Tariffs forcing Asian American businesses into “impossible choice”

Asian American lawmakers are demanding President Donald Trump reverse his tariff policies, warning against their gutting impact on small business owners.

The Rebel Yellow - Issue #123

Federal pressure on media and trade continues to mount. Asian American lawmakers condemned the suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” as a First Amendment violation, with Rep. Ro Khanna calling it the “largest assault on free speech in modern history.” Meanwhile, Trump’s tariffs are pushing small AAPI businesses to the brink, with some forced to raise prices by 50% or close down entirely. In New York, Filipino American Assemblyman Steven Raga was among 71 arrested during an ICE protest over inhumane detention conditions. And across the Pacific, Native Hawaiians launched a $260 million bid to reclaim 55,000 acres of ancestral land from a Hong Kong firm.

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Rep. Khanna, Lieu denounce Kimmel suspension

Asian American Democratic leaders condemned last week’s suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” as a threat to free speech, joining a wave of criticism that came before ABC announced Monday the show would resume. The show was halted on Sept. 17 after Kimmel accused the “MAGA gang” of exploiting the Sept. 10 shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a debate at Utah Valley University. The move followed warnings from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, who said broadcasters could face regulatory consequences if they continued airing the program.

House leadership

House Democratic leaders including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) issued a joint statement on Sept. 18, accusing Carr of “corrupt abuse of power.” They criticized Disney and other broadcasters that dropped or preempted the show, calling the decision “an act of cowardice.” The statement also pledged “the relentless unleashing of congressional subpoena power” to investigate the matter and demanded Carr’s resignation.

The following day, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) moved to subpoena Carr during a House Oversight Committee session, accusing the administration of mounting “the largest assault on the First Amendment and free speech in modern history.” His motion was tabled on a party-line vote, but Democrats said they would continue pressing for Carr’s testimony and documents related to the FCC’s role in Kimmel’s suspension.

FCC defense

On X, Carr defended his position by stressing that broadcasters must reflect the interests of their local communities. “Broadcast TV stations have always been required by their licenses to operate in the public interest — that includes serving the needs of their local communities,” he wrote. “And broadcasters have long retained the right to not air national programs that they believe are inconsistent with the public interest, including their local communities’ values. I am glad to see that many broadcasters are responding to their viewers as intended.”

Rep. Lieu responded, writing, “Hey @BrendanCarrFCC: You are wrong. The First Amendment doesn’t have a local community exception to free speech. You cannot revoke a license because you don’t like someone’s political speech. We will fight back. We will investigate. We will flip the House. WE WILL NOT YIELD.”

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Tariffs forcing Asian American businesses into “impossible choice”

Asian American lawmakers are demanding President Donald Trump reverse his tariff policies, warning against their gutting impact on small business owners.