AAPI Political Power Gains National Recognition as Biden Administration Meets with AAPI Leaders

Washington, D.C. —  IMPACT Executive Director, Neil Makhija issued this statement after meeting with President Biden and Vice President Harris today to discuss voting rights and immigration alongside 13 AAPI community leaders: 

“Thank you President Biden and Vice President Harris for speaking with South Asian and AAPI leaders, whose communities have historically been excluded from national discourse around these key issues. 

“We discussed the importance of protecting the right to vote and how South Asian and Asian American communities — which turned out in record numbers in 2020 — are now the target of voter suppression efforts. Protecting voting rights is not only essential for our democracy, but is the bedrock issue that affects every other legislative priority impacting our community. 

“The President and Vice President heard us loud and clear on immigration and civil rights, two intimately intertwined issues in which our laws determine who gets to become a citizen and who can effectively exercise the rights of citizenship. The President acknowledges that our communities are essential to the fabric of America, but our current laws undermine these values. We urged the President to reform our immigration laws by abolishing green card caps and quotas, and including 200,000 children of long-term visa holders in efforts to protect all Dreamers. 

“Today’s meeting was a significant step towards recognizing Indian American and AAPI voices as we work towards building a multi-racial democracy that works for us all.”

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IMPACT supports advocacy and power-building in the Indian American community by leveraging our collective power, building coalitions to achieve greater elected and appointed representation in government, boosting civic engagement, and protecting our civil rights, including voting rights. Visit our website at www.iaimpact.org to learn more.