ADVERTISEMENTs
‘Spreading lies’: Asian American community rejects Trump’s divisive speech
CAPAC representative Grace Meng said that the Trump administration aims to cut Medicaid, public education, and food assistance—all of which are crucial programs for the AANHPI community.
CAPAC logo and Donald Trump / Courtesy Photo
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) has voiced concerns President Trump's joint address to Congress on March. 4, criticizing his divisive rhetoric.
“His administration is intent on erasing AANHPI contributions from American history, ripping immigrant communities apart, and eliminating language access for individuals with limited English proficiency,” said CAPAC Chair Representative Grace Meng, an Asian American member of Congress from New York State.
In a statement slamming Trump administration’s actions, Meng said: “President Trump had the chance to deliver a speech that unified the country and addressed the urgent needs of the American people. Instead, he chose to sow division, spread lies, and gaslight the public about his extreme policies that would harm the working class and millions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) across the nation."
The House Republicans' budget resolution, supported by President Trump, proposed cuts of up to $2.5 trillion in federal Medicaid funding to finance tax cuts for billionaires and corporations, CAPAC stated. According to their statement, this could jeopardize healthcare coverage for 4.5 million AANHPIs who relied on Medicaid benefits in 2020.
In addition, the budget plan threatens funding for food assistance, public education, school lunches, and affordable healthcare, it said. Programs at risk include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Pell Grants, Head Start, and the Affordable Care Act.
Meng continued, "Trump and Congressional Republicans want to pay for tax breaks for billionaires by slashing Medicaid, gutting public education, and ripping away food assistance—vital programs that our community depends on."
The Trump administration also revoked Executive Order 13166, which required federal agencies to provide language assistance for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). This decision affects nearly 32 percent of the AANHPI community, which relies on federal services in languages they can understand, CAPAC added.
Furthermore, under the Trump administration, federal agencies have stopped recognizing important observances like AANHPI Heritage Month, which celebrated the contributions of diverse communities to the United States, the statement pointed out.
CAPAC emphasized, "No golden age of America can happen while the lives and livelihoods of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are under attack. We will not be silenced. We will not be erased. And we will never stop demanding the respect, justice, and equality our communities deserve."
Additionally, CAPAC said that the Trump administration and Vice President Vence advocated for reinstating a Department of Government Efficiency staff member who had previously made racist remarks on social media, including posts that supported "normalizing Indian hate" and claimed, "I was racist before it was cool."
This follows a disturbing rise in online threats, with anti-Asian hate speech and threats against South Asians increasing by 59 percent since the 2024 election.
Founded in 1994, CAPAC consists of 79 members of Congress who represent AANHPI communities.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
ADVERTISEMENT
.jpg)
Video
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.png)
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login