Honda Fights To Stop AAPI Discrimination, Racial Profiling

Press Release

Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Honda (D-Silicon Valley, Calif.), who leads Democrats on the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations subcommittee, led bipartisan passage of an important change in Federal policy, to ensure accountability when accusations of espionage are leveled against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders and examine whether racial profiling occurred.

The new law would direct the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General to examine and report back on whether race, ethnicity, or national origin played a role in cases involving charges of espionage against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Honda has long questioned the motivation behind espionage charges made against Sherry Chen and Professor Xiaoxing Xi. The charges were eventually dropped, but the accusations have damaged their jobs and reputations.

"I am proud to have worked with my colleagues to pass an amendment to ensure accountability in these cases," said Honda. "Injustice like that faced by Professor Xi and Sherry Chen must never happen again. No one in our Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities should be made to feel foreign or be suspected to be the enemy by their own government without cause."

The change in question is contained in the "manager's amendment" to the 2017 appropriations for Commerce, Science and Justice, passed earlier today.

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