The Wire: Deepening Fault Lines Within the Indian-American Community

The diasporic narratives, both in US and India, often paint the Indian-American community with a broad brush, suggesting a unified community. A closer look, however, suggests this narrative to be only partially true.

Desis Divided (Sangay Mishra)Indian Americans are increasingly occupying an important place in political conversations both in the US and India. Being one of the fastest growing groups in the US – the third largest after Mexican and Chinese Americans – they have lately been targets of anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions. There have been policy proposals such as cutting down of H-1B visas, imposing new restrictions and reducing the number of immigrants entering through family reunification visas, the last one reiterated by President Donald Trump in his first State of the Union address.

Immigration enforcement agencies have also deliberately targeted small businesses like 7-Eleven that tend to employ South Asians with precarious visa status. Furthermore, continuing hate violence against South Asian and Muslim Americans has put the community on edge. The killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Olathe, Kansas in 2017 reflected a tragic consequence of anti-immigrant rhetoric that has touched the community.

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Published in: The Wire
By: Sangay Mishra