The San Francisco API-Jewish Roundtable strongly condemns the U.S. administration’s newly announced policy that will revoke the visas of Chinese students lawfully residing in the United States. This proposal is discriminatory, unjustified, and dangerously stokes anti-Chinese sentiment under the guise of national interest.
By scapegoating Chinese students, the administration is perpetuating a cycle of xenophobia and fear that has already inflicted serious harm on our communities. We remember all too clearly the surge in violence and hate that targeted Chinese and Chinese American individuals in San Francisco and across our country during the COVID-19 pandemic—a direct result of similar rhetoric and scapegoating by political leaders.
Cally Wong, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Islander Council, stated:
“For the API community in San Francisco, this policy is a painful echo of the discrimination that has shaped so much of our city’s history. From the Chinese Exclusion Act to the violence our elders faced during the pandemic, we know all too well the consequences of scapegoating and exclusion. San Francisco has always thrived because we welcome newcomers and honor diversity. We cannot accept a return to policies that single out individuals based on where they come from. We stand with Chinese students, just as we have stood with all those targeted by bigotry, and we call on our leaders to reject this unjust proposal.”
In California alone, Chinese nationals comprise the largest group of international students, contributing not only to the state’s academic excellence but also to its cultural richness and economic vitality. At the University of California, students from China account for 43 percent of all international enrollees. These individuals are not a threat—they are our classmates, neighbors, and friends.
The new policy seeks to divide rather than unite. Policies that target individuals based on national origin, regardless of their conduct or legal status, have no place in a country that values diversity, inclusion, and the rule of law.
Tye Gregory, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area, stated:
“For the Jewish community, this is a sad reminder of past discriminatory practices against Jews. Up until the 1960s in the United States, some quotas kept many Jews from enrolling in universities. No one should be targeted for their immutable characteristics. We will not accept Chinese students being excluded as Jewish students once were.”
The San Francisco API-Jewish Roundtable – a coalition of 20 API and Jewish organizations and community leaders—remains committed to standing against anti-Asian hate, antisemitism, and discrimination in all its forms. We urge people from diverse backgrounds and leaders at every level of government to reject scapegoating and prejudice and to stand with our immigrant and international student communities.
