Code Red in Newark: ICE agents pepperspray US Senator Andy Kim

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Just before getting peppersprayed, Senator Andy Kim tried to de-escalate the confrontation.

This incident is ridiculous. ICE agents pepper-sprayed a US Senator. The incident with New Jersey's Korean American Sen. Andy Kim demonstrates, once again, the need to rein in Donald Trump's out-of-control army.

The thin veneer of constitutional governance didn't just crack outside Newark’s Delaney Hall—it was blasted apart by a cloud of federal-grade pepper spray.
When Kim was filmed on Monday clutching an ice pack while street medics frantically flushed chemical irritants from his eyes, the imagery captured something far deeper than a chaotic protest. It gave a visceral face to a raging constitutional crisis: a rogue executive branch physically assaulting the very lawmakers empowered to oversee it.

"My eyes were hurting, my throat was burning," Kim said afterwards.

The clash

The powder keg ignited over a hunger strike inside the privately run, 1,000-bed immigration warehouse. Roughly 300 detainees are currently risking starvation to protest what advocates call "inhumane" living conditions, including acute medical neglect.

When Kim, Governor Mikie Sherrill, and other New Jersey Democrats showed up for a critical oversight visit, they were met with immediate stonewalling. Sherrill was completely blocked at the gate. Senator Kim only forced his way inside after making a direct, high-stakes phone call to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

But the true ugly underbelly of federal enforcement was waiting for Kim when he stepped back outside.

Faced with a tense standoff between an armored ICE vehicle, heavily weaponized agents, and a human chain of peaceful demonstrators, Kim did what a leader is supposed to do: he stepped into the gap. Putting his hands up in a universal "stop" motion, the Korean American senator tried to broker a de-escalation.

The federal response? In an interview with CNN''s Jake Tapper, Kim said:

US Sen. Andy Kim had his eyes flushed out after
getting pepperspreayed by ICE agents.

"So I tried my best to get between the ICE agents and the crowd as the ICE convoy decided to just go ahead and plow through the crowd, which was just absolutely so dangerous of an action that they were doing. So I remember the pepper balls starting to get shot towards my feet and past me. I did not get hit directly by a pepper ball, but certainly between the pepper balls and then the pepper spray that was happening, I’d certainly had an irritation and burning sensation in my eyes and my throat.

"But more broadly, this was something that was avoidable. We were trying to find a way to be able to move forward that wasn’t gonna escalate in this way. But ICE decided that they just had enough and they were gonna just move ahead. And I just thought that was an incredibly dangerous action for them to do. And that continued problems, that continued threat of violence and escalation continues today. Tomorrow, I mean, ... we’re seeing just a heightened level of danger right now in New Jersey."

Lawless enforcers

Let’s cut through the Department of Homeland Security’s spin, which quickly dismissed the oversight visit as a "political stunt."

The law is unequivocal. Under Section 527 of the DHS Appropriations Act, no taxpayer funds may be used to block a Member of Congress from entering or inspecting an immigration detention facility. Period. Full stop. Federal courts reaffirmed this exact mandate earlier this year in Neguse v. Noem, ruling that the executive branch lacks the authority to gatekeep congressional oversight.

ICE’s defense rests on an unconstitutional house of cards—specifically, an agency-invented rule requiring a seven-day advance notice for visits. But a federal agency’s internal memo cannot override statutory federal law.

Furthermore, under standard DHS Use of Force Directives, federal agents are legally restricted to using force that is "objectively reasonable." Deploying chemical weapons against a visible, compliant federal lawmaker attempting to peacefully negotiate a crowd clearance violates the core tenets of acceptable law enforcement behavior.

Kim to take action

Can these agents be disciplined? On paper, absolutely. The DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) and ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) possess the clear authority to suspend, terminate, or recommend criminal assault charges against the officers involved.

But in the Trump regime, "can" and "will" are miles apart. With a DHS leadership that treats congressional oversight like an enemy insurgency, internal investigators will face immense institutional pressure to sweep this under the rug as standard "crowd control."

Kim hasn't signaled an intent to file personal charges or lawsuits. He knows the battlefield is systemic. Instead of getting bogged down in an uphill legal battle against qualified immunity, Kim is taking the fight back to Washington, demanding the permanent shutdown of Delaney Hall and drafting legislation to cut off the administration's ability to buy up more corporate detention warehouses.

When federal law enforcement agents feel entitled to pepper-spray the lawmakers who hold the purse strings, the balance of power is no longer just threatened. It's on fire.

“What we saw here is unfortunately just what we see all over the country,” Kim told NJ.com. “It’s sad, it’s a sad day.”

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. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

New Jersey: Asian American congressman challenging embattled Sen. Bob Menendez

US Sen. Bob Menendez, left, is being challenged by US Rep. Andy Kim.

Representative Andy Kim, one of New Jersey's most popular political leaders, announced that he will run against US Senator Bob Menendez, who is under indictment for numerous bribery charges.

US Rep. Andy Kim launched his 2024 campaign against Menendez after the Cuban American senator ignored calls for his resignation.

“This is not something I expected to do, but I believe New Jersey deserves better,” Kim said in a statement. “We cannot jeopardize the Senate or compromise our country’s integrity. I believe it’s time we restore faith in our democracy, and that’s why I am stepping up and running for Senate.”

After the latest indictment charges, Menendez said Friday, “I am not going anywhere.” ignoring calls from Democratic Party leaders and fellow senators to step down.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also announced that Menendez would have to step down as chairman per Senate Democratic caucus rules, since he has been charged with a felony. His announcement fell short of asking Menendez to resign.

US Attorney Damian Williams said: “As the grand jury charged, between 2018 and 2022, Senator Menendez and his wife engaged in a corrupt relationship with Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes – three New Jersey businessmen who collectively paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes, including cash, gold, a Mercedes Benz, and other things of value – in exchange for Senator Menendez agreeing to use his power and influence to protect and enrich those businessmen and to benefit the Government of Egypt."

Authorities who searched Menendez’s home last year found more than $100,000 worth of gold bars, as well as over $480,000 in cash — much of it hidden in closets, clothing and a safe, prosecutors say. The indictment includes photos of cash stuffed in envelopes in jackets bearing Menendez’s name and of a luxury car that prosecutors say was given to the couple as a bribe from the businessmen.

The Department of Justice which issued the indictments, reminded media that the chargesare merely accusations, and "the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty."

If Kim is successful in winning the New Jersey Senate seat, he would be only the third Asian American US senator, joining Illinois' Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Hawaii's Sen. Mazie Hirono.

"I feel compelled to run against him. Not something I expected to do, but NJ deserves better. We cannot jeopardize the Senate or compromise our integrity," Kim said in a social media posting.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

Asian American congressman leads Democrats on new House CCP committee

Rep. Raja Raja Krishnamoorthi will play a key role in new House committee.

Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus got what they wanted when House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries named three Asian American members, to serve on the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill, will head the Democrats on the new committee. He'll be joined by Democratic Representatives Ro Khanna of Silicon Valley and Andy Kim of New Jersey.

Rep. Michelle Steel, a Korean American Republican representing parts of Orange County, California, is the only other Asian American on the committee with the responsibility investigating and developing policy to address the United States’ economic, technological, and security competition with the Chinese Communist Party.

One of the first items on the committee is the Chinese balloon flying across the United States. Although the Chinese say it is a weather balloon gone off course, US intelligence and military authorities claim that it has the capabilities of spying on "sensitive" facilities in the US.

In a show of bipartisanship, Select Committee on the CCP Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the suspected Chinese spy balloon flying over the United States.

“The Chinese Communist Party should not have on-demand access to American airspace. Not only is this a violation of American sovereignty, coming only days before Secretary Blinken’s trip to the PRC, but it also makes clear that the CCP’s recent diplomatic overtures do not represent a substantive change in policy. Indeed, this incident demonstrates that the CCP threat is not confined to distant shores—it is here at home and we must act to counter this threat.”

One of the reasons CAPAC urged Jeffries to appoint CAPAC members on the committee is the concern that anti-Chinese rhetoric from the committee could fan the flames of racism plaguing AANHPI communities since the Donald Trump regime.

“We cannot forget that rhetoric used around economic competition with Asian countries has resulted in the verbal and physical harassment and even murder of Asian Americans here at home," cautioned Rp. Judy Chu, CAPAC chair. "Since March 2020 and former President Trump’s sustained references to the coronavirus as the ‘China virus,’ over 11,500 hate crimes and incidents against Asian Americans have been reported."

"I know that our CAPAC Members will stand ready to call out xenophobic anti-China rhetoric that we know exacerbates anti-Asian hate and violence against our communities. I know that our CAPAC Members will stand ready to call out xenophobic anti-China rhetoric that we know exacerbates anti-Asian hate and violence against our communities."

Krishnamoorthi, who is also a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, is the lead Democrat on the Averting the National Threat of Internet Surveillance, Oppressive Censorship and Influence, and Algorithmic Learning by the Chinese Communist Party Act (ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act), which protects Americans by blocking and prohibiting all transactions from any social media company in, or under the influence of, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and several other foreign adversaries.

In the 117th Congress, the Indian American congressmember led bipartisan legislation that was signed into law, called the Gathering and Reporting Assessments Yielding Zero Overlooked Nefarious Efforts (Gray Zone) Act, which requires the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to produce a National Intelligence Estimate on different aspects of gray zone activities - actions that fall between ordinary statecraft and open warfare - that the PRC employs. Congressman Krishnamoorthi was also the lead Democrat on the bipartisan Transparency for Malign Chinese Investments in Global Port Infrastructure Act, which requires the DNI to study and report to Congress information related to Chinese global investments in port infrastructure.

"At a time when anti-Asian hate and violence are on the rise, it’s essential that this committee focuses its vital work on protecting all Americans from the threat posed by the CCP, while avoiding dangerous rhetoric that fuels the types of xenophobia that have endangered members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community,” added Krishnamoorthi.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

New Jersey joins list of states honoring civil rights hero Fred Korematsu

RAFU SHIMPO GRAPHIC

A true civil rights icon who refused to accept an injustice was honored today as New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy today signed a joint resolution (AJR98) designating January 30 of each year as Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution in New Jersey.

The day of recognition honors the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an American civil rights activist of Japanese heritage who fought against the wrongful incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

“In setting aside a day permanently recognizing the contributions of Fred Korematsu, we are recommitting ourselves to our nation’s ideal of protecting civil liberties,” said Murphy. “While we can never rectify the injustices woven into the fabric of our nation’s history, we can ensure that the stories of those who fought against injustice are never forgotten. History must be our guide for creating a better tomorrow. I am honored to sign this resolution and to put New Jersey firmly, and forever, on the side of Fred Korematsu and all who keep his legacy alive.”

“AAPI stories often go unknown, unrecognized, and can slip through the cracks of history into the forgotten. New Jersey is doing a great thing by honoring Fred Korematsu and his courageous activism for civil rights – not only to celebrate his service and perseverance, but for recognizing a true AAPI civil rights champion,” said New Jersey Congressmember Andy Kim.

“Fred always stood for what was right and offered his life and story to combat discriminatory policies and xenophobia in our country. May ‘Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution’ be a lasting recognition of his impact and the many contributions of the AAPI community to our nation’s story,” Kim said.

New Jersey is the 11th state to establish Jan. 30 honoring Korematsu since New York first established the day in 2008.

“With the increasing need for mutual understanding among different communities, it is more important than ever to remember, recognize, and honor Fred Korematsu’s legacy of civil rights and liberties,” said Ambassador Mikio Mori, Consul General of Japan in New York. “His legacy continues to inspire people of all backgrounds and demonstrates the importance of speaking up to fight injustice. Let us remember and celebrate this day to learn from history and commit to never letting hatred and racism dictate our actions again.”

““This demonstrates how one person’s brave stance can change the lives of many others. Let us always remember and honor the memory of my father so that honor and justice will shine forever,” said Dr. Karen Korematsu, daughter of Fred Korematsu and Founder and Executive Director, Fred T. Korematsu Institute.

Fred T. Korematsu was an American civil rights activist. In 1942, at the age of 23, he refused to go to the government’s incarceration camps for Japanese Americans. After he was arrested and convicted of defying the government’s order, he appealed his case all the way to the United States Supreme Court. In 1944, a divided Supreme Court ruled against him, arguing that the incarceration was justified due to military necessity.

In 1983, with new evidence, a pro-bono legal team re-opened Korematsu’s 40-year-old case on the basis of government misconduct. On November 10, 1983, Korematsu’s conviction was overturned in a federal court in San Francisco. In 1998, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President Bill Clinton. And in 2018, the Supreme Court formally repudiated its 1944 decision, which today is widely regarded as one of the most unjust decisions in the history of the Court.

GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declares Jan. 30 Fred Korematsu Day

Primary sponsors of the legislation include Senator Joseph Lagana, and Assemblymembers Raj Mukerji, Anthony Verrelli, and Brandon Umba.

“Today, Jan. 30, 2023, is a great day for State of NJ—it is a great day for HUMAN KIND!” said Takeshi Furumoto, internment camp survivor and human right activist. “To not only recognize the wrongs of the past, but by recognizing this through legislation, vows to not repeat it. As a survivor, by testifying and passing this bill, and getting unanimous vote of approval by the State Senate and Assembly, gives me a hope for future of America!”

“I grew up in Maywood and attended Hackensack High School several decades ago. But despite an otherwise excellent education, I was never taught about the internment camps where Japanese Americans like my mom, Fred Korematsu, and 120,000 others were detained. Fred Korematsu had the courage to stand up to the country that he loved and challenge it to be better.,"said Phil Tajitsu Nash, board co-president of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF).

“We applaud New Jersey for recognizing Fred Korematsu Day. This recognition is about understanding how vitally important, but also how fragile our rights as Americans can be,” stated David Inoue, Executive Director for the Japanese American Citizens League. 

“At a time when there are threats to a woman’s right to health care and other states are proposing to reinstitute Alien Land Laws," Inoue continued, "it is important that we remember Fred Korematsu and the stand he took against the racist incarceration of Japanese Americans and that despite him fighting in the courts, the Supreme Court ultimately denied his rights as an American.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

AAPI lawmakers recall the 1/6 Insurrection

In the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol, Rep. Andy Kim helped clean up the debris.

January 6, 2021 will forever be a day when America was attacked by domestic forces, a day of trauma and reflection about the fragility of democracy.

“Certain dates echo throughout history, including dates that instantly remind all who have lived through them, where they were and what they were doing when our democracy came under assault,” Vice President Kamala Harris said today (Jan. 6, 2022) as she introduced President Joe Biden for his remarks clearly placing the blame for the coup attempt on the "defeated president" Donald Trump.

Harris said some dates in U.S. history "“occupy not only a place on our calendars, but a place in our collective memory. December 7th, 1941. September 11th, 2001. And January 6th, 2021.”

“What they sought to degrade and destroy was not only a building, hallowed as it is,” said Harris, the first Asian American to be Vice President. “What they were assaulting were the institutions, the values, the ideals that generations of Americans have marched, picketed and shed blood to establish and defend."

Biden was even more clear in his forceful speech in which he said Trump "held a daggar at the throat of democracy."

AAPI members of Congress took time to recall the day when Insurrectionists -- egged on by a defeated Donald Trump -- and express their thoughts of the failed coup attempt and feared for their lives.

Rep. Andy Kim, D-NJ, sent out a moving thread on Twitter. He described the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol and how members of Congress gathered to finish confirming the results of the Presidential election.

Kim concluded with:

"There can be no compromise with those who would seek to overthrow our republic," said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill in a statement. "There can be no reconciliation. Instead, our focus must be on pursuing truth and justice...we must learn the truth of what happened that day, who was responsible, and how we can prevent any such events from ever occurring again.

"Today is a day of remembrance for that tragedy, a day of thanks for those who showed heroism ..., and a day of rededication to the work yet to be done to ensure it never happens again."

"That shocking and harrowing day was terrifying," recalled Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY.  "For hours, I was barricaded in a room off the House floor as the angry mob marched right outside my door. I feared for my life and called loved ones asking them to pray for me as these insurrectionists, spurred by then-President Trump, stormed the halls of Congress. I continue to be offended, appalled, and disgusted over the havoc and damage that they wreaked and their weaponizing of the American flag, and all Americans should feel the same regardless of party affiliation.   

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-WA, used a video on Twitter to describe her horrifying experience on 1/6, hiding in the House gallery listening to the rioters outside the chamber slamming on the door and fearing for her life.

Despite recovering from knee surgery, she was able to hide behind her chair, holding  a gas mask and with a cane, duck under bannisters to escape the gallery.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal followed instructions to kneel down despite her surgically repaired knee.

"The insurrection is still surreal to me, and I continue to see the destructive and violent images of rioters when I walk through the Capitol," Meng continued. "As we reflect on the one-year anniversary of the attack, we must all stand united against the heinous acts that occurred on that dark day in our nation’s history. We must continue to address the hurt and pain that it has caused, the healing that needs to still take place, and do everything in our power to ensure that a situation like this never ever happens again.”

Rep. Bobby Scott, D-VA, looked towards the future. “Sadly, the threat to our Democracy is ongoing," he said. "Adherence to the former president’s ‘Big Lie’ about the 2020 election is now the most important litmus test for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. It has been used as pretext all over the country for rampant efforts to suppress the ability of Americans to vote, to install local and state election officials willing to openly ignore the legal votes of the people, and to enact other mechanisms to overturn the results of future elections.

“The House of Representatives has already taken important steps to protect the right to vote and maintain the integrity of our Democracy through passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act," Scott said, linking the Insurrection to the GOP's present-day attempts to restrict voting.

Rep. Mark Takano, D-CA, tweeted: "As I reflect on January 6, 2021, I'm reminded of the fragility of our democracy, troubled at how divided we are, frustrated at the siloed news information, and furious at my Republican counterparts who fail to condemn the actions of white nationalists and far-right extremists."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Asian Americans in the U.S. State Department questioned about their loyalties

Rep. Andy Kim recalls the bias he faced in the Department of State.

A cloud of suspicion apparently still hangs over the U.S. State Department's Asian American and Pacific Islander foreign service corps.

When New Jersey Congressmember Andy Kim -- born in Boston -- had top secret security clearance as a State Department advisor to Gen. David Petraeus in Afghanistan, he believes he was barred from working on Korea-related issues because he was  perceived to be vulnerable to the influence of foreign governments.

"It felt like a very clear signal from the government and my workplace that they didn't trust me fully," Kim told CNN. It was, he said, "a painful and hurtful experience."

West Point graduate and Army officer Thomas Wong served his country in foreign conflicts. After his military service, the New Jersey native joined the State Department, only to his a wall.  "I felt like my loyalties were being questioned," he said, when he expressed his desire to serve in China. "I'm convinced race was a factor in that decision."

A number of AAPI State Department diplomats believe their bilingual proficiency and cultural sensitivities are being underused to the detriment of the U.S. and that despite their service records, they are still being perceived as foreigners

According to the policy manual of the Department of State, assignment restrictions are used "to prevent potential targeting and harassment by foreign intelligence services as well as to lessen foreign influence and/or foreign preference security concerns."

"I certainly knew people who were born in Brazil and worked on Brazil issues," says Kim, who serves in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "I know people who have German ancestry and German immigrants that are working on Germany issues."

CNN was able to secure an unclassified 2018 letter to House lawmakers that said the assignment restrictions had affected 166 State Department employees in 2015 and 168 in 2016. In 2017, Donald Trump's first year in office, that number nearly doubled to 307.

A 2020 survey by the State Department's Asian American Foreign Affairs Association found 70% of respondents believed the assignment restriction process was biased, and 41% believed there were outright errors in the process.

One's last name appears to be one of the anomalies of the assignment process. A diplomat with a Chinese surname was denied assignment to China. However, another diplomat with an almost identical resume, but who had the Western-sounding  surname of her spouse, was approved the China assignment.

"It helps immensely to change one's last name," joked one diplomat.

The diplomats, who wished to remain anonymous out of fear that their careers would be harmed, were interviewed by CNN. 

However there is a growing awareness among the foreign service corps, in the context of the anti-Asian racist sentiment the country is currently experiencing. 

 

An open letter to lawmakers in March and signed by over a hundred AAPI foreign service and homeland security personnel, expressed their condemnation of the wave of anti-Asian sentiment resulting in verbal and physical attacks  and the frustration they face while trying to serve their country. The statement reads, in part:

"As a community, it has been heart-wrenching to hear--and personally experience--the latest surge of hate crimes targeting Asian-Americans across our beloved country, the same country for which thousands of Asian-Americans have fought and died. The perpetuation of this prejudice has only intensified under the COVID-19 pandemic and the geopolitical and economic strains and racial polarization it has surfaced.

"Simultaneously, the xenophobia that is spreading as U.S. policy concentrates on great power competition has exacerbated suspicions, microaggressions, discrimination, and blatant accusations of disloyalty simply because of the way we look. Many of us have been targeted because we are either ethnically Chinese or simply look Asian. This is not to dismiss credible counterintelligence concerns as evidenced through indictments of U.S. citizens—some of whom are White—spying for China.

"Treating all Asian Americans working in national security with a broad stroke of suspicion, rather than seeing us as valuable contributors, is counterproductive to the greater mission of securing the homeland ..

"Pertaining specifically to the current state of affairs, Chinese-Americans are America’s greatest asset in promoting improved understanding and providing a unique bulwark to counter malign Chinese economic, military and political aggression. ... In an environment where most security-cleared professionals are prevented from travel, cultural exchange, and research with China, diaspora community members have the perspectives and sophistication vital to crafting creative policy solutions to complex, interdisciplinary challenges.

"...we can leverage our diverse backgrounds to increase the U.S.’s strategic advantage. ... No American should be asked to prove their loyalty, absent evidence to the contrary. We as Asian-Americans are integral in combatting and securing America’s collective cognitive security."

In an interview with NPR, Kim said the foreign service has a "structural, systemic problem."

Kim is co-authoring a bill, "Department of State Authorization Act of 2021," that would address diversity at the State Department improving recruitment of a more diverse workforce and reassess the department's anti-discrimination policies.

According to the State Department's own data, more than 74% of foreign service specialists and more than 80% of foreign service generalists were White, according to department data. Men accounted for 58% of the generalists and a full 71% of foreign service specialists. Whites make up around 87% of the most senior ranks of the foreign service. Almost 68% of the senior foreign service and nearly 60% of the executive leadership is male.

There are hopeful signs that change might occur under newly appointed Secretary of State  John Blinken, who is keenly aware that the State Department is not representative of America.

STATE DEPARTMENT

U.S. Secretary of State John Blinken, background, introduced the State Department's first
diversity officer, Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley.

In a March meeting of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Biinken called the lack of diversity a problem that "is as old as the department itself. It's systemic. It goes much deeper than any one institution, or any one administration. And it's perpetuated by policies, practices, and people, to this day."

From the start of his administration, President Biden issued an order to ensure equity and equal opportunity throughout out the federal government "to look like America."

To meet this order, Blinken has appointed the State Department's first-ever diversity officer, career diplomat Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley.

Blinken said that he "will consider it a mark of my success or not during my tenure as Secretary whether we've been able to put in place a much more sustainable foundation for advancing true diversity at the State Department, to make sure that we have a Foreign Service and foreign policy workforce that looks like the country that it represents." 

Blinken's statement might ease the sting still felt by Kim. "I'll never forget the feeling when I learned that my own government questioned my loyalty," said Kim.

The core issue, the New Jersey congressmember told CNN, revolves around some of America's oldest questions that are very familiar to AAPI: "What does it mean to be an American, and whether or not they're forever going to see people of color, and especially of AAPI descent, as fully American."

"I was always told diversity is our strength and that's what we want to push forward to the world, but it doesn't feel that way from my experience," Kim continued. "Instead, we come at it from a place where my diversity is a threat or potential threat first, and only when that is as clearly resolved as it can be, then it can be seen as an asset."

A current diplomat serving in a foreign post put it more bluntly to CNN, in terms most Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders can relate to:  "We're starting to wake up and think, wait a minute, should we be putting up with this anymore, this 'Where are you really from?' attitude. We're Americans."

Congressional Democrats urge Republicans to support Hate Crimes Act

Rep. Andy Kim describes his experiences of anti-Asian bias since the pandemic began.

One of the first tests of the U.S. Senate's stated goal of bipartisanship will be the legislation addressing the rising number of hat crimes and violence directed at Asian Americans.

Top congressional Democrats are calling on their Republican colleagues to support the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act co-authored by Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-HI, and Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY. A vote on the bill could occur this week.

"For more than a year, the Asian American community has been fighting two viruses, the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-Asian hate," Meng said during a press conference on Tuesday. "We've heard about and seen videos of both young and elderly Asian Americans being shoved to the ground, stomped on, being spat on and shunned. These heinous acts have been outrageous, unconscionable and they must end."

"Combating hate should not be a partisan issue," Meng added. "We must all as Democrats and Republicans stand together against this racism and violence and say enough is enough."

The bill would create a position in the Justice Department to review COVID-19 hate crimes. It would also establish online reporting and it would be in multiple languages. There would be a public campaign to educate people about appropriate language and guidance to reduce discriminatory language when describing the COVID-19 pandemic, too.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would support a bi-partisan amendment.

“Their bill would provide resources to state and local law enforcement to improve hate crime reporting, increase training and establish pathways to rehabilitation,” Schumer said.

Indeed, some Republicans have voiced their support for the bill.

"As a proud husband of an Asian American woman, I think this discrimination against Asian Americans is a real problem," said Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, who is married to Elaine Chao, the former Bush and Trump-era Cabinet secretary.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she hopes her Republican colleagues will join her in supporting Hirono's bill. "I certainly hope so," she said. "I think it's an important issue and one that's worthy of our consideration."

The AAPI community has experienced a dramatic spike in the number of hate crimes in the past year. The organization Stop AAPI Hate documented about 3,800 attacks from the pandemic's onset in the U.S. last March to February of this year, and that is very likely an undercount because many attacks go unreported. 

Hirono praised President Biden for his early support in passing the legislation.

Referring to Donald Trump, Hirono said, "When you have a president who deems the virus to be the 'China virus' or to have members of his administration refer to it as 'kung flu,' you create an environment where people will be motivated because of whatever reasons they have to commit these kinds of crimes."

Trump frequently used racist phrases like "kung flu," "China Virus" or Whuan Flu in referring to the coronavirus.

"Words matter," said Hawaii's Hirono.

Earlier, Biden had urged his support for the bill. "I urge Congress to swiftly pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which would expedite the federal government’s response to the rise of hate crimes exacerbated during the pandemic, support state and local governments to improve hate crimes reporting, and ensure that hate crimes information is more accessible to Asian American communities," said Biden.

It should be a no-brainer to vote in favor of the bill, but the political divide is so deep in Washington that a resolution last year denouncing hate incidents toward Asian Americans  during the pandemic failed to go up for a vote in the GOP-dominated Senate last year

The House passed the legislation, also introduced by Meng., on Sept. 17, 2020 in a 243-164 vote, with all 164 nays coming from Republicans. Only 14 GOP members of the House voted for the resolution.

During the press conference, members of Congress told reporters of some experiences with discrimination in the past year.

"Before, if I was walking around outside I would have my earbuds on, I'd be listening to books on tape," Hirono described. "I would never do that now because of the incidents of totally unprovoked hate crimes against AAPIs."

Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., said he has never before felt this "level of fear and vulnerability."

"Over the last month, I've shared stories I've never shared before, I've opened up in ways that I never had before because the moment calls upon [you]," he said. "When I worked at the State Department as a diplomat, I was banned from working on issues related to Korea, because I'm Korean American."

He said his 5-year-old son came home and told him "a bigger kid kept calling him 'Chinese boy, Chinese boy' over and over again."

"I really do believe that the next few weeks will determine the next few decades of how Asian Americans are treated and understood and accepted in this country," Kim said.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A word of caution -- this news article is laced with opinion. Readers are encouraged to view other news outlets to form their own opinions.

Star-studded AAPI Inaugural Ball celebrates Kamala Harris' history-making inauguration

On the eve of the Inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as President and Vice President, a host of Asian American and Pacific Islanders held the AAPI Inaugural Ball online.

The virtual event was organized by IMPACT and Run AAPI in coordination with the Presidential Inaugural Committee. It honored and recognized Biden and Harris, the first woman, first Indian American and first African American ever to be elected Vice President of the U.S.

Near the end of the virtual event Harris appeared and told her now-familiar story of being raised by a single mother, who immigrated to the U.S. from India.

Kamala Harris celebrated with the AAPI community the night before her inauguration Wednesday.

“My mother Shyamala Gopalan arrived in the United States from India,” Harris said. “She raised my sister Maya and me to know that though we may be the first, we should not be the last. And I have carried that lesson with me throughout my career.”

The hour-long Zoom celebration featured remarks from a wide array of AAPI political leaders, organizers and artists including OMB Director-designate Neera Tanden; Reps. Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, Andy Kim, and Raja Krishnamoorthi; former Olympian Michelle Kwan; actors Kal Penn, John Cho, Kumail Nanjiani, and Chloe Bennet; and performances by Japanese Breakfast, Ari Afsar, and Raja Kumari. 

The celebration should be viewed on Youtube which allows the viewer to see the live reactions of those who tuned into the event. Link Here.

The virtual AAPI Inaugural Ball on Youtube includes responses from scores of viewers, right.

Indian American to challenge New Jersey's US Sen. Corey Booker

Rik Mehta wins close Senate primary contest in New Jersey.

This November, Republican Rik Mehta will challenge incumbent Sen. Corey Booker in New Jersey.

In race that wasn't decided until Thursday, Mehta ended up with 90,518 votes (39.2%) to barely beat out fellow Indian American Hirsch Singh, who garnered 80,221 votes (34.7%).

Mehta is a vice president at Aquestive Therapeutics and an adviser of Licentiam Inc., a firm focused on reducing regulation in the healthcare industry.

He previously served as Pfizer Consumer Health’s head of regulatory policy and was deputy director for the Division of Medical Policy Programs for the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Medical Policy.

Singh, an Indian American engineer from Atlantic County who works in the aerospace and defense industries, is making his third bid for public office. He lost the GOP primaries for governor in 2017 and Congress in 2018.

Mehta, a first-generation immigrant from India, will face Booker, who earlier this year campaigned for the Democratic presidential nomination before dropping out. New Jersey hasn't elected a Republican to the Senate since 1972.

More broadly, Mehta said he wants to fight New Jersey’s high taxes and reputation for “corruption.”  And to make the state a place people want to live in, not move away from.

Mehta says Booker, who he calls “out of touch,” can’t do that.

Elsewhere in New Jersey, Democrat Rep. Andy Kim ran unopposed in the 3rd  Congressional District. He will face Republican David Richter, the former CEO of a construction company.

“I’m running for reelection to continue serving my hometown community,” said Kim, the only Korean American in Congress. “My parents taught me that service isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life.” “Every day, whether you voted for me or not, I go to work for you. That’s how I serve, and that’s how I intend on getting reelected- not by being handed anything, but by earning your support.”

In a Congressional race in the 5th District, progressive Indian American Arati Kreibich lost in her bid to upset incumbent Rep. Josh Gottheimer. 

“Josh Gottheimer will be our Democratic nominee, and I intend to vote for him and Democrats up and down the ballot in November. Trump and the GOP must be defeated,” Kreibich said in an email to her supporters.

“This fight is more important than ever—we’ve seen time and time again the damage done to immigrants, women, and people of color when our party is undermined by conservative forces,” she said. “That’s why we must elect real Democrats who go to battle for working families rather than the machine.”

Rep. Andrew Kim not immune to racism during coronavirus pandemic

SCREEN CAPTURE / NJTV

New Jersey's Rep. Andy Kim experienced the anti-Asian hatred arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

By Amy-Xiaoshi DePaola

ASAM NEWS

Congressman Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, recalls recently taking a seat on a public bus. A passenger suddenly confronted him, “screaming” racial slurs.

“They were fearful that just by sitting next to me, they were going to contract the virus,” Kim said, describing the recent experience as “visceral.”

This incident of coronavirus-centered xenophobia is something Asian American supporters of the 2020 Joe Biden presidential campaign hope to end.

“We feel isolated or unsure or think we have no control,” said Michelle Kwan, director of surrogates for the Biden campaign, during a press call with Asian American leaders on Monday afternoon.

The call’s participants included Kwan, a former U.S. Figure Skating champion and two-time Olympic medalist; Shekar Narasimha, chairman of the AAPI Victory Fund; Paul Tiao, president of Asian American Action Fund and Kim.

Kwan noted that Asians are “the fastest-growing racial group,” particularly in states like Nevada and Virginia, and that many have experienced hate crimes, harassment, and other harmful rhetoric as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, including healthcare workers.

1 in 5 doctors are Asian American, as well as 1 in 12 nurses, Kwan said, praising those who were “soldiers in the war against the virus.”

Even so, their status has not stemmed anti-Asian attacks, such as when a Korean American doctor was kicked out of an Indiana gas station and was told he “‘wasn’t allowed to buy anything there, not allowed to use the bathroom'” and to “‘Never come back.'” In other countries, there have been similar incidents, notably of Asian doctors being told by parents not to treat their children.

Even Kim — who worked in the State Department, served as a U.S. National Security official under then-President Barack Obama, and is currently a U.S. representative — is not immune to racist attacks.

The incident on public transportation is not new to him. Kim is the first Congressional member of Korean descent in the Democratic Party, and while running for his seat, GOP ads attacked Kim as “not one of us” and “Real Fishy,” the latter written in “Chop Suey” font paired with a picture of a raw fish.

He, along with many on the call, criticized President Donald Trump and other officials’ rhetoric.

“It is coming from our own elected officials and our President,” Narasimha noted, saying that it is “scapegoating” Asians.

“It is very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States, and all around the world. They are amazing people, and the spreading of the Virus is NOT their fault in any way, shape, or form,” Trump Tweeted in March.

But his apology had paled to weeks of repeatedly calling coronavirus “the Chinese virus” and his lack of response to the pandemic.

Some Republican representatives, including Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), had touted conspiracy theories that the coronavirus was engineered in a Chinese lab, while GOP House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and others continued to refer to the virus as “the Chinese virus” long after corrections from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).

“Bigotry and ignorance go hand-in-hand, and this President has both of them,” Narasimha declared.

All participants touted Biden’s history with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and his AAPI-centered platform: increasing representation in schools and government, removing language barriers, reforming the immigration system, and disaggregating AAPI data.

In the call, Kwan specifically highlighted Biden’s agenda for tackling hate crimes.

“It’s about truth, facts… taking responsibility and making sure nothing like this happens again,” Kwan said.

She and Narashimha paralleled the coronavirus-centered xenophobia to the attacks against Muslim Americans and other AAPIs after 9/11.

“Remember, the first person to experience a hate crime after 9/11 was an Asian American,” Narasimha said, referring to Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh gas station attendant who was murdered in Arizona as “revenge” for the terrorist attacks.

Kim and the two AAPI super PACs had endorsed Biden for the 2020 race, along with other AAPI politicians, such as Gary Locke, former Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Ambassador to China, and Norm Mineta, former Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Transportation.

2019 Review: AAPI political visibility significantly increased

CAPAC

The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus inducted a record number of members.

In the area of politics AAPI stepped into the big stage in a big way in 2019. For the first time in US history, three AAPI candidates threw their hats in the three ring circus known as the race for president. 

Businessman Andrew Yang, was the first to declare his intention in 2018 and with no name recogntion, he has doggedly persisted against all addCalifornia Sen. Kamala Harris declared her candidacy with an impressive Oakland rally with 20,000 of her closest friends. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii joined the largest field of Democratic candidates. By mid-year there were 24 Democrats vying for the partyi's nomination.

Harris, undoubtedly the strongest candidate of the three, surprised almost everyone by being the first to withdraw after Thanksgiving. Yang continues to gain steam while Gabbard is hanging in there.

In addition to the three presidential candidates, three more Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were sworn into office in January. Andy Kim became the first AAPI congressman to represent New Jersey; TJ Cox eked out a victory in California to become only the second member of Congress with Filipino heritage; and Michael San Nicolas, represented Guam. With the three new congressmembers, the number of AAPI representatives rose to the most ever at 18.

AAPI lawmakers, all of them Democrats, were in the forefront in opposing Trumps racist and restrictive immigration policies, the citizenship question in the 2020 Census and the rise of hate and white supremacists and the GOPs attempts to dismantle the Obama healthcare program They also supported strengthening voting rights, disaggregating data and DACA.

AAPI voters helped turn long-time GOP districts into Democratic districts in 2018 and continued their political activity with voter registration drives for the 2020 elections and demanded the Republicans and Democrats address their issues at the federal, state and local levels.

2019 REVIEW

Part 2: Affirmative action debate exposes schism in Asian American community

Part 3: Trump immigration policies shake up, wake up AAPI communities
Part 4: Hollywood 'discovers Asians