With the midterms just days away, a new poll suggests a portion of South Asian Americans who voted for Trump in 2024 now support Democrats. Another study finds that Asian American neighborhoods can be racially diverse without being especially politically mixed. There’s a lot to unpack before Election Day.
We’re leading with Harvard’s record Asian American freshman enrollment, which has brought fresh attention to the affirmative action debate. Also in today’s issue: a ChatGPT wrongful-death lawsuit, a fifth wave of burglary concerns in Oregon, court developments in Oakland and Chinatown, a Chinese spying case and an unusual soccer controversy involving Mao Zedong.
Featured
Harvard’s Asian American enrollment reaches record high
Asian Americans now make up a record-high 43.2% of Harvard College’s third freshman class admitted following the Supreme Court’s 2023 ban on race-conscious admissions, up from 41% a year earlier, according to school data released this week.
Asian Americans composed 37% of the Class of 2028, which was the first admitted after the ban. In comparison, the Black share has dropped in all three classes, with last year’s 11.5% now down to 9.3%, while the Hispanic share held roughly steady at 11.4%.
What else we’re tracking
Democrats peel away a quarter of Trump’s South Asian voters
A new poll finds Democrats leading Republicans 60% to 22% among South Asian American likely voters ahead of Tuesday’s midterms. The survey also suggests that a quarter of respondents who supported Donald Trump in 2024 now back Democrats, while most former Kamala Harris voters have stayed with the party.
Dead woman’s family sues after ChatGPT allegedly guided her off seizure medication
The parents of Bowen Wan, a 31-year-old Chinese software engineer who died in Seattle, are suing OpenAI over advice she allegedly received from ChatGPT. The chatbot purportedly helped her reduce her epilepsy medication without medical approval and encouraged her not to tell her doctors.
Asian American neighborhoods show surprising political divides, study finds
Living in a racially diverse neighborhood doesn’t necessarily mean your neighbors have different political views, a recent study of 2.55 million Asian American registered voters in California and New York has found. Researchers say Japanese Americans tended to live in more racially mixed areas but with greater partisan similarity, while Vietnamese Americans showed exactly the opposite.
Asian American business owners face 5th new wave of burglaries in Oregon
A fifth wave of burglaries aimed at Asian American business owners is being feared in Eugene, Oregon, after a family’s home was ransacked this week. The latest incident occurred at the property near Barger Drive in west Eugene on Monday afternoon. Burglars broke into the home, took valuables and removed the security cameras. Officials say the break-in fit earlier burglaries that targeted Asian American business owners.
Secret tapes catch former Oakland mayor’s alleged co-conspirators complaining she didn’t deliver
The bribery case against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao hinges on whether jurors believe its star witness, and secret recordings played Wednesday let them hear co-defendants discuss the alleged deal in their own voices.
Sleepless seniors get a break from late-night construction on Manhattan Chinatown jail
Older residents in Manhattan’s Chinatown may be able to sleep better after a court paused the after-hours construction of a jail that has stirred controversy in the community for years.
Soccer superstar Kylian Mbappe loses 3 Chinese sponsors over ‘dictator’ joke about Mao
French soccer star Kylian Mbappe has lost Chinese sponsorship deals after an old podcast clip resurfaced in which he appeared to refer to Mao Zedong as a dictator. In response, Chinese broadcasters have restricted coverage of Spanish soccer. The Real Madrid forward and his club have since apologized.
California realtor accused of spying for China denies charges
Wanying “Heather” Zhang, the California realtor accused of secretly watching Taiwan’s president’s son for Beijing, has pleaded not guilty. The 34-year-old allegedly traveled to the Seattle area last year to collect photos, videos and vehicle information near his home.
Texas spa owners accused of threatening Chinese woman into sex work
East Texas spa owners Lingfeng Wu and Chunfeng Zhang, both 41, are facing human trafficking charges after a Chinese woman accused them of taking her passport and threatening to beat her unless she provided sexual services to customers. The woman, identified in court documents by the pseudonym “Luna,” was reportedly recruited from Hong Kong for what she believed was a legitimate massage job.
Mario creator becomes 1st gaming figure chosen for Japan’s Order of Culture
The man who gave us Mario, Zelda and Donkey Kong is getting one of Japan’s highest cultural honors. Nintendo veteran Shigeru Miyamoto has become the first person from the video game industry selected for the country’s Order of Culture. He’ll receive the medal from Emperor Naruhito on Nov. 3, joining a list of honorees traditionally associated with fields such as art, science and literature.
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