BackPOLITICS
Survey reveals Indian-Americans consider leaving US during Trump's second term
A Carnegie Endowment–YouGov survey of Indian Americans conducted from late 2025 to early 2026 finds that a significant minority have considered leaving the United States during Trump's second term. About 40% stated they had thought of moving, with 14% often and 26% occasionally considering it, driven by political frustration and high cost of living, among other factors. The findings also cover party identification shifts and discrimination experiences within the community.
Why It Matters
The results indicate attitudes in a large immigrant community that could influence migration trends, diaspora politics, and domestic policy considerations in the United States.
Timeline
3 Events
Publication of IAAS findings reported in article
April 23, 2026
The article reports IAAS findings: around 40% of Indian Americans said they had considered moving out of the US, with 14% saying they thought of it frequently and 26% occasionally. About 37% said the thought did not occur, and 22% thought about it rarely. Driving reasons include frustration with US politics (58%), cost of living (54%), personal safety concerns (41%), better career opportunities outside the country (25%), family considerations (24%), and immigration hurdles (20%). The survey notes a majority alignment with the Democratic Party, but Democratic identification has declined since 2020 while Republican identification has increased modestly. It also highlights increased exposure to racism and discrimination without a significant change since 2020 in reported direct discrimination, and notes the community's size (over 5.2 million people of Indian origin in the US) amid rising anti-India sentiment in the United States. The piece mentions disapproval of Trump’s handling of the domestic economy, international economic policy, and immigration, suggesting the second term may not be as favorable for some Indian-Americans.
IAAS fieldwork ends
January 6, 2026
Fieldwork for the IAAS ends; the survey period spans November 25, 2025–January 6, 2026.
IAAS fieldwork begins
November 25, 2025
The 2026 Indian American Attitudes Survey (IAAS), conducted in partnership with YouGov and Carnegie Endowment researchers, begins fieldwork. The fieldwork period runs from November 25, 2025, to January 6, 2026.