Meet the Asian American driving Musk’s DOGE project
Mass deportations, political shifts, tech controversies and rising Asian talent—this week’s top stories in one place
The Rebel Yellow – Issue 29
This week, we dive into the stories shaping headlines and sparking debate.
A 40-hour military deportation flight shackled 104 Indian nationals, reigniting discussions on U.S. immigration policies.
Elon Musk faces backlash for rehiring a tech worker who made racist remarks, including “normalize Indian hate.”
At just 22 years old, Ethan Shaotran is at the center of Musk’s federal tech overhaul, raising concerns about government oversight.
Kamala Harris is being floated as a potential candidate for California governor in 2026.
Asian talent shines at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, with big wins for Wicked, Shogun, and Ali Wong.
Let’s get into it.
40-hour military plane deportation of shackled Indians sparks outrage
A military deportation operation that returned 104 Indian nationals to Amritsar on Feb. 5 has intensified discussions about migration policies just days before President Donald Trump’s scheduled summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The operation, which U.S. officials characterized as unprecedented in its geographical reach, has prompted widespread reaction across India, from street demonstrations to parliamentary debates.
Scale and scope
The current group of deportees originated from five Indian states, including Modi’s home state of Gujarat, and the federal territory of Chandigarh. In a Feb. 8 briefing, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the deportation marks the beginning of a larger operation.
As of this writing, nearly 600 more individuals could be sent to India:
A total of 487 “presumed Indian citizens” have been served with final removal orders.
An additional 203 undocumented migrants were detained in recent sweeps, mostly along the Mexico border. Among them were the 104 deported on the Feb. 5 flight to Amritsar.
The remaining 99 among the 203 await deportation, with Indian officials verifying the nationalities of 96.
Conditions and controversy
The 40-hour C-17 Globemaster flight, which included someone as young as 4, has sparked debates about detainee treatment. Multiple returnees report remaining in restraints throughout the journey, challenging initial diplomatic assurances regarding protocols for women and children.
Returnee Daler Singh described the experience at his Punjab residence in Salempura village. “Our hands and legs were cuffed throughout,” he told Reuters. “They did not unlock our cuffs even when we ate.”
Singh, who spent just three weeks in the U.S. before detention, mortgaged family jewellery and land to raise approximately 4 million rupees ($45,700) for his attempted migration.
The Indian Parliament witnessed heated exchanges over reports of the deportees’ treatment. External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar acknowledged that while U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) procedures have permitted restraint use since 2012, India continues to advocate for dignified treatment of returnees.
Migration patterns and economic impact
Analysis of U.S. government data reveals shifting migration dynamics. Border authorities documented an increase from 8,027 Indian crossings in fiscal year 2018-2019 to 96,917 in 2022-2023. According to Jaishankar’s parliamentary statement, deportation numbers fluctuated, reaching 2,042 in 2019 before declining to 1,368 in 2024. As of 2022, India represented the third-largest source of undocumented U.S. residents after Mexico and El Salvador, with exactly 725,000 individuals.
Behind these statistics lie complex personal narratives. In Vadodara, Gujarat, Varun Patel described how his sister Khushboo’s month-long U.S. stay ended. “She told us that they were brought in like prisoners and criminals,” he told Al Jazeera. “Nobody harmed her but it was a horrifying experience.” In Hoshiarpur, Punjab, Kulvinder Kaur faces over $55,000 in migration-related debt after her husband Harvinder Singh’s return.
The big picture
The deportation operation occurs against a backdrop of evolving U.S.-India relations. According to the State Department, India, currently the world’s fifth-largest economy at $3.4 trillion GDP, is projected to surpass Japan and Germany by the early 2030s.
Legitimate migration channels remain robust:
Indian student enrollment in U.S. universities reached 331,602 for 2023-2024, surpassing China for the first time since 2009
Indian professionals constituted 72.3% of H-1B visas approved in FY 2023
Cross-border investment continues, exemplified by Indian corporations like JSW Steel expanding U.S. operations
Reactions
The latest deportation echoes recent controversies with Latin American nations, where the U.S. has sent at least six planeloads of immigrants. Last month, Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially refused landing permission for a U.S. military deportation flight after reports emerged of shackled deportees. Similarly, Brazilian authorities issued a formal protest against the “degrading treatment of passengers on the flight.”
In India, opposition parties reportedly staged demonstrations, with Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi joining lawmakers in symbolic handcuff protests outside Parliament on Feb. 6. The Lok Sabha witnessed multiple adjournments as members from the Congress, TMC and Samajwadi Party demanded government action regarding deportee treatment.
What’s next
As one of the first world leaders to meet with Trump in his second term, Modi’s White House visit on Feb. 10-11 provides an opportunity to address bilateral concerns directly.
Modi arrives at the White House bearing significant gestures of goodwill. His government has cut tariffs on American products, including Harley-Davidson motorcycles — a longtime point of contention for Trump. Despite domestic political pressure over the deportation controversy, Modi has maintained cooperation with U.S. immigration enforcement, while also signaling India’s commitment to dollar-based trade. These moves come as both leaders may restart discussions on a U.S.-India free trade agreement, though Trump is likely to seek further concessions on trade barriers and migration policies.
“Normalize Indian hate”: Elon Musk wants to rehire DOGE engineer who resigned over racist posts
A 25-year-old software engineer from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has resigned after his racist social media posts were revealed. Despite the controversy, Musk has confirmed plans to bring him back.
Driving the news
A White House official not authorized to speak publicly confirmed last week that Marko Elez, a former employee of Musk’s companies X and SpaceX, had resigned from his Treasury Department role. The resignation followed the Wall Street Journal’s reporting of racist social media posts from 2024, which NPR independently verified using the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. In July 2024, the account allegedly linked to Elez posted: “Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool.”
Further posts from September called to “normalize Indian hate” and stated “You could not pay me to marry outside of my ethnicity.” By December, the account had advocated for repealing the Civil Rights Act and promoted eugenic immigration policies.
The young tech team
Elez was part of a six-person team aged 19 to 25 — including Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger and Ethan Shaotran — identified by Wired as playing critical roles within DOGE. Coristine, the youngest member at 19, was reportedly terminated from data security firm Path Network in June 2022 for allegedly leaking company information. A White House official, speaking anonymously about personnel matters, told Bloomberg that all DOGE staffers work as agency employees with proper security clearances.
Plans for reinstatement
On Friday, Vice President J.D. Vance, who is married to Indian American Usha Vance, publicly supported reinstating Elez. “I obviously disagree with some of Elez’s posts, but I don’t think stupid social media activity should ruin a kid’s life,” Vance wrote in part on X. “So I say bring him back.” Trump later expressed agreement with Vance’s position during a news conference.
This prompted U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to challenge Vance, asking if he would demand an apology for the anti-Indian post, noting both their families’ Indian heritage.
“Are you going to tell him to apologize for saying ‘Normalize Indian hate’ before this rehire? Just asking for the sake of both of our kids,” Khanna questioned. Vance, in response, dismissed Khanna’s concerns as “emotional blackmail.”
Musk later confirmed plans to rehire Elez, writing, “He will be brought back. To err is human, to forgive divine.”
The 22-year-old Asian American now at the heart of Musk’s federal tech overhaul
At just 22, Ethan Shaotran has already worn many hats: Harvard computer science student, OpenAI-backed startup founder, and now, controversially, one of the youngest engineers helping Elon Musk reshape federal technology infrastructure. The Palo Alto native’s rapid ascent from student entrepreneur to federal tech insider has placed him at the center of a heated national debate about government modernization and privacy.
Early years and education
Starting his tech journey in the Bay Area, Shaotran embraced programming from an early age, beginning with iOS app development in middle school. In a September 2024 article for the Business Insider, he reflected on his upbringing: “Growing up in the Bay Area, which is known for being an innovation hub, also helped instill that entrepreneurship-type mindset of working hard and learning on the fly.”
After graduating from Gunn High School in Palo Alto in 2020 — where he distinguished himself as a semi-finalist in the prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholars Program — Shaotran headed to Harvard University. His interest in technology and finance emerged early; as a Gunn sophomore in 2018, he shared his perspective with the school newspaper The Oracle: “Any student who even has a couple of bucks lying around should be at least playing around with [the stock market].”
Academic and professional development
Shaotran built a multifaceted portfolio at Harvard, where he pursued computer science. He reportedly authored two significant research papers exploring human-surpassing AI and improvements in self-driving vehicle technology. His published works also include a comprehensive 111-page book on AI applications in stock market prediction.
Demonstrating diverse interests beyond technology, Shaotran joined the Harvard Mountaineering Club and earned certification as a scuba dive master in Hawaii. Throughout his academic career, he maintained a full course load while pursuing entrepreneurial ventures.
Entrepreneurial ventures
The launch of Energize AI in 2024 marked a significant milestone in Shaotran’s career. His AI scheduling assistant, Spark, gained notable recognition with a $100,000 grant from OpenAI. On balancing his startup with academics, Shaotran shared his intensive schedule: “I spend about 85 hours a week working on the startup, most of which is spent writing code.” His work required frequent travel between San Francisco and Harvard’s campus in Boston.
Government role and controversy
Wired recently identified Shaotran as part of a small group of engineers in their early 20s working under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project. His connection to Musk's enterprises reportedly began in October 2024, when his team placed as runners-up in a hackathon organized by Musk’s xAI company.
On Saturday, NBC News reported his acquisition of administrator-level access to the Department of Education’s email system — alongside Akash Bobba, also 22 — with internal sources confirming his involvement with the ed.gov website’s backend systems. These developments emerged amid mounting concerns from lawmakers and watchdog groups regarding DOGE’s expanding influence across federal agencies.
Education Department employees, speaking anonymously to NBC, expressed significant apprehension about the presence of DOGE personnel and their access to sensitive information. The situation has drawn congressional scrutiny and sparked debates about government oversight and data privacy.
Kamala Harris as California governor? State dems float former VP for 2026 run
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is being floated as a potential candidate for California’s 2026 gubernatorial race, when Gov. Gavin Newsom’s term ends. If successful, she would make history as California’s first woman and Asian American governor and the nation’s first Black woman governor.
The speculation comes as Harris — who made history as the first Black woman and first Asian American to serve as vice president — weighs her options following her presidential election loss to Donald Trump in November 2024.
Mounting support
The push for Harris to run for governor appears to have gained momentum after California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta announced he would not seek the position and instead endorsed Harris. “I would support her if she ran, I’ve always supported her in everything she’s done. She would be field-clearing,” Bonta told Politico last week.
The latest available poll, conducted by UC Berkeley and Los Angeles Times in October, showed substantial support for Harris among California voters:
72% of Democrats indicated they would be very likely or somewhat likely to support Harris as governor
38% of voters with no party preference showed potential support
Democrats maintain a 2-1 voter registration advantage over Republicans in the state
What she’s saying
Harris, who has maintained a relatively low profile since returning to California, has been focusing on community engagement. During a recent visit to areas affected by the Palisades Fire, she emphasized her commitment to her home state while carefully avoiding direct discussion of her political future.
“I have been home for two weeks and three days,” Harris told reporters on Thursday. “My plans are to be in touch with my community, to be in touch with the leaders and figure out what I can do to support them, and most importantly, to lift up the folks who are surviving this extraordinary crisis and do what I can do to to offer any assistance, even if it is a kind word along the way.”
Keeping paths open
Following her presidential election loss, Harris reportedly instructed her advisers to keep her options open for either: a 2026 gubernatorial campaign in California or a potential presidential bid in 2028.
Political strategist Donna Brazile, described as a close ally of Harris, noted that the former vice president has earned “a lot of political capital” and advised against rushing decisions. “You don’t squander that by making snap decisions,” Brazile told Politico in November.
What’s next
If Harris pursues the governorship, she would follow a path similar to Richard Nixon, who ran for California governor after losing the 1960 presidential election. Nixon lost both the presidency and the subsequent governor's race before winning the presidency in 1968.
As of November 2024, betting markets gave Harris +2500 odds (4% chance) of becoming the next president, while Newsom stood at +550 odds (15% chance). While Newsom is believed to be a contender for the 2028 Democratic nomination, he has not publicly expressed any desire to run.
Asian talent shines at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards
The 30th annual Critics Choice Awards, held on Saturday at Santa Monica's Barker Hangar, celebrated outstanding achievements in film and television, with Asian artists making a significant impact across multiple categories.
Jon M. Chu earns recognition for "Wicked" : Filmmaker Jon M. Chu was honored with the best director award for his work on the musical fantasy film "Wicked." Chu’s previous directorial efforts include the groundbreaking "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018), which was among the first major Hollywood films to feature a predominantly Asian cast.
"Shogun" dominates television categories: FX's historical drama series "Shogun" emerged as a major winner in the television segment, securing the best drama series award. Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada received the best actor in a drama series award for his portrayal of Lord Yoshii Toranaga, a character inspired by Tokugawa Ieyasu. This marks the first time a Japanese actor has won in this category. His co-stars, Tadanobu Asano and Moeka Hoshi, also won for best supporting drama actor and actress respectively
Ali Wong's stand-up special earns acclaim: Comedian Ali Wong's latest stand-up special, "Single Lady," was recognized as this year’s best comedy special. Wong's candid and humorous exploration of personal and cultural themes resonated with audiences and critics alike.
"Squid Game" continues global success: Netflix’s “Squid Game Season 2” won best foreign language series, continuing the cultural phenomenon that began with its record-breaking first season. Its win at the Critics Choice Awards reaffirms the show's global influence and the strength of Korean storytelling in mainstream entertainment.
Elderly Asian woman punched in anti-Asian hate crime on NYC Subway
The NYPD is investigating an anti-Asian hate crime after a 54-year-old woman was punched in the head while riding the subway on the Upper West Side. The attack took place around 8 p.m. on Jan. 16 aboard a southbound 1 train approaching the 59th Street–Columbus Circle station.
According to police, an unidentified woman approached the victim and made anti-Asian remarks before physically assaulting her. The suspect then fled on foot after exiting the train at the 59th Street station. The victim was taken to a local hospital, treated for her injuries and later released.
Authorities have classified the incident as a hate crime and are urging the public to help identify the suspect. On Friday, the NYPD released surveillance images of the alleged assailant in hopes of gathering leads. The suspect remains at large.
The attack is part of a troubling trend of anti-Asian violence that has persisted in New York City and other parts of the country, particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Community advocates continue to call for increased safety measures and stronger action against hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
Anyone with information regarding the attack is urged to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or submit tips online at NYPD Crime Stoppers.
Dorothy Chin Brandt, first Asian American woman judge in New York, dies at 76
The Honorable Dorothy Chin Brandt, a retired Acting Justice of the New York State Supreme Court and a pioneering figure who broke barriers as the first Asian American woman judge in New York, died on Jan. 27 at the age of 76. Her career, which included over 30 years on the bench, marked a historic milestone in the state’s judiciary and paved the way for future generations of Asian American public officials.
Early life and historic career
Born in Queens, New York on April 9, 1946, Justice Chin Brandt was a self-proclaimed "daughter of New York." Her parents were medical professionals, and her maternal grandparents had immigrated from Taishan, China. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago in 1967 and later graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1974, followed by an LL.M. from Harvard Law School in 1975. Before entering the judiciary, she served as Assistant Dean of Graduate Legal Studies at Harvard Law School. She also worked in private practice at Shearman & Sterling and later at Dilworth & Paxson in Washington, D.C.
Beginning with her historic election to the New York City Civil Court in 1987, Justice Chin Brandt's judicial career progressed through the New York City Criminal Court from 1998, culminating in her service as Acting Justice of the New York State Supreme Court from 2001 until her retirement in 2017.
Champion for diversity and judicial fairness
Justice Chin Brandt recounted in a 2014 NY City Bar Association talk that she decided to run for office after learning of racist remarks by a retired judge. “I did some further investigation into our judicial system,” she said, “and found we had no elected Asian American judges. I decided I would make the bench a little more diverse.” While serving in the Civil Court, she co-founded the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission in 1988, the nation's first court-based commission dedicated to ethnic and racial fairness.
In a 2018 interview with the NY Courts Amici Podcast, she noted the commission’s broad impact: “As soon as the commission report came out, the court system went under diversity and sensitivity training. We looked at legal education. There were very few Asian American lawyers. We didn’t have an Asian American Bar at that time. So we started the Chinese Lawyers Association. Now the Asian American Bar is very active, the jury pool has widened, and minorities are involved in serving.”
Lasting legacy
Justice Chin Brandt received numerous accolades, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Organization of Chinese Americans in 2019. Even after retirement, she remained active as a speaker and supporter of a scholarship fund for young people.
David Meyer, president and Joseph Crea dean of Brooklyn Law School, emphasized her transformative impact, stating, “Justice Chin Brandt was a trailblazer throughout her remarkable career and helped transform every institution she touched – law firms, the courts, legal education and Brooklyn Law School. We are enormously proud and grateful for her legacy.”
State Senator John Liu paid tribute to her legacy, stating, “She took the bench at a time when the courts were not perceived as friendly to minorities, and she set out to remedy perceived bias with fairness, integrity and impartiality. Her influence resonates today, and her legacy will continue to inspire those who uphold the values of justice, equality and public service.”