[VT Washington, D.C.] In Washington, D.C., Rep. Grace Meng (NY – 06), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), released the following statement regarding President Trump’s divisive Joint Address to Congress:
“President Trump had the opportunity to deliver a speech that could unify the country and address the urgent needs of the American people. Instead, he chose to foment division, spread lies, and mislead the public about his extreme policies that would harm the working class and millions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) across the nation.
“Trump and Congressional Republicans aim to fund tax breaks for billionaires by slashing Medicaid, gutting public education, and eliminating food assistance – vital programs that our community relies on. His administration is determined to erase the contributions of AANHPI from American history, tear apart immigrant communities, and eliminate language access for individuals with limited English proficiency.
“No golden age of America can occur while the lives and livelihoods of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are under attack. We will not be silenced. We will not be erased. And we will never stop demanding the respect, justice, and equality that our communities deserve.”
Background Information:
The budget resolution passed by House Republicans and endorsed by President Trump would cut up to $2.5 trillion in federal Medicaid funding to pay for tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. This would threaten the healthcare coverage of 4.5 million AANHPIs who were enrolled in Medicaid comprehensive benefits in 2020.
The budget resolution also threatens funding for food assistance, public education, school lunches, and affordable healthcare. Specific programs and benefits at risk of cuts include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Pell grants, Head Start, and the Affordable Care Act.
In addition to these harmful cuts, President Trump recently revoked Executive Order (EO) 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency,” which required federal agencies to provide language access to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) who need help accessing federal services. This impacts nearly 32 percent of the AANHPI community who are LEP.
Under the direction of the Trump administration, federal agencies no longer recognize important commemorative dates, including AANHPI Heritage Month, which celebrate the contributions of diverse communities to the United States.
President Trump and Vice President Vance also argued for the reinstatement of a Department of Government Efficiency staff member who was linked to racist social media posts advocating to “normalize Indian hate” and stating “I was racist before it was cool.” Since the 2024 election, violent threats on online platforms increased by 59 percent, with 73 percent of anti – Asian slurs and 75 percent of anti – Asian threats directed at South Asians. This surge coincided with the use of xenophobic rhetoric from President Trump and his allies.
Founded in 1994, the bicameral Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus is composed of 79 Members of Congress who advocate on behalf of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. The Caucus is led by Congresswoman Grace Meng, who was elected CAPAC Chair in 2024.
