What it means to be ‘truly American,’ according to AAPIs: new survey

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) has released new research revealing the country is sharply divided over a fundamental question: what does it mean 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.” By contrast, 77% of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) say it is not, a higher share than any other racial or ethnic group.

The 2026 STAATUS Index, the leading national study of Americans’ perceptions of AAPIs, also finds widespread 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.

As millions prepare to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month in May, the survey also shows 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.”

Key findings from the 2026 STAATUS Index include:

• The U.S. public is divided over who counts as “truly American.” As the Supreme Court weighs challenges to birthright citizenship, half of U.S. adults say being born in the U.S. is important to being truly American, while 77% of AAPIs say it is not. AAPIs are also more likely than other groups to rate being white (93%) or being a Christian (84%) as unimportant to American identity.

• Worry is more top of mind for AAPIs than for other groups. When asked how they feel about life right now, Americans overall most often say hopeful (48%), including white (50%), Black (53%), and Hispanic (44%) adults. AAPIs are the only racial or ethnic group for whom worry (44%) outranks hope (40%).

• From tariffs to student visa restrictions to immigration enforcement, AAPIs are more likely than the general public to say recent federal policy changes have hurt Asian American communities. Nearly three quarters of AAPIs (71%) say tariffs on goods imported from countries like China or India have negatively impacted Asian American communities, compared with 47% of U.S. adults overall. AAPIs are also more likely than the general public to express distrust in ICE’s ability to enforce immigration laws fairly and safely in their communities (61% vs. 51%).

• Just 7% of U.S. adults believe AAPI communities have “a great deal” of influence on U.S. culture. Gen Zers (18-24) are somewhat more likely than older Americans (50+) to share that view, though differences are modest (11% vs. 4%). But perceptions may be shifting, with nearly 1 in 3 (32%) Americans perceiving AAPIs as having gained influence in the last five years. AAPIs themselves are more likely than other racial and ethnic groups to perceive their own group as having gained influence in that time (50%).

• Amid rollbacks of DEI initiatives across the country, AAPIs are the most likely of all racial and ethnic groups to express support for DEI generally, with two-thirds (66%) of AAPI adults expressing support compared to 48% of U.S. adults overall. 

• 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. Nearly 3 in 4 AAPIs (74%) see the status of their own racial group as more similar to people of color than to white people.

• Safety challenges remain years after the rise in anti-Asian violence during the pandemic. 1 in 5 AAPI adults report being harassed, threatened, or insulted because of their race or ethnicity in the last 12 months.

• Americans want to know more about AAPIs. They just have not had the chance yet. More than half of Americans (53%) cannot name a single significant event in Asian American history. Yet Americans point to concrete ways they are willing to engage: school and community programs that promote understanding of AAPI culture (43%) and films and TV that authentically portray AAPI experiences (37%) top the list of solutions Americans say they would support.

Additional findings and data are available in the full report at share.taaf.org/STAATUS2026.