The AAPI community is the fastest growing racial group in America—one that is a key part of the social fabric of who we are as a nation. From adding rich diversity, to spurring small businesses and economic growth, the AAPI community has been consequential in building this country and strengthening our communities. Hillary recognizes that these accomplishments sometimes mask the challenges the AAPI community faces—such as enduring racism, language barriers, and the wage gap. She will fight to break down these barriers so that everyone, regardless of their background, can get ahead and stay ahead.

As President, Hillary will:

• Fight for comprehensive immigration reform.
Asian immigrants make up 11% of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country, the vast majority of whom have lived in the U.S. for over a decade. Instead of breaking up law abiding immigrant families who have enriched America, Hillary will offer them a path to citizenship.

• Make college affordable.

When taken as a whole, the AAPI community has high college completion rates, yet specific sub-groups are falling behind. For instance, only approximately 15 % of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and Cambodian Americans 25 years of age and older have a B.A. or higher. Hillary’s New College Compact will improve college access by ensuring that cost is not a barrier for anyone who wants to attend college.

• Defend the Affordable Care Act.

Prior to the ACA, nearly 15% of Asian Americans and 18% of Pacific Islanders did not have access to health insurance, surpassing the average national uninsured rate. Today, millions of AAPIs across the country are benefiting from newly available and affordable coverage. Hillary will stand up to Republican attempts to roll back the law.

• Close the wage gap.

The wage gap between AAPI men and women is very high—with women earning 75 cents for every dollar earned by a man. Hillary will work to give AAPI women the tools they need to fight workplace discrimination.

• Make voting easier.

Despite the rapid growth of the AAPI community, their voting participation rates are comparatively lower than other minority groups. Often times, this is due to language barriers, lack of access to voter resources or voter suppression efforts. We should be making it easier to vote, not harder. This is why Hillary will fight to repair the Voting Rights Act, set new standards for early voting and implement automatic voting registration.

• End racial discrimination.

Whether it is at work, through the rental and home buying process, or in school, far too many members of the AAPI community still face discrimination. Hillary is discussing the hard truths about race and justice in America –so we can name them, own them and change them as a society.

Hillary has a record of defending and promoting the AAPI community:

• As Senator from New York, she championed numerous initiatives to improve the lives of AAPIs, their families and communities. She introduced the Count Every Vote Act to ensure that all citizens, including foreign language speakers, had equal access to voting, and also sponsored the Legal Immigration Children’s Health Improvement Act to restore access to Medicaid and SCHIP benefits for legal immigrant pregnant women and children. Hillary not only voted consistently in support of comprehensive immigration reform, but also authored legislation to address the backlog of family visas and expedite the reunification of immigrant families.

• As Secretary of State, she made the Asia-Pacific region a top priority of U.S. foreign policy. Hillary traveled to Asia as her first overseas trip as Secretary, to begin bolstering strategic engagement between the two regions. She worked to increase economic engagement with ASEAN and APEC and was the first Secretary of State to lead the US delegation to the Pacific Islands Forum. To enhance security cooperation, Hillary helped increase America’s presence in Asia-Pacific while also working to ease regional tensions with China. And to strengthen the U.S.-China strategic relationship, she launched a study abroad initiative to expand opportunities for US students to learn Mandarin and study in China.

• In the campaign, Hillary has hired a number of AAPI senior staff, mirroring her commitment to strengthening the community’s voice at the highest levels.