A new poll indicates that fewer Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults are reporting overt anti-Asian attacks compared to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet concerns about racial discrimination remain significant. The survey, conducted by AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, was released on Monday as AAPI Heritage Month begins.
Decline in Reported Hate Incidents
About one-quarter of AAPI adults say they have personally experienced a hate crime or incident, such as verbal harassment or physical assault, in the past year. This figure is consistent with a survey from last summer but marks a decline from October 2023, when 36% reported being victims of race-based abuse. Preliminary FBI data also shows a decrease in anti-Asian hate crimes and bias crimes overall between 2024 and 2025, as the pandemic receded.
However, approximately 3 in 10 AAPI adults believe it is “extremely” or “very” likely they will face discrimination based on their race or ethnicity in the next five years. Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and executive director of AAPI Data, noted, “The key is there's been a decline but a stabilization. So, it hasn't declined since last year. Both hate crimes and hate incidents are still an issue in our community.”
Shift in Rhetoric
The poll shows fewer AAPI adults report verbal assaults compared to two years ago. About 1 in 10 say they have been called a racial or ethnic slur in the past 12 months, down from roughly 2 in 10 in October 2023. Similarly, 15% report being verbally harassed because of their race, down from 23% in 2023.
Advocates observe a shift in rhetoric from COVID-19-related tropes to anti-immigrant sentiments. Stephanie Chan, data and research director at Stop AAPI Hate, explained, “We're seeing things like ‘Go back to China’ still. But, it's more like ‘ICE is going to deport you.’ The rhetoric used to justify harsh immigration enforcement is also feeding into anti-AAPI hate.”
Ambar Capoor, a 52-year-old India-born naturalized U.S. citizen living in Los Angeles, recounted an incident last year when a white man pushed him in a restaurant line and said, “You don’t belong here. You should go back to your country.” Capoor, a Democrat, believes the divisive political climate has emboldened people to express racism openly.
Nosheen Hamid, 36, a stay-at-home mother in Salt Lake City, faces racial profiling in her mostly white community. A door-to-door salesman recently questioned if she was renting her home, reflecting stereotypes about her Pakistani and Catholic background.
Economic Concerns Outweigh Discrimination
Amid inflation and higher gas prices, AAPI adults are more preoccupied with economic issues than discrimination. Around 4 in 10 cite personal finances as a major source of stress, while only about 1 in 10 say the same about discrimination. Approximately half do not view discrimination as a source of stress at all.
John Magner, 58, who is of Hawaiian, Chinese, and white ancestry, faces discrimination from Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who doubt his heritage. Last year, a customer called him a “cracker and a little wannabe Pacific Islander.” However, Magner focuses on financial struggles, working full-time while pursuing a master’s degree and managing family expenses.
Ramakrishnan suggests that economic scapegoating of immigrants may be declining as people recognize that tariffs, war, and AI data centers are driving costs, not race or immigration.
Variations Among AAPI Groups
Hate incidents are often underreported, and some AAPI subgroups experience higher rates. Chan notes a recent rise in incidents among South Asians, often coinciding with moments of visibility, such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s election. Capoor now carries his U.S. passport card on a lanyard due to fears of detention, despite being a citizen.
The poll of 1,228 AAPI adults was conducted March 23-30, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. It is part of an ongoing project to highlight views often overlooked in other surveys.
