National AANHPI Community Organizations Weigh In on the State of the Union
For Immediate Release
February 25, 2026
Media Contact:
Socheata Sun, Senior Communications Associate
socheata.sun@ocanational.org
The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), a coalition of 46 leading, national Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) organizations issued the following statement along with fact sheets after President Trump delivered his State of the Union address:
As President Trump shares a version of America that is thriving, we simply ask: How strong is a union when it is more divided than ever? Is a country truly strong when the richest few gain, while the rest of its people struggle?
Perhaps what is most revealing over the last year, is who the President seems to believe is his constituency. America is doing well because the wealthiest Americans are doing well, yet millions of AANHPIs and Americans across the country are facing the impossible decision of putting food on the table vs. paying rent, or paying for healthcare for their families.
President Trump’s economy is supposedly booming, yet our communities today have less opportunity than they did one year ago. Billions of dollars have been taken out of education and healthcare. Simply because of how we look or where we’re from, we are being barred from small business loans or buying a home.
President Trump’s version of America has never been safer, yet communities across the country are being terrorized, families torn apart, and citizens killed by an Administration that insists it can act with impunity and without accountability.
And finally, President Trump’s version of America has never been more free, yet dissent is unpatriotic. Speaking out is un-American and justification for the federal government to target its own people.
The state of our union may be divided, but we will never abandon the belief that America’s greatest accomplishments have been when it makes good on the promise that all Americans have an ownership stake in this country.
John C. Yang, President and Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC: “Everyone, regardless of who they are or where they come from, deserves to live in safe communities where they can thrive. The America that President Trump speaks of in his speech is not reflective of the lived realities of millions of people, and more importantly, it is not the America we should aspire to be. This administration has escalated violent immigration raids based on racist ideas of who ‘belongs’ in this country, leaving families and communities in fear. Essential programs that benefit all Americans, such as healthcare access and affordability and education access, have been gutted on the basis of false claims. But across the country, communities are already charting a path for what America should and can be: neighbors supporting neighbors, local leaders protecting all residents, and people pushing for a government that reflects their values. We will hold this administration accountable and together, move towards an inclusive and just country.”
Christine Chen, Executive Director, APIAVote: “Voting should be accessible to every eligible citizen. A majority, 56 percent, of Asian American eligible voters are naturalized citizens who chose this country, went through the rigorous process of becoming U.S. citizens, and deeply value the right to vote. Any effort to limit, hinder, or prevent participation in the democratic process is unconscionable. Suppressing the vote is an attack on our democracy, and we must ensure every eligible voter can make their voice heard. Democracy only works when we uphold its principles.”
National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA): "The State of the Union is unwell. AANHPI communities across the country are experiencing a rise in mental health challenges. These challenges are exacerbated by rising living costs, the dismantling of vital mental health services, data, and infrastructure, and harsh immigration policies and enforcement imposed by the current administration. We call on policymakers and funders to ring the alarm - our resilience should not be an excuse for our continued, collective trauma. We call on our communities to lean into affirming spaces centering our cultures and our collective care."
Seema Agnani, Chief Executive Officer, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD): “The state of the union is measured by the state of communities and neighborhoods across the country–places that honor our culture, strengthen a sense of belonging, and enable people to thrive. This administration will tell us there have been economic gains, but the reality is that communities are living in fear and uncertainty and struggling with the rising cost of living. Small businesses that anchor our communities and our country are confronting policies that fail to recognize their contributions. Our union is strong when communities and neighborhoods are strong, when communities feel secure in the places they call home, and when working people and small businesses flourish.”
Joshua Ang Price, Executive Director, National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA): “A strong union depends on a strong democracy — and that means ensuring every eligible voter can register, participate, and have their voice heard. At the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), civic engagement is one of our Four Pillars and is rooted in bayanihan — the spirit of collective action and shared responsibility. Our communities deserve not just opportunity, but representation. When barriers to voting arise, we rise to meet them through organizing, educating, and mobilizing to protect our fundamental right to vote. Our nation's democracy works best when all of us are counted.”
Thu Nguyen, Executive Director, OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates: “While President Trump touts a booming economy and record stock market gains, everyday Americans are struggling to afford the basics. As grocery prices rise and insurance premiums climb, working families are pushed to the brink. While he claims to 'Make America Great Again,' it is evident that his vision serves only a certain class of citizens, as his Administration continues relentless attacks on immigrants, like my parents, who are simply trying to build a life, contribute, and pursue the American Dream. OCA and NCAPA remain steadfast in our commitment to hold this administration accountable and to advocate for the AAPI community and beyond.”
Harman Singh, Executive Director, The Sikh Coalition: “The past 13 months has seen a grave assault on civil rights in our country: cruelty and violence in immigration enforcement, assaults on inclusive education, rollbacks on discrimination protections, a lack of high-level accountability for foreign governments perpetrating transnational repression, and more. Our communities urgently need the federal government to return to a vision of America that prioritizes the rule of law and equal protections for all. Anything less will only continue to deepen divisions and tear at the fabric of our diverse, pluralistic democracy.”
Samira Khan, President, South Asian Public Health Association: “This year’s State of the Union overlooks a reality that many South Asian families have been confronting: rising healthcare costs, cuts to critical health programs and services, and increasing threats to personal safety make it significantly harder to seek care when it is needed most. No community can remain healthy when individuals are forced to delay or forgo essential healthcare because the financial burden is overwhelming or because they fear for their safety in simply leaving their homes. We call on policymakers to address these barriers with the urgency they require and to invest in the systems that protect our communities’ health.”
Quyen Dinh, Executive Director, Southeast Asia Action Resource Center: “Leadership should protect and preserve belonging, not fear and violence. Today, we see policies that have harmed everyone - from the exponential increase of state violence including Southeast Asian American deportation, to the dismantling of community resources that have placed greater strain on families. Southeast Asian American communities have spent 50 years helping to build this country, yet we are still fighting to protect our families and dignity. Even in the face of grief and uncertainty, we remain resilient—survivors across generations coming together to support one another and demand a future grounded in belonging.”
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About OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates
Founded in 1973, OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national, member-driven social justice organization of community advocates dedicated to advancing the sociopolitical and holistic well-being of all Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs). Learn more about our work at ocanational.org/about.