A Digital Newspaper for Chinese Americans
October 7 marks the birthday of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, a pioneering Chinese American advocate for women’s rights. Born in 1896 in Guangzhou, China, Lee grew up in a turbulent era: the final years of the Qing dynasty, when China faced foreign aggression, women endured systemic subordination, and Chinese immigrants in the United States suffered intense discrimination.
The U.S. Department of Justice has officially begun the trial of Chinese American businessman Xinyue “Daniel” Lou. Prosecutors allege that in 2019, Lou arranged a “straw donation” for a political fundraising event for former President Donald Trump, helping Chinese nationals indirectly contribute money and gain close access to Trump, thereby circumventing federal laws that prohibit foreign citizens from making political donations in the United States. Jury selection has been completed, and the trial is expected to last about one week.
Elite research institutions such as Harvard University and MIT, benefiting from brand recognition and resource advantages, saw international student enrollment rise by about 10%, with Chinese students still accounting for a significant portion. However, small- and mid-sized regional universities and state schools in the Midwest face enrollment pressures, with international student numbers declining by an average of 15% to 30%. This concentration of educational resources toward a few elite institutions may further weaken the competitiveness of smaller universities.
In a transaction poised to reshape the global landscape of technology and media, Oracle founder Larry Ellison and his son David Ellison are emerging as central figures in the acquisition of TikTok’s U.S. operations. The deal, which intertwines politics, media, and control over information flows, could mark a decisive turn not only for TikTok’s future in America but also for the structure of U.S. media power.
On October 1, the U.S. federal government went into a shutdown after Congress failed to pass a new budget bill, forcing about 900,000 civil servants to take unpaid leave, while another 700,000 continued working without pay. The shutdown not only disrupted daily government operations but also placed the Trump administration’s recent wave of layoffs under intense public scrutiny.
In 1886, the United States Supreme Court ruled on what appeared to be a local dispute, but the case, Yick Wo v. Hopkins became a critical milestone in the practical application of the constitutional principle of equal protection.
According to the New York Post, Chinese designer toy company Pop Mart has leased approximately 7,000 square feet of retail space in New York’s Times Square and plans to open a flagship store by the end of 2026. This marks a significant expansion of the brand in the U.S. market and is seen as the latest step for a Chinese youth-oriented cultural brand entering one of the world’s most prominent commercial landmarks.
The Trump administration has formally filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to uphold its executive order on birthright citizenship and allow it to take effect. If the Court rules in favor of the order, children born in the United States to parents who are undocumented or only temporarily present would no longer automatically receive U.S. citizenship. The move signals that one of the core provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment is facing an unprecedented challenge
On September 16, Joel Engardio, the supervisor representing San Francisco’s District 4, was removed from office in a special recall election. Chinese immigrant voters made up a significant portion of the electorate. Engardio became the fifth public official to be recalled in San Francisco over the past four years. The vote not only reflected dissatisfaction with his policies but also highlighted the growing political influence of Chinese immigrant communities.
President Donald Trump recently signed a proclamation announcing that, starting Sunday, the application fee for H-1B visas would be raised dramatically: new applicants or their employers must pay a one-time fee of $100,000, compared with the previous fee of only $2,000 to $5,000. The White House stated that the measure is intended to “ensure American workers come first” and to require companies to assume greater financial responsibility when hiring foreign professionals.
