President biden he is expected to use his executive authority this week to repudiate racism and xenophobia against Americans of Asian origin, specifically targeting anti-Asian animus connected to the Pandid-19 pandemic. This action is expected on Tuesday, several people familiar with the plan told CBS News.
The guidelines, which may take the form of an executive order or a presidential memorandum, should be part of a package of executive actions focusing on “equity”, according to two people familiar with the plans. The other administrative actions must focus on tribal governments, fair housing and private prisons. The Biden government has told outside groups that it is also preparing measures on voting rights.
According to a draft impending executive action calendar distributed to outside advocacy groups and seen by CBS News, the government is planning to take action related to climate on Wednesday, health on Thursday and immigration on Friday.
Biden’s transition team and the White House’s Domestic Policy Council have been preparing executive actions aimed at Asian Americans and the Pacific Islands for weeks and discussed the principles of presidential order with several outside groups, said three of those advisers.
The drafts of the future executive order contain a mixture of symbolic and real government action. Some of the elements discussed are unlikely to be part of the final text of the executive order, according to people involved in discussions with the White House.
The Biden guidelines are expected to include guidance to the Department of Justice, instructing it to assist in the collection of more accurate data and reports of incidents of hatred and harassment against Americans of Asian origin. There have been more than 2,600 self-reported hate incidents, ranging from racial slurs to physical violence, including acid and knife attacks, according to the advocacy group Asian Americans Advancing Justice.
The Biden executive order should also direct federal agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to examine whether there are xenophobic references like “China Virus” in any existing policies, directives or government websites published by the Trump administration.
A CBS News review of the COVID-19 executive orders issued by the Trump administration found no specific reference to the “China virus”, the term the former president used to blame the Chinese government for the pandemic. But if the term is found in existing policies, the next executive action is expected to order its removal.
Advocacy groups are asking the Biden government to include additional actionable items, such as directing the attorney general to investigate and initiate civil actions against anti-AAPI hatred.
During President George W. Bush’s administration, the Justice Department prioritized prosecuting crimes of prejudice against Muslims, Sikhs and people of Arab and South Asian descent. But even though President Biden’s order is mostly symbolic, many see it as a critical step in moving away from some of the language of racial strife used by the Trump administration. President Trump has repeatedly referred to COVID-19 as “The China Virus” and “The Kung Flu”, which critics considered inflammatory.
The new order should also instruct HHS to develop language training and cultural orientation related to COVID-19, including ensuring that federal government vaccine and health information is available in more languages, according to one of the outside consultants. A broader language orientation on stereotypes and myths like “model minority” or “perpetual foreigner” was also discussed as being addressed in the White House guidelines.
Cynthia Choi, executive director of the Stop AAPI Hate group, said: “The idea that the President of the United States will not be hostile and will not be a superdenser of hate is incredible. I hope this order reverses the damage done under the Trump administration, which used federal dollars and resources to create a hostile climate and led to a reaction against our community. ”
In additional executive actions based on “equity”, the Biden White House is also expected to announce a directive to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to promote equity in housing. This order is expected to reverse the Trump administration’s decision to remove a regulation aimed at promoting fair housing.
The move is not unexpected, as President Biden campaigned with the promise to reverse the Trump administration’s position.
A source familiar with the action told CBS News that the announcement is expected to “go beyond” the 2015 Affirmatively Promoting Fair Housing (AFFH) rule, which aims to hold states and communities accountable under the Fair Housing Act.
The Trump administration repealed the AFFH rule in 2020, calling it a regulatory burden.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Ed O’Keefe, Sara Cook, Adam Brewster and Caitlin Huey-Burns contributed to this report.