Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC Rejects Racist Proposed Bill to Block Issuance of Student Visas to Chinese Nationals
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC), releases the following statement condemning the introduction of the Stop Chinese Communist Prying by Vindicating Intellectual Safeguards in Academia Act (“Stop CCP VISAs”) Act by Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.Va).
“We strongly reject this move to paint all Chinese students as a threat and caution against racial profiling based on geography and not fact. While national security is of utmost importance to Americans, resorting to racism and xenophobia is never the answer. The overwhelming majority of students and scholars simply come here to learn. We have seen this play out many times before, from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, Japanese American incarceration during World War II, and continued overblown fearmongering ‘invasion’ rhetoric. History has shown us time and again that exclusionary policies based on stereotyping rarely address actual national security concerns – instead they fuel prejudice, division and unfair targeting of Asian immigrants and the Asian American community more broadly.
“Past discriminatory policies have destroyed lives and affected our ability to attract and retain talent, which can affect our country’s competitiveness as global leaders in technology and innovation. If enacted, the Stop CCP VISAs Act would have even greater effects as a result of unilaterally blocking all Chinese students from coming to the U.S. and contributing to our economy simply because of their nationality. In fact, student visa applications are declining as Chinese students look to countries like Australia and Canada to study because of racial profiling here. In the long run, isolationism does not work and makes America weaker, not stronger.”
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