Read full analysis by Stop AAPI Hate.
In 2024, Stop AAPI Hate issued a warning regarding Project 2025, a policy blueprint developed by the Heritage Foundation. One year into the second Trump administration, they examine how those proposals have transitioned into federal policy and their specific consequences for AAPI communities.
In 2025, the Administration opened 77 detention facilities, leading to record-high incarceration levels and the deadliest year for ICE custody in two decades. The report highlights that Asian immigrants, who constitute nearly 40% of the family visa backlog, are disproportionately harmed by new barriers, including a massive visa freeze targeting 13 AAPI nations and the legalization of racial profiling during immigration raids. These policies, coupled with the threat to birthright citizenship, have created a climate of fear, causing families to avoid essential healthcare and education services to escape government scrutiny.
The analysis also details the economic and social toll of the administration’s Project 2025 implementation. The imposition of nearly 50% tariffs on Chinese exports has fueled a cost-of-living crisis, placing immense strain on AAPI-owned small businesses and restaurants. Furthermore, the revival of programs similar to the “China Initiative” reignited the racial profiling of Chinese scientists and researchers, undermining academic freedom and professional security.
Looking toward 2026, Stop AAPI Hate warns of further escalations, including the potential elimination of birthright citizenship and deeper cuts to the social safety net via legislative actions like the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The article concludes that Project 2025 is being used to reshape the United States into a hostile environment for immigrants of color, emphasizing that the survival and prosperity of AAPI communities now depend on sustained solidarity and resistance against these authoritarian shifts.
