Since Trump took office, it’s become exceedingly clear that his anti-immigrant agenda is creating chaos in our communities and fueling hate against Asian people — regardless of citizenship or immigration status:
- He deported Asian asylum seekers to Panama, where hundreds were trapped in a hotel begging for help through the windows. He also deported Asian people, including many children, to Costa Rica without telling them where they were being sent.
- He lifted protections for safe spaces in our communities, allowing ICE agents to enter schools, hospitals, churches, and even disaster relief centers.
- He’s continued to spew anti-immigrant rhetoric, inspiring people to attack Asian Americans of all statuses.
But here at Stop AAPI Hate, our team is working hard to activate as many people as possible in the fight against racist, anti-immigrant policies and rhetoric through our new advocacy campaign, Many Roots One Home.
Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned from our history, it’s that change is possible — so long as we continue to fight for it.
KEEPING UP WITH THE COMMUNITY
📊 Post-election surge in hate: We released a new report that reveals there was an alarming surge in anti-Asian hate in the months following Trump’s re-election. Here’s what we found:
📈 After the 2024 election, anti-Asian racism skyrocketed online, with significant spikes in both racial slurs and threats of violence. South Asian people were targeted the most.
📈 First-hand accounts of hate acts submitted to our reporting center confirm that Trump’s xenophobia is also fueling hate offline.
➡️ Bottom line: Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda is emboldening people to commit acts of racism both online and offline — and it’s impacting Asian people in the U.S. regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
🏠 Resisting Trump’s anti-immigrant crusade: It’s going to take all of us to protect AAPI communities from the Trump administration’s xenophobic attacks. That’s why we launched Many Roots One Home — to unite people in the fight against racial profiling and mass deportation, and in defense of family-based immigration and birthright citizenship.
You can look to our campaign for:
➡️ Direct actions you can take to fight Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda.
➡️ Events where you can hear from experts and people impacted by Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda.
➡️ Resources and information about what is happening and what is at stake for AAPI communities.
📚What you need to know about birthright citizenship: In February, we brought together legal experts, immigrant rights advocates, and our supporters for a virtual town hall where we discussed Trump’s attacks on birthright citizenship.
ℹ️ Couldn’t make it? You can access the recording here and read our birthright citizenship blog post to answer the burning questions that some of you have submitted over the last few weeks.
➡️ So, what’s next? Stop AAPI Hate will be hosting a virtual community town hall every month to shed light on the greatest threats facing AAPI communities and how we can rise up against them. Stay tuned for the next one in March!
📝 Advocating for AANHPI Studies: As part of the REACH Coalition, Stop AAPI Hate joined dozens of students, teachers, and advocates at the New York State Capitol to rally support for state legislation that would bring Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Studies into public schools.
🏫 Keep ICE out of schools: Trump slashed protections that prohibit ICE raids in schools, hospitals, places of worship, and disaster relief centers. That’s why we’re calling on Congress to support the Sensitive Locations Act, which would protect community safe havens for children, sick people, and entire communities.
➡️ Why is this important? As Trump continues to ramp up his anti-immigrant attacks, our senators and representatives need to hear that we want them to stand up and push back against his agenda. Our voices can make a difference if we use them!
DONOR SPOTLIGHT: LINDSEY YONEDA
We extend our gratitude to the amazing artist Lindsey Yoneda for her t-shirt fundraiser supporting Stop AAPI Hate.
Why do you support Stop AAPI Hate?
“Growing up Asian American in the Midwest, I rarely saw representation or voices like mine. Seeing more people speak up about racism inspired me to support Stop AAPI Hate. In 2021, after my sister experienced anti-Asian violence, I designed shirts to raise funds. As our communities face new threats, I’m bringing the fundraiser back — honoring resilience with the phrase my dad taught me: “Nana korobi ya oki” (“fall seven times, get up eight”).”
The fundraiser is now closed, but you can follow Lindsey on Instagram @lindseyoneda.
KEEPING UP WITH THE COMMUNITY
Here are some of the top stories we’re paying attention to from our communities across the country this month:
📣 New York Times: Demand for “red cards” with know your rights information surges as mass deportations continue
🤝 Axios SF: Oakland’s Black, Asian seniors are working to bridge the public safety gap
📈 NBC News: Anti-South Asian online hate surged in extremist spaces after election, report says
🇯🇵 CBS News: On the Day of Remembrance, Camp Survivor Shares His Life Story
🏘️ The Conversation: How Asian immigrants to the U.S. resisted pressures to assimilate, creating a vibrant American suburbia
🫂 SacObserver: Black and Japanese American advocates talk reparations and justice
🏤 AsAm News:Boston post office named after Chinatown activist Caroline Chang
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Anti-immigrant hate is anti-Asian hate: Stop AAPI Hate February Newsletter