her podcasts are highly popular, often reaching number one on the Apple Podcasts charts.

In her podcast Burn Order, Maddow draws several parallels to today's political climate beyond mass detentions. The podcast focuses on the manipulation of information, government accountability, and the targeting of groups.

FYI: Listen to the podcast on various platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and MSNBC's website.  

The key parallels Maddow highlights are:


• Targeting of "the Other": The government used "brazen lies and stereotypes" to turn the public against a whole group of people. This can be seen today with the divisive political rhetoric labeling certain groups as a threat.

Lack of Accountability for Influential Figures: Maddow points to figures operating without accountability. This can be seen as a parallel to situations where powerful individuals seem untouchable and operate outside public scrutiny.

Attempts to Suppress Truth: The podcast is titled after a "burn order"—a deliberate attempt to destroy documents and suppress the truth. This can be compared to modern discussions about mishandled records, government cover-ups, and the fight for transparency.

Public Indifference: Maddow suggests the public back then was "determined to look the other way". Today, with a constant stream of news, there is a danger of public fatigue and indifference, potentially allowing those in power to act unchecked.

Abuse of Power: The historical event involved the abuse of executive power and the stripping of citizens' rights through an unconstitutional executive order. This serves as a warning about unchecked power and the importance of constitutional checks and balances.

It's amazing how many Americans have never heard of this shameful chapter of US  history. Even less known is how Japanese Americans fought for the federal government to admit any wrongdoing.

The podcast also explores how the persistence of the Japanese American community was able to get the federal government to issue an apologizy to Japanese Americans for the wartime internment through the Civil Liberties Act of 198..The apology not only acknowledged that the incarceration was based on "racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership," it also provided a $20,000 cash payment to each eligible survivor.

Maddow will host a live event in Los Angeles tied to Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order sponsored by MS NOW. It will take place at 5 p.m. PT on Dec. 14 at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. The event also will air as a MSNOW primetime special on Dec. 29. Tickets for the event are available for purchase via Ticketmaster.

Japanese Americans, informed by its painful history, largely reacted with alarm and opposition to Trump's immigration crackdowns, advocating for compassion and constitutional rights for all immigrants. Their perspective matters.


“Doing the right thing doesn't always pay off in the short run, but your country will ultimately get this right,” Maddow tells Time magazine. “The good guys will be rewarded and the bad guys will be punished or forgotten. Having faith in those kinds of moral outcomes is really a nice guiding light to have in dark times like these.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Trump's new immigration restrictions will adversely impact Asian immigrants; favor white Afrikaners

Donald Trump wants more restrictions for immigrants to the US.

The United States might as well hang a sign out that says "No people of color allowed," after Donald Trump proposed new sweeping restrictions after Thanksgiving Day.

Over the past week, following an Afghan national arrested as a suspect in the fatal shooting of National Guard soldier in Washington DC, Trump issued a flurry of social media posts further restricting immigration from "third world" countries. 

As  Trump advocated new restrictions on immigration from Asia, Africa and the MIddle East, going almost unnoticed under the barrage of his social media posts, is he wants to give white South Afrikaners priority as refugees.

Trump's recent immigration declarations will affect immigrants from Asia by heightened restrictions on family-based immigration, increased scrutiny and costs for skilled-worker visas (H-1B), and travel restrictions on certain Asian nations.

Key Declarations

 The death of one National Guard soldier and seriously injuring another blocks from the White House sparked a flurry of social media pronouncements by Trump, including:

• Trump stated he would "permanently pause" migration from "all Third World Countries". When asked for clarification, the Department of Homeland Security pointed to the 19 countries already on a June 2025 travel ban list, which includes Asian countries like Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), and Laos. Nationals from these specific countries will face full or partial entry suspensions, including stricter visa requirements and potentially indefinite delays in processing.

• The Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has ordered a "full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern." For Asian immigrants from the targeted 19 countries, this means a likely increase in processing times, added background checks, longer security screening, or temporary holds on their applications.

• Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), often used by Afghan nationals who worked with the US military, have been paused following the incident, directly impacting a specific group of Asian immigrants seeking refuge and legal status.

Immigration from Asia is a significant part of U.S. immigration, with immigrants from India, China, and the Philippines being the largest groups, and origins spanning from historical migration to modern-day skilled and family-based immigration

Key effects on Asian immigrants include:

Family Reunification Challenges: Trump has emphasized a shift away from the current family-based immigration system towards a "merit-based" model. This will disproportionately affect many Asian immigrant communities (such as those from the Philippines, Vietnam, India, and China) that rely heavily on family-sponsored visas, which already face extensive backlogs. The new policies will likely prevent family members abroad from joining relatives already in the U.S., creating long-distance separations and significant delays.

H-1B Visa Restrictions: The administration continues to target the H-1B skilled-worker visa program, which is widely utilized by immigrants from India and China. Recent actions have included significant fee increases (e.g., to $100,000 per application for certain groups), higher wage requirements, and increased scrutiny during the application process, making it more difficult and expensive for US companies to hire and retain highly skilled Asian professionals.

Family reunification may be harder under Donald Trump's new proposals.

Travel Bans and Heightened Scrutiny: The administration has implemented full or partial entry suspensions and heightened scrutiny for nationals of several countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Laos. This can prevent individuals from these countries from entering the U.S. and complicate visa renewals for those already in the country.

Increased Deportation and Enforcement: The administration's push for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants also impacts Asian communities; Asian Americans constitute about 10% of the total undocumented population. There has also been an increase in the detention and deportation of Southeast Asians with existing removal orders.

Termination of Protections: The recent termination of TPS for approximately 4,000 Myanmar nationals, effective January 26, 2026, will leave these individuals vulnerable to deportation unless they can find other legal avenues to remain in the U.S.

"Ideological Screening" and Fear: Trump's declaration to block immigrants "non-compatible with Western civilization" introduces subjective criteria for entry and could lead to ideological or discriminatory screening processes. This, along with general anti-immigrant rhetoric, contributes to a climate of fear and uncertainty, potentially discouraging immigrants from accessing essential services, such as healthcare.

Even before last week's declarations fear and anxiety among Asian Americans has been on the rise.  A November 2025 poll revealed that worries about detention and deportation among Asian immigrants doubled from 14% in 2023 to 29%, a concern extending to many with lawful permanent resident (LPR) status or naturalized citizenship.

White Afrikaners 'prioritized'

Overall, these actions indicate a major shift in US immigration policy that creates significant uncertainty and fear among Asian immigrant communities, even for those with legal status.

Among these proposed policies that generally reduces immigration from "third-world" countries and has severely cut the overall US refugee admission ceiling to a record low, the Trump administration has specifically prioritized members of the white Afrikaner minority. This policy is based on Trump's claims of a "white genocide" and land seizures in South Africa,  

The Trump administration has not provided data or credible evidence to substantiate its claim of "white genocide" in South Africa. The claims have been widely fact-checked and debunked by the South African government, independent experts, human rights organizations, and even the US State Department's own reports.

South African immigrants Elon Musk, left and Peter Thiel are major Donald Trump supporters.

Critics have offered two reasons explaining the apparent emphasis on South Africa white immigrants:

1. Critics argue that the policy is a "dog whistle" appealing to white victimhood and is consistent with Trump's preference for immigrants from predominantly white countries over those from "third world" nations. Some officials suggested the preference was because they would be easier to assimilate.

2. It is payback to two billionaire supporters, both immigrants from South Africa and who have financed Trump's campaign: Elon Musk, the richest person in the world who donated millions of dollars to put Trump in the Oval Office and helped Trump drastically reduce the federal workforce in the opening months of the Trump administration; and Peter Thiel,  a venture capitalist and tech investor known for co-founding PayPal and being an early investor in Facebook. He has been a vocal supporter and advisor for Trump. Although Thiel hasn't donated directly to the Heritage Foundation, the think tank that developed Project 2025, his philanthropic foundation has been a major donor (reportedly $10 million) to the Donor's Trust, a "dark money" group that in turn has funded the Heritage Foundation.

The administration is restricting legal immigration pathways through measures like expanded travel bans targeting specific countries, increased fees for applications, and limits on H-1B and student work visas, impacting the flow of talent into the US.

In essence, experts anticipate that the wide-ranging pronouncements will lead to a smaller population and workforce, a weaker economy in the long run, and profound social and personal costs for immigrant communities and the nation as a whole.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge.