NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Dallas, TX, November 2, 2026: Nearly six in 10 South Asians in Texas say they have experienced some form of hate in the past year, while almost two-thirds believe elected officials do not understand their community’s concerns, according to a new statewide survey released ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
Despite these experiences, the survey found strong interest in political participation, with 79% of South Asian registered voters saying they are likely to vote in November and half of respondents reporting that the current political climate has made them more motivated to cast their ballots.
The survey, titled Belonging Under Pressure: SAAVETX EF South Asian Community Survey, was commissioned by the South Asian American Voter Empowerment of Texas Education Fund (SAAVETX EF) in collaboration with the University of California, San Diego. Released on October 28, it surveyed 1,000 South Asian adults living in Texas.
One of its most striking findings is the gap between identity and acceptance. While 67% of respondents said they identify at least somewhat strongly as Texans, only 34% said they feel completely or mostly accepted in the state.
The survey found that 58% had experienced at least one form of hate in Texas during the previous year because of their race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, accent or immigration background. These experiences included online harassment, threats of violence and damage to places of worship.
Additionally, 64% said they had frequently or sometimes heard South Asians or immigrants described as “invaders” or “outsiders” over the past two years.
Political rhetoric was also identified as a concern. Sixty-two percent of respondents believed political rhetoric contributes a great deal or somewhat to hostility toward South Asians.
The findings point to a widespread sense of political underrepresentation. Nearly two-thirds of respondents, or 64%, said elected officials do not understand their community’s concerns well or at all, while 54% believed South Asians have little or no political power.
However, the survey also found that these concerns have not prevented community members from participating in civic life. Ninety-two percent reported taking part in at least one civic activity other than voting, including activities such as encouraging others to vote and community organizing.
Half of respondents said the current political climate toward South Asians, immigrants and religious communities had increased their motivation to vote in the November election.
The survey also found that 78% would be much or somewhat more likely to support a candidate who publicly speaks out against discrimination toward South Asians.
“We belong here. We are Texans. We are raising families, building businesses, contributing to our communities, and participating in the civic life of this state. Yet our survey shows a painful gap between identifying as Texan and feeling accepted,” said Chanda Parbhoo, founder and executive director of SAAVETX EF.
“Our community is tired of being treated as outsiders and used as political pawns,” she added, warning that hostile political rhetoric can leave people feeling less safe and less confident in public institutions.
The survey also examined respondents’ political preferences in major Texas races.
Among registered voters surveyed, 66% preferred Democrat James Talarico over Republican Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate race, compared with 21% who preferred Paxton.
In the gubernatorial race, 63% preferred Democrat Gina Hinojosa, while 27% preferred Republican incumbent Greg Abbott.
Asked about their votes in the 2024 presidential election, 65% of respondents reported voting for Kamala Harris and 25% for Donald Trump.
The organization emphasized that these figures reflect the reported preferences and voting intentions of survey respondents and should not be interpreted as endorsements by SAAVETX EF or as representative of all South Asian Texans.
Tom K. Wong, founding director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at UC San Diego, said the findings highlight a community that remains civically active despite experiencing exclusion.
“The survey reveals a community confronting exclusion, but also highly civically engaged,” Wong said.
He noted that encouraging others to vote, organizing and speaking out are among the ways South Asian Texans are responding to hostility.
“Participation gives communities a means to demand recognition, hold leaders accountable, and ultimately shape the decisions that affect their lives,” he said.
The survey was conducted in October 2026 using online panels, text-message recruitment and telephone interviews. Researchers weighted the responses to better reflect the state’s South Asian adult population. The report provides a conventional 95% margin-of-error approximation of plus or minus 3.46 percentage points, although the mixed recruitment methods mean the findings should be interpreted with appropriate caution.
SAAVETX EF is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization focused on increasing civic participation among South Asians in Texas. It is a fiscally sponsored project of NEO Philanthropy.
The full report is available through the UC San Diego U.S. Immigration Policy Center.
