Story perspectives

AAPI Adults Reject ICE Tactics, Favor Immigration Benefits

3/23/2026

Center

AAPI Discontent with Immigration

The AAPI Data/AP-NORC Poll finds 73% of AAPI adults have unfavorable views of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, vs. 60% of the general population.
AAPI adults are more likely to view immigration as beneficial, noting economic contributions from legal and illegal immigrants.
Only 31% prioritize increasing border security.
Seventy percent oppose concealing ICE agents’ identities during arrests.
The survey shows significant discontent with U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration tactics.

Left

Trump's Immigration Disapproval

U.S. President Donald Trump faces immigration policy disapproval, with 55% disapproving in a CBS News/YouGov poll.
The disapproval follows violent incidents tied to immigration enforcement, including deaths in Minneapolis.
Sixty-one percent of Gen Z and Hispanic voters disapprove of his immigration policies.
ICE agents are deployed at airports due to staffing shortages, drawing safety concerns and prompting House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries to call it a “bad idea.”

History

Historical Context

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on October 3, abolished national origin quotas that had favored Northern and Western Europeans since the 1920s. This landmark legislation led to over 1 million Asian immigrants arriving by 1970, reshaping U.S. demographics and igniting ongoing debates about immigration enforcement and community perceptions among AAPI adults today.

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AAPI Discontent with Immigration

The AAPI Data/AP-NORC Poll finds 73% of AAPI adults have unfavorable views of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, vs. 60% of the general population.
AAPI adults are more likely to view immigration as beneficial, noting economic contributions from legal and illegal immigrants.
Only 31% prioritize increasing border security.
Seventy percent oppose concealing ICE agents’ identities during arrests.
The survey shows significant discontent with U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration tactics.

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