The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) has revealed that the country is sharply divided over the question of “what it means to be truly American.”
According to TAAF’s sixth annual Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S. (STAATUS) Index, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, half of U.S. adults (50%) say being born in the United States is important to being “truly American.” However, the share was much lower for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.
77% of the AAPI community says that being born in the U.S. is not important. This is the higher percentage than any other racial or ethnic group.
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The 2026 STAATUS Index, which is the leading national study of Americans’ perceptions of the AAPI community, shows uncertainty about the place of the nation’s 25 million AAPIs, revealing stark gaps in how U.S. adults think about the impact of federal policies on Asian Americans and the growing cultural influence of AAPIs.
The survey also shows that AAPIs are anxious amid mounting federal crackdowns on immigration, trade wars, safety concerns, and other pressures.
“The latest STAATUS Index provides our clearest look yet at the disconnect between how AAPIs experience life and how the rest of the country perceives us,” said Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF.
“Despite our community’s growing power, a significant share of the public is still forming views about America’s fastest-growing racial group with no direct connection or information.
This helps to explain the perception gaps that run throughout this report, and has real consequences for our community’s future,” he said.
The study also indicates that AAPIs are more likely than the general public to say recent federal policy changes—from tariffs, to immigration enforcement and student visa changes—have hurt Asian American communities.
The study also revealed that many Americans are forming opinions about the AAPI community without any direct connection. More than 1 in 4 U.S. adults (26%) report having none of seven common types of relationships with an Asian American, including a friend, neighbor, or co-worker. Nearly 1 in 3 (31%) say they receive no information about AAPI communities at all.
The study also shows that just 7% of Americans believe AAPI communities have “a great deal” of influence on U.S. culture. However, perceptions seem to be shifting, with nearly 1 in 3 (32%) Americans perceiving AAPIs as having gained influence in the last five years.
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The AAPI community is also more likely than other racial and ethnic groups to express support for Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, as such initiatives are rapidly being rolled back.
The research also shows that views of AAPI status differ sharply by race and ethnicity. White Americans see the status of Asian Americans in U.S. society as more similar to white people (64%) than to people of color (31%), but most AAPI, Black, and Hispanic adults disagree.
It also shows that 1 in 5 U.S. adults see Chinese Americans as a threat to U.S. society. However, Americans appear persuadable on key policy choices, including the U.S. government’s previously announced plans to revoke visas for some Chinese students.