Nearly Half of AAPI Adults Faced Racial Hate in 2025, Marking Three Years of Unabated Racism

The latest report from Stop AAPI Hate, “Closing Doors, Widening Harm,” exposes a grim reality: nearly half of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults in the United States experienced racial hate in 2025. This marks the third consecutive year that the figure has hovered around 49 percent, signaling a persistent and entrenched problem.

Based on a nationally representative survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, the report highlights that harassment and institutional discrimination remain the most common forms of hate. Alarmingly, Pacific Islander adults saw an increase from 47 percent in 2024 to 57 percent in 2025. These numbers are not isolated incidents but part of a broader climate shaped by anti-immigrant policies and xenophobic political rhetoric.

More than half of AAPI adults—53 percent—reported being personally or vicariously harmed by immigration policy changes or anti-immigrant sentiment under the Trump administration. This impact crosses citizenship status and nativity lines, affecting citizens and non-citizens alike. The report details widespread fears: 36 percent feared their immigration or citizenship status could be questioned or revoked, 30 percent feared arrest or deportation, and 28 percent even considered leaving the United States altogether.

The emotional consequences are just as severe. Nearly 75 percent of those experiencing hate reported stress, and one in four showed symptoms of moderate to severe depression or anxiety—rates significantly higher than those not targeted.

Cynthia Choi, Co-Founder of Stop AAPI Hate, bluntly calls out the Trump administration and its allies for normalizing and fueling this relentless wave of anti-AAPI hate. “The surge began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and has remained elevated because xenophobic, politically motivated attacks against our communities have continued year after year,” she said.

The report also includes harrowing firsthand accounts. An Indian woman in Georgia was called a “murderer” and threatened with ICE deportation despite being a U.S. citizen. A Pacific Islander man faced online threats invoking ICE raids after a simple social media comment. A Korean woman in California was screamed at and physically shoved in public by someone threatening deportation under Trump’s promises.

Stephanie Chan, Director of Data and Research at Stop AAPI Hate, contextualizes these experiences within what she calls the “trifecta of violence”: racist ideologies that produce discriminatory policies, which then embolden both state actors and individuals to commit acts of violence. This trifecta has been especially visible since the pandemic, sustained by a steady stream of racist political rhetoric and xenophobic policies.

This report is a stark reminder that the fight against racism and xenophobia is far from over. The Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric have not only failed to curb anti-AAPI hate but have actively contributed to its persistence. The consequences are devastating, leaving communities stressed, fearful, and in some cases, contemplating leaving the country they call home.

We cannot afford to look away while hate remains this entrenched and normalized. Holding those in power accountable for fueling these dangerous sentiments is urgent—not just for AAPI communities but for the integrity of our democracy and civil rights.