Stop AAPI Hate: Five Ways Trump’s Agenda Impacted Asian Communities in 2025
In 2025, the Trump administration reshaped and upended the lives of Asian and Pacific Islander people across the country. ICE agents are unlawfully abducting people and tearing families apart. Sudden immigration policy changes are leaving visa-holders in limbo and cutting off critical pathways to safety for asylum seekers and refugees. And high-ranking officials are spewing racist, xenophobic rhetoric that puts people of color in danger.
In this edition of Keeping Count, we are breaking down five data trends that capture just a few of the urgent challenges our communities face, but also the steps we are taking to stand up to fight injustice and keep each other safe.
ICE is ramping up arrests of Asian immigrants
The number of Asian people arrested by ICE more than tripled since Trump took office, according to a report from UCLA, increasing from 1,054 during the February to July 2024 time period to 3,705 during the same months in 2025.
The top five Asian countries of origin for people arrested by ICE include China (30%), India (28%), Vietnam (15%), Laos (6%), and Nepal (3%).
Here’s what else we know: On average, the Trump administration is detaining more women and older people compared to the Biden administration. And contrary to the Trump administration’s false claims, the majority of Asian people detained by ICE have no criminal record. In fact, the number of detained people without a criminal record has more than tripled under the Trump administration.
International students are living in fear
Just 4% of international students reported feeling “very” or “extremely” safe in the U.S. today, according to a national survey from Stop AAPI Hate.
Trump’s attacks on immigration, education, and free speech are taking a major toll on international students nationwide. In fact, many report feeling a decreased sense of belonging (88%), scaling back their political engagement (88%), or changing their social media presence (86%) as a result of anti-immigrant policies under Trump.
As a result of rising hostility, international student enrollment is already starting to plummet. The number of international college students enrolling in American schools for the first time decreased by 17% this fall.
The number of new student visas has also declined across all Asian countries, except Indonesia. Notably, India saw a 40% decrease in new student visas issued in 2025 — that’s 4,000 fewer visas than 2024.
To read the entire article: https://stopaapihate.org/2025/12/19/keeping-count-data-trends-2025/
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