Survey Reveals Discontent Among AAPI Communities Regarding Trump’s Immigration Policies
Recent findings from an AAPI Data/AP-NORC poll indicate that a significant majority of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders believe President Donald Trump’s immigration and border security policies have caused more harm than good during his second term. Approximately 60% of AAPI adults express that Trump has inflicted “a lot” or “a little” damage to the immigration system, compared to 40% of the broader U.S. adult population. Notably, around two-thirds of AAPI respondents, who tend to lean Democratic, feel that Trump has gone “too far” in his approach to deporting undocumented immigrants, contrasting with roughly half of all Americans.
Chaotic Immigration Measures Under the Trump Administration
Since taking office, the Trump administration has implemented extreme immigration measures, particularly in recent months. In January, the administration suspended immigrant visa processing for citizens from 75 countries. Although the number of arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border has significantly decreased, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests and detentions have surged. As of December 2024, daily detainee averages hovered just under 40,000, yet last month that figure jumped to about 70,000. The survey was conducted shortly after a shocking incident in January involving ICE that left two American citizens shot and a Hmong American man detained in subzero temperatures.
AAPI Perspectives on Immigration Policy Trends
Jeff Ugai, a Hawaii resident, has witnessed firsthand the impacts of these immigration crackdowns, noting nearly 40 arrests related to immigrant offenses in Kauai last November. Ugai, a 39-year-old Democrat, criticized the current administration’s strategies as more akin to atrocities than to establishing a meaningful immigration system. “It seems they’re more focused on punitive measures rather than reform,” he said.
Concerns Grow Over Deportation Strategies
The sentiments shared by Ugai reflect wider dissatisfaction among AAPI adults regarding Trump’s immigration tactics, as indicated by the increasing opposition over the past year. Data from a separate AAPI Data/AP-NORC survey reveals that about 40% of AAPI adults see deporting undocumented immigrants as a low priority for the U.S. government, a rise from about one-third at the beginning of Trump’s first term. Only 20% currently support making such deportations a high priority.
Overall Disfavor Towards Immigration Enforcement Agencies
A vast majority of AAPI adults, around 73%, hold unfavorable views of ICE. While AAPI Republicans generally view ICE more positively, with only one-third expressing negative sentiments, broader GOP sentiments align, as only about 25% of all Republicans share these views. Opposition to stringent immigration policies is prevalent, with 60% of AAPI adults rejecting large-scale enforcement operations in heavily immigrant-populated areas, and 70% disapproving of immigration officers wearing face coverings during arrests.
Diverse Opinions on Immigration’s Impact on American Society
AAPI adults exhibit a varied stance on the implications of illegal immigration on U.S. social services and crime. Approximately 40% believe it poses a significant risk to welfare resources, while an equal number consider it a minor concern. When it comes to crime, about one-third of AAPI adults perceive undocumented immigrants as a major threat, with around half seeing it as a minor risk, while only 15% see no risk at all.
Views on Crime and Immigration Among AAPI Adults
Opinions within the AAPI community further diverge regarding the relationship between immigration and crime. While some, like Fran Peace of Oroville, California, credit Trump for addressing drug trafficking, others, like Daniel Kim, a 65-year-old Korean American from New Mexico, argue that immigrants are not a risk to public safety. Kim’s past experience volunteering to support refugees has shaped his perspective, leading him to criticize the lack of moral consideration among church leaders regarding the treatment of immigrants in the U.S.
The poll, conducted from February 2-9, 2026, surveyed 1,197 U.S. adults identifying as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander, using a representative sampling methodology from NORC’s Amplify AAPI Panel. The margin of sampling error for the overall survey results stands at plus or minus 4.6 percentage points. This research is part of a larger effort to capture the voices of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, often underrepresented in mainstream polls.
