AAPI Adults Voice Growing Concern Over U.S. Political Climate

Cost of living, inflation, and immigration: buzzwords that encapsulate the main topic of news outlets. With all of these issues, what does the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community think?

By the Numbers: Voices of Community was a study conducted by AAPI Data in partnership with the Associated Press and NORC, highlighting the most urgent political and social issues AAPI communities face. The top five issues AAP individuals are concerned about are the cost of living & inflation, jobs & the economy, health care, preserving democracy, and immigration. Concerns have changed over time, with immigration being the top issue in January 2025. The rising cost of goods due to tariffs and concern with financial strains may be a factor in this decision.

While immigration has trickled down the list of concerns, it remains a pertinent topic among AAPI adults. 7 out of 10 AAPI adults do not approve of the Donald Trump administration’s handling of immigration. 6 out of 10 disagree with tactics like deploying the military/National Guard to arrest and deport community members, having agents conceal their identities with masks during arrests, and trapping immigrants at their places of work. Compared with the general public, AAPI adults are more likely to believe that Trump’s actions on deporting undocumented immigrants have gone too far (67% vs. 49%).

What may have influenced this influx of opinion? Kulkarni expressed that our communities are tuning into the news, whether it be reading local papers or live feeds from social media outlets, and responding to it negatively. Seeing violence being perpetrated by ICE agents on elders in the community or the manhandling of disabled folks mirrors state violence from the homeland.

The main takeaway from this study is that AAPI adults are concerned about the state of our country. There is a consistent disapproval of the way the current administration handles various issues. The bottom line is that while the decline is happening at different rates, public opinion is moving in one direction, and it is not up.

Although the opinion of AAPI adults remains negative, there is a bright side to all of this. This study shows that our community cares about the welfare of our government. We respond to calls to action, and we are receptive to policies that impact us. Our government requires a functioning immigration system that does not tear families apart, and the AAPI community will not stand for it. We must consider the role we play in holding our government accountable and in urging politicians to respond to our communities’ needs.

-Kintan Silvany-