Dismantling DEI: Asian Americans and the MAGA Agenda

By: Afia Mubashir

Over the past year, the MAGA movement has positioned itself as a fierce opponent of DEI initiatives, claiming that these programs promote “woke” ideology, unfair racial preferences, and unnecessary bureaucracy. While conservatives argue that dismantling DEI policies will lead to a more meritocratic society, the reality is far more complex—especially for Asian Americans. Despite some conservative activists attempting to weaponize Asian Americans against DEI, the dismantling of these programs ultimately harms the community by erasing resources that address discrimination, limiting professional opportunities, and reinforcing the model minority myth.

One of the major misconceptions pushed by the MAGA movement is that DEI programs primarily benefit Black and Latino communities while harming Asian Americans. However, this ignores the fact that DEI initiatives have historically played a crucial role in combating anti-Asian discrimination. From addressing workplace biases to increasing Asian American representation in leadership roles, DEI programs provide institutional recognition of the unique challenges that Asian Americans face.

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian hate crimes surged by over 339% in major U.S. cities (Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, 2022). In response, many DEI programs expanded to include anti-racism training, cultural competency initiatives and community support efforts. By gutting these programs, MAGA policies remove institutional mechanisms designed to address such racial violence and workplace discrimination. Without these initiatives, Asian Americans are left vulnerable to overt racism and more insidious forms of exclusion, such as being overlooked for promotions due to stereotypes about their “passivity” or “foreignness.”

One of the most prominent arguments against DEI is that it allegedly undermines meritocracy by prioritizing race over qualifications. This argument has been central to recent conservative legal battles, including the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions (Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, 2023). In this case, Asian Americans were presented as victims of race-conscious policies, with conservative groups like the SFFA (Students for Fair Admissions) portraying affirmative action as an unfair system that punishes hard-working students.

However, this narrative is misleading. While some Asian applicants may face disadvantages under certain race-conscious policies, dismantling DEI entirely does not create a truly meritocratic system. Instead, it removes institutional accountability for implicit biases that have historically favored white applicants. According to a 2017 study by Princeton University, white applicants receive a “bonus” of 140 points on the SAT compared to Asian applicants due to legacy admissions, athletic recruitment, and subjective personality scores (Espenshade & Radford, 2009). Without DEI policies advocating for equal access and fair assessment, such disparities will likely persist, benefiting privileged groups while putting down minorities—including many Asian Americans.

Beyond education, the erosion of DEI policies under the MAGA agenda directly impacts Asian Americans in the workplace. DEI programs have been instrumental in identifying and addressing the “bamboo ceiling,” a term that describes the systemic barriers preventing Asian professionals from advancing into executive leadership roles.

Despite being one of the most highly educated demographic groups in the U.S., Asian Americans remain significantly underrepresented in corporate leadership. According to a report by Ascend (2021), Asian Americans make up 13% of the professional workforce but only 6% of executives. DEI initiatives have sought to address these disparities through mentorship programs, leadership training, and policy changes designed to combat implicit biases in hiring and promotions. By dismantling DEI, MAGA policies remove these critical interventions, reinforcing the status quo where Asian professionals are seen as competent workers but not leadership material.

Perhaps the most insidious effect of the anti-DEI movement on Asian Americans is its reinforcement of the model minority myth—the idea that Asian Americans succeed purely through hard work and perseverance, unlike other minority groups. This stereotype, which has been historically weaponized to undermine racial justice movements, is now being used by conservatives to justify rolling back DEI initiatives.

Ironically, by embracing this narrative, Asian Americans who support anti-DEI efforts may inadvertently harm their own communities. The model minority myth erases the struggles of working-class Asian Americans, ignores the diversity within the community and fuels the perception that Asians do not need systemic support. This has real consequences. Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander communities, for example, experience higher poverty rates and lower educational attainment than East Asian groups, yet they often receive less policy attention due to the monolithic perception of Asian American success (AAPI Data, 2022). DEI programs help dismantle these harmful stereotypes by highlighting the diverse experiences within the Asian American community and advocating for equitable opportunities.

The dismantling of DEI under the MAGA agenda is not a victory for Asian Americans—it is a setback. Rather than embracing the false promise of a so-called “meritocratic” system that ignores systemic inequalities, Asian Americans should recognize that the fight for racial equity is not a zero-sum game. DEI programs do not just benefit one racial group at the expense of another—they create fairer systems that uplift everyone, including those within the Asian American community who have been historically overlooked. The real path forward lies not in tearing down these initiatives but in ensuring they are implemented in ways that acknowledge the diverse and complex experiences of all minorities.

References

Ascend. (2021). Hidden in Plain Sight: Asian American Leaders in the Workplace.

AAPI Data. (2022). Demographics of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.

Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. (2022). Report on Anti-Asian Hate Crime in U.S. Cities.

Espenshade, T. J., & Radford, A. W. (2009). No Longer Separate, Not Yet Equal: Race and Class in Elite College Admission and Campus Life.

Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, 600 U.S. 181 (2023).