AAPI New Jersey

Victoria Lee should be alive today. Read our statement with allies on the failure to secure a grand jury indictment after a year-long investigation, and the dire need for our state to take action on police accountability and alternative crisis response: tinyurl.com/JFV0715

We saw our state's best legal minds deliver a careful, forceful defense of NJ's ban on dangerous, for-profit private detention. But today's ruling shows that this fight cannot only take place in our courts. It's time for NJ legislators to step up and pass the Immigrant Trust Act.

From Victoria Lee's father: "For a year, we have hoped to see the officer, Tony Pickens Jr., stand before the law. This week, we were devastated to be told that this would not happen.... We will miss her for the rest of our lives." northjersey.com/story/news/ber…

We've loved building civic power in marginalized communities with @NJWFP 's We the People movement. Together we can advance systemic reforms, claim our seat at the table, and begin to reverse decades of political underrepresentation for 1+ million AAPIs in New Jersey.

✊Justice for Victoria. Safety for Fort Lee. Join us this Saturday to demand accountability and systemic change following no charges for the police who killed a 25 y.o. experiencing a mental health crisis. 📢 Saturday, July 19, 1PM Hudson Lights Park 183 Main Street, Fort Lee

What a disappointment. No one, Including law enforcement, responding to a mental health crisis should have a gun. AAPI NJ and allies respond to failure of grand jury to indict in killing of Victoria Lee by Fort Lee Police aapinewjersey.org/aapi-nj-and-al…

"Victoria Lee should be alive...we do not, today, find any hope or reason in the workings of the law in New Jersey." - Statement from @aapinewjersey @AWCA16 @blm_paterson @FaithInNJ @KACE4Community @MinKwonCenter @NJAIJ @NJ_ISJ @StopAAPIHate njurbannews.com/2025/07/15/vic…

The systems that shield police from accountability must be dismantled. The failure to indict the officers who killed Victoria Lee is another devastating reminder: justice in NJ depends on the color of your skin, the language you speak, or your mental health or immigration status.

지금 Victoria Lee는 살아 있어야 마땅합니다. 딸의 목숨을 앗아간 경찰관들이 책임지는 모습을 볼 자격이 부모에게 있습니다. 하지만 일 년간의 조사 끝에 뉴저지 프로그램 청렴 책무 사무국(OPIA)은 대배심 기소를 이끌어내지 못했습니다. 전체 내용은 다음과 같습니다: tinyurl.com/JFV0715

We spoke with Andy Wong and other advocates at the AAPI Against Gun Violence convening about how our nation's gun violence epidemic begets a heavily armed police force that too often makes deadly missteps during mental health calls, as with Victoria Lee. We need alternatives now.

Here in the Garden State, we believe kids should learn American history that includes all of our stories. This week at FDU, @ProfKJoshi is prepping the stellar public school teachers in our Teach Asian American Stories fellowship to lead workshops and trainings for their peers.

Powerful words from Gloria Pan of @MomsRising at the AAPI Against Gun Violence convening in Chicago: “Gun rights rhetoric is white supremacy disguised in the language of constitutional rights.” We’re excited to learn and discuss alternative crisis response in NJ later today.

While grateful for our sponsors' support, we're dismayed by the proposed cut in funding for K-12 AAPI curriculum implementation from $300k in FY25 to $100k in NJ's FY26 state budget. @GovMurphy, @SpeakerCoughlin, @SenPresScutari: please fund hope and equity for NJ's 1M+ AAPIs.

We appreciated the chance to share recommendations with the @NewJerseyOAG TRUST Commission on fighting corruption through better data practices, engaging the public, and rebuilding cultural norms. Read our testimony: tinyurl.com/AAPINJTrust Learn more: njoag.gov/trustcommissio…

"Today's Supreme Court ruling is yet another clear call for states like New Jersey to protect immigrant communities. We urge @SenPresScutari, @SpeakerCoughlin, and @GovMurphy to move the Immigrant Trust Act forward without further delay.“ - @aapinewjersey's Co-ED Amber Reed

Our hopes for the NJ state budget: 🐉$3 million for language access 💪 More funding for DDDI (Deportation & Detainment Defense) 🧑‍🤝‍🧑Full funding for Legal Representation for Children and Youth 📕 $350k to support K-12 AAPI history via AAPI NJ (Senate Res #678/Assembly Res #389)

Thank you, @SenatorAndyKim and @SenBooker, for supporting a legal path to permanent residency for over 39,000 TPS holders in New Jersey--including an estimated 1,000 Nepalese Americans whose lives could be upended when their status is arbitrarily terminated on August 5.

Today we stood w/ @NJAIJ and a massive crowd of allies against the persecution of @RepLaMonica for exercising her oversight responsibilities at for-profit detention center Delaney Hall. We will not stand quietly by while laws are twisted to suppress dissent. Justice will prevail.

Here's my story on the decision, to be updated as statements arrive: njurbannews.com/2025/07/15/vic…

📣THE SCOTUS DECISION ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: 🚨 In today's decision allowing President Trump's Executive Order ending Birthright Citizenship to take effect, the Supreme Court paved the way for mass exclusion and generational harm. Learn more: 🔗 bit.ly/BirthrightCiti…