Survey Finds 53% Of AAPI Adults Affected By Anti-Immigrant Policies
India -West News Desk
WASHINGTON, DC -More than half of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults in the United States say they or someone in their community have been affected by anti-immigrant policies or sentiment over the past year, according to a January 2026 survey conducted by Stop AAPI Hate in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago.
The survey of 1,378 AAPI adults nationwide, conducted through NORC’s Amplify AAPI panel, found that 53% of respondents reported personal or community impact. The survey was administered in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Korean, the most widely spoken languages among non-English-speaking AAPI adults.
Researchers also analyzed enforcement data provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the Deportation Data Project through a Freedom of Information Act request. Their analysis found a sharp rise in enforcement actions involving individuals from Asian and Pacific Islander countries.
Between Jan. 20 and Oct. 15, 2025, ICE recorded 7,752 arrests, 7,243 detentions, and 2,776 deportations involving AAPI individuals. Of those, 7,580 arrests, 7,069 detentions, and 2,631 deportations involved Asian nationals, while 172 arrests, 174 detentions, and 145 deportations involved Pacific Islanders.
The most common countries of citizenship among Asian arrests were China (26%), India (25%), Vietnam (12%), Laos (4%), and South Korea (4%), according to the analysis.
Survey findings also pointed to broader social impacts. Forty-five percent of respondents said they feel less secure in the United States, while 39% reported withdrawing from public life and 24% said they experienced economic or educational setbacks linked to immigration policies or anti-immigrant sentiment.
In addition, 36% said their immigration or citizenship status had been questioned or feared it might be, while 30% reported experiencing or fearing arrest, detention, or deportation. About 28% said they had considered leaving the United States.
A Hmong American man from California, reporting his experience to Stop AAPI Hate, described being questioned about citizenship while visiting a national park.
“We arrived, paid our fee, then the attendant asked us if everyone in our car was a U.S. citizen after she took a look at us,” he said.
The report also found that respondents who felt affected by immigration policies or related sentiment were 1.9 times more likely to report moderate or severe anxiety or depression.
Survey results showed similar impact levels regardless of immigration status, with 53% of U.S. citizens and 55% of non-citizens reporting harm affecting themselves or people in their communities.
