AAPI Adults Mostly Believe Trump Has Harmed Immigration

New poll finds most Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders think Trump's policies have done more harm than good on immigration and border security.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 9:18am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A new poll from AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 6 in 10 AAPI adults believe President Donald Trump has done more harm than good on the issue of immigration and border security during his second term so far. The survey also found widespread opposition among AAPI adults to Trump's hardline immigration policies, with around two-thirds saying he has 'gone too far' on deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.

Why it matters

AAPI adults are one of the fastest-growing demographics in the U.S., and their views on immigration policy could have significant political implications. The poll results suggest Trump's immigration crackdown has alienated many in the AAPI community, potentially impacting their voting behavior and political engagement.

The details

The survey found that around 4 in 10 AAPI adults say deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally should be a low priority for the government, up from about one-third just after Trump took office. About one-third now say these deportations should be a moderate priority, and only about 2 in 10 say they should be a high priority. There is also widespread opposition to hardline policies like large-scale immigration enforcement operations in neighborhoods with high immigrant populations and allowing immigration agents to cover their faces when arresting people.

  • The poll was conducted February 2-9, 2026.
  • In December 2024, daily detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) averaged just under 40,000.
  • Last month, the number of ICE detentions had risen to about 70,000.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president whose immigration policies are the focus of the poll.

Jeff Ugai

A 39-year-old Democrat living in Hawaii who says the current administration's immigration efforts have been 'more almost about cruelty than they have about actually establishing an immigration system that makes sense to this country.'

Fran Peace

A 75-year-old Japanese American retiree from Oroville, California who still sees deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally as a high priority, but disagrees with stopping people based on 'stereotypes' like their looks or accents.

Daniel Kim

A 65-year-old Democrat and Korean American from Las Cruces, New Mexico who previously volunteered at a church to assist refugees and stopped attending his own evangelical church over the leadership's refusal to address issues involving the treatment of foreigners.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It seems like the current administration's efforts have been more almost about cruelty than they have about actually establishing an immigration system that makes sense to this country.”

— Jeff Ugai

“I don't think you should just have to go back automatically, but the laws don't say that. If you're illegal you go back. But I think there should be some concession made for the people that have been here a long time.”

— Fran Peace

“The church leadership just could not make the connection or could not find it in their hearts to think (about) the issues involved with the treatment of foreigners in our country.”

— Daniel Kim

The takeaway

The poll results suggest Trump's hardline immigration policies have alienated many in the AAPI community, potentially impacting their political engagement and voting behavior. It highlights the growing opposition to deportations and other aggressive enforcement tactics, even among some Republicans, and the desire for a more humane and pragmatic approach to immigration reform.