US belongs to all of us: Raja Krishnamoorthi hits back at Indian immigration debate

A growing US debate over Indian immigration, integration and American identity has drawn a sharp response from Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who rejected the idea that Indian Americans constitute an "Indian Question" to be solved. He said such framing was "racist, xenophobic, and fundamentally un-American".

The Illinois Democrat made the remarks after American right-wing publisher and podcaster Jonathan Keeperman drew attention to a recent episode of the 'Rufo & Lomez' podcast, which examined Indian immigration to the US and its growing prominence in debates over race, class, cultural integration and American identity. The September 26 episode, titled 'The Indian Question', also delved into the H-1B visa programme, the experiences of Indian Americans, immigration-driven demographic change and the backlash surrounding the community.

Responding to Keeperman's post on X, Krishnamoorthi wrote, "Indian Americans are not an 'Indian Question' to be solved." He said framing an American community as a problem because of its ethnicity was "racist, xenophobic, and fundamentally un-American."

"We are a nation born of ideals, not bloodlines," Krishnamoorthi wrote. The Democratic congressman went on to stress that no particular racial, religious or ancestral group had a greater claim to the United States than another.

"No race, religion, or ancestry has a greater claim to America than another," he wrote.

"Indian Americans are as American as anyone. This country belongs to all of us," he said.HOW THE 'INDIAN QUESTION' DEBATE BEGAN

According to the episode description, the debate over Indian immigration explores whether the issue is primarily about "race, class, or something else entirely". Keeperman's post on X expanded on that question, particularly the debate over whether people should be allowed to prefer living in a more homogeneous society.

He argued that demographic changes in the US were bringing questions about race, immigration and national identity into sharper focus. He also wrote that some conservatives were becoming increasingly open about their preference for maintaining a white majority in the country.

Indian immigration, he suggested, had become an important part of that broader debate. Keeperman described Indian immigrants as a relatively small but rapidly growing foreign-born demographic in the US, arguing that their increasing visibility had made them a focal point in discussions about what he called the "21st century mass immigration regime".

The podcast, however, featured perspectives from several Indian and South Asian individuals as it examined the wider debate around immigration, cultural integration, demographic change and American identity.

Earlier this month, Krishnamoorthi criticised remarks by Bo French, a Republican candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission, concerning South Asian students at the University of Texas.

Krishnamoorthi described those remarks as "xenophobic" and said, "South Asian Americans are as American as anyone." He has also recently responded to a social media post by Palm Bay, Florida, City Councilman Chandler Langevin that targeted the congressman and referred specifically to his Indian identity.

Krishnamoorthi represents Illinois in the US House of Representatives and is set to leave Congress in January next year.- Ends