PRESS STATEMENT: Monday, March 12th, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Condemns Gutting of the Department of Education
Organizations Say Trump Move Puts Equal Education at Risk

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Trump moved forward with one of his most troubling campaigns promises to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) by beginning sweeping staffing cuts. Like many of his actions and directives over the last six weeks, this is a blatant act of disregard for the rule of law and is also an attack on our nation’s children.

Since its creation in 1980, the Department of Education has provided robust support for the 90% of K-12 students who attend public schools in the United States. Critical funding, civil rights enforcement, school environment guidance, and research have allowed generations of students to learn, grow, and become active participants in what should be a multiracial democracy. This overreach of the President’s power would hurt students and families nationwide, especially those from marginalized and low-income backgrounds by diminishing essential resources.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a network of four independent Asian American civil rights organizations, released the following statement condemning the action:

“We are troubled by the President’s threats to abolish the Department of Education. The loss of the Department’s crucial staff raises key concerns for the over 2.7 million Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students that we serve, 20% of whom are students with disabilities and 10% of whom are English Learners who face social and systemic stigma. AANHPI students have long suffered the harm of the ‘model minority’ myth, which has caused them to be overlooked for both educational support and protection from discrimination. The ED has also provided guidance on language access for families navigating the school systems to support their children.

“The ED’s distribution of funding, guidelines for inclusive learning climates, and civil rights enforcement has provided AANHPI and other marginalized students with access to opportunities to thrive. Indeed, one of our own affiliates filed a complaint with the ED’s Office for Civil Rights just two weeks ago, outlining systemic failures of the Fulton County School District in Georgia to protect students from pervasive discrimination. The Department has also played a vital role in collecting disaggregated data about students and schools, providing critical insight into our communities, whose diversity is often overlooked or ignored.

“The President and his administration’s gutting of the ED is not only an abuse of power but shows that they are willing to put students and their futures on the chopping block to silence ideas they disagree with and encourage division. We won’t stand down in our fight to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students.”

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About Asian Americans Advancing Justice 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of four leading Asian American civil rights organizations committed to advancing the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and building a more just society for all. 

Contact: 

Aleisha Flores, aflores@advancingjustice-aajc.org 

Liza Ameen, lameen@ajsocal.org 

Marylin Tom, mtom@advancingjustice-atlanta.org 

Arjumand Khan, akhan@advancingjustice-chicago.org 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity. Learn more at www.advancingjustice-chicago.org.  

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PRESS STATEMENT: Monday, March 3, 2025
PRESS CONTACT: Arjumand Khan-Akhan@advancingjustice-chicago.org

Statement for Immediate Release 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Condemns  

President Trump’s Executive Order Rescinding Language Access for 

 Individuals with Limited English Proficiency 

Labeling English as the official language of the US is racist and poses significant risk to public safety and health aims to marginalize our communities setting back the progress in language accessibility policies 

[Chicago, Illinois-Monday, March 3, 2025] – Asian Americans Advancing Justice vehemently condemns the recently issued Executive Order by President Trump mandating English as the official U.S. language, which represents another deeply troubling and racist attack on immigrant communities.  

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a network of four independent Asian American civil rights organizations, releases the following statement:   

This executive order is an assault on the fundamental rights of millions of Americans with limited English proficiency. It undermines decades of progress and attempts to create a permanent underclass of individuals who will face greater barriers to receive essential services on the basis of language ability and be denied equitable access because racism is now ruling the White House.  

At its core, this action is an attempt to silence and marginalize immigrant communities: to disregard the needs of communities who rely on language access to engage fully in society. This is another move rooted in white supremacy and nationalism.  

Language barriers have long hindered civic engagement and access to essential services, particularly within Asian American communities, which is comprised of 50 different ethnicities and over 100 languages and dialects. Nearly one-third (31.2%) of Asian American adults face challenges communicating in English, underscoring the critical need for language assistance in democratic participation, healthcare access, and use of social services. By eliminating mandates that require agencies to ensure individuals with limited English proficiency can access their services, the administration effectively is trying to marginalize millions of Americans who contribute to our nation.  

This Executive Order will have devastating consequences for individuals with Limited English Proficiency, including: 

• Healthcare: This order has the potential to exacerbate existing health disparities within immigrant communities. It will create a chilling effect, discouraging individuals from seeking necessary medical care, leading to preventable illnesses and deaths. 
• Natural Disaster Preparedness and Response: In times of crisis, access to critical information, aid and support should be universally accessible. This order will create barriers for individuals with limited English proficiency seeking assistance during natural disasters, leaving them vulnerable and further endangering their lives. 
• Language Accessibility: This executive order is an act of calculated harm, designed to keep people in a state of marginalization – leaving it to each federal agency to determine access to multilingual resources.  Access to in-language material is a key component to successful integration into American society.  

This executive order is a direct assault on linguistic and cultural diversity. In addition to the policy implications, this order gives power to racist attacks against immigrants—threatening the everyday safety of families and communities in public spaces. 

The U.S. has never had an official language, which has never hindered our national unity, strength, or growth. Rather, it has helped create a country where we could celebrate our diversity, and anyone could contribute and participate without concern for their English fluency. Asian Americans Advancing Justice will not stand idly by while our communities are targeted and marginalized. We will utilize every resource at our disposal to challenge this unjust policy, advocate for the rights of immigrant communities, and fight for a society where everyone can thrive.  

We call on all individuals and organizations committed to justice and equality to join us in this fight. 

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About Asian Americans Advancing Justice 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of four leading Asian American civil rights organizations committed to advancing the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and building a more just society for all. 

Contact: 

Aleisha Flores, aflores@advancingjustice-aajc.org 

Liza Ameen, lameen@ajsocal.org 

Marylin Tom, mtom@advancingjustice-atlanta.org 

Arjumand Khan, akhan@advancingjustice-chicago.org 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity. Learn more at www.advancingjustice-chicago.org.  

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In Memory of Tuyet Le

Dear Community Members, We are deeply saddened to share that Tuyet M. Le, Advancing Justice | Chicago’s former executive director, passed away on Saturday, February 8th, 2025. Tuyet was a remarkable leader who transformed our organization over her 18-year tenure. When Tuyet first became executive director in 1999, Advancing Justice | Chicago was a fledgling organization with just two staff. By the time she passed the torch in 2018, she had established Advancing Justice | Chicago as a powerful advocacy organization and outspoken voice for racial equity. Tuyet exponentially increased our organization’s staff and capacity (we had a staff of 15 by the time she left!), built lasting infrastructure within the Asian American community, and crafted a vision for our future that still resonates today. Her many accomplishments included spearheading the Asian American community’s first joint Census outreach effort in 2000 and co-founding the Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment (PAVE) Coalition in 2001. At a time when there were no Asian Americans in the Illinois state legislature, Tuyet convened an “Asian American Caucus” of legislators whose districts were at least 10% Asian American. The PAVE Coalition educated these elected officials about issues impacting the Asian American community, organized what is now an annual Asian American Action Day in Springfield, and hosted Chicago’s first multilingual Asian American mayoral forum in 2011. Tuyet played a pivotal role in countless advocacy efforts, including affirmative action in city contracting, redistricting, and the Illinois TRUST Act, to name a few. Tuyet’s fearless leadership, clear vision, and unwavering commitment made Advancing Justice | Chicago into what it is today. She challenged us to live out our organizational values of Love, Interdependence, Tenacity, Audacity, and Impact – reminding us to “ask for forgiveness, not for permission,” to be “fire starters and truth tellers,” and to think outside the box by “brain-kiting” (her alternative phrase for brainstorming). She never attended a meeting that didn’t have a “POP” (a clear Purpose, Outcomes, and Process). She had a great sense of humor and the humility of a community organizer. We invite you to share your memories of Tuyet, along with stories of her impact, with us. Please email info@advancingjustice-chicago.org with the subject line “Tuyet.” We will compile these stories to share with her loved ones and broader community at the celebration of her life this summer. We will remember and honor Tuyet in all of the work we do. May her legacy continue to inspire all whose lives she touched. Sincerely, Grace and the Advancing Justice | Chicago team Learn more about Tuyet’s life: Obituary Tribute video from 2018 to celebrate Tuyet’s 18 years of dedication to Advancing Justice | Chicago Our former development director Shannon Downey’s reflections on Tuyet

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PRESS STATEMENT: Saturday, January 18th, 2025
PRESS CONTACT: Arjumand Khan-Akhan@advancingjustice-chicago.org

Community Alert: Know Your Rights

Dear Community Members,

We are taking a moment to advise all of our members and supporters to be vigilant this week, especially those who are immigrants or non-citizens.

Tomorrow, a new presidential administration will take office. We expect heightened immigration enforcement activity throughout the next four years, possibly beginning this week. Some members of the Trump administration have claimed they will target Chicago with immigration raids and patrols. While it is impossible to know whether these plans will materialize, we urge community members to be alert, prepare, and know their rights.

If you are stopped by an immigration officer (from ICE, or Immigration and Customs Enforcement):

• You have the right to remain silent.
• Remain calm and keep your hands where officers can see them.
• Do not discuss your immigrant or citizenship status with police, immigration agents, or any other officials.
• Do not sign anything you do not understand. Ask to speak with an attorney.
• If an officer knocks on your door at home, DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. Teach your children or other household members not to open the door.
• ICE officers must have a warrant signed by a judge to enter your home. Many ICE “warrants” are not signed by judges; they are ICE forms signed by ICE officers and they do NOT grant authority to enter your home without your consent. Ask the officer to slide the “warrant” under the door for you to review.

Additional resources on how immigrants can prepare can be found here.

If you believe you are witnessing ICE activity, please call ICIRR’s 24-hour Family Support Hotline at 1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY (1-855-435-7693) to report it and write down any relevant information about what you witness.

Advancing Justice | Chicago is disseminating Know Your Rights cards in Asian languages so that this information is readily available when needed. As part of ICIRR’s statewide network, we are also launching a Rapid Response Team tomorrow that will document ICE activity and support impacted individuals and families. If you are interested in joining the Rapid Response Team, please contact Ellen at ezhou@advancingjustice-chicago.org. For any other questions or requests, please reply to this email.

In solidarity,

Grace and the Advancing Justice | Chicago team

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity. Learn more at www.advancingjustice-chicago.org.  

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PRESS STATEMENT: Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025
PRESS CONTACT: Arjumand Khan-Akhan@advancingjustice-chicago.org

Illinois Fights Back on Pres. Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Executive Order 

{Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025}-In response to breaking news, Illinois has joined 21 other states in challenging President Trump’s newly signed executive order that seeks to block birthright citizenship. This executive order is being criticized as unconstitutional, as it contradicts the 14th Amendment, which guarantees that anyone born in the U.S. is an American citizen.  

The 14th Amendment holds particular significance in Asian American history because of United States v. Wong Kim Ark, a landmark Supreme Court case that upheld birthright citizenship for the children of noncitizen immigrants.  

Wong’s story mirrors that of many Asian Americans today. He was born in San Francisco in 1873 to Chinese immigrant parents. After traveling to China, he was denied re-entry into the United States based on his citizenship status. The U.S. government argued that he was not a citizen because his parents were not U.S. citizens. 

Citing the 14th Amendment, Wong Kim Ark fought the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and won in 1898. The decision was a landmark victory that protected the constitutional right to citizenship for all children of immigrants. The legacy of this decision continues to impact Asian American communities today, as more than half of Asian Americans are immigrants (according to Pew). 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago applauds Governor Pritzker and Attorney General Raoul for defending birthright citizenship and the rights of immigrant communities in the face of racist and xenophobic attacks. 

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Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago builds power through collective advocacy and organizing to achieve racial equity. Learn more at www.advancingjustice-chicago.org.  

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