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Saigon Sentinel · All articles
Browse every article we've published, from the latest news to long-form analysis and practical guides.
- Houston
Tesla Crashes Into Katy Home: Where Does Liability Fall Between Driver and Self-Driving Technology?
The Tesla crash into a Katy home has exposed a dangerous liability gap: as the driver and the automaker blame each other, the people living inside their own homes bear the heaviest consequences.
- Houston
Hospital parking lot security: a concern for healthcare workers in Houston
A lawsuit filed by a Houston Methodist employee stabbed in a hospital parking lot exposes a legal mechanism few know about — premises liability — that may directly affect thousands of Vietnamese-origin healthcare workers…
- Politics
America at 250: Electoral power is shifting toward Vietnamese communities
Behind the story of divided pride on America's 250th birthday lies a mechanical shift in electoral power, silently increasing the weight of Vietnamese American votes in Texas and Georgia while decreasing it in Southern C…
- Politics
Diamond Rings and a Tax Lesson for Vietnamese-Origin Import Businesses
A multi-million-dollar diamond ring gifted to President Trump shortly after Belgium's diamond industry secured favorable tariff treatment reveals a policy influence channel that most Vietnamese-origin import businesses c…
- Digest
News Digest 07/04: America Celebrates 250 Years Amid Anxiety and Division
From the Pope's call for migrant protection to a self-immolation protesting China at the United Nations, today's news also includes coverage directly relevant to Little Saigon regarding Orange County government reform.
- Digest
News Digest 04/07: America Celebrates 250 Years Amid Anxiety and Division
From the Pope's call for migrant rights to a self-immolation protest against China at the United Nations, today's digest also includes stories close to Little Saigon about Orange County government reform.
- Guides
Maintaining an Ancestor Altar in the Heart of America: How to Keep the Ritual From Fading Across Generations
It is not a large altar or an elaborate feast that preserves tradition, but rather how families adapt to American housing regulations and learn to tell their ancestors' stories to their children.
- Digest
News Digest 07/03: Courts, Trade, and the American Tech Wave
From the Supreme Court's TPS ruling to the threat of USMCA collapse, along with a stream of economic, tech, and international human rights news — here are the stories Vietnamese Americans should read today.
- Vietnam
Vietnamese Banks Still Lend Against Red Books, Not Cash Flow: A Problem Recycled for a Decade
Over 93% of loans in Vietnam still require red books, not cash flow - and the solution to this problem has been proposed for years without ever truly being implemented.
- SoCal
Loophole in rebuilding homes after California coastal fires set to tighten
The multi-million-dollar gap between insurance payouts and rebuilding costs is pushing Pacific Palisades homeowners to sell land to investors — and a new bill could block this investment model before it spreads to coasta…
- Business
Prediction Market Faces Dual Squeeze: Vietnamese-American Investors Caught Between Federal and State Authority
Kentucky is the first Republican state targeted by the CFTC over prediction markets, after eight Democratic states were previously sued — demonstrating this is a cross-party federal power struggle, not mere partisan oppo…
- US
Syrians with TPS Have Work Permits Extended Only Until July 10, 2026
As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares a ruling affecting hundreds of thousands of Temporary Protected Status holders, approximately 6,100 Syrians in the United States continue living in precarious legal circumstances, with …
- Business
Fed's Interest Rate Falls 16.17% Year-Over-Year, Now at 3.63%
The Federal Reserve's federal funds rate fell 16.17% compared to the same period last year, dropping from 4.33% to 3.63% — the lowest level in the past 12 months, according to Federal Reserve data via FRED. This long-ter…
- Digest
News Digest 07/02: US Supreme Court, Housing Crisis, and Little Saigon Safety
From the birthright citizenship ruling to the housing crisis crushing Trump's own supporters, and the safety story in the area near Little Saigon—today's key stories that Saigon Sentinel didn't cover separately.
- US
Passports, birth certificates: new voting barriers for elderly Vietnamese Americans
Laws requiring passports or birth certificates to prove citizenship may seem neutral, but they directly collide with the naturalization records of Vietnamese refugee voters whose names are transliterated and whose birth …
- US
IRS Adds Tips and Overtime Deductions to Tax Calculation Tool
The IRS quietly upgraded its payroll tax calculation tool starting in March 2026, adding numerous new deductions for tips, overtime, and car loan interest — income sources familiar to many Vietnamese American families wo…
- Politics
Left-wing candidates win consecutive races, Democratic Party faces difficult choice
From New York to Denver, candidates identifying as democratic socialists have successively defeated longtime Democratic members in primary elections — raising questions about the party's direction ahead of the upcoming n…
- US
U.S. Court Postpones End of Yemen TPS, Businesses Must Revise Form I-9
Although the order to terminate TPS for Yemeni nationals took effect in May, a federal judge in New York unexpectedly issued an emergency stay, forcing USCIS to guide businesses on how to reissue work permits for approxi…
- Business
US Gas Prices Down 7.01% Year-over-Year, Now at 3.831 USD per Gallon
US national average gas prices fell 7.01% year-over-year, dropping to 3.831 USD per gallon in the week of June 29, 2026 — the lowest point in the entire survey period, following eight consecutive weeks of decline.
- Guides
Your Rights When Encountering Police: An Essential Guide for Vietnamese Americans
One wrong statement during a traffic stop can escalate a situation dangerously — but just a few legally correct statements can protect you completely. Here is what American law actually allows you to do.
- Digest
News Digest 07/01: U.S. Supreme Court Issues Major Rulings in Rapid Succession
From birthright citizenship to phone privacy rights, the U.S. Supreme Court has closed out a contentious term, while an arranged marriage case in Bellevue and a real estate deal near Little Saigon also warrant the attent…
- SoCal
Los Angeles Homelessness Budget Torn in Three: County Pulls Out, City Hesitates, Federal Government Threatens to Cut the Money
In the same week, Los Angeles County boasts of cutting response time to 45 days, while LAHSA sues the federal government over funding cuts based on fraud allegations — and the city still has not decided whether to leave …
- Business
App Store Fees Head to Supreme Court: Who in the Vietnamese-American Community Will Bear the Cost?
The App Store fee lawsuit between Apple and Epic Games heading to the U.S. Supreme Court is not just a matter for two large companies — it will determine the profit margins of thousands of small Vietnamese-American app d…
- Gulf Coast
Louisiana Overturns Death Sentence Wrongfully Convicted, Sends Warning to Immigrant Communities
Louisiana's exoneration of Jimmie Duncan after 28 years is not merely a story of justice gone wrong — it is a warning for anyone, including Vietnamese-origin communities on the Gulf Coast, about the dangers of death sent…
- Guides
Who Has the Right to Vote in the United States? A Voter Eligibility Guide for Vietnamese Americans
Having a green card for decades does not mean you have the right to vote — voting rights in the U.S. are tied to citizenship, not length of residence. These are the specific conditions that many Vietnamese American famil…