By Fatima Hasan 

The US presidential elections were marked as one of the most important elections, especially for the 5.2 million immigrants of Indian origin. With Kamala Harris on the ballot for the highest post, this second-largest immigrant group played a significant role. But this election, as the previous polls in recent years, revealed a political shift among these voters. Traditionally deemed to be leaning towards Democrats, the Indian-American community now finds the Republican Party more promising.    

India Tribune interviewed a few Indian-American community members to understand their shifting political loyalties.   

Giving his insight on the shifting perceptions of the Indian community in USA, Sridhar Lal, a research writer in the USA, explained it in three different stages – 1965-1990, 1990s and 2014 onwards.  He said “those who came during 1965 to 1990 came with a dream for education, job and family. When they arrived they got good jobs in city areas controlled by Democrats.”   

From the job point of view, Lal observed these people liked Democrats. He further said, “As they were by-products of Nehruvian and Gandhian principles, they naturally associated with Democrats. Democratic ideology is liberalism, helping the other country, foreign policy, military and industrial policies. During this period, Indians were not satisfied with the Nixon and Kissinger policy regarding Bangladesh, and with Jimmy Carter, Indians felt that he was interfering in India.” At the same time, Lal points out, “the Indian community people wanted their kids to go to school and they shifted to suburban areas reined by Republicans.”  

In the 1990s till 2014, he said, “the IT professionals from among the Indian community did not like the taxation policies of Republicans, and were reluctant to support them. But soon, the Indian-American view evolved.” He said 2006 was the turning point. “In the second term of President George W Bush, Indian-Americans got involved when India and US signed the nuclear treaty and became prominent. They were able to associate with Bush who took an interest in nuclear treaty despite restrictions from the previous governments.” The 123 Agreement, popularly known as the nuclear Indo-US nuclear deal, was signed by then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the then US president George W Bush.   

 “With the emergence of Narendra Modi in 2014, the India and USA relations became much more inclusive.  In the last two elections, the large chunks of people of went for the Republican party,” he observes.   

Explaining how Kamala Harris's attitude in this election played a part, he continues “ Kamala Harris in 2020 projected herself as Afro-American but this time she projected herself as Afro-American and South Asian woman and that played against her among Indian American community. That is why these voters, who are not coming from Nehruvian policy, are shifting from the Democrats to the Republicans.”  He said that these people understand the hypocrisy of Democratic leaders.  

Parveen Chopra, who is a political observer and a journalist, gave his expert opinion on the subject. “The belief is that when new immigrants come to America, they are all Democrats because they need all the support and all the facilities. Once they settle down, they become more prosperous and they move into better cities or towns’ neighborhoods and turn to Republicans because they want more security as they have bigger houses and their children are studying there and so on. These are long-term factors.”  

Explaining this election, Chopra said, “From within the Indian community also, there are different religious communities who had different reasons for turning towards the Republicans, such as Muslims, who voted against the Biden administration as they were unhappy about Gaza war.” According to the figures reported by NBC News, Trump won the most Arab American city, Dearborn, Michigan vote in the Nov. 5 elections.   

While Hindus in the Indian American community, he said. felt that Kamala Harris was underplaying her Hindu ancestry. “In the last four years, she never visited India and often has been making anti-India statements on Kashmir and minorities issues.”      

Talking about the shift in Indian-American community preferences over the years, Chopra said, “The top concern for the people is to know who will grow the economy better as they have seen the job market getting worse in Biden-Harris Administration. These people lean towards Trump as he is a businessman and they felt the economy was better during his earlier four-year term.” 

Chopra points out “the surge in illegal immigration in the last few years also played a part.”  He spoke to the Indian–American community members about these elections. He said, “People felt that the diversity, equality and inclusion policies of Democrats are going to the other extreme, meaning that they have discriminatory attitude against the Indian community.”   

According to Chopra, the difference between Republicans and Democrats in America is that Republicans believe in a top-bottom approach i.e. if there is more business and if  there are more rich business people, they will build more Industries and businesses and somehow the prosperity will percolate down. Whereas, he says, Democrats believe the other way around. “The rich should be taxed and the poor should be supported more so that there is a growth from bottom upwards.” Chopra is currently the editor of his own website - A Lotus in the Mud.com.   

Bharat Barai, chairman of the US-India community foundation, gives detailed overview of the factors that led to the Democrats’ slide down in this election.  “The city of Chicago spent close to $260 million on illegal immigrants when they were coming from Texas in big numbers. I think they should have spent the money on the homeless citizens here instead,” he said.  He questioned why the Biden administration did not do anything about the illegal crossings at the border when they were aware of it. 

The second factor, Barai says, was the economy. “The inflation was allowed to go up so much because of irresponsible spending. The inflation remained unchecked.”  

Barai then comes to law and order. He complains that “at many places in the West, the people started shop lifting as the police were told not to do anything if the money was thousand and less. That encouraged shop-lifting, which increased manifold. As a result, the stores in the inner cities had to shut down. Shops were burned down. They were looted, even in Chicago downtown.  It created an impression that Democratic Mayors of the major cities allowed these things to happen.  So, this was the law and order, police, and then on top of that, some of the left-wing members of Congress also talked about de-funding of the police.”    

Coming to the specific issues that affected Indian-Americans, Barai said that Kamala Harris tried to needle Indians in the name of human rights. Why does the US use human rights as a political weapon, he questioned, when they are not concerned about human rights in the US itself. “Now, in Kashmir, so many ordinary people are killed.  Why they don't talk about that, asked Barai. In Bangladesh, over 100 Hindu temples were desecrated and Hindus were killed. So, why did Biden administration not speak a word about it? That was a big triggering point for many Indians,” he reasons. And that's where Trump spoke about atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. 

On November 1, Trump made an open statement on X in his Diwali message condemning the attacks on Hindus, Christians and other minorities by mobs in Bangladesh. On the other hand, Barai tells, “there are many policies of Trump that I don’t like but his policy for India is very good and that is what is pleasing the Indian-American community.” According to Barai, the Indian-American community does not share the ideologies with Republicans either. He says, “but they have to choose between the two parties and they go with what is nearer, if not perfect.” 

 “The Indian-Americans were associated with Democrats initially but the Democratic Party has become left-wing now.” The Indian community is also not happy at the fact that the illegal immigrants got working rights while they have to wait for years to get H1 visas and Green card.  

For H-1B to Green card conversion, there is a yearly quota of 7,000 out of 50,000 professional services as per the USCIS website.    

Some Indian-Americans reflected on their 2024 presidential election choices.  

Jam eel Mohammad, a retired businessman from Texas, who voted for Trump in this election said that “jobs and economic situation were the main reasons. Middle East crisis was the second issue that decided my vote to the Republican Party.”  

Sohan Joshi, ex-president of National Federation of Indian Americans, said “the border and the economy are the top issues. So we are waiting and thinking that it can be stopped under Trump era.” Joshi is a Democrat, but he believes that Trump’s administration can better deliver on these issues. He said it is popular opinion that the Republicans are comparatively better on these subjects. The annual inflation rate for the United States was 2.6% for the 12 months ending October 2024, as per the U.S. Labor Department data updated on Nov 13, 2024.   

Joshi hopes that the Republican Party can handle economy, control inflation and undocumented immigration as they are in the majority both in the Senate and the House. The Associated Press reported that the Republicans won 218 seats needed to control the US House of Representatives.   

 Avinash Gupta, a practicing cardiologist in New Jersey, explains that “the local conditions –such as economy, illegal immigration and open borders decide the vote. Then the international crisis and the country's stance play as other factors.”  According to him, the Indian-American community also look out for a leader who is good for India. 

Gupta believes that “the liberal nature of the Democratic party made it look more elitist.” On the other hand, he says, “the Republican Party appeared like welcoming everybody and thus the Indian–American community started associating more with Republicans. He pointed out that Democrats have rigid policies whereas India can negotiate with a business-minded person like Trump.  

  Kalpesh Joshi, the Midwest region director of Asian American Hotel Owners Association [ AAHOA],  said that they still have friends in Democratic Party and that  the Indian- American community has not completely switched to Republicans. But, Joshi complains that the way the Democratic Party is functioning currently is causing concern. “It is just getting worse, particularly after the Black lives matter movement. The security is the biggest concern of the small businesses,” he explains.  

The Wikipedia page of the Black lives matter movement describes the movement as the decentralized social and political movement aimed to highlight the racism and discrimination faced by the Black people and to promote anti-racism.” 

For businesspeople who own convenience stores, liquor stores, etc, the police are not supporting the way they used as a result of which the security and safety became an issue, Joshi says. “If people feel they are not secure, they are going to find another option, and that is why people are leaning towards Republican Party,” he reasons.   

For Joshi, the Democratic Party handling of law and order situation and Border issue were the topmost concerns. These, he said, “made the people realize that they have to move forward with other options. Who cares for the country and not just for themselves. That is why people are moving towards Republican Party.”  

Dr Manish Brahmaputra, a physician, who went for Republican Party in this election, said that the economy, peace, education and putting the country first decided his vote.  “Republicans in the election agenda said ‘that the border should be sealed and the benefits that the Illegal immigrants are enjoying  will  be dealt with strict actions.’” 

For him, the illegal immigration and the economy were the biggest issues that decided his vote.  He reasons that Trump understands the peace-loving nature of the Indian-American community and he has cordial relations with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.   

While Maseeh Uddin, a businessman from Minnesota, says that he and his family went for a Republican this time as the Democratic administration failed them on many issues like, “ intransigence on same sex and transgender issues; uncontrolled inflation and  uncontrolled immigration.”    

This time for him, he said, the Democratic administration’s unflinching support of Israel and the genocide of Palestinians were of concern. “We didn’t particularly like Donald Trump, but under the circumstances we didn’t have a choice but to abandon the Democrats.” During his campaign, Trump called for end to war in Gaza, the Washington Post report.