Analysis

United States v. Tao Amicus Brief

August 20, 2020

We filed this brief in support of Dr. Tao and to oppose the government’s increased efforts to target and racially profile Asian scientists and researchers.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus filed this brief in support of Dr. Feng “Franklin” Tao and opposes the government’s increased efforts to target and racially profile Asian American scientists and researchers.

Dr. Feng Tao stands as one example, among many, of the United States Government’s coordinated effort to target Chinese American scientists and researchers based on their ancestry rather than suspected criminal activity. Amici submit this brief to provide context on the Government’s “China Initiative,” under which it broadly investigates many Chinese American scientists without any indication of wrongdoing and to trace the history of the Government’s scrutiny of Chinese and Asian Americans and immigrants from Asia. Amici hope this background illuminates the Government’s past and current initiatives and leads the Court to conclude that dismissal of Dr. Tao’s Second Superseding Indictment is warranted.