Asian immigrants face growing fears under Trump, new poll shows

Fears of detention or deportation have surged by 15 percentage points among Asian immigrants, according to a survey of 1,805 immigrants conducted by KFF and The New York Times from late August through mid-October.

Key findings: The poll, released on  Nov. 18, shows worries about detention and deportation among Asian immigrants have increased significantly, from 14% in 2023 to 29% in 2025. Similar increases occurred across other groups, with Black immigrants rising from 19% to 39% and white immigrants from 13% to 29%. Hispanic immigrants reported the highest level of concern at 53%, up from 41%. Beyond personal fears, 22% of immigrants now personally know someone arrested, detained or deported since President Donald Trump took office in January, up from 8% in April. Most of those detained had not committed a serious crime, according to 71% of respondents who knew someone affected.

The enforcement actions have prompted widespread behavioral changes. Three in 10 immigrants report they or family members have avoided traveling, seeking medical care or going to work since January due to immigration concerns. Meanwhile, more than half of immigrants say they lack confidence they would receive fair treatment by the U.S. legal system if detained on immigration-related charges.

Why this matters: The data shows that Trump’s immigration policies are generating fear well beyond undocumented populations. Among naturalized citizens, worries jumped from 12% in 2023 to 31% in 2025, while lawfully present immigrants saw concerns rise from 33% to 50% during the same period. For Asian immigrants, the doubling of fear is particularly striking given that many arrive through employment-based visas or family reunification and hold legal status.

This fear comes with significant economic strain. About half of all immigrants report struggling to pay for housing, food or health care in the past year. Adding to these pressures, Asian American small businesses have faced challenges from Trump’s retaliatory tariffs on items imported from Asia, including spices, rice, traditional medicines and cultural products, facing difficult choices between absorbing costs or passing them to customers.

The big picture: Most immigrants still say they would choose to come to the U.S. if they could decide again, with 70% affirming that decision. However, their perception of America as a welcoming destination has shifted sharply, with 60% now saying it used to be a great place for immigrants but no longer is, while just 36% believe it remains a great place.

Daily life has also changed in concrete ways. Economic difficulties have worsened, with 47% of immigrants reporting problems paying for essentials in the past year, compared to 31% in 2023. One Korean immigrant woman in California described a new reality: “Now, we must carry our passports on our bodies when we step out of the house. Never did that before.”