Indian Americans Could Decide the Next US President: Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump
By Suchitra Mukherjee
New York [US], September 27: The Indian diaspora is expected to play a significant role in the upcoming US presidential elections. With around 5 million people of Indian descent living in the US, they have the potential to influence votes in key battleground states.
Influence in Key States
Avinash Gupta, President of the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), stated, “The Indian diaspora is a growing and influential community in the US, and while their overall share of the electorate is still relatively small, they are becoming a significant voting bloc, especially in key swing states like Texas, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.”
Key Issues for Indian Americans
Gupta highlighted that immigration policies are a major concern for the Indian diaspora. “Some of the key issues for the Indian diaspora are immigration policies. Given that many are immigrants or have close ties to immigration, policies related to family reunification, green card backlogs, and H1-B visa reforms are often of primary concern,” he said.
Healthcare and economic issues are also significant. “Healthcare, as many Indian Americans are professionals in healthcare, affordable healthcare and better working conditions for medical professionals are key issues,” Gupta added. He also mentioned that policies supporting economic growth, small business ownership, and entrepreneurship resonate well with the diaspora.
Political Preferences
Both major parties, Republicans and Democrats, are actively courting the Indian-American vote. Gupta noted that the community tends to lean towards Democrats, with about 74% voting for Joe Biden in 2020. However, Donald Trump has supporters within the community, especially those who are more conservative or business-oriented.
Divided Opinions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rallied the Indian community in the US, emphasizing the importance of democracy and the power of the diaspora. Gupta mentioned that the community is divided between supporting Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. “The question is, if she was in power for the last four years, why did she not do any of the things she is promising to do?” he questioned.
Jagdish Sewhani, President of the American India Public Affairs Committee, emphasized the importance of the Indian-American vote in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, and Michigan. “This election is a very close election and a few thousand votes will decide who is going to be the next president of the US,” he said.
Alok Kumar, Chairman of Bihar Foundation USA (East Coast), highlighted Kamala Harris’s potential to make history as the first female president, representing both the Black and Indian-American communities. He also noted that Trump’s strong stance on US-India relations might resonate with some voters.
The Indian diaspora in the US is torn between supporting Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential elections, making their vote a key factor in determining the outcome.
Doubts Revealed
Indian diaspora -: The Indian diaspora refers to people of Indian origin who live outside India. In this case, it means Indians living in the US.
US presidential elections -: These are elections held every four years in the United States to choose the President, who is the leader of the country.
Kamala Harris -: Kamala Harris is the Vice President of the United States. She is of Indian and Jamaican descent.
Donald Trump -: Donald Trump is a businessman and politician who was the President of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
immigration policies -: These are rules made by a country about who can come and live there from other countries.
healthcare -: Healthcare refers to the services provided to keep people healthy, like hospitals and doctors.
economic growth -: Economic growth means the increase in the amount of goods and services produced by a country, which usually means more jobs and better living standards.
battleground states -: These are states in the US where the vote is very close, and both major political parties have a good chance of winning.
