Asian Americans don’t need a seat at THAT table

It’s about time we learn that belonging isn’t always worth negotiating

The Rebel Yellow - Issue #143

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed one of the most expansive surveillance systems in U.S. immigration history, seeking authority to collect and reuse biometric data, including facial, iris, voice and DNA samples, from millions of applicants and their associates. The rule, now open for public comment, would remove age limits and apply “continuous vetting” from visa application through naturalization. Civil liberties groups warn it could normalize long-term tracking across federal databases.

In Southeast Asia, the Michelin Guide announced its first Philippine edition, adding 108 restaurants across Metro Manila and Cebu to its global listings. The 2026 guide awarded the country’s first two stars to Helm, led by British-Filipino chef Josh Boutwood, and a single star plus Young Chef Award to Linamnam’s Don Patrick Baldosano, signaling growing recognition of Filipino cuisine on the world stage.

Meanwhile, a new study found AI-generated content officially surpassed human-written articles online for the first time late last year. Researchers analyzing more than 65,000 web pages reported that over half of all new English-language articles published in November 2024 were machine-written, underscoring the growing influence—and challenges—of automated information production in digital media.

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DHS plans nationwide biometric system to track immigrants through every stage

A new federal proposal would authorize the Department of Homeland Security to collect biometric data from millions of people as part of what it calls “continuous vetting” of immigrants. The rule would allow the government to reuse facial, iris, voice and DNA data across all phases of the immigration process, from application to naturalization. DHS says the system is meant to strengthen identity verification and prevent fraud, while privacy advocates warn it could expand long-term government monitoring.

What the proposal covers

The proposed rule, published in the Federal Register this week, would amend multiple immigration regulations to broaden DHS authority over biometric collection. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services could require data from anyone applying for an immigration benefit, as well as from individuals associated with that filing. DHS said this could include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and others connected to an application. The proposal also removes current age limits, allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to collect biometrics from children under 14.

The notice defines biometrics to include fingerprints, palm prints, facial and iris scans, voice samples, handwritten signatures and DNA. DHS said one of the rule’s goals is to expand biometric collection authority “upon alien arrest or encounter.” The department argues the system would help close identity gaps, improve background checks and create a unified record that can be referenced throughout the immigration process. Public comments on the proposal are open until Jan. 2, 2026.

The plan is tied to DHS’s ongoing development of the Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology database, which will replace the Automated Biometric Identification System that has long stored fingerprints and photographs. The new platform would add support for multiple biometric types and enable data sharing among agencies such as USCIS, ICE and CBP.

What this means for immigrants

If adopted, the proposal would establish one of the most extensive biometric monitoring systems ever used in U.S. immigration, linking records from visa filings through long-term verification programs. DHS maintains the plan complies with privacy and data protection laws and says individuals will be notified when their information is collected and stored.

Some digital privacy experts say the scope of the proposal reflects a growing push by federal agencies to expand their access to personal data. “We’re seeing a sort of boundless appetite by DHS and by immigration enforcement for more and more data [and] for more and more biometric data from all kinds of sources,” said Jake Laperruque, deputy director for the security and surveillance project at the Center for Democracy and Technology. “At the same time, there’s this really draconian effort to crack down on enforcement and to use tools like data … for enforcement operations,” he added.

The current rule does not specify how long biometric information would be retained or how widely it could be shared among federal agencies. These unanswered questions could determine how far continuous vetting might reach and how deeply it could affect privacy protections for immigrants and U.S. citizens alike.

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Asian Americans don’t need a seat at THAT table

It’s about time we learn that belonging isn’t always worth negotiating

Have you ever walked into a room and wondered whether your welcome was conditional? For many Asian Americans, that question surfaces not in overt acts of exclusion but in quieter details: where we are seated, who gets served first, whose presence feels optional.

The quiet ways exclusion works

That unease came sharply into focus after a viral video from Los Angeles café Great White, where content creator Cassidy Cho (@juminjuice) alleged that all Asian diners were placed in one corner while white patrons filled the main dining area. In Cho’s video, filmed at Great White’s Melrose location, she scans the patio and points out that “it’s all white people in the main seating area.” When one Asian party leaves, she notes that another Asian group is seated in the same spot. Her tone is steady, more curious than accusatory, but the pattern feels unmistakable. “They really put us all in one corner,” she says. The controversy has since become a reflection of how Asian Americans navigate visibility without full acceptance and what it means to stay in places that quietly ask us to shrink.