Rep. Chu, Senator Hirono, and Colleagues Oppose the Recreation of Trump’s China Initiative

WASHINGTON, DC – Ahead of today’s House Appropriations Committee markup of Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) funding legislation, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Senator Mazie Hirono (HI) led a bicameral letter to stop Republican lawmakers from reinstating the China Initiative, which unfairly targeted and profiled Chinese American and Chinese researchers and scholars.

The program was created in 2018 under the first Trump administration but was disbanded in 2022 after several of the alleged espionage and national security cases ended in acquittal, dismissal, or were dropped altogether. The Trump-era China Initiative questioned the loyalty of Asian Americans, reinforced harmful negative stereotypes, and undermined our nation’s scientific innovation and global partnerships. 

House Republicans are now attempting to restart the program by inserting language into the FY2026 CJS Appropriations bill, which funds the Departments of Commerce, Justice and other science-related programs. Rep. Chu and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Members successfully prevented the inclusion of this language in the FY2025 and FY2024 Appropriations bills. 

In their letter to House and Senate Appropriators, the Members wrote, “This prosecutorial initiative was a blunt instrument wielded against anyone who had ‘some nexus to China’. An unacceptably high number of the aforementioned cases ended in dropped charges, dismissals, and acquittals because prosecutors could not prove allegations.Over the course of this initiative, an increasing number of cases had to do with false statements and the failure to make disclosures—not espionage, theft, or spying.” 

The lawmakers highlight the importance of national security and countering threats against the Chinese Communist Party but recommended a more targeted and responsible approach that does not unfairly criminalize researchers of Chinese descent or their work. They conclude by writing: “A budget is a representation of our priorities and values. It would be both a misallocation of resources and a backsliding for civil rights to restart the China Initiative.”

Click here to read the full letter.

This letter was endorsed by the following organizations: Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), Stop AAPI Hate, Chinese for Affirmative Action, and Asian American Scholar Forum, 1990 Institute, AAPI Equity Alliance, AAPI NJ, AAPI Youth Rising, AAPIs for Justice (SA, TX), ACLU, American Community Media, American Federation of Teachers, APA Justice Task Force, API Council, APIA Vote-Michigan, Asian American Federal Employees for Nondiscrimination (AAFEN), Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian American Midwest Progressives , Asian American Psychological Association, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), Asian Americans United, Asian Law Alliance, Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education, Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance (API PA), Aurora Commons LLC, Brennan Center for Justice, Cambodia Town Inc., CAPI USA, Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco Clearinghouse on Women's Issues, Committee of 100, Defending Rights & Dissent, DRUM - Desis Rising Up & Moving, Feminist Majority Foundation, Georgetown Center for Asian Law , Hate Is A Virus, Hmong Innovating Politics, Japanese American Citizens League, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Justice Is Global, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation , NAFSA: Association of International Educators, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA), National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), National Asian Pacific American Families Allied for Substance Awareness and Harm Reduction, National Iranian American Council Action, National Organization for Women, National Pacific Islander Education Network, National Queer Asian American Pacific Islander, National Tongan American Society, New Mexico Asian Family Center (NMAFC), NICOS Chinese Health Coalition, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, Greater Cleveland, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates (Greater Philadelphia Chapter), , OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates Greater Seattle, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates Greater Tucson Chapter, OCA Colorado, OCA Columbus, OCA-CVC, OCA-Sacramento Chapter, OCA-San Mateo Chapter, OCA Silicon Valley, OCA-NY , OPAWL-Building AAPI Feminist Leadership, Pacific Asian Counseling Services, Peace Action, Peace Action New York State, Restore The Fourth, Rising Voices, Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), South Asian Network, Thai Community Development Center (Thai CDC), Union of Concerned Scientists, United Chinese Americans (UCA), Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, Western States Center, and the Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center