Network Director

On Saturday, June 14, 2025, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was fatally shot in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was an innocent bystander participating in the “No Kings” protest—a nationwide day of defiance denouncing President Donald Trump’s authoritarian actions such as threatening freedom of the press and speech in universities to authorizing mass deportations without due process. Ah Loo was caught in the line of fire by a stray bullet when unsanctioned armed peacekeepers shot a nearby man who pulled out an AR-15 rifle during the protest. Ah Loo was taken to the hospital, where he eventually died. 

Ah Loo devoted his life to serving his family and the Utah Pacific Islander community. As a former Project Runway contestant and self-taught fashion designer from Samoa, he relentlessly advocated for Pacific Islander artists. His own designs challenged fashion norms by merging elements of modern design with traditional Pacific Islander attire, showcasing his heritage on a global stage. In his free time, Ah Loo voluntarily tailored and created clothing for people in need, often refusing payment for his work. 

We, at National APAMSA, are deeply saddened by the loss of Ah Loo and his powerful voice for representation and diversity in the fashion industry and Pacific Islander community. His loss is deeply felt not only by the Samoan and wider Pasifika communities, but also by anyone who believes in the power of creativity to inspire change. To Ah Loo’s family, his wife Laura and their two young children, and the community who are mourning him, we send our deepest condolences.

APAMSA reaffirms its stance denouncing gun violence as expressed in our policy compendium. The death of Ah Loo was senseless and avoidable, reflecting the devastating consequences of unchecked violence, open-carry policies, and failure to ensure protest safety. The presence of untrained, armed peacekeepers acting outside of official oversight directly contributed to this tragedy. This instance also raises questions about who has power, who is protected, and who is left vulnerable—even when their intentions are peaceful. We urge lawmakers, protest organizers, and community leaders to prioritize public safety. No one should have to fear for their life while standing for what they believe in. 

If you would like to support his family, please consider donating to the GoFundMe in honor of Arthur Folasa Ah Loo.

Following the Trump Administration’s plan to push for mass deportations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided multiple communities in the Los Angeles area on Friday June 6, 2025, detaining over 100 people. This action mirrors similar immigration arrests in cities across the nation such as San Diego and Chicago. Federal agents, often equipped with military gear and traveling in armored vehicles, have increasingly targeted workplaces and courtrooms to increase arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants in the United States. This surge in activity comes amid ongoing concerns about unsanitary conditions, inadequate health and medical treatment, and other rights violations at detention facilities. Since January 2025, further policy changes have eliminated protections for locations such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship from ICE activities. This has instilled fear in undocumented individuals, making them hesitant to access essential health services due to the risk of arrest and detention.

At National APAMSA, we are dismayed by these immigration sweeps, which directly threaten the health and safety of immigrants, a concern explicitly expressed in our policy compendium. These raids prioritize quotas set by the Trump Administration rather than ensure public safety, leading to overcrowding and an increased number of deaths in ICE facilities. A 2024 report by the American Immigration Council found no correlation between ICE operations and lower rates of violent crime despite the Trump Administration’s repeated claims that many immigrants are “committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans.” We have seen the rights of immigrants being violated, despite decades of legal precedent of equal protections afforded by the Constitution for all persons in the United States. Please help us stand up for the rights of immigrants and inform others about their fundamental protections 

Call to Action

• Speak with your Congressional representatives about your concern for the violation of immigrant rights. To find your Representative and Senators, please use the following website: https://www.congress.gov/contact-us 
• Inform all community members of their rights and about available resources. Please see below for a list of resources.

Resources: 

ACLU – Know Your Rights

Immigrant Defense Project – Know Your Rights infographics and fact sheets (also available in multiple languages) 

Stop AAPI Hate – Community Resources

Immigrant Legal Resource Center – Red Cards to place in cars and at home

Email Script to Congress

Subject: Urgent: Oppose ICE Raids and Military Violence Against Protesters

Dear [Representative/Senator Last Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent living in [Your ZIP Code]. I am writing with deep concern about the Trump administration’s cruel and inhumane immigration enforcement and violent suppression of peaceful protests.

I urge you to take a firm stand against ICE raids in Los Angeles and throughout the U.S. These raids do not just target undocumented immigrants — they also intimidate and harm documented immigrants. Families are being separated, children traumatized, and entire communities pushed into fear and silence.

Undocumented immigrants are the backbone of our country. They do the labor that many Americans are unwilling to do, often under brutal and hazardous conditions. From working in fields under extreme heat and air pollution, to dangerous construction sites and underregulated factories, these workers sustain critical industries — with little or no workplace protection.

Despite these conditions, undocumented immigrants pay over $37.3 billion in state and local taxes every year, including $8.5 billion in California alone. They are our neighbors, colleagues, and essential contributors to our country.

And yet, the Trump administration responded with cruelty — targeting not just those undocumented, but also documented immigrants with new restrictions, denials, and deportations.

To make matters worse, this administration has used the National Guard and military force against peaceful protesters, weaponizing power against people who are simply exercising their First Amendment rights. Peaceful dissent is a hallmark of American democracy — not a threat to be met with tear gas and rubber bullets.

I urge you to:

• Publicly condemn ICE raids and the targeting of immigrant families.
• Oppose any militarization of protest response.
• Support legislation that protects immigrant communities and ensures humane treatment.
• Defend our right to protest without fear of violence or retaliation.

Please act now to protect our communities and uphold justice.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Call Script: 

Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent calling from [Your City, ZIP Code].

I’m calling to express my deep concern about the Trump administration’s cruel and aggressive immigration enforcement and the violent use of military force against peaceful protesters.

I urge [Representative/Senator’s Last Name] to:

• Publicly condemn ICE raids, especially those happening in Los Angeles and across the country. These raids tear families apart and push entire communities into fear — including many documented immigrants.
  
• Oppose the militarization of protest responses. Peaceful protest is a constitutional right — not something to be met with tear gas or rubber bullets.
  
• Support legislation that protects immigrant communities and ensures they are treated with dignity and humanity.

Undocumented immigrants are the backbone of essential industries in our country. They work in harsh and dangerous conditions that many others won’t — often without protections — yet still contribute over $37 billion in state and local taxes.

We need leaders who will protect communities, not terrorize them. Please tell [Representative/Senator’s Last Name] to stand up for human rights and democracy.

Thank you.

On May 22, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which contained disconcerting provisions aimed at cutting Medicaid funding by almost $700 billion over the next decade. Medicaid has been a central fixture for 83 million Americans, providing essential healthcare and long-term care for children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income adults. The Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion to adults who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level ($21,597 for a single adult) has insured millions of Americans with health coverage. These potential changes will deprive over 10 million Americans from healthcare coverage through Medicaid and disproportionately affect communities of color.

Medicaid has been linked to increased access in rural and disadvantaged areas and improved health outcomes like decreasing all-cause mortality by almost 2% and lowering maternal mortality. In a recent report authored by the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and other national health organizations, Medicaid is the primary source of healthcare for almost 30% of people of color. 

Medicaid has consistently enjoyed broad bipartisan support. A recent poll demonstrates that most Americans—Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike—favor maintaining and increasing spending on Medicaid access. Forty states across the political spectrum have opted into Medicaid expansion, recognizing the program’s role in improving health outcomes, supporting rural hospitals, and reducing uncompensated care. Despite the overwhelming evidence that Medicaid is extremely popular across the political spectrum and saves lives, House Republicans have moved to sacrifice public health in favor of funding tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy. The harmful provisions in H.R. 1 stand in contrast to the values shared by voters of all political backgrounds who believe Americans should not be denied care due to their income.

The bill will attempt to cut costs by

1. Reducing the incentives and federal subsidies given to states for expanding Medicaid, specifically punishing any state that provides any health benefits or assistance to undocumented immigrants with lower expansion matches,
2. Establish cost-sharing and copays of $35 for services provided to anyone above the federal poverty level ($15,650 for a single adult),
3. Instituting stringent work requirements and eligibility verifications that burdens Medicaid recipients and state governments with more paperwork,
4. Prohibiting Medicaid payment to nonprofits and providers that focus on reproductive health, family planning, and abortion services like Planned Parenthood,
5. Removing gender affirming care as an Essential Health Benefit under the Affordable Care Act and prohibiting coverage for any Medicaid/CHIP recipient,
6. Suspending rules that streamline application and enrollment into Medicaid and for patients who qualify for the Medicare Savings Program (covers Medicare premiums and cost-sharing for low-income Medicare beneficiaries).

We strongly condemn any legislation aimed at limiting equitable access to Medicaid or attacking access to abortion services and gender affirming care. Among the many destructive changes also embedded in H.R. 1, the elimination of federal student loans and loan forgiveness programs will severely limit access for students from all backgrounds to pursue careers in medicine. This bill proposes a lifetime cap of $150,000 for federal graduate student borrowing, specifically for those enrolled in professional programs. This will potentially force students to rely on private loans with less favorable terms and fewer protections, undoubtedly compounding the physician shortages in the very communities that rely on us. 

At the heart of these proposed cuts lies an uncomfortable truth – healthcare is not a human right if equal access is not afforded to everyone regardless of socioeconomic class and immigration status. These actions go against the principles set by other nations, the World Health Organization, and the EU among others, highlighting the precarious path that the U.S. government is currently steering the country down. If passed in the Senate as is, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” will greatly harm patients across the United States and hamper the ability for physicians and other healthcare providers to serve their communities. 

Call to Action:

To Senators – We call on all senators to reject this bill to protect the American public’s interest and maintain our great nation’s founding principles of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness” 

To Medical Students – we urge all medical students to contact their Senators in Congress and demand a No vote on the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

Signed,

Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA)

Student National Medical Association (SNMA)

Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA)

American Medical Student Association (AMSA)

Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) 

Medical Students with Disabilities and Chronic Illness (MSDCI)

Additional Resources:

Contact your Congressional Representatives: https://www.congress.gov/contact-us 

More information about federal student loans changes: Official Statement and infographic

Call or email your Representative today with a call script from our partner organization, Vot-ER: https://go.vot-er.org/0mAQQu