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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF)

@aaldef.bsky.social
500 followers 77 following 194 posts

Protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans since 1974 | Immigrant rights | Labor rights | Voting rights | www.linktr.ee/aaldef

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Reposted by Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF)
Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 18/09/2026
NEW: We just sued DHS on behalf of a coalition of racial justice and civil rights groups and labor unions to protect voters' right to cast ballots free from intimidation. Their suit challenges threats to deploy ICE and federal forces near polling places. Read the complaint: protdem.org/4rjLHaF
Graphic announcing a lawsuit filed by civil rights groups to prevent armed federal agents from being deployed near polling places during elections.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
September 11, 2001 was primary election day in New York City, which meant a busy day for AALDEF staff in the office taking calls on our hotline and other staff scattered across the city to monitor polls. “Our lives changed forever,” says Margaret Fung, who was in the office that day. 1/4
“Suddenly, we heard a thunderous crash, looked out our windows to see a building on fire eight blocks away, and felt the floor shake as the South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed at 9:59 am.”

—Margaret Fung, who took this photo on her camera phone as she and AALDEF staff evacuated the area
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Today’s devastating court ruling has real consequences for thousands of TPS holders from Burma, who have been in a state of limbo since the Trump administration first announced it would be terminating TPS for Burma. 1/5
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
We love movies — films that delve into themes of love, relationships, grief, and complex emotions. AALDEF is proud to partner again with the Asian American International Film Festival to uplift Asian American stories and the Asian American storytellers putting them on the screen.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Less than a week after ICE shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, ICE shot and killed Johan Sebastian Guerrero. ICE is rampaging our communities. From Minnesota to Texas to now Maine, this is the 11th fatal shooting by ICE in 2026 that we know about. 1/5
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Reposted by Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF)
ACLU of Texas @aclutx.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Texans are rallying in memory of 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo — a husband, father, and Houstonian — who was fatally shot by ICE on the way to work last Tuesday. The message is clear: ICE does not belong in our communities, and we want justice for Lorenzo.
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Reposted by Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF)
ACLU of Maine @aclumaine.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
We are heartbroken to learn of another death resulting from ICE operations, this time in Maine. A man was killed this morning on a Biddeford street, and federal immigration agents were involved.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
"This should have been a 9-0 decision," said AALDEF's Bethany Li. By one vote, the court affirmed that the 14th Amendment guarantees the right to citzenship for all people born in the U.S. regardless of ancestry. Read the full New York Times article: www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/u...?
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
The recent Supreme Court ruling creates uncertainty for TPS holders from Burma, Yemen, and other countries. This ruling DOES NOT mean immediate deportation. TPS protections for Burma and Yemen remain for now.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Much joy, much Asian, and much much PRIDE ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
The moment Bowen realizes he’s covering the Kochiyama seal 👀 The story behind that is slice of American history: Our org name is long. We wanted a logo to promote our acronym—AALDEF. Bill Kochiyama (husband of Yuri Kochiyama) designed a seal, which we’ve adapted in many variations/colors ever since!
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Incredible. Thrilling. Joyous. Home. You had to be there. #PrideNYC 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Today’s devastating Supreme Court decision creates new fear and uncertainty for TPS holders from Burma, Yemen, and other countries. Importantly, this ruling does not mean immediate deportation—current protections and work authorization for Burma and Yemen remain in place for now.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Today, the Supreme Court issued its decision on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and Syria, stripping federal courts of key power to review the Trump administration's unjust terminations of TPS for thousands of immigrants.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
The safety of our communities is interconnected. Read our joint statement with a multiracial coalition of civil rights organizations in response to the acquittal of Rick Chow in the fatal shooting of Cyrus Carmack-Belton. @legaldefensefund.bsky.social @aaaj-aajc.bsky.social @aaaj-atlanta.bsky.social
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Today, a congressional committee is holding a hearing targeting @splcenter.org —a civil rights organization that protects communities from threats to fair voting and violence from hate groups.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Last weekend in Alabama, AALDEF joined @legaldefensefund.bsky.social and @blackvotersmatterfund.org in a National Day of Action for Voting Rights, standing with communities from across the country to demand fair maps and voting rights after SCOTUS’s harmful decision in Louisiana v. Callais. 1/3
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
AALDEF issued the above statement in response to the tragic shooting at the San Diego Islamic Center which led to the senseless murder of 3 community members.  Kindly consider donating to the Islamic Center's relief fund for victims and families:  goodbricks.org/campaign/ics...
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Reposted by Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF)
Southern Poverty Law Center @splcenter.org · 17/05/2026
#OTD in 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education, declaring school segregation unconstitutional. The case began when Linda Brown was denied entry to an all-white school near her home. #TheMarchContinues
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Reposted by Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF)
Legal Defense Fund @legaldefensefund.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
If our votes didn’t matter they wouldn’t try so hard to suppress them! We rallied & marched in Alabama just like our ancestors did over 60 years ago.
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Reposted by Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF)
Randi Weingarten 🖇️📚✊🇺🇸 @rweingarten.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
This weekend, labor, civil rights, faith & community leaders came together in Montgomery for #AllRoadsSouth to defend voting rights & democracy. Alongside members of Congress & AFT members & leaders from AL, CA, GA, MA, NY + OR, we sent a clear message: attacks on voting rights won't go unanswered.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
The dismantling of the Voting Rights Act is a reminder that we have unfinished business. This fight is ours — and we are going to finish it. Join @blackvotersmtr, @naacp_ldf, AALDEF, and other advocates this Saturday in Montgomery to fight for our democracy. #DayOfAction #VotingRights
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Last week, a federal court stopped the termination of TPS for Yemen. This means Yemeni TPS holders keep their lawful status, work authorization, and protection from detention/deportation while our case continues. Learn more about the case and what this means for you: www.aaldef.org/resources/tp...
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Today marks both May Day and the beginning of AAPI Heritage Month — a reminder that our stories of identity are also stories of labor, resistance, and solidarity.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Today, the Supreme Court delivered a profound setback in Louisiana v. Callais by dismantling one of the most transformational protections of the Voting Rights Act—effectively rendering Section 2 unusable as a safeguard against racial discrimination and redistricting.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Our response to the DoJ's investigation of @splcenter.org: We will not be intimidated, even as the admin continues to deploy agencies to further its war against immigrants, racial and religious minorities, other marginalized people, and now the civil rights organizations fighting on their behalf.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Arrests of immigrants without criminal convictions by ICE have surged 770%, according to a new data analysis by UC Berkeley: www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
nbcnews.com
Immigration arrests of people without criminal convictions have increased eightfold under Trump, report says
The rise is related to the steep increase in the number of immigration-related street arrests, according to an analysis using ICE data by UC Berkeley.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Asian immigrants are among the largest groups in removal proceedings in NY, yet the city's immigration legal services system is largely out of reach for them. Most intake hotlines don't offer a single Asian language. Outreach to Asian communities is rare.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
"When the Trump administration terminated Temporary Protected Status for Burma, a temporary immigration pathway that over 3,000 Burmese immigrants are relying on, a friend of mine remarked that we fled a tyrant only to run into the arms of a worse one..."
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
“Dignity is not a privilege—it’s a right.” Narul Amin Shah Alam should still be alive. Read more of Khin Mai Aung's powerful words here:
usatoday.com
US promised safety. A nearly blind refugee died cold and alone. | Opinion
Nurul Shah Alam was nearly blind, spoke limited English and died after immigration agents abandoned him. His family were not told of his release.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
Nurul Amin Shah Alam should be alive. DHS agents released Mr. Shah Alam outside a closed coffee shop on a freezing night with no money, no phone, and no interpreter. From arrest to abandonment, the system treated his disability, language barriers, and refugee status as someone else’s problem.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
A nearly blind man, a refugee from Burma, is now dead after being abandoned by border agents at a coffee shop five miles away from his home in Buffalo, NY. His family was not notified of his release. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Nearly blind refugee abandoned by US border patrol found dead in Buffalo
Investigation under way after man was dropped off five miles from home but family wasn’t notified, officials say
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Ramadan Mubarak! Wishing a blessed Ramadan to all as we welcome this holy month of reflection, prayer, and community. 🌙🌅
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Video from this weekend shows ICE detaining a half-naked, elderly Hmong man at gunpoint in St. Paul, Minnesota. ICE drove him around, questioned him, and only after fingerprinting him confirmed that he was a U.S. citizen with no criminal background. sahanjournal.com/immigration/...
sahanjournal.com
ICE broke down St. Paul man’s door, walked him half-naked into the cold
ICE detained ChongLy Scott Thao at his home on St. Paul’s East Side Sunday and dragged him out half-naked into the cold.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
"The 5 deaths of Asian nationals in ICE custody in 2025 are not just isolated tragedies...Language barriers, delayed medical care and a lack of transparency inside detention centers have already had fatal consequences..."
latimes.com
Contributor: Deaths of Asian immigrants in ICE custody reveal a community under threat
A 2025 survey reported that 63% of Asian immigrants now feel unsafe in America because of their race.
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Reposted by Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF)
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus @capac.house.gov · 10/01/2026
State legislatures are reviving discriminatory land laws that place Asian Americans and people of Asian descent under undue suspicion. CAPAC members met with @aaaj-aajc.bsky.social and @aaldef.bsky.social to discuss how we can fight against these xenophobic alien land laws.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Two years ago today, New Jersey enacted the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights—a law that ensures critical protections for workers in the state, including the right to written contracts in English and the native language of the worker. But long, complex documents can still be a barrier.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
Abolish ICE. AALDEF issued the following statement in response to the heinous murder of a woman in Minneapolis by ICE. "ICE is a dangerous, violent agency that tears families apart and kills people.”
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
"Annie Lo, one of the report’s coauthors & staff attorney at AALDEF, credited NYC's rent regulation laws for the stark difference. But she said newer luxury developments around the neighborhood in Manhattan are exponentially higher than the area’s median rent, even for supposedly affordable units."
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
As we head into 2026, manifesting the strength and courage we need as we continue the fight to keep our community safe and whole. Wishing you all a Happy New Year!
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
"This racist mob operated with reckless disregard for the truth, likely because they knew that Islamophobia enjoys near-total impunity in the United States," writes @jeetheer.bsky.social on the powerful government figures who falsely accused a queer, Palestinian student of the shootings at Brown.
thenation.com
Islamophobic Elites Lied to Destroy the Life of a Palestinian Brown Student
Plutocrats, pundits, and government officials joined together in a racist smear campaign against a queer Palestinian student at Brown University.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
“It’s really a pattern of the Trump administration going through country by country, ending protections for non-White immigrants in the U.S...We’re challenging this both on the basis of the process not being followed, but also on the basis of this being discriminatory,” said Dinesh Mccoy, AALDEF.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
“I cannot return to Burma.” For thousands of Burmese people here, the Trump admin’s decision to terminate TPS is a matter of safety and freedom. With the end of TPS for Burma, nearly 4,000 people could lose legal protection and face deportation to a warzone, tearing families apart and risking lives.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
“Sometimes I feel like I'm just a number,” said Nina, a medical professional from Burma now in the U.S. Read more about our case with @refugeeassistance on behalf of Nina and 4000 other Burmese TPS holders at risk of being deported to a warzone. www.newsweek.com/burmese-migr...
newsweek.com
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
NY Gaming Commission just approved a casino & luxury hotel next to Flushing, despite overwhelming community opposition.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
We remember the powerful life and legacy of documentary filmmaker Christine Choy. Christine’s trailblazing career spanned 50 years with more than 80 films, including her Oscar-nominated documentary, “Who Killed Vincent Chin,” which persists as required viewing for any student of AsAm history.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
New Jersey voters deserve the best protections when exercising their right to vote. AALDEF urges @speakercoughlin.bsky.social & @govmurphy.bsky.social to come together to pass and enact the John Lewis Voter Empowerment Act (S3009/A4083) ASAP. ALL voters deserve the highest level of protections.
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Reposted by Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF)
Janai Nelson @janainelson.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
We have no time to waste in the fight to protect Black New Jersey voters from discrimination at the ballot box. @speakercoughlin.bsky.social & @govmurphy.bsky.social: let's pass & enact the John Lewis Voter Empowerment Act as swiftly as possible. Justice for New Jersey voters cannot wait.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
AALDEF Report: Gentrification over the past decade has driven the displacement of Asians in Chinatowns in the Northeast. Our land use survey of Chinatowns in Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia reveals how outdated zoning laws are leaving residents and small businesses vulnerable.
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Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) @aaldef.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
AALDEF and AAF's 2025 Asian American Exit poll revealed ongoing, targeted harassment faced by Asian communities across New York. 📊 1 in 4 people reported experiencing harassment or violence based on race, ethnicity, or religion in the past two years.
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