A new report from The Asian American Foundation revealed that some Americans are concerned about the “loyalty” of Asian Americans.

On Thursday, TAAF released its fifth annual Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S. (STAATUS) Index, a national study of Americans’ perceptions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs).

This year’s index found that a record percentage (40%) of Americans believe Asian Americans are more loyal to their countries of origin than to the U.S. That’s nearly double the percentage (21%) from the first index in 2021. Specifically, 1 in 4 Americans are concerned that Chinese Americans are a threat to U.S. society and national security.

Over the past few years, states have begun introducing and passing land laws, which would prevent Chinese institutions and citizens, as well as entities from a few other specific countries, from buying property. Four in ten Americans surveyed by TAAF said they supported that type of legislation.

Throughout history, U.S. foreign policy has impacted the way Asian Americans are viewed by their fellow countrymen. During World War II, for example, Japanese Americans faced racism and were later incarcerated. According to the 2025 STAATUS Index, only 44% of Americans strongly agree that Japanese American incarceration was wrong, with another 25% somewhat agreeing it was wrong. Another 15% disagreed that the incarceration was wrong.

Events abroad are also influencing younger generations’ perception of Asian Americans, but in a different way. Young Americans (16-24) listed Japanese anime films, K-dramas and K-pop music as their top source of information to learn about “Asian American experiences.” They also rely heavily on TikTok and Instagram for their information about Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

Many Americans surveyed admitted that they were unfamiliar with Asian American history and culture. Around 53% said they could not name a single significant event or policy involving Asian Americans and 42% could not name a single famous Asian American figure. This was the fifth year in a row that Jackie Chan (who is not American) and Bruce Lee topped the list of Asian Americans named.

However, many Americans do want to see ignorance towards Asian Americans addressed. Nearly 80% of Americans support solutions to uplift Asian American communities. Of those Americans, 41% support requiring the teaching of Asian American history and contributions.

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