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AAPI communities see several key issues at stake this election
Most feel the election will have an important impact on immigration, but AAPI adults are split on trusting Harris (42%) or Trump (35%) to handle the issue
Topics covered: Presidential race; Harris vs. Trump on key issues; immigration policies; border security; intergenerational differences on key issues
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2024 Presidential Race
With just weeks to go before the presidential election, a new AAPI Data/AP-NORC survey finds that most Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults believe the outcome of the race will have important impacts on the economy (82%), health care (74%), immigration policy (72%), and foreign policy (72%).
AAPI adults trust Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump to handle key issues like abortion (65% vs. 16%), race and inequality (64% vs. 15%), and health care (59% vs. 19%). The gaps between Harris and Trump narrow considerably on issues like the economy (41% vs. 34%), immigration (42% vs. 35%), and crime (39% vs. 33%).
AAPI adults are more likely to feel that Harris, rather than Trump, cares about people like them (52% vs. 15%), is honest (50% vs. 15%), has the right vision for the country (49% vs. 25%), and can handle a crisis (47% vs. 26%). These favorable views of Harris also surpass those of the general public, who were asked in August 2024.
AAPI adults express mixed feelings about the upcoming election with 37% saying they feel fearful and 29% reporting they feel excited. One in 5 are feeling angry or satisfied. AAPI adults aged 60 and over are more likely to say excited accurately describes their feelings of the election, compared to their younger counterparts.
Immigration Policy & Border Security
On immigration, AAPI adults are far more likely than the general population to view legal immigrants as an important asset. For example, 79% of AAPI adults feel legal immigration is a major benefit for economic growth in the country, compared to about 42% of the general public who were last asked in March 2024. And 73% see skilled labor in science and technology as a major benefit, well above the 41% of the broader population.
Concerns about illegal immigration are similar between AAPI adults and the general public, with similar shares perceiving illegal immigration as a risk to welfare programs (48% vs. 53%) and crime (38% vs. 40%), despite recent reports noting that immigrants tend to use benefits at lower rates and commit fewer crimes than the general population. Overall, while AAPI adults tend to view illegal immigrants as presenting higher risks compared to legal immigrants, no more than half within these communities believe that either group poses major risks.
AAPI adults see increasing security at the U.S.-Mexico border (45%) and strengthening policies to prevent visa overstays (41%) as top immigration priorities for the federal government, which is similar to the general population who were last asked in December 2021. Reducing green card wait times is also a top issue for AAPI adults, with 44% considering it a high priority, and about another third prioritizing other legal immigration policies such as expanding family visas and providing green cards to college graduates. About a third of AAPI adults and the general population consider providing legal status for undocumented immigrants and deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally as high priorities.
Intergenerational Differences on Key Issues
Intergenerational conversations shape some AAPI adults’ views on key issues like abortion, climate change, and LGBTQ rights. A quarter say discussions with older family members have influenced their economic policy views a lot, while another 34% report they’ve been influenced a little. Similar to the general public in March 2024, AAPI communities also trust national (58%) and local (53%) news organizations for election information, with fewer relying on friends and family (45%) or social media (35%).
Key Stats of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults in the U.S.:
- A majority think the outcome of the election will be consequential for the economy (82%), healthcare (74%), immigration (72%), and foreign policy (72%).
- 47% believe Kamala Harris is capable of handling a crisis, compared with 26% for Donald Trump, while 18% say neither candidate is equipped to manage crises.
- 64% rate Trump poorly on upholding democratic values, while just 27% say the same about Harris.
- Most trust national (58%) and local (53%) news organizations for news about the upcoming election, while fewer trust friends and family (45%) or social media (35%).
- Most see legal immigration as having major benefits for economic growth (79%) and skilled labor in science and technology (73%), compared with just 42% and 41% of the general public, respectively.
- Priorities for federal immigration policy include increasing security at the U.S.-Mexico border (45%), reducing green card wait times (44%), and preventing visa overstays (41%).
Study Methodology
The nationwide study was conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and AAPI Data from September 3–9, 2024, using the Amplify AAPI Monthly survey drawing from NORC’s Amplify AAPI® Panel designed to be representative of the U.S. Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander household population. Online and telephone interviews were offered in English, the Chinese dialects of Mandarin and Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Korean with 1,123 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders aged 18 and older living in the United States. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.7 percentage points.