Key facts
- Anti-South Asian hate speech on X in the U.S. surged 240% between January 2024 and June 2026.
- Monthly hate posts rose from 12,904 to 43,843 during that period.
- Over 542,000 hateful posts were identified on X between January 2025 and June 2026.
- Nearly half of hate posts accused South Asians of invading the U.S., stealing jobs, or threatening the country demographically.
- The slur 'pajeet' appeared in 30% of hateful posts on X.
- Posts depicting South Asians as dirty or unhygienic grew 171% on X.
Anti-South Asian hate speech has surged online in the United States since Donald Trump began his second term as president, according to a report by the Washington-based Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH). The report, titled “The Rising Tide of Anti-South Asian Hate in the United States,” found a 240% increase in monthly hate posts targeting South Asians on the social media platform X between January 2024 and June 2026, rising from 12,904 to 43,843. Researchers identified over 542,000 hateful posts on X between January 2025 and June 2026. The study linked this rise to contentious debates over immigration and employment, economic anxiety, and the growing visibility of South Asians in American life. The report also cited the rise of the MAGA movement and Trump's return to office as factors contributing to the mainstreaming of anti-minority rhetoric online. Key narratives in the hate posts included accusations that South Asians were invading the U.S., stealing jobs, or posing a demographic threat. The derogatory slur 'pajeet' appeared in 30% of hateful posts on X. Posts depicting South Asians as dirty or unhygienic saw the fastest growth, increasing by 171% on X. The report noted that hate speech often conflated various South Asian ethnic and religious groups. It highlighted the H-1B visa program, which has a high proportion of Indian holders, as a flashpoint, linking spikes in hate speech to political discussions around the program. The report also pointed to specific instances of rhetoric from the Trump administration, including a since-deleted Department of Homeland Security post and a Department of Education post, as reinforcing the idea of South Asians as outsiders. Economic resentment was also cited as a factor, with the success of some South Asians being weaponized against them, portraying them as 'opportunists and cheats' rather than a 'model minority'.