Report Links Surge in Anti-South Asian Hate Speech to Political Rhetoric and Economic Anxiety

A comprehensive report released Sunday by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH) reveals a dramatic escalation in anti-South Asian hate speech online, attributing the surge to former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, economic resentment, and the increasing visibility of South Asians in American public life.

Titled “The Rising Tide of Anti-South Asian Hate in the United States,” the study indicates that monthly hate posts targeting Indians, Bangladeshis, and Pakistanis on the social media platform X increased by 240 percent between January 2024 and June 2026. The volume of such content climbed from 12,904 posts to 43,843 during that period.

Researchers identified more than 542,000 hateful posts directed at South Asians between January 2025 and June 2026 alone. Notably, five of the six months with the highest volume of hate speech occurred toward the end of this timeframe. The analysis relied on the United Nations definition of hate speech, filtering out non-hateful criticism to focus on recurring slurs and narratives.

The findings highlight that nearly half of the hate posts on X accused South Asians of invading the US, stealing jobs, or posing a demographic threat. The derogatory slur “pajeet” and its variations appeared in 30 percent of hateful posts on X, rising to 45 percent on fringe platforms. Additionally, depictions of South Asians as unhygienic surged by 171 percent on X, identified as the fastest-growing narrative.

The report argues that hate speech frequently conflates diverse ethnic and religious groups, treating Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis as a monolith, alongside Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and Christian communities. This homogenization aligns with the “Great Replacement Theory,” a conspiracy theory fueled by majority anxieties about status loss.

While racism against South Asians has deep roots in the US, researchers link the current spike to specific political and economic flashpoints. The H-1B visa program, which allows employers to hire skilled foreign workers, is cited as a primary trigger. Indians comprise over 70 percent of H-1B visa holders. The report connects spikes in hate speech to political debates over the program, such as Trump’s September 2025 mandate requiring a $100,000 payment for certain new H-1B petitions.

“Such actions serve a powerful symbolic function, in the bargain reinforcing the hostility of Trump’s base toward South Asians,” the report states. Another key moment identified was Trump’s July 2025 speech at an AI summit, where he criticized US tech companies for outsourcing jobs to India, followed by a sharp rise in anti-South Asian rhetoric online.

Government officials have also been implicated. The report references a now-deleted September 2026 Department of Homeland Security post titled “Transformers: Age of Deportations,” which featured a Sikh man identified as “Mr Singh” and urged him to “get off our roads.” Shortly after, the Department of Education posted “Make College Football Great Again” following complaints from Texas Republican Bo French regarding South Asian presence at a University of Texas football game.

The perception of South Asians has shifted from the “model minority” stereotype to portrayals of them as “opportunists and cheats.” This shift coincides with growing political visibility, including figures such as Vice President Kamala Harris, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, VP JD Vance’s wife Usha Vance, and politician Vivek Ramaswamy. Racist attacks against these figures cross party lines, with Mamdani’s electoral successes triggering spikes in abuse.

Social media has facilitated targeted harassment, including doxxing—revealing private details like home addresses—of individuals accused of visa fraud or job theft. Right-wing influencers have also confronted South Asians at their homes and workplaces. Generative AI has further enabled the production of content depicting South Asians as filthy, sexually predatory, or culturally backward.

Researchers caution that online hate reinforces offline hostility. They cite a July incident in Utah where an Indian Muslim mall employee was stabbed repeatedly in a charged hate crime, and a September attack in Wyoming where a Sikh truck driver was stabbed 17 times at a truck stop. The report concludes that narratives and stereotypes move fluidly between digital platforms, political discourse, and everyday life, creating a dangerous feedback loop.