On Tuesday, the President addressed Congress and the nation to outline the initiatives his administration has pursued thus far. From toughening immigration policies, imposing tariffs on neighboring countries, to ending diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the federal government, the President focused on many areas that he had been raising during his campaign. Since his inauguration on January 20, President Trump has issued nearly 100 executive orders and counting. From mass dismissals of federal workers to dismantling programs that serve the American public, to undermining diversity and inclusion efforts and scapegoating immigrants, these actions do not serve the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

In the 2024 elections, AAPI voters made it clear through our Asian American Voter Surveys that their top priorities were the economy, inflation, and healthcare. While the President claims to be addressing these issues, his approach thus far seems to be having a negative effect on key economic indicators. His focus on policies that threaten democracy and promote division are of clear concern to many in the AAPI community.

The American people, including AAPI communities, need a government that addresses their concerns. If this administration wants to genuinely serve all Americans, including AAPI communities, it must move beyond its divisive agenda and focus on building a future that fosters opportunity, justice, and shared prosperity for everyone – no matter their race, class, gender, or zip code.

A Win for Voting Rights: Court Strikes Down AZ Voter Suppression Laws 

In an important victory for voting rights, last week the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down several provisions in two Arizona laws passed in 2022 that would have required Arizonans to have “heightened proof of citizenship from federal-form and state-form applications.” These provisions were deemed discriminatory and an attempt to prevent eligible Arizonans from voting.

Currently, Arizona is the only state that requires proof of citizenship to register for state and local elections. Since 2004, this policy has created a dual-registration system: voters who do not provide citizenship documents can register using the federal voter registration form (versus the state form) but they would only be eligible to vote in presidential and congressional elections. The 2022 laws sought to expand these restrictions by preventing Arizonans from voting in federal elections too unless they met the state’s proof-of-citizenship requirements. In other words, these now struck-down provisions would have attempted to supersede federal law and require proof of citizenship to register to vote in any election at all.

Other struck-down provisions include:

• Requiring county recorders to conduct citizenship checks on voters “suspected” of not being citizens
• Mandating periodic cancellation of registrations within 90 days before a federal election
• Requiring voters to submit documents proving their Arizona residency to vote in federal elections. 

The court’s ruling is a major victory for Arizonans’ voting rights, and we congratulate our partners at Arizona Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Equity Coalition (AZ AANHPI) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC for helping make this happen. We expect the ruling to be appealed in the near future.

Executive Order to Make English America’s Official Language

President Trump signed an executive order on Saturday, March 1 that designated English as the country’s official language. The executive order also rescinds policies that require federal agencies and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance for non-English speakers. Even though a fact sheet on the order states that “agencies will have flexibility to decide how and when to offer services in languages other than English to best serve the American people and fulfill their agency mission,” it is highly unlikely that language accessibility will be prioritized.

English is the United States’ most widely-used language, but the United States has always been a multilingual country and allows Americans to speak any language they want. The United States is not alone; other countries with diverse populations such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and Mexico also do not have an official language. Opponents of designating English as an official language have done so out of concern it would lead to violations of equal protection under the law.

Within the AAPI community, hundreds of different languages are spoken. Additionally:

• 66 percent of Asian Americans speak another language at home
• 34 percent of Asian Americans actually have limited English proficiency.

Making English the official language not only risks ostracizing the 2 out of 3 AAPI families in our community and the United States at large, it has the potential to create unnecessary challenges for the millions of AAPIs who rely on language assistance to access the resources and information they need to succeed.

While we have yet to feel the full effects of this harmful EO, you can help:

• Document whenever you learn that a family member, friend or community member has difficulty accessing the vital government services they need because of a language barrier

• Document whether translated materials were provided in the past but no longer available.
• Speak to your elected officials, the media and advocates to amplify these stories.

CISA Employees Placed on Leave, Election Security at Risk

Several employees at Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), an agency within the Department of Homeland Security tasked with helping to secure elections from foreign threats and disinformation, have been placed on administrative leave. 

Many election deniers have misleadingly claimed over the years that efforts to combat foreign threats, disinformation, and other harmful content online were attempts to censor Americans and influence elections domestically. 

Prior to CISA’s creation, there were no federal agencies truly providing comprehensive election security support to state and local officials. With US democracy under attack from outside and inside the country alike, efforts to ensure voters have the ability to cast their ballot freely and privately are now more important than ever. The future of CISA is currently uncertain.

Updates on the Continuing Resolution

As the March 14 deadline to pass a FY 2025 budget (the “continuing resolution” or CR) inches closer, lawmakers have varying demands that are seemingly at odds with one another and if the CR isn’t passed by the deadline there will be no funds to keep most of the federal government operating. Some Republicans want to lock in the cuts devised by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by codifying the cuts into law by including them in the upcoming CR, arguing the cuts will make “government run more efficiently” and “save taxpayer money.” However, this is a non-starter for the overwhelming majority of Democratic lawmakers, as they stand against cuts to programs like Medicare and Medicaid which will affect tens of millions of Americans including those in the AAPI community, and the gutting of various government agencies targeted by DOGE. This makes this plan’s passage nearly impossible as most funding measures will have to reach the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, where a slight majority of 53 Republicans reside. 

Speaker Mike Johnson has thus proposed a CR which will keep government funding at current levels, and codifying DOGE cuts for the FY 2026 funding process instead. However, this is a non-starter for some House Republicans. This means Johnson would have to garner enough Democratic votes in the House to offset any Republican members who oppose such a budget. With less than a week and a half left before the deadline, it is not clear what the FY 2025’s budget (CR) will look like or if the government will shut down because the CR fails to pass.

The budget negotiations fall against the backdrop of Trump’s recent attempts to freeze funding and delay spending money that Congress has already appropriated. It has greatly fueled concern among many lawmakers whether or not the President will carry out the laws passed by Congress. Additionally, this uncertainty impacts community organizations as well, including those serving the AAPI community. Questions of whether or not grants will be honored loom large, impacting AAPIs’ ability to access crucial resources such as assistance with the immigration process or food assistance. It also leaves AAPI-serving organizations’ ability to remain open unclear. Ultimately, it appears that this is a question that the Supreme Court will have to weigh in on.

Support for Reintroduction of John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

On March 5, 2025, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (John Lewis VRAA) will be reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation is critical to restoring and strengthening the Voting Rights Act, ensuring that every American has equal access to the ballot. As voting rights face unprecedented threats, it is imperative for Congress to act and protect our democracy.

This reintroduction comes just days before the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement when John Lewis and other activists risked their lives to secure the right to vote. As we commemorate this historic moment in Selma, we must channel that legacy into action by demanding the passage of the John Lewis VRAA. Throughout the anniversary weekend, we encourage everyone to uplift this legislation and call on Congress to protect our freedom to vote.

Read our full statement on the reintroduction of this act here.