WASHINGTON – Following several months of strict immigration measures by the Trump administration, there’s an evident shift in sentiments among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander adults regarding President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, according to a recent AAPI Data/AP-NORC poll.
Approximately 70% of AAPI adults across the country express disapproval of Trump’s immigration stance, a notable increase from 58% in March. The survey also revealed that a significant number of AAPI adults believe that the Republican president’s initiatives to deport undocumented immigrants are overly severe. Many oppose specific methods employed by the administration, such as utilizing military forces or the National Guard for arrests and deportations.
This trend surfaces as federal immigration officials intensify their enforcement actions in the Chicago area, where over 1,000 immigrants have been detained since last month. This intensified effort in Chicago is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration aimed at accelerating deportations, a priority for the president since he took office.
The reaction among AAPI adults, a diverse and growing demographic—many of whom were born outside the U.S.—is generally negative. Even those who are foreign-born and often lean conservative, express dissatisfaction with the president’s handling of immigration issues.
Joye Meyer, a 25-year-old born in China and now living in Miami, identifies as a Democrat and supports secure borders. However, recent developments make her anxious about her own citizenship status. “It’s heart-wrenching to think that what you know could be taken away due to professional statuses,” Meyer reflects, describing Trump’s approach as punitive.
Concerns about Trump’s immigration policies.
AAPI adults overwhelmingly feel that President Trump has overstepped boundaries with his immigration policies. A different AP-NORC poll from September indicated that around 60% of Black and Hispanic adults believe he has gone too far with deportations, while fewer than half of white adults share that sentiment.
This growing disapproval among AAPI adults indicates that the president’s recent immigration measures have made some uncomfortable. Karthik Ramakrishnan, the executive director of AAPI Data and a researcher at UC Berkeley, suggests there may be a disconnect between theoretical policy support and its practical implementation.
For Peter Lee, 38, living in Tacoma, Washington, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement center exists, immigration issues frequently hit home. He criticizes Trump for prioritizing deportation numbers without a clear strategy. “It feels like there’s no real plan behind what he’s doing, just a number to hit,” said Lee, who identified as a Korean-American Democrat. “The idea of deporting people to countries they’re not from is just absurd.”
Diverse opinions among AAPI adults on immigration.
While American-born and foreign-born AAPI adults typically view Trump’s immigration policies as excessive, their opinions vary on specific aspects of illegal immigration.
Slightly more than half of foreign-born AAPI adults, who tend to be older and more conservative, are in favor of deporting those charged with misdemeanors, in contrast to only 41% of U.S.-born AAPI adults. The foreign-born demographic is also more inclined to support deportations of all undocumented immigrants.
Ramakrishnan pointed out that with over half of AAPI adults being foreign-born, American-born individuals “might not be as familiar with the nuances of maintaining status.”
Tyrone Tai, 65, who has ties to both Jamaica and Florida, remembered his parents’ struggles to become naturalized U.S. citizens and feels Trump isn’t doing enough to apprehend those who have breached the law.
While foreign-born AAPI adults are more supportive of Trump’s immigration policies, they don’t hold him in particularly high regard. They are also more supportive of his stance on crime, indicating that his connection of illegal immigration to criminality resonates with some in this group.
Majority of AAPI adults opposed to certain enforcement strategies.
Many of the Trump administration’s strategies are notably unpopular among AAPI adults. Polls suggest that about 60% oppose large-scale enforcement in immigrant-heavy regions, the military or National Guard involvement in arrests, workplace raids, and the use of masks by officers during arrests.
Michael Ida, 56, from Honolulu, finds the sight of ICE agents in masks apprehending individuals in public disturbing. An advocate for independence and a Christian, he believes some undocumented immigrants should be allowed to remain.
“We should lean toward mercy rather than justice in these cases, which is quite concerning,” he remarked, expressing apprehension about traveling outside Hawaii as an Asian American.
In contrast, Tai argues that ICE agents should wear masks for their safety, emphasizing the threats their families face. “They’re just doing their job,” he stated.
Ida, who has Korean and Japanese heritage, parallels the current situation to past injustices against Japanese Americans, reflecting, “History might not repeat, but it surely echoes.”
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The poll surveyed 1,027 U.S. adults identifying as Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders between September 2-9, 2025, utilizing a sample representative of these groups. The margin of error stands at plus or minus 5.0 percentage points.
