Trump orders ICE to up deportations in Democratic cities
President Donald Trump has ordered federal immigration officials to focus deportation efforts on Democratic-controlled cities.
The Rebel Yellow - Issue #84
President Donald Trump’s new deportation directive targeting Democratic cities has sparked renewed concern over its impact on immigrant communities, particularly Asian Americans in urban centers. Meanwhile, a Samoan designer is mourned after a protest shooting, a new poll finds young AAPIs strongly oppose student deportations, and the administration considers expanding its travel ban to 36 more countries. Also in this issue: a deadly Air India crash, backlash to anti-Japanese slurs, a Malaysian minister’s defamation victory, and Jungkook’s apology over a controversial hat.
Trump orders ICE to increase deportations in Democratic cities
President Donald Trump has ordered federal immigration officials to focus deportation efforts on Democratic-controlled cities, intensifying his mass deportation push as nationwide protests challenge his immigration crackdown.
Catch up
Trump’s directive builds pressure on his administration to reach ambitious daily arrest targets while managing industry concerns. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem previously demanded ICE officers make at least 3,000 daily arrests, up from about 650 daily arrests recorded during Trump’s first five months back in office. Yet officials reportedly encounter difficulties meeting those quotas, leading to the involvement of multiple federal agencies in pursuit of the target.
What Trump wants
In a Truth Social post Sunday, Trump wrote, “ICE Officers are herewith ordered, by notice of this TRUTH, to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.” He specifically called for expanded efforts to “detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside.” At the G7 summit Monday, he said he wants officials to focus on “sanctuary cities” because “that’s where the people are.” He also accused Democrats of using illegal immigration to influence elections and alleged that undocumented immigrants were being used to “grow the Welfare State.”
Responding to Trump’s order, Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, “We will follow the President’s direction and continue to work to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off of America’s streets.” An enforcement campaign spanning several months and covering about two dozen cities with Democratic leadership is now reportedly active.
Why this matters
Democratic-controlled cities generally have larger Asian American populations. New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco have some of the highest Asian American numbers, with around 1.2 million, 465,000 and 289,000, respectively. AANHPIs in Fremont, Daly City (California) and Honolulu accounted for more than half of those cities’ total populations.
The big picture
The order escalates tensions with Democratic leaders who have filed lawsuits over Trump’s decision to send National Guard troops and Marines to address anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. Days before the demonstrations, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu — who defended her city’s immigrant policies in Congress earlier this year — received federal backlash for comparing masked ICE agents to neo-Nazis.
Deportation activities are most concentrated in five southern states containing cities that lean Democratic, according to Axios’ analysis, while heavily Republican rural areas see reduced enforcement. Following Trump’s concerns in the past week that “our farmers are being hurt badly,” officials have reportedly paused arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels.
Community rallies around family of Samoan designer killed in “No Kings” protest
An outpouring of community support has emerged for the family of Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, the 39-year-old Samoan fashion designer and former “Project Runway” contestant who was fatally shot while participating in a “No Kings” protest in downtown Salt Lake City on Saturday night.
What happened
Ah Loo died from gunshot wounds sustained during a permitted demonstration of roughly 10,000 people opposing President Donald Trump’s policies, part of the nationwide “No Kings” protests that coincided with Trump’s birthday and the Army’s 250th anniversary. The fatal shooting reportedly occurred after a protest “peacekeeping team” member discharged three rounds at 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, who authorities said was advancing toward the crowd carrying an AR-15-style rifle.
Salt Lake City police have not yet determined whether the peacekeepers were recruited by event organizers or acted independently. Gamboa has been charged with murder for allegedly creating the deadly situation, despite him not discharging his weapon.
About Ah Loo
Ah Loo, or “Afa” to his family and friends, is survived by wife Laura and two young children. Born in Samoa, the self-taught fashion designer had made Utah his home for roughly a decade before obtaining American citizenship. He competed on Bravo’s “Project Runway” in 2019 and maintained his own brand, Afa Ah Loo, offering online sewing instruction and workshops.
As co-founder of the nonprofit Creative Pacific, Ah Loo championed Pacific Islander artists and cultural expression, recently crafting a garment for “Moana 2” star Auliʻi Cravalho’s red carpet premiere and styling guests at the Gold House Gala in Los Angeles. In an Instagram post Monday, Cravalho expressed her “deepest condolences, sympathies and Aloha” to the late designer’s family and “all who felt his impact.” “Your artistry will never be forgotten; and neither will your peaceful protest,” she noted.
What community members are saying
Over 100 people assembled Monday evening at the shooting location for a vigil, creating a memorial with flowers, candles and a hand-drawn portrait of Ah Loo placed near where the tragedy occurred. Richard Wolfgramm, a friend who accompanied him to the protest, highlighted Ah Loo’s dedication to social justice, explaining the protest marked his third demonstration within a week following Utah Pride and an immigration rally. “This is the kind of person Afa Ah Loo was. He was a humanist. He saw the humanity in everybody,” Wolfgramm told The Salt Lake Tribune.
State Rep. Verona Mauga, a family friend whose roots trace to the same Samoan village of Lotopa, was marching with other elected officials during the shooting. Speaking to KSL TV, she said Ah Loo “believed in equity and equality for all people and all communities” and would have taken pride that his final moments involved “standing up for marginalized and vulnerable communities.”
A GoFundMe page organized by family friends has raised more than $390,000 as of Tuesday evening. An August fashion show that Ah Loo was planning with his business partner will proceed as a tribute to honor his commitment to the community.
Young AAPIs overwhelmingly reject student deportations, college funding cuts: poll
A majority of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults oppose federal efforts to defund colleges with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and deport students involved in campus protests, according to a poll released last month by AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Why it matters: The findings reveal strong support among AAPI communities for academic inclusion and civil liberties, especially among younger adults, amid rising national tensions over DEI programs and student activism.
The big picture: About 6 in 10 AAPI adults said they “somewhat” or “strongly” oppose cutting federal funds to colleges and universities that support DEI efforts. A similar share rejected the idea of deporting international students who participate in campus protests.
Among AAPI adults under 30, roughly 9 in 10 were against both policies, demonstrating overwhelming support for inclusive education and protest rights.
Older generations were more divided: about half of respondents aged 60 and older opposed the measures, while around 30% supported them.
Between the lines: The survey also found that most AAPI adults consider a college degree important or essential for achieving economic stability and upward mobility. Many expressed concerns over student debt, restricted free speech, and federal cuts to university research funding.
Zoom in: The poll was conducted April 7–14, 2025, and surveyed 1,094 AAPI adults across the U.S. in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Korean. The margin of sampling error is ±4.8 percentage points.
Trump admin eyes travel ban for 36 more countries
The Trump administration is reportedly mulling potential entry restrictions affecting citizens from 36 new countries, substantially broadening travel policies enacted previously.
Scope: State Secretary Marco Rubio has issued a 60-day ultimatum for affected nations to address identified security standards, with Wednesday morning marking the cutoff for submitting initial remediation proposals, according to documents first reported by the Washington Post. Countries under evaluation include Asian nations Cambodia, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan and Syria, Pacific states Tonga and Tuvalu, and approximately 25 African governments such as Egypt, Ivory Coast and South Sudan. Such measures would augment existing complete travel prohibitions covering 12 countries — including Myanmar — and modified entry protocols affecting seven more nations like Laos.
Driving the ban: Federal agencies have documented various security inadequacies among reviewed countries, with particular deficiencies differing by nation. Identified shortcomings include substandard identification document systems, vulnerable passport security measures, elevated unauthorized stay rates and insufficient deportation coordination. Administrative records also reference concerns regarding certain foreign nationals engaging in hostile ideological activities targeting Jewish Americans and broader U.S. interests. Federal data reportedly shows Myanmar citizens violate authorized stay periods in 27% of cases, while Laotian visitors exceed permitted durations at 34.77% rates.
Broader implications: With Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar restricted from the U.S., observers believe China stands to benefit. For starters, the three countries already face some of Trump’s highest tariffs worldwide.
Federal agencies have not established implementation dates for countries unable to satisfy compliance standards.
Air India 787 crash likely due to dual engine failure: investigators
A rare dual engine failure during initial climb is the leading theory behind the crash of Air India Flight AI171, investigators said, as the death toll from the June 12 disaster rose to at least 270.
Critical failure after takeoff
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner departed Ahmedabad at 1:38 p.m. en route to London Gatwick. Within 36 seconds of liftoff, both GE GEnx engines lost thrust, prompting the deployment of the ram air turbine (RAT) — a last-resort power source triggered by complete engine failure. Black box data and CCTV footage confirm the RAT deployed and cockpit audio captured a pilot declaring, “Thrust not achieved. … Mayday.”
The aircraft descended rapidly and crashed into the B.J. Medical College hostel complex, killing 241 people onboard and causing widespread destruction on the ground. Authorities confirmed 29 additional fatalities among students and staff in the hostel dining hall, bringing the total death toll to 270. A total of 135 victims have been identified so far, with 101 bodies released to families as DNA testing continues.
“Miracle” of seat 11A
British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated in emergency exit row 11A, was the sole survivor. Speaking from his hospital bed, he described hearing a metallic snap followed by engine silence. “I jumped or was thrown,” he told state broadcaster Doordarshan. He remains hospitalized with burns and fractures.
Ramesh’s survival echoes that of Thai singer Ruangsak Loychusak, who also occupied seat 11A when he survived the Thai Airways crash in Surat Thani in 1988.
Safety response and investigation
India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has grounded several of Air India’s 33 Dreamliners and conducted urgent inspections. While no structural flaw has been found, maintenance documentation and parts management practices are under scrutiny. The agency also requested training records for the crew and flight dispatcher.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the probe with support from Boeing, GE Aerospace and teams from the U.S. and U.K. Investigators are analyzing flight data, engine logs and crew procedures to determine if mechanical failure, fuel contamination, or human error caused the crash. A preliminary report is expected within three months.
Air India has canceled at least eight international flights to allow for safety checks across its 787 fleet.
Densho calls for greater education after Wyoming lawmaker’s use of anti-Japanese slur
Densho, a nonprofit organization that documents testimonies of Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II, emphasized the critical need for education following Wyoming State Rep. John Winter’s use of an anti-Japanese racial slur while referring to the Heart Mountain incarceration site.
Catch up
Winter, who serves Wyoming’s 28th district, used the term “Jap camp” while discussing an upcoming visit to Heart Mountain Interpretive Center during a Joint Agricultural Committee meeting on June 10. The comment, which was caught on livestream, drew immediate criticism from community leaders. Speaking to WyoFile, Heart Mountain board chair Shirley Ann Higuchi, whose parents were among the 14,000 Japanese Americans incarcerated at the site, called Winter’s language “unfortunate” and that he “should become better educated.”
Language matters
In an interview with The Rebel Yellow, Densho Executive Director Naomi Ostwald Kawamura explained that when public officials use such language, it “erases huge parts of the story, dehumanizes the people who lived through it and sends a message that this chapter of American history is still not fully acknowledged or respected.” She emphasized that such slurs and euphemisms have historically been used “to justify discriminatory actions.”
“Winter is certainly not alone in using that term to describe Heart Mountain and other U.S. concentration camps, and he’s far from the only American to receive an incomplete education about Japanese American WWII incarceration,” she said. “If we hope to change that in the future, we need to make sure that this history is reaching students and the general public today, support the institutions that teach it, and speak about it in a way that honors those who lived through it.”
Call for systemic change
Kawamura emphasized the broader educational crisis the country is facing, describing it as “an escalation in attempts to erase or rewrite difficult histories” such as the incarceration of Japanese Americans in WWII. This, she argued, makes education even more critical. She called for leaders to “support efforts that preserve and amplify these stories, ensuring that the full scope of American history is included in our schools, libraries, national parks and other places of learning.”
Kawamura also stressed the timely nature of such stories. “These stories are especially relevant today, as we witness echoes of this history like the Alien Enemies Act and immigration bans, all carried out in the name of ‘national security,’” she said, referring to the Trump administration’s sweeping policies. “We must preserve this history and pass on the stories of those who lived it, so that younger generations can recognize these patterns of injustice, racism and xenophobia — and learn how to challenge them,” she added.
Malaysian minister wins defamation suit over “Christian agenda” claim
Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has won a defamation lawsuit against a university lecturer who accused her of “pushing a Christian agenda,” with the Kuala Lumpur High Court awarding her 400,000 Malaysian ringgit ($94,000) in damages on May 30.
Driving the news: Yeoh filed the suit in 2022 over two Facebook posts published in 2017 by Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, a lecturer at Universiti Utara Malaysia. He alleged that Yeoh used her political role and 2014 memoir, “Becoming Hannah: A Personal Journey,” to promote Christianity. Judge Aliza Sulaiman ruled the claims were defamatory and made with malice, saying they had exposed Yeoh to “hatred, ridicule and contempt.”
The court’s ruling: Judge Aliza Sulaiman ruled that the claims were defamatory and made with malicious intent, stating they had subjected Yeoh to “hatred, ridicule and contempt.” The court also found that the statements were not protected by fair comment or qualified privilege.
Why it matters: Yeoh is one of the few high-profile Christian politicians in Muslim-majority Malaysia and the ruling is seen as a precedent for protecting minority leaders from faith-based attacks. Calling the judgment a personal vindication, Yeoh said, “I sincerely hope that moving forward, no one will resort to exploiting religious sentiments or spreading baseless accusations about me or my book.”
What’s next: Kamarul has said he intends to appeal the ruling. Legal experts are watching the case closely for its potential impact on future defamation claims involving religion and public life in Malaysia.
Former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang warns of vast Chinese espionage threat
Alexandr Wang, who stepped down as CEO of Scale AI last week to join Meta Platforms, warned that U.S. technology and research institutions are being systematically targeted by Chinese intelligence — a threat he says has enabled China to rapidly close the gap in artificial intelligence development.
In a recent interview on “The Shawn Ryan Show,” Wang said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has executed a sweeping and underrecognized espionage campaign that reaches into America’s top universities, technology firms and AI labs.
Coordinated strategy
“China has been operating against an AI master plan since 2018,” Wang said, referencing the CCP’s “whole-of-government, civil-military fusion plan” to achieve AI dominance. “They say explicitly, ‘AI is a leapfrog technology’ … if we have a more AI-enabled military than [America’s], we could leapfrog them.”
According to Wang, China leads the U.S. in power generation and data acquisition, and is on par in algorithms — largely due to espionage. He cited the development of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model that surprised observers with its sophistication, as a possible product of this information theft. “How much of that is because they came up with all of them on their own, or … managed to have a high-end espionage operation to steal all of our trade secrets?” he asked.
Intellectual property theft and infiltration
Wang described the tech industry’s awareness of this activity as an “open secret.” He pointed to a recent case involving a former Google engineer, Leon Ding, who allegedly stole proprietary AI chip designs by copying them into Apple Notes, exporting to a PDF and walking out with a printout. Ding later started a company in China using the stolen IP, Wang said.
Wang claimed Chinese operatives have infiltrated U.S. academic institutions such as Stanford University, aided by Chinese laws requiring citizens to cooperate with intelligence services. “There’s tons of Chinese nationals … across all the major elite universities, across all the major tech companies, across all the major AI labs,” he said.
He added that approximately one-sixth of Chinese students in the U.S. are on CCP-sponsored scholarships that compel them to report findings to a government handler or risk losing their funding.
Counterintelligence and control
Wang contrasted China’s aggressive intelligence gathering with the U.S.’ limited counter-espionage capabilities. He noted that many CIA operatives in China were killed after communications channels were compromised over a decade ago.
He also described steps taken by Chinese authorities to lock down their own research operations. After DeepSeek’s rise, he said, the researchers were gathered, had their passports confiscated and were restricted from leaving the country or interacting with foreigners — making reciprocal espionage efforts nearly impossible.
A narrowing lead
While the U.S. still leads in advanced chipmaking — particularly with NVIDIA — Wang warned that Chinese firms like Huawei are closing the gap. “They’re basically one generation behind the NVIDIA chips,” he said.
Wang said the U.S. must recognize the scale of the threat and act accordingly. “We are a more innovative country,” he said, “but we have to dramatically get our shit together if we want to win long-term in AI.”
BTS’ Jungkook apologizes for wearing “Make Tokyo Great Again” hat
BTS member Jungkook publicly apologized early Saturday (local time) following public backlash over his choice to wear a hat with a politically charged message during concert preparations.
Where he wore it
Jungkook, who recently completed his military service, was spotted wearing the hat bearing the message “MAKE TOKYO GREAT AGAIN” during preparations for J-Hope’s “‘Hope on the Stage’ Final” concert at Goyang Sports Complex on June 13. The message, borrowing from President Donald Trump’s signature campaign phrase, has connections to Japanese far-right movements and proved inflammatory given Japan’s 1910-1945 occupation of Korea.
Reactions from Korean social media users ranged from calls for accountability to comparisons with other sensitive symbols. “How can anyone not know what that means,” one questioned. Another argued, “This is on the same level as wearing a Rising Sun Flag.” While some fans defended the choice as likely unintentional, critics demanded swift management intervention. “I liked him especially for his generous donations … but this? Why that hat, of all things? I’m shocked,” another noted.
What he’s saying
Hours after the concert, Jungkook addressed the situation via Weverse, writing, “I sincerely apologize for the disappointment and discomfort I caused many people through the phrase that was written on the hat I wore during today's rehearsal.” His statement emphasized he had worn the item “without fully checking the historical and political meaning” and noted its immediate disposal.
While Jungkook expressed regret for his action, sales of the hat have spiked online. The item’s manufacturer, Japanese brand BASICKS, defended their product while expressing regret, explaining the design “was not meant to convey any political stance, rather it was an iconic way to express our hopes for a thriving Tokyo fashion scene.” Company representatives characterized the item as purely fashion-focused despite the political undertones.
Tsui Hark's “Shanghai Blues” returns in 4K restoration
A 4K restoration of Tsui Hark’s 1984 romantic comedy “Shanghai Blues” will premiere in North America starting June 20 at New York’s Metrograph, with additional U.S. screenings to follow.
Restoring a classic: The restoration, completed at Italy’s L’Immagine Ritrovata and supervised by Tsui, debuted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. The re-release has been praised for preserving a genre-defining film and introducing it to a new generation.
Seminal Hong Kong cinema: Set in post-war Shanghai, “Shanghai Blues” follows a soldier and a cabaret singer who reconnect years after a wartime encounter, sparking a comedic love triangle. The film was the first production from Tsui’s Film Workshop and marked a turning point in Hong Kong cinema, blending screwball comedy with emotional depth.
Spotlight on a rediscovered gem: A new trailer released by Film Movement highlights the restoration’s vibrant visuals, kinetic slapstick and dreamlike production design. The re-release reaffirms Tsui’s reputation as a genre innovator and showcases one of his most beloved yet underseen works.
Just in time for summer: Thai ice cream tops Asia, ranks No. 4 globally
Thai ice cream has surged to become Asia’s top exporter and ranks fourth in the world, trailing only the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom. From 2020 to 2024, annual exports averaged $106 million with an 11% average yearly growth; from January to February 2025 they hit $22 million, up 3% year‑on‑year. Free-trade agreements — now offering tariff-free access in 17 partner countries — have been credited as a key driver of this expanding market success.