Hey there! Welcome to The Yappie, a newsletter about Asian American power, influence, and work (delivered every Sunday). It's finals and cuffing season, which means our collective suffering is almost over. In the meantime, send tips, ideas, events, job/internship postings, and cool projects to [email protected] (we'll read and reply to all your messages).
- A quick note: We use the terms "Asian," "Asian American," and "AAPI" (Asian American Pacific Islander) interchangeably in our writing unless specifically noted. Here's a bit of context.
The Big Story
AAPI GROUPS SLAM GOVERNMENT’S ‘PUBLIC CHARGE’ PROPOSAL: Immigration advocates are mobilizing this week against a proposed rule change by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that would dramatically expand the categories of benefits that would deem an immigrant a “public charge.”
- The DHS proposal is a key in the Trump administration’s crackdown on legal immigration. It would allow officers to deny green cards if an applicant has used certain non-cash forms of public assistance, such as Medicaid, food stamps, and housing assistance — forcing millions of immigrants to choose between financial help and seeking approval to live and work legally within the U.S. Read more.
In a letter on Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-New York) called on Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to withdraw the “heartless proposal,” arguing that DHS failed to provide adequate public justification for the rule.Read more.
- AAPI groups, led by the One Nation AAPI coalition, are encouraging the public to submit comments against the final proposal before the 60-day feedback period ends on Monday. Read more.
On the Agenda
TJ COX WINS IN CA-21, ADDING TO DEMOCRATIC GAINS: Cox becomes the second Filipino American to be elected to Congress, and puts the number of Democrat pickups in the House at 40. Read more.
- The 116th Congress will have a record number of AAPIs. The election of Cox and New Jersey’s Andy Kim (NJ-3) means there will be 17 AAPI members, according to AAPI Data. Read more.
2020 WATCH — KAMALA HARRIS NEARS DECISION ON PRESIDENTIAL BID:The California senator tells MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski that she will decide whether to run against President Trump “over the holiday.” Read more.
- Psst… do you know if she’s running? Drop us a note at [email protected].
WECHAT PLAYED ‘CRITICAL ROLE’ IN MOBILIZING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION OPPONENTS: The app also aided in the spread of misinformation in recent years, Colorado State University’s OiYan Poon tells Mother Jones’ Annie Ma. Read more.
- Some background: While a majority of Asian Americans support race-conscious admissions, a small but vocal group of Chinese Americans has gained political clout in their efforts against affirmative action policies. Read more.
Money Moves
HUAWEI CFO’S ARREST INTENSIFIES U.S.-CHINA TECH BATTLE: The Trump administration is attempting to extradite Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of China’s Huawei Technologies, for allegedly conducting business that ran afoul of U.S. sanctions on Iran. Read more.
- Canadian authorities arrested Meng on the same day that President Trump held trade talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. China’s Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. and Canadian ambassadors this weekend in protest. Read more.
Meng’s detention “underscores a sense of urgency over what the U.S. sees as a growing threat to national security posed by China’s ambitions to gain an edge in the tech sector,” according to the Wall Street Journal. Read more.
- ICYMI: In November, an influential economic security panel singled out Huawei in a warning to Congress on China’s tech manufacturing strength. Read more.
Influence
SANDRA OH TO CO-HOST GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS: The Killing Eve star is poised to become the show’s first Asian co-host, and will share the Beverly Hilton stage with Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Andy Samberg on January 6. Read more.
- The Golden Globe nominations of Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) and Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians) open “the door for women across the country who might have felt invisible or undervalued due to their Asian identity to now feel honored to be Asian,” writes Bustle’s Olivia Truffaut-Wong. Read more.
GRETA LEE’S ‘KTOWN’ COULD GET HBO NOD: The actress from Girls and High Maintenance is currently developing a dark comedy series with Barry producer Jason Kim, according to The Cut. If picked up by HBO, KTown would be “the first cable show ever centered on Asian Americans.” Read more.
‘TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE’ SEQUEL CONFIRMED: The movie, based on Jenny Han’s bestselling To All the Boys books, will be produced as part of a new production deal by Paramount Pictures and Netflix. Read more.
- The original film starring Lana Condor “is one of the most-viewed films of all time” on Netflix, according to Viacom CEO Bob Bakish (Viacom is Paramount’s parent company). Read more.
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