San Francisco, CA— Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) expresses its strong agreement with today’s ruling in favor of Sherry Chen in her case against wrongful prosecution and termination. We congratulate and applaud Ms. Chen for her perseverance and courage and for standing up for her rights and against discrimination.
In 2014, the US Department of Justice unjustly persecuted Chen, then a National Weather Service (NWS) hydrologist, and accused her of spying for China. Later, without explanation or an apology, the case against her was dropped but she was fired from her government job. Ms. Chen’s life was irreversibly disrupted and she withstood extraordinarily difficult times.
Today’s ruling by Chief Administrative Judge Schroeder of the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) correctly recognizes and states that Chen was a “victim of gross injustice.” At this point, compensation and a public apology is required from both the Department of Justice and the Department of Commerce for their reckless and harmful actions.
“Like others before her who have faced discrimination and false accusations, Ms. Chen has endured tremendous hardship and suffering as a result of racial profiling and national security scapegoating. Today’s ruling should be understood as a vindication for her as well as the community. Ms. Chen deserves a public apology and financial compensation for her suffering,” states Cynthia Choi, Co-Executive Director of CAA.
Ms. Chen’s case is one in a long history of Chinese Americans and others being falsely accused as spies and used as national security scapegoats. Other cases include wrongful accusations and prosecutions against Wen Ho Lee and Professor Xiaoxing Xi. As a member of the End National Security Scapegoating Coalition, CAA continues to call for the end of all forms of racial profiling in the name of national security including the current travel ban to restrict travelers from Muslim majority countries.
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Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) is a community-based civil rights organization in San Francisco. Our mission is to protect the civil and political rights of Chinese Americans and to advance multiracial democracy in the United States. We advocate for systemic change that protects immigrant rights, promotes language diversity, and remedies racial injustice.
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