Minnesota Investigates Possible Criminal Charges Against ICE

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

Minnesota investigates the arrest by ICE of a Hmong American man as a possible kidnapping

In Minnesota, local authorities are investigating the arrest of a Hmong American man by federal officers as a potential case of kidnapping, burglary and false imprisonment. In January, ICE officers bashed open the front door of ChongLy "Scott" Thao's home at gunpoint without a warrant, then led him outside in just his underwear and a blanket in freezing conditions. He was returned to his home a few hours later when these ICE geniuses realized they had made a mistake -- a mistake that might mean criminal charges.

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Trump nominates former lawmaker Michelle Steel as US ambassador to South Korea

The White House announced that former California congresswoman Michelle Steel has been nominated to ‌be the U.S. ambassador to South Korea. Steel, who is Korean American and ⁠a conservative Republican, lost her bid for re-election to her Orange County congressional seat in 2024. The nomination will require congressional approval. This administration continues to elevate the worst damn people.

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How Laufey's Star-Studded "Madwoman" Music Video Came to Life With Hudson Williams, Lola Tung

Laufey has assembled an all-star cast for a sixties pool party in the new video for "Madwoman," off the deluxe edition of the Icelandic-Chinese singer's Grammy-winning album A Matter of Time. Directed by Warren Fu, the video features some of the most celebrated stars of the moment: Heated Rivalry breakout Hudson Williams, Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu, KATSEYE's Megan Skiendiel and The Summer I Turned Pretty's Lola Tung -- or, as one commenter put it, "the wasian avengers."

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Isa Briones Speaks Out on Audience Member Shouting to Her Mid-Performance

According to Isa Briones, "some people need to brush up on theater etiquette" -- specifically, the audience member who shouted out her The Pitt character's name mid-performance at Just in Time. While starring on Broadway as 'Connie Francis' in the hit musical, Briones shared that an audience member inapropriately yelled out "Dr. Santos!" during the show. "I'm not Dr. Santos. I'm not even Connie Francis. I am Isa Briones, one of the actors in the show you have paid to enjoy," Briones wrote in an Instagram story. "You are not a kid at Disneyland. You are an adult man at a Broadway show. Act like it."

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Seeking Paid Extras for Feature Film "Gold Mountain"

Hey, wanna be in a movie? Ang Lee is casting extras to be in his latest movie Gold Mountain, a historical drama set during the 1850s California Gold Rush, shooting in and around the Sacramento this July. According to the casting call, they're looking for faces of a variety of ethnicities to play townspeople, kids, railroad workers, male horseback riders, blacksmiths, butchers, wagon drivers and coal miners. If you're interested, refer to the flyer above. Good luck!

I'm Good: Dancing Restaurant Robot Goes a Little Crazy

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

After wild dance goes viral, South Bay restaurant robot returns to its tame routine

Can't stop won't stop... the dancing robot. At Haidilao Hot Pot in Cupertino, California, restaurant-goers are reguarly greeted by a remote-control robot programmed to dance, say hi and do friendly hand gestures. But a viral video making the recently rounds shows three staffers having to restrain the robot when its dance moves get a little out of control. Someone apparently hit the "crazy dance mode" button. I don't know, I'm pretty sure this is how the robot uprising in Terminator got started.

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The Sunny Naqvi case shows how outrage, politics, and incomplete information collide

"As a journalist, it’s always been important for me to center the people directly impacted by injustice and tell stories that capture their full humanity, not just ones that fixate on their trauma. So, when I opened Instagram last Friday and learned that 28-year-old Sundas ‘Sunny’ Naqvi, a U.S. citizen of Pakistani descent, had allegedly been detained for roughly 30 hours at O’Hare International Airport, I, like many others, was outraged. But, as more information about the situation has trickled out, it’s become evident the story is not as clear-cut as initially thought."

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Minnesota’s Laotian refugees with decades-old convictions swept up in mass deportations

They served their prison sentences and in many cases never reoffended. They built quiet lives in Minnesota, marrying and having U.S.-born children. But many Laotians whose families fled after the Vietnam War and legally settled here as refugees -- because of history, politics and crimes they committed decades ago -- now risk being sent back to Laos, where they don’t speak the language, don’t have family, and are unlikely to be welcomed as citizens.

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Walking Bruce Lee’s Oakland with Jeff Chang

Scholar and Bruce Lee biographer Jeff Chang, author of Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America, takes The Oaklandside on a tour of the sights and sites of the martial artist's roots in Oakland.

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The Sartorial Is Political in "The New York Sari"

The New York Sari, an exhibition at New York Historical, reminds us that the sari is a living art form, an heirloom, a document, and a political statement in one. The show serves as a primer on South Asian history in New York, framed conceptually and visually through the sari in all its infinite pleats, drapes, and patterns.

Donate to AAPIP's Twin Cities Rapid Response Fund

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

AAPIP Twin Cities Rapid Response Fund

As ICE's surge in Minnesota continues, AANHPI-serving organizations are responding, providing legal defense, food assistance, know-your-rights education, and emergency wrap-around support. In times of crisis, community members turn to these trusted organizations for information and support, but they're critically underfunded.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy has developed a Rapid Response Fund, created in direct response to requests from Twin Cities community leaders who needed a fast, trusted way to move resources to AANHPI-serving organizations. The AAPIP Twin Cities Rapid Response Fund will distribute grants to AANHPI-serving nonprofits to help meet their urgent needs during this critical time. Learn more and donate here.

After ICE release St. Paul woman, she says agents keep returning to her home

Thi Dua Vang legally came to the United States two years ago as an asylum seeker and is awaiting final approval for her green card. So when ICE showed up, she thought it must have been a mistake. But she was detained and sent away to a processing center in Texas for nearly two weeks. And then released. Since then, ICE has shown up at her home three times. Why won't they leave her alone?

BTS Returns with Their First Performance in 3 Years — Streaming Live on Netflix

Attention, Army: BTS is back. And they will be celebrating the release of their highly anticipated new album, ARIRANG, next month with a comeback concert on Netflix, streamed live from the historic Gwanghwamun in Seoul. The comeback festivities will also include a feature-length documentary, BTS: The Return, chronicling the making of ARIRANG and the group's return to global icon status.

LANA LIN with Porochista Khakpour

Filmmaker, artist and scholar Lana Lin talks to Porochista Khakpour about art, Asian Americans, "autobiomythography," and her book The Autobiography of H. Lan Thao Lam

F*CK ICE T-Shirt by Sailor Moon Wisdom

ICE has no place in our communities. Tell them how you feel with this t-shirt.

Kpop Demon Hunters Wins a Grammy for "Golden"

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

A Victory for 'Golden' Gives K-Pop Its First Ever Grammy Win

It's not the Idol Awards, but the Grammys ain't bad. "Golden," the anthemic smash hit from Kpop Demon Hunters, has become the first ever K-Pop song to win a Grammy Award. Performed by EJAE (who also co-wrote the song), Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, aka Huntr/x, it won Best Song Written for Visual Media. It was also nominated in three other categories, including Song of the Year. (Alas, Billie Eilish.) Still, things are looking pretty "Golden" for the Oscars next month...

Pardoned auto shop owner freed after rare government reversal

A day after Fong Khang received a pardon from the state of Minnesota, his mug shotlanded on a federal website touting “More Worst of Worst" arrests, packaged between photos of two convicted murderers and two sex offenders. Khang was freed January 28, after seven days in detention, when federal officials deviated from their usual practice and agreed to support his wrongful detention case.

Letter From Minnesota: "If They Take Me and Leave the Children..."

"All these years, that has been my goal. As a writer, I’ve tried hard to tell the stories of my people and others who have fled their homes in search of safety and a future, and now all these years later, I find myself wondering if I still have a home here in Minnesota, in America, in the world of the people who get to decide who is valuable and who is not, who belongs and who does not, who lives and who dies."

Playwright Keiko Green On Pulling Her Play from the Kennedy Center

Last month, Seattle Children's Theatre announced their decision to pull their two-week run of the play Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story from the Kennedy Center due to the impact of the Trump administration. Playwright Keiko Green talks about the decision, the fallout and the future of the play.

Kpop Demon Hunters Socks

And now you get these sweet Kpop Demon Hunters Socks. Pre-order from MADMIA

They Call Us Minnesota Nice... But Not For ICE

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. (Almost) 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.

In this episode, we welcome poet/author/activist Bao Phi and Minnesota Star Tribune columnist Laura Yuen to discuss the ongoing and escalating crackdown by federal immigration operations in Minnesota. They talk about Laura's recent piece about her family and their citizenship; the temperature on the street, particularly in the wake of recent killings by ICE agents; the widespread fear and uncertainty among community members just trying to move through their lives; and the kindness of everyday Minnesotans who are helping each other survive the siege. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of being in Minnesota right now. This episode is sponsored by Chinese Republicans, a new play from Roundabout Theatre Company.

Meet the Restaurant Owner Who Gave Shelter to Protestors

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

Minneapolis Restaurant Owner Opened Her Doors for Protesters Seeking Refuge: 'Come In, Come In'

When hell broke loose on the streets of south Minneapolis, where protestors clashed with federal officers -- less than a block from where Alex Pretti had been killed about an hour earlier -- Tracy Wong opened the doors of her restaurant, My Huong Kitchen, for people to take safe refuge from the tear gas and flash bangs, offering water, comfort and a place to recover. Video of Wong in this extraordinary moment has since been shared thousands of times, and the community has come back to her restaurant with thanks and support

Being Hmong in Minnesota's ICE Age

"For over five years, my family and I have been living, working, and commuting across the Twin Cities suburbs. We are Hmong -- the biggest Asian ethnic group in Minnesota. We are scared. We are cautious. We feel like our identity will make us a target. We still go about our everyday lives, but with uncertainty. And we are paying attention, checking for daily updates—observing who is speaking out against what's happening, and those who aren't."

Couple Was Found Dead in Gruesome Scene. Then Cops Allegedly Found Chilling Wishlist

Disturbing, gruesome news out of New Jersey... A 37-year-old man accused of killing his parents in their home has now been charged in connection with their deaths. Patrick Lin was arrested and charged on several accounts, including first-degree murder. When authorities searched his bedroom, they found a notebook with a wishlist that included "to kill someone and get away with it."

It's Now Ronny Chieng's Turn to Be the Voice of NYC Subway PSAs

Comedian Ronny Chieng is the latest entertainer to lend his voice to public service announcements for the MTA's subway service in New York City. If you ride the subway, you might hear him utter some helpful encouragements like, “Can you please move into the train so other people can get on?" Or "Unless it’s old school hip-hop, nobody wants to hear your music or your phone call. Put your headphones on."

LEGO Lucky Cat

This LEGO® Lucky Cat building set creates an eye-catching display piece and is said to bring good luck and prosperity to the owner. Best of all, the paw has a pendulum action to replicate the beckoning or waving of traditional Lucky Cat figurines.

Click Here For Rapid Response Efforts in the Twin Cities

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

AAPIs United in the Twin Cities

This newly established website was created by community volunteers and allies to provide rapid response resources in support of AAPI families and communities who have been harmed by ICE surge in Minnesota. Click through the links for various rapid response efforts underway led by -- and for -- Hmong, Southeast Asian American, and other AAPI communities in the greater Twin Cities.

St. Paul activist Thao Xiong taken by ICE

On Wednesday, immigration agents detained a volunteer food shelf delivery driver at a St. Paul community center. Over the objections of staffers and legal observers, federal agents approached, handcuffed and detained Thao Xiong in the center parking lot, where they can be seen on video forcing him into one of three black SUVs. "I showed them my documents already,” Xiong can be heard attempting to explain.

ICE is a Continuation of American History

"I’m not writing this to call anyone out or even correct anyone. This shit is incredibly bad. But I really do hope that all these people who are just now taking the red pill and seeing America for what it is will also see that it always has been this way and can join forces with us. Those people organizing in Minneapolis and St. Paul (and all the other cities brutalized by ICE) are heroes. I want those people to know they are not inventing something new. They are continuing the fight that has always existed in this country. They should be proud of that, and they should feel connected to that. The Japanese Americans could have used people like that in 1942."

Japanese American soldiers once branded ‘enemy aliens’ to be promoted posthumously

Seven Japanese American soldiers will be promoted to officer ranks in a solemn ceremony Monday, eight decades after they died fighting for the U.S. during World War II despite having been branded "enemy aliens."

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26 New Asian and Pacific Islander Books for your 2026 TBR

A helpful roundup of 26 new books by Asian and Pacific Islander authors to read in 2026.

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.

"My Parents Thought We Hade Made It. Now We Carry Papers."

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

My parents thought we had made it. Now we carry papers.

"Asian Americans, in particular, have always struggled with being perceived as perpetual outsiders, no matter how long we've lived in the country. When immigrants of my parents\' generation started families here in the 1970s, many of them figured their children would fit in and thrive here, so long as they gave their children Western names and made sure they could speak perfect American English. I always felt they went overboard, that we didn't have to whitewash ourselves to gain acceptance. A half-century later, I'm thinking maybe my parents were onto something."

ICE target was already in prison when agents detained St. Paul man in his underwear

Sorry, Wrong Asian. The images of ChongLy Thao's arrest by ICE in St. Paul sparked outrage in Minnesota and across the internet. Thao was led out of his home in freezing weather, wearing nothing but his boxers and a blanket draped around him. Agents did not present a warrant, nor did they ask Thao for identification. He was released shortly afterward. Turns out, one of the guys they were looking for was already in prison.

Alabama uses Japanese American Internment era law to charge immigrants who don’t self-register

Alabama is finding new ways -- using old laws -- to criminally charge undocumented immigrants. Federal courts in the state are using a law last applied during the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II to charge immigrants who don't register themselves.

5 arrested in local burglary ring targeting Asian American business owners

In Ohio, five people were arrested for their involvement in a highly organized burglary ring targeting Asian Americans. Authorities in the Cincinnati suburbs gathered intelligence indicating that the suspects were planning to burglarize a home and caught them in the act. The group is accused of target Asian American small business owners in the area for years.

SILK STREAM: Digital Shorts Series

Attention filmmakers! The Center for Asian American Media is launching SILK STREAM, a new digital short film series. This initiative is a contemporary, digital-first reimagining of CAAM's groundbreaking SILK SCREEN anthology, specifically designed to engage a cross-generational audience, with a strong focus on digital-native viewers. They're looking for narrative and documentary shorts that not only explore the depth of the Asian American experience but also possess a distinct visual flair and the undeniable energy of contemporary pop culture. Learn more and submit here.

Why Minnesotans Fear ICE

And other items of note from Angry Asian America.

1. Why Minnesotans Fear ICE

"All of this calculation of distance and I can’t reconcile the most important space of all: the distance between myself and some of my fellow American citizens, who believe that the actions of ICE—from the racial profiling, imprisonment, and detainment of people on American soil, to the killing of Good and Porter—are acceptable. I have felt sick all week. This vast gulf between us, not just as Americans but as human beings, has drained me of hope." Poet, author, and lifelong Minnesotan Bao Phi on the outrage in his community.

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2. ICE agents are knocking on doors and asking "Do you know any of your Hmong neighbors?"

In Instagram video posted on Monday, St. Paul Councilmember Hwa Jeong Kim said that she has received first-hand accounts from constituents about ICE agents knocking on doors and asking whether the residents know their Hmong or Asian neighbors.



3. Philadelphia police probe string of violent purse snatchings targeting Asian women

In Philadelphia, police are searching for suspects in a string of violent thefts targeting Asian women in during the holiday season. Investigators say the attacks occurred between Christmas Day and New Year's Day, all within the same area in Northeast Philadelphia and under similar circumstances. All of the victims were Asian women who got their purse snatched in broad daylight by men in ski masks. Police believe the crimes are connected, with three men involved in most, if not all, of the thefts, including two attackers and a getaway driver.

4. 'Squid Game' Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk Sets New Netflix Series 'The Dealer'

Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of Squid Game, is following up the biggest Netflix show of all time with his next series, The Dealer, a crime Korean drama set in a casino that follows a card dealer who is roped into a seedy underworld of gambling. Produced by Hwang for Netflix, the series stars Jung So-min leads the cast as the titular dealer. Here's the official synopsis:

"The Dealer" centers on Geonhwa, a gifted casino dealer whose life is upended when her wedding plans collapse after she becomes entangled in a housing scam. Forced back into a world she had deliberately left behind, Geonhwa plunges into the shadowy underworld of illegal gambling — and is compelled to tap long-suppressed supernatural abilities that give her an unnatural edge at the tables as she fights to reclaim control of her future.

5. The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller

The Moon Without Stars, the new book from New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor–winning author Chanel Miller, hits shelves this week. In this household, we are big fans of her 2024 children's book Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All. Her new middle school novel explores the way growing up, finding friends, and discovering who you are can be both awkward and empowering. From the back of the book:

At the beginning of seventh grade, Luna knows who she is: an observant, quiet girl who loves writing and making zines with her best friend, Scott. But when one of their zines takes off, Luna is somehow swept up into the popular group and learns just how much of herself she’s going to have to compromise to stay there. Will she give up her writing? Her best friend? What about her own beliefs about who she is and what she stands for?

Featuring author-illustrator Chanel Miller’s signature line drawings, The Moon Without Stars is a deeply personal and often funny novel about what it means to lose and then find yourself again during the vulnerable, life-changing years of middle school.

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