Vietnamese Immigrant Dies in ICE Custody

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

Death of Vietnamese immigrant in Indiana facility is latest ICE detainee fatality

A Vietnamese immigrant died in government custody last week, marking the latest detainee death -- the 46th person to die in federal custody -- during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. 55-year-old Tuan Van Bui died at the Miami Correctional Center in Indiana. According to ICE, "onsite staff discovered Bui unresponsive." The cause of death is under investigation.

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US War Machine Is Built on Decades of Lies. The Assault on Iran Is No Exception.

"Calling truth a casualty of war may imply, however, that truth survives between wars. But the reality is that militarism and the warfare state are sustained by lies which stretch over decades. The ideology of American exceptionalism is driven by the myth that U.S. intervention plays a unique role in spreading freedom and democracy around the globe. Keeping the public uninformed and miseducated has been a key tactic to tamp down dissent."

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In Conversation: Mia Wenjen and Jolene Gutiérrez

Mia Wenjen and Jolene Gutiérrez both grapple with the cruelty of internment and family separation in their new picture books Barbed Wire Between Us and Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp, respectively. The two authors spoke about depicting difficult subject matter for young readers, carrying on the legacy of late author and collaborator Minoru Tonai, and the importance of remembering painful pieces of history.

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'X-Men' Reboot Director Hires 'Beef' Creator, 'The Bear' Writer

Emmy-winning Beef creator Lee Sung Jin is part of the team taking the latest crack at the reboot of X-Men for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The project, which re-introduces the mutant superhero team into the MCU, reunites Lee with Jake Schreier and Joanna Calo, who worked on the screenplay for last year's Thunderbolts.

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The Grandmaster: Tony Leung
From Hard Boiled to Happy Together to Infernal Affairs to, of course, In the Mood for Love, Film at Lincoln Center presents The Grandmaster: Tony Leung, a career-spanning retrospective that gives audiences the chance to rediscover, on the big screen, why the world continues to fall for Tony Leung time and time again.

Stinky Tofu Too Stinky For San Gabriel?

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

Neighbor complaints get a classic 'stinky' dish booted from local restaurant

Haters! Stinky tofu is no longer on the menu at Golden Leaf restaurant in San Gabriel, California after the city received complaints about the dish's aroma. But the family behind the restaurant is fighting to bring back the popular Taiwanese street food, prized for its distinct, potent stench.

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AAPI adults mostly think Trump has done more harm than good on immigration

Most Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders believe the Trump administration has done more harm than good on the issue of immigration and border security in his second term so far, according to a new survey from AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

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Johnny Itliong breaks silence on sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez

Johnny Itliong, son of the late labor leader Larry Itliong, says he has spent decades trying to speak out about Cesar Chavez's alleged misconduct -- long before revelations that Chavez was allegedly sexually assaulting women and minors came to light. But Johnny Itliong says he was told to keep quiet.

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When your culture becomes a meme: the 'jarring' effect of Chinamaxxing

"China is not a new concept. So what does it feel like for your culture to become a trend? From North America to Australia, those from the Chinese diaspora who I spoke to all used the same word to describe Chinamaxxing: jarring – though with varying levels of indignation.

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Riz Ahmed is his own worst critic. His new show 'Bait' explores that

In his new comedy series Bait, Riz Ahmed stars as a struggling British Pakistani actor named Shah who lands an audition to be the next James Bond. Ahmed talks to Fresh Air about what James Bond represents in Bait, playing with a multiplicity of genres in the series, and working with the one and only Patrick Stewart, who has the weirdest voice role ever.

Pre-Order: Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

Auntie Kristina’s Guide to Asian American Activism

I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. But they need a guide. Kristina Wong has stepped up with a book that connects the youth to Asian American history, community and beyond: Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism, a fun and inspiring book that shows young readers "how to love their bodies, fight for social justice, and be proud of the history that's made them who they are."

"Grounded in diverse lived experiences of featured Auntie Heroes and inspiring Young Rebels, this guide discusses the Asian American community, past and present; explores allyship with other communities of color; finds a place in national and global movements; and turns inward so young readers can practice love and self-care. Each chapter includes activism strategies for all kids--from those who love math and statistics to those who can't wait for their next art project."

Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism hits shelves on April 14. Pre-order now.

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Vietnamese man living in US since childhood detained by ICE over expunged marijuana charge

A man who has lived in the U.S. since he was a child and has worked in Oklahoma for nearly 15 years is now being held in detention, facing possible deportation over a decades-old marijuana charge that was previously erased from his record. Hai Nguyen, who went in for a routine check-in with immigration officials last week, found himself detained by ICE and sent to a detention facility. Now he's look at deportation, and leaving behind the life, career and family he's built in the United States over the last thirty years. This shit is cruel and broken.

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In 'Bad Asians,' a friend group threatens its reputation with a viral video

Lillian Li's Bad Asians was recently highlighted as NPR's Book of the Day. In the novel, four 20-somethings from a hyper-competitive Chinese American community confront the challenges of the 2008 financial crisis and begin to let loose. Their former classmate documents their frustrations in what becomes one of the first viral YouTube videos. Li talks about the initial privacy of the early internet, exploding Asian American stereotypes, and why she wanted to write about friendship.

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'The Pitt's Isa Briones Joins 'Just In Time' on Broadway

If you heard her sing that lullabye this season on The Pitt, you are aware she had the goods. Isa Briones, who plays Dr. Trinity Santos on the hit medical drama, will be taking over the role of famed ballad singer Connie Francis next month in the Broadway musical Just in Time. The role marks a return to Broadway for Briones, who made her debut in Hadestown in March 2024.

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Newly Created Godfather Prize Will Recognize Asian American Playwrights

The Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) has created a new national, annual award for playwrights: The Godfather Prize for Playwriting. Each year, the award will honor one Asian American, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI), South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA), Middle East and North Africa (MENA), or mixed-race playwright, as well as six to eight finalists. For more information, visit here.

Pardoned by the State on Tuesday, Picked Up by ICE on Wednesday

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

He was pardoned by the state on Tuesday, picked up by ICE on Wednesday

Fong Khang hoped his legal troubles were over when the Minnesota Board of Pardons unanimously agreed on January 20 to set aside eight convictions -- from crimes committed nearly 20 years ago -- that were threatening his ability to remain in the United States. But less than 24 hours later, federal agents stopped Khang on his way to work and took him into custody. Now he's facing possible deportation.

Cambodian genocide survivor detained by ICE

Sithy Yi fled genocide in Cambodia and came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1981. She was ordered by an immigration court to be removed from the country in 2016, but her removal was withheld out of concerns she would be tortured if she returned to Cambodia. After 10 years complying with ICE instructions and initiating a still-pending visa application, she was detained last month at a regular immigration check-in. Her attorney says Yi's detention was a form of punishment and to instill fear in immigrant communities.

From The "Bamboo Ceiling" To City Hall: Asian American Power In Post-COVID New York

"Recent election cycles in New York City have made one thing clear: coalitions of immigrants and racial minorities are scrambling the old equations of local power. Grassroots organization and victories by progressives -- like Zohran Mamdani's in the recent Mayoral election -- and the creation of new Asian-majority constituencies have created a political landscape that looks markedly different from the one that came before it."

'KPop Demon Hunters' HUNTR/X conquer the charts and claim their destiny

Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami and EJAE -- the singing voices of Huntr/x -- were on All Things Considered to talk about Kpop Demon Hunters and its breakout success. Speaking to NPR's Ailsa Chang, they explored their journeys as artists, the dreams they have for the future of the Kpop Demon Hunters universe and how they've honored their Korean heritage through their work in the film.

The First Look at Long-Awaited ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Toy Lines Is Finally Here

At long last! KPop Demon Hunters has finally given die-hard fans a glimpse at Hasbro and Mattel toy lines. The toy companies unveiled a slew of items at Nuremberg Toy Fair, including new dolls, action figures, collectibles, games and role play items inspired by the hit animated feature.

How Was Your 4th of July? Racism Didn't Take The Day Off.

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.


"Trump is going to fuck you. You fuckers need to leave. Fucking Asian piece of shit."
Jordan Chan was at a restaurant in Carmel Valley, California celebrating her aunt's birthday when they encountered this piece of shit, who started making racist remarks at them. The man, who social media is identifying as Michael Lofthouse, was caught on camera telling them, "Trump is going to fuck you. You fuckers need to leave. Fucking Asian piece of shit." Chan posted the video on Instagram and the internet took it from there. May you suffer the consequences of your actions. Happy 4th of July. Fuck Trump and fuck this guy.

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"You guys can't be in this country."
Meanwhile, in Marin County, an Asian American family was out enjoying a hike in the woods when they encountered a woman who stopped them and told them they "can't be in this country" after scolding them for having a dog on the trail. (There were apparently several other hikers with dogs on the trail. I highly doubt she confronted all those folks.) She told them they were breaking the law and -- classic move, true to form! -- pulled out her phone to call the police, aka The Manager. Then she scurried away when she realized she was being filmed. Meet the internet, lady.

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Woman who went on anti-Asian tirades arrested on separate battery charge
Remember that racist lady in Torrance? You know who I'm talking about. The woman whose racist anti-Asian tirades went viral last month has a warrant out for her arrest -- but not for those incidents. She's wanted in connection with a separate confrontation from last year. 54-year-old Lena Hernandez was charged Thursday in an alleged case of battery stemming from an incident at a local mall on October 14, 2019, in which she verbally assaulted a custodian and struck another person who tried to intervene. According to the city attorney, there is "insufficient evidence" to support filing criminal charges regarding the incidents at the park. Folks calling for her head will have to settle for the battery charge, and hope you don't run into Lena on the street.

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ICE: Foreign Students Must Leave The U.S. If Their Colleges Go Online-Only This Fall
Foreign students attending U.S. colleges that will operate entirely online this fall semester cannot remain in the country to do so, according to new regulations released Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. So these have a choice, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic: risk your life going to class in-person or get deported. Another cruel, garbage move by the White House and its ongoing campaign of to rid the nation of immigrants, one xenophobic step at a time.

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The F*CK Racism Collection
A shirt design for our times. A collaboration between People Anyday and ZeebLabs, the limited edition shirt has a fun message when you fold it up. All proceeds from sales of the shirt will go to the Equal Justice Initiative.

Trump Refers to Coronavirus as 'Kung Flu.' Again.

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Trump again uses racially insensitive term to describe coronavirus
No doubt because it went over so well last time, Donald Trump again referred to the novel coronavirus as "kung flu," eliciting laughter and wild cheers from a young crowd in Arizona on Tuesday. Because fuck you. Trump was listing the different names he has heard for the virus -- which, by the way has killed at least 119,000 Americans -- during a speech for the student Republican group Turning Point Action. This is racist. He knows it's racist. He simply does not give a shit.

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Trump Suspends Visas Allowing Foreigners to Work in the U.S.
On Monday, Trump temporarily suspended new work visas and barred hundreds of thousands of foreigners from seeking employment in the United States, part of a broad effort to limit the entry of immigrants into the country.In a sweeping order, which will be in place at least until the end of the year, Mr. Trump blocked visas for a wide variety of jobs, including those for computer programmers and other skilled workers who enter the country under the H-1B visa, as well as those for seasonal workers in the hospitality industry, students on work-study summer programs and au pairs who arrive under other auspices. Nobody should be surprised by any of this; he's doing exactly what he's been promising forever: ridding the country of immigrants, one by one.

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From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry
Wow. Author Paula Yoo just unveiled the cover of her upcoming book for young readers, From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement The book is a groundbreaking portrait of Vincent Chin and the murder case that took America's Asian American community to the streets in protest of injustice. From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry is a searing examination of the killing and the trial and verdicts that followed. When killers Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz pled guilty to manslaughter and received only a $3,000 fine and three years' probation, the lenient sentence sparked outrage in the Asian American community. This outrage galvanized the Asian American movement and paved the way for a new federal civil rights trial of the case. Extensively researched from court transcripts and interviews with key case witnesses -- many speaking for the first time -- Yoo has crafted a suspenseful, nuanced, and authoritative portrait of a pivotal moment in civil rights history, and a man who became a symbol against hatred and racism. From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry will hit shelves on April 6, 2021.

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Amazon Sets Mystery-Comedy ‘Nancy Wu Done It’
Amazon has picked up a very different kind of young adult series that immerses you in a YA novel -- literally. The new comedy series titled Nancy Wu Done It comes from writers and executive producers Kai Yu Wu and Jessica Henwick, and is described as a mashup of Pleasantville and Nancy Drew. The story follows a frustrated Asian American female YA author who suddenly finds herself transported into one of her own books. As a result, she must work with the titular character she created -- who she now hates -- to solve an unfinished mystery. This sounds awesome.

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Over the Moon
Check out the trailer for Netflix and Pearl Studios’ upcoming animated fe ature Over the Moon. Slated to release this fall, Over the Moon follows the story of a young girl who builds a rocket ship to the moon to prove the existence of a legendary Moon Goddess. Directed by animation legend Glen Keane and produced by Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou, the musical adventure stars the voices of Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, Ken Jeong, John Cho, Ruthie Ann Miles, Sandra Oh, Robert G. Chiu, Margaret Cho, and Kimiko Glenn.

Trump is Suspending Immigration to the U.S.

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Trump Plans to Suspend Immigration to U.S.
Donald Trump said on Monday evening that he intended to close the United States to people trying to immigrate into the country to live and work, claiming that the drastic move would protect American workers from foreign competition once the nation's economy began to recover from the shutdown caused by the coronavirus outbreak. A pandemic is a perfect excuse for this administration to double down on its aggressive immigration restrictions. Can't let the wrong people in. Because of the "Invisible Enemy." And jobs!

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"IT'S AN HONOR JUST TO BE ASIAN" Masks
You've seen the shirt. The iconic quote from Sandra Oh is now available on a face mask! Just in time for AAPI Heritage Month. Each order includes a 3-pack of limited use masks. All proceeds from sales will go to East West Players, the nation's oldest Asian American theater company. Show your pride in a time when anti-Asian bigotry and violence is becoming more and more common -- and help a crucial Asian American performing arts nonprofit survive the COVID shutdown of all live gatherings and performances.

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Feed the Frontliners Project
The Park's Finest in Los Angeles serves up some damn fine Filipino-flavored barbecue. While the pandemic has forced the restaurant to shut down its physical dining room, they've been keeping busy with the Feed the Frontliners Project, an effort made possible through community members and angel sponsors buying plates for healthcare workers (nurses, doctors, clerical, custodial, etc.) and emergency responders to be fed during shifts. While it originally started as a way for frontliners to pick up plates at the shop, the approach has shifted where they can now arrange for delivery to hospitals or fire stations. Wanna help feed some frontliners? Donate here.

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Sigh, Gone: A Misfit's Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fit In
With a cover like that, how can I not read this new memoir by Phuc Tran? But if you need more convincing, here's the official description off the book jacket: "In 1975, during the fall of Saigon, Phuc Tran immigrates to America along with his family. By sheer chance they land in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a small town where the Trans struggle to assimilate into their new life. In this coming-of-age memoir told through the themes of great books such as The Metamorphosis, The Scarlet Letter, The Iliad, and more, Tran navigates the push and pull of finding and accepting himself despite the challenges of immigration, feelings of isolation, and teenage rebellion, all while attempting to meet the rigid expectations set by his immigrant parents.

Appealing to fans of coming-of-age memoirs such as Fresh Off the Boat, Running with Scissors, or tales of assimilation like Viet Thanh Nguyen's The Displaced and The Refugees, Sigh, Gone explores one man's bewildering experiences of abuse, racism, and tragedy and reveals redemption and connection in books and punk rock. Against the hairspray-and-synthesizer backdrop of the '80s, he finds solace and kinship in the wisdom of classic literature, and in the subculture of punk rock, he finds affirmation and echoes of his disaffection. In his journey for self-discovery Tran ultimately finds refuge and inspiration in the art that shapes -- and ultimately saves -- him."

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Digital Town Hall - Asian Americans in the Time of COVID-19
The Center for Asian American Media, along with WETA, the flagship public media station in the nation's capital, and Asian American community leaders will host a digital town hall exploring how lessons from Asian American history can help us understand the experience of Asian Americans in the time of Covid-19. Panelists will discuss what can be learned from the history of Asian Americans, and how we can move forward together as Americans in this particularly challenging moment. Panelists include: Writer Viet Thanh Nguyen, Journalist Amna Nawaz, Filmmaker Renee Tajima-Pena, Journalist and Activist Helen Zia, and Comedian Hari Kondabolu. It's happening Thursday, April 30 at 5pm PST / 8pm EST.

Letter To My Father

Guest Post by Rachel Pak



The Tahirih Justice Center is a national, nonprofit organization that serves immigrant women and girls seeking safety and justice. We amplify the voices of survivors in communities, courts, and Congress to create a world where women and girls enjoy equality and live in safety and with dignity.

Dear Dad,

I know this country was not always kind to you when you immigrated. Your parents brought you to America in the 1970s, seeking a better life from a developing South Korea. You entered a country that in the past has chosen to exclude Asian immigrants during moments of national panic, and then include at economically opportune times—from the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act to the incarceration of close to 120,000 Japanese descendants during World War II.

With legislation passed in 1965 and a need for skilled laborers, migration from Asia reopened, allowing you and my grandparents to move to the U.S. In a country that did not fully welcome you, with policies that historically excluded you, you worked hard to provide my sister and me a better future in America. I am immensely grateful for your sacrifices -- however, I want us to pay attention to the current state of immigration policy in the U.S.

The racism in our laws hasn't gone away. It continues -- it is vicious and is targeting migrants arriving at our southern border. Even more tragic, our government’s policies are stripping away the right to simply seek safety from people who are fleeing for their lives. I saw this first-hand when I was at the border between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez last December.

#NeverAgainIsNow: Fort Sill

A Little Tokyo protest to end all family separation and detention centers.


If you're in Los Angeles, join concerned community members in Little Tokyo this Thursday evening to protest the White House's plans to use Fort Sill in Oklahoma as a detention center for immigrant children and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention practices in general.

Organizers are demanding an end to the inhumane conditions at ICE facilities, an end to family separation policies, and for compassion and humanitarianism toward all people. All who share concern about these issues are invited to participate.

It's happening June 27 at 7:00pm on the plaza of the Japanese American National Museum.

Of course the Trump Administration is holding migrant children at a former Japanese American incarceration site

Fort Sill has been selected "as a temporary emergency influx shelter" to detain 1,400 children.



History repeats itself. After running out of room at government shelters, the Trump Administration has opted to use an Army base in Oklahoma to hold growing numbers of immigrant children in its custody -- at the same site where innocent Japanese American citizens were detained during World War II.

Fort Sill, an 150-year-old installation once used as an incarceration camp for Japanese Americans during World War II, has been selected "as a temporary emergency influx shelter" to detain 1,400 children until they can be given to an adult relative, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

More here: Trump Administration to Hold Migrant Children at Base That Served as WWII Japanese Internment Camp

They could save their brother's life... if the U.S. would let them in the country.

Tu Le needs a bone marrow donor. His brothers in Vietnam are perfect matches, but their visas were denied.



Two Vietnamese brothers who petitioned to travel to the United States to donate bone marrow to their dying brother in San Jose were denied temporary visas by the U.S. government.

Tu Le is suffering form Myelodysplastic syndrome, an aggressive form of blood cancer. He is dying. Le is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant to survive. His brothers are both matches. A perfect 100% genetic match. But they have been denied temporary visas by the U.S. government.

Le's brothers, Lam Le and Hiep Nguyen, applied for B-2 tourist visas at the end of May, citing a medical emergency. According the family, they were denied entry on June 3. These men have what is necessary to save their brother's life, and the United States government is like... nope.

More here: Vietnamese men denied visas for life-saving transplant for brother in San Jose

Stop the Deportation of Cambodian Refugees

Stand with Southeast Asian mothers and join the social media action on May 10.



Cambodian American community members are facing imminent deportation in the next months. A majority of those facing deportation are children of refugees whose families survived and fled the genocide in Cambodia. This is part of an ongoing attack by the Trump administration, with a record year of 100 Cambodian community members deported in 2018, and plans to 200 Cambodian Americans each year over the next several years.

Mothers, and women overall, have led incredible efforts and continue to be at the front lines fighting to reunite with their loved ones separated by ICE. You're invited to join a social media action on the Friday before Mother's Day -- May 10 from 11 am - 2 pm PST -- to stand with Southeast Asian mothers and urge California Governor Gavin Newsom to stop the deportations and #PardonRefugees.

Here's the basic information:

Sign this petition to protect our families and communities

Sign on against amendments to the current U.S.-Vietnam repatriation agreement.


Vietnamese American community members protest in Little Saigon. (Los Angeles Times)
You may have heard that the Trump administration, in its ongoing aggression against immigrants, is resuming its efforts to deport thousands of protected Vietnamese refugees who have lived in the United States for decades -- many of them having fled the country during the Vietnam War.

The community is watching. A coalition of Vietnamese community members, and local, state and national immigrant, civil rights and human rights organizations are urging folks to speak out, sign this petition and let the Department of Homeland Security and Vietnam know the community is watching.

SIGN-ON AGAINST AMENDMENTS TO US-VIETNAM REPATRIATION AGREEMENT 2008

The petition demands that the protections afforded to Vietnamese immigrants under the current U.S.-Vietnam repatriation agreement be maintained, established in 2008, and oppose any amendments that further threaten to tear apart families and upend communities.

The petition has further information (also translated in Vietnamese):

Trump wants to deport Vietnamese refugees

The administration is resuming efforts to deport certain protected Vietnamese immigrants.


Trump speaks in Hanoi in 2017. (Photo Credit: Associated Press)
Sooner or later, they will come for you, too. In its ongoing assault on immigrants, the Trump administration is reportedly resuming its efforts to deport certain protected Vietnamese immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades -- many of them having fled the country during the Vietnam War.

Basically, the administration has now decided that Vietnamese immigrants who arrived in the country before the 1995 establishment of diplomatic ties between the United States and Vietnam are subject to standard immigration law -- meaning they are all eligible for deportation.

From The Atlantic:

Speak out to protect immigrants from public charge

Today is the last day to submit comments against the Trump administration's unethical "public charge" rule.



Today, December 10, is the last day to submit a public comment opposing the Trump administration's unethical "public charge" rule, a set of broad regulations that threatens the lives of immigrant families.

According to the proposed regulation, immigrants who apply for lawful permanent resident status could be denied if they or their dependents, including U.S. citizen children, use certain government benefits such as nutrition programs and housing assistance. This is, simply, a nasty attack on immigrant rights, targeting some of the most vulnerable members of our community. No one should have to choose between basic needs like health care or feeding their family and not getting deported.

The government has to respond to every single public comment submitted about a proposed rule change. You can still get one in under today's deadline. Here's some more information, written and illustrated by artist Thi Bui (adapted from this slideshow originally posted by Asian Health Services) on the public charge rule and, more importantly, how you can take action right now.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 49: They Call Us Jose Antonio Vargas

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

On this episode, we welcome journalist, activist and author Jose Antonio Vargas, "the most famous undocumented immigrant in America." We talk about his new memoir Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen, intersectional identity, and the Good, Bad and WTF of being "American."

#KeepPJHome: ICE is targeting the Cambodian community for deportation... and this man might be on the top of its list.

Guest Post by Thi Bui.



Last week, I caught up with Borey Ai aka PJ, whom I wrote about in this piece for The Nib:

Refugee to Detainee: How the U.S. is Deporting Those Seeking a Safe Haven

It's been twelve weeks since PJ was released from ICE detention, two years since he was released from a life sentence in prison for a crime he committed at the age of fourteen. The #KeepPJHome campaign is going strong. Hundreds of postcards have been mailed to California Governor Jerry Brown, asking him to grant PJ a pardon in light of his rehabilitation and years of service to others as a counselor and advocate for juvenile justice reform.

We sat on a grassy knoll overlooking Oakland's Lake Merritt. PJ told me it's been a long time since he sat down in a park. We chatted about how you can rent kayaks and sailboats on the lake. He asked me if there were things I've always wanted to do since I was a kid, and I replied that I've been using my adulthood to catch up on them. I asked, "What about you?"

"So many things," he answered with a smile that looked mostly optimistic but which I couldn't help thinking was incredibly sad at the same time. I thought about a life, humans in cages, and how Americans don't feel safe even though the US has the highest rate of incarceration in the world. Meanwhile, PJ played with a small dog that came to lie down in his shadow and chatted with her owner, an elderly woman with a walker.

A short while later, an electronic beep told him it was time to change the battery on his ankle monitor. He put a fresh battery into the bulky plastic contraption under his sock as we discussed the process of getting a 47-hour pass from his parole officer to go to Stockton to visit his mother and see his childhood haunts.

All of these lingering effects of imprisonment go away if PJ receives a pardon.

New York Times Editor Thinks American-Born Mirai Nagasu Is An Immigrant

By Jenn Fang. Cross-Posted from Reappropriate.



Perpetual Foreigner stereotype alert: shortly after US figure skater Mirai Nagasu became the first American woman to land a triple axel in an Olympic competition, New York Times Opinion section editor Bari Weiss (@bariweiss) tweeted "Immigrants: they get the job done," a line from Hamilton.

The implication from Weiss' tweet was obvious: Nagasu should be celebrated as an American immigrant. One problem, though: Nagasu was born in Montebello, California. And yet, for Weiss, the place of Nagasu's birth doesn't seem to matter: instead, the colour of her skin appears to have marked Nagasu as foreign.

Why is it that American media personalities commenting on the Winter Olympics can never seem to remember that Asian Americans are American, too? Let's not forget the infamous headline: in 1998, MSNBC published a headline declaring that "American Beats Out Kwan," implying that US figure skater Michelle Kwan wasn't an American. Now again, a mainstream media commentator can't seem to figure out that Mirai Nagasu isn't an immigrant.

Cambodian and Vietnamese immigrants targeted for deportation

"We can't stay silent."


Kim Nak Chhoeun, 42, came to the U.S. as a refugee when he was 6 years old.
From the Los Angeles Times: Most associate Trump's rhetoric about deportations with Latinos, given his vows to build a border wall, his assertions that Mexican immigrants are "rapists" and drug dealers, and his decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for immigrants brought to this country illegally as children, most of whom are Latino.

But immigration activists say the roundups of people of Cambodian and Vietnamese descent are unprecedented and have sparked anxiety in Asian immigrant communities.

"People may think it's just Latinos being threatened when it comes to deportations. But there are all sorts of immigrants affected, and we can't stay silent," said Laboni Hoq, litigation director for the Los Angeles chapter of the civil rights organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

"This is a political issue. The administration is cracking down to deliver on campaign promises, and they are going community by community to make their actions known."

More here: As more Cambodian and Vietnamese immigrants are targeted for deportation, advocates say they 'can't stay silent'

This Dy Nguyen and his baby girl.

Guest Post by Thi Bui



This is Dy Nguyen and his baby girl. Like me, Dy was three years old when his mother packed him into a boat to escape Viet Nam, risking everything to seek out safety and freedom.

A victim of political persecution, Dy's mother had been trying to escape since the fall of South Viet Nam. After three failed attempts, Dy's mother made it to Malaysia with her husband and their two boys. But unlike my family, who were resettled after a few months, they were left in the refugee camp for seven years. The camp eventually shut down and they were sent back to Viet Nam along with the other abandoned refugees. By then, Dy was ten years old.

Viet Nam and the U.S. negotiated a program called Resettlement Opportunity for Vietnamese Returnees, and through a complicated screening process, Dy's family was finally allowed to come to the U.S. when he was twelve. The next years of his life were marked by his parents' separation, moving between states, and getting into trouble. In his early twenties, he was convicted for theft by receiving stolen property, lost his green card, and served a five-year sentence. In prison, Dy began to reform. He studied and earned his GED. He found strength and healing in his spiritual faith. Since his release, Dy has been an active member of his church, where he serves as a youth leader and uses his past mistakes to steer those he mentors towards a better path.

Meanwhile, ICE keeps trying to deport him.