In partnership with other local AAPI organizations and community members, AAPI New Jersey hosted a nonpartisan candidate forum on January 22, 2026 to hear how candidates running to represent CD-11 in the U.S. House of Representatives would support their AAPI constituents. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing electorate, comprising 12% of CD-11. Watch the recording below or read the recap.
We reached out to all candidates in the CD-11 Special Election to share their priorities and plans for supporting AAPI communities. Below, you’ll find the questionnaire, the candidates who answered and their responses.
John Bartlett
(Democrat)
There is no single answer to this question, because the issues and needs affecting Asian and Pacific Islander American and Native Hawaiian* communities vary across generation, national and regional background, religious affiliation, and a host of other diversities that exist within the AAPI community. (*I recognize the acronym “AANHPI” is now favored, but will use “AAPI” for short when discussing the community as a whole.) In this response, I will do my best to identify the key issues affecting populations represented in the 11th Congressional District alongside important trends affecting AAPI Americans generally that are relevant to the federal policy priorities a Member of Congress may hope to advance. As to the question of “how will you engage,” my foremost commitment is to be consistently available and responsive to the community; this is a commitment I have demonstrated throughout my public service.
There are more than a million AAPI New Jerseyans – nearly one in nine of us – yet Asian American New Jerseyans struggle with invisibility. It is appalling that, in a state like ours, we still hear demographers and pollsters speak of Black, Hispanic/Latino, and “other” populations. The result is both a struggle for resources and policy attention, but also a struggle against being lumped together. AAPI New Jerseyans are a more religiously, ethnically, and geographically diverse group than any other. The same is true across generations. One crucial commitment for any policy-maker is not to think or speak of them as a group: to listen and respond to the needs and concerns of South Asian American immigrant professionals, second-generation Chinese American students, Filipino and Nepali caregivers, and anyone else who needs attention or deserves help from my Congressional office.
Among other things, I would support re-introduction of the All Students Count Act of 2023 (H.R. 6068 in the 118th Congress), to require that annual State report cards reflect the same race groups as the decennial census of population, and of similar measures that identify and disaggregate the needs and concerns of specific AAPI populations. I would also support additional funding for the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture established in 2022, and ultimately for the museum envisioned thereby.
When we speak of the 11th District’s AAPI residents, we’re addressing a population that is comprised primarily of Indian Americans and Chinese Americans but includes people of many other backgrounds, including Bangladeshi, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Pakistani, and Thai Americans, among others, as well as multiracial people with Asian American heritage. While these populations are largely affluent, we must not allow the model minority myth to mask the economic, educational, and social struggles of working-class AAPI Americans. As Jersey Promise’s important 2019 Report On The State of Asian Americans in New Jersey revealed, 26% of AAPI New Jerseyans are working class, including thousands of households in Morris, Essex, and Passaic Counties.
Many key issues arise from AAPI New Jerseyans’ racial and religious minority status. From the “dot buster” attacks of the 1980s, to the post-9/11 backlash that affected many South Asian Americans, particularly Sikhs, to COVID-era violence and discrimination against Chinese and other East Asian Americans, the visibility of New Jersey’s AAPI minorities makes them a target. I have always supported, and will continue in Congress to support, efforts to combat the ignorance behind those attacks, including AAPI New Jersey’s successful effort to require that Asian American stories are taught in New Jersey’s K-12 education and its support of the TAAS Fellowship to make that legislative mandate a practical reality.
As a County Commissioner, I have prioritized outreach and responsiveness to Asian immigrant communities. Among other things, I launched and continue to organize Passaic County’s annual AANHPI Heritage Month celebrations in May. I’ve encouraged the appointment and hiring of more AAPI Americans to roles in county government. When the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority received federal funding for its “StreetSmartNJ” educational campaign about pedestrian safety, I saw to it that materials were published in Gujarati and distributed in enclaves like Edison, Parsippany, and Jersey City. When Donald Trump tried to weaponize the 2020 Census against immigrant communities by adding a “citizenship question,” I not only joined the case against him in the Supreme Court as an amicus curiae, I also launched a County-level Census outreach that included printed material and online resources in Bengali and Gujarati, as well as Arabic, English, and Spanish.
AAPI communities and individual community members know me to be a resource. In my current role, I have helped Indian American Hindu communities identify property for expansion of their houses of worship, ensured law enforcement follow-up on thefts from temple property, made various communities aware of security grants, and improved pedestrian safety near mosques serving the Bangladeshi community to keep children and the elderly safe.
Serving in Congress is an opportunity to continue this ally work at the federal level: bringing new resources and attention to all AAPI communities, expanding government access and responsiveness to the needs of AAPI Americans, and combating hate crimes and the ignorance that drives them.
The most pressing challenges facing our country are the soaring cost of living and the rising threats to our democracy. These two issues are intimately related. Families are being squeezed by an affordability crisis, including the soaring cost of groceries, housing, and health care, while extremist politicians prioritize “self-service” for themselves and their rich cronies over public service benefiting all of us. One example: Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” that slashed health care support that working families count on, including Affordable Care Act subsidies and Medicaid, while preserving tax deductions for yachts and private jets and allowing corporations to continue to avoid paying their fair share.
Affordability is not a new issue to me: As a County Commissioner, I lowered the property tax rate for nine straight years. As a result, most Passaic County property owners are paying less in county property taxes today than they were in 2018. I didn’t accomplish this by doing less: in fact, during the same time period we were lowering the tax rate we opened a new county STEM Academy and a Biotech academy in collaboration with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, expanded our community college campuses, opened a new county park while improving a dozen others, and accomplished extraordinary county-level response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We achieved these goals by accessing new federal and state funds. Among other things, this included a public-private-judicial partnership under my leadership that leveraged $33 million in federal CARES Act and American Rescue Plan funds to keep more than 4,000 Passaic County families in their homes despite pandemic-related job losses. I will bring the same fiscal discipline to Washington, and prioritize federal funding for NJ11 from day one because I’ve already been bringing federal funds home for 12 years.
Affordability is intimately connected to democracy and Republican efforts to undermine the voting rights that protect all of us. I will fight to protect our fundamental rights, including the right to vote and reproductive freedom, while leveraging my 20+ years’ experience as a voting rights lawyer to take on those who would undermine democratic institutions. With all the ways Trump and his cronies are eliminating and ignoring democracy’s guardrails, NJ11 voters have one best chance to make sure the Presidential election of 2028 is free and fair: send a voting rights lawyer to Congress now.
To ease the cost of living, I support policies that tackle the root causes of regional expenses, starting with a federal public healthcare option to lower insurance premiums. I will also fight to restore the SALT deduction cap, which unfairly penalizes New Jersey homeowners. Already, I’ve been able to bring $960 million in federal transportation funding into the 11th District, replacing the “hidden tax” of long, expensive commutes with safer roadways and more transit choices. Part of economic stability for families is being assured that housing and child care become more, not less, affordable. I support expanding middle-class tax credits, and I’ve shown how investing in affordability initiatives for housing and home energy can protect families when times are tough. By focusing on balanced budgeting and smart federal investment, we can strengthen long-term economic stability and make our district a more affordable place to raise a family and grow a business.
As the spouse of an immigrant, who’s seen her family’s triumphs and trials, I believe in a fair and humane system that reflects our values and strengthens our economy. I have a proven record of standing up for immigrant communities, including joining the Supreme Court case that stopped Trump from weaponizing the Census, and sponsoring New Jersey’s first county-level “fair and welcoming” policy so immigrants know they’re safe interacting with our officials.
The current administration has replaced an old truth, that America’s immigration system is broken, with something even worse: breaking America’s promise of opportunity and fairness to immigrant communities. The outrageous treatment of immigrants, most of whom are law-abiding people trying to play by the rules, must end. Local police and social services should not be forced to act as federal immigration agents; this undermines public safety and discourages vulnerable residents from seeking help. Federal immigration enforcement should focus on security and safety under existing provisions like 8 USC §1228, rather than disrupting the lives of hard-working residents and families. That starts with using Congress’ investigatory power to shine a spotlight on the worst abuses of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authority within the United States. But it mustn’t end there: We need comprehensive immigration reform to create pathways to legal status for people who lack it, and federally-funded legal aid for people facing expulsion from the United States, especially children and families.
Comprehensive immigration reform should also correct the foolish inequities in our current system. Take the H1-B system as an example: it suppresses salaries in high-tech fields by limiting employees’ mobility, while creating ridiculous circumstances for the foreign-born children of H1-B visa holders, including allowing them to receive a comprehensive education in the U.S. but then forcing them to leave rather than join our workforce when they “age out” of their H-4 visa eligibility. Likewise, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA or “Dreamers”) system should be formalized in legislation rather than being at the mercy of successive Presidential administrations.
As someone who’s married to an immigrant, and who has represented at least 150,000 immigrant residents of Passaic County, I have and will continue to make these issues a priority.
Hate begins with ignorance, and the work of AAPI New Jersey to combat ignorance through its public advocacy and, in particular, the TAAS Fellowship for K-12 teachers, is essential to continue and expand. Among other things, each County Prosecutor’s office in New Jersey includes an office of victim advocacy. County-level victim advocates should receive TAAS-type training so that they can understand the unique issues affecting immigrant and other AAPI victims of crime and violence. Likewise, non-profit programs supporting victims of domestic violence should be required to exhibit cultural competency consistent with the local populations they serve, including providing access to service in various languages.
Language access has been a centerpiece of my county work serving immigrant communities. Some examples – including repeated work in Gujarati and Bengali language – were noted in my response to Question #1, above. In addition, we adopted the first county-level ‘Fair and Welcoming’ policy in New Jersey: clarifying that everyone, regardless of immigration status, is safe interacting with County officials, including law enforcement.
I have supported Passaic County’s “stigma-free” public outreach, and would seek ways to support such programs from a federal level. Among other things, making “stigma-free” information available in immigrant communities, through credible voices and, again, including native-langauge resources, is essential.
Congress should also act to restore funding – or, more correctly in some cases, compel the executive branch to spend funding already allocated – for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) programs. The elimination of those programs has stopped what had been meaningful, if incomplete, progress on equity in access to education, health care, and social services for AAPI and other immigrant communities. As these needs continue to evolve, and research and perspectives like the 2019 Jersey Promise report emerge, my door would be open to Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), AAPI New Jersey, and similar advocacy organizations.
Chinese Americans are experiencing a moment of “what’s old is new again.” Some of the first immigration-restriction laws, from the federal Page Act of 1875 (barring immigration of “immoral Chinese women”), Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and Barred Zone Act of 1917, to restrictions on land- and business-ownership in California and elsewhere, were directed at Chinese Americans. At least 19th-century xenophobes were self-aware enough to call themselves the “Know-Nothings.” Their modern heirs, including the MAGA movement, have no such self-awareness. But their tactics and beliefs are the same: that the “hordes” whose labor was useful during the Gold Rush or to build the Transcontinental Railroad are nevertheless inferior, undesirable, and should be perpetually viewed as a “fifth column” with foreign loyalties.
The modern version of these beliefs re-casts xenophobia as a national security concern. Whether focused on fictions about COVID-19 or the notion of Chinese government’s economic expansionism, the resulting risk of unjust outcomes for individual Chinese Americans and their businesses is no less real. It may be true that China, by dint of its sheer size and economic power, is a unique or uniquely substantial economic and diplomatic rival for the U.S. That competition has included issues, including inadequate protections in China of U.S. intellecutal property, on which the U.S. may appropriately act. However, if the U.S. government is going to pass protectionist legislation, it must be driven by economic principles and not national or racial biases, and U.S. individuals and business owners should have recourse through administrative appeals to demonstrate that they are not subject to such regulations. Further, when individual incidents or bias or violence are directed against Chinese American or other Asian American communities, such crimes should be recognized as bias crimes and prosecuted accordingly to the fullest extent of the law.
Zach Beecher
(Democrat)
The AAPI community is a vital and growing part of the fabric of the 11th District. From my conversations with residents and local leaders, I understand that while the community is incredibly diverse, there are shared, urgent concerns over lowering costs, maintaining educational excellence, ensuring access to capital for small business owners, and combatting the alarming rise in anti-Asian hate.
To ensure the AAPI community is heard and supported, my approach will be grounded in consistent presence and active listening: I commit to holding regular town halls and office hours specifically within AAPI cultural centers to ensure we are meeting the community where they are and working actively to facilitate solutions to their needs.
New Jersey families are working harder than ever but seeing less for it. As a veteran, I don’t deal in slogans—I deal in missions and results.
In the 82nd Airborne, I served alongside recent immigrants who wore the uniform and put their lives on the line for this country before they were even citizens. They proved that American values are about contribution, sacrifice, and character—not where you were born. I will not stand by while the federal government tramples on the rights of families like theirs.
The rise in hate crimes against the AAPI community, and specifically the targeting of Indian Americans, is unacceptable. As a veteran, I believe the government’s first duty is the safety of its people.
This is an area where I bring specific professional expertise. Through my work in national security and deep-tech investment, I focus on how America competes globally. I know that true security comes from out-innovating our competitors, not from xenophobia.
J-L Cauvin
(Democrat)
In many respects, the key issues that face Asian American communities in NJ-11 are the same as those confronting all communities: how to make ends meet as everything becomes more expensive. How to care for our elders in ways that recognize the dignity of old age and don’t cause undue financial and emotional hardship on their families. How we ensure that our democracy weathers the unrelenting attacks from the Trump administration. That’s why my campaign is focused on the issues I see and hear every day in NJ-11: We need to make life affordable again. We need better elder care for our senior citizens. And we need to ban gerrymandering, congressional stock trading and enact term limits so members of Congress can focus on your livelihood, not their own.
But the Asian American community faces additional issues: an unacceptable rise in anti-Asian hate, fueled by a xenophobic White House. Out-of-control ICE agents whom the Supreme Court has given license to harass anybody who doesn’t look like a racist’s vision of “American.” A cloud of suspicion over Chinese Americans who are in no way responsible for the tensions between Washington and Beijing.
As the son of a Haitian immigrant, I know all too well what this kind of hate can do to a community. That’s why if elected, I will use my platform to speak truth to those who try to divide us for their own partisan gain, and stand up for the rights of every American to live without fear of hatred. As a former state prosecutor, and as an eviction prevention lawyer. I know what it is to defend those who feel defenseless before an uncaring government. As someone who has built a massive following on social media, I know how to say what needs to be said – and be heard. And I know what it takes to win.
When I talk with friends, family members, neighbors across NJ-11, it’s clear that despite Donald Trump’s promises to lower prices, he’s done the exact opposite: waging a foolish trade war that has raised the cost of living, blocking clean energy projects that would provide more supply, and continuing his crusade to undermine and destroy our health care systems, leaving millions of Americans with higher premiums.
That’s why making America affordable again is the core of my policy agenda. If elected, I will fight to enact a robust elder care program that will help our seniors age with dignity and not impoverish their children. I have a plan to lower energy costs that reverses Trump’s idiotic war on the climate and demands that A.I. grow responsibly and sustainably. As a renter, I have a plan to help lower rents, including banning the obscene practice of algorithm-based rent fixing. And I will support efforts to increase the housing supply so that all Americans can afford a place to live.
These ideas are not controversial. But for too long, entrenched politicians in Washington and Trenton have not met the moment and pushed them forward. I am running because it’s time to elect candidates who will fight for the residents of New Jersey’s 11th District.
Donald Trump’s and Stephen Miller’s war against immigrants is a stain on our country that will endure long after they’re gone. As a former state prosecutor, I understand that without due process, our laws – our very Constitution – are worthless. As an anti-eviction lawyer today, I know what it takes to defend those who feel defenseless before an uncaring and sadistic government. And as someone who has built a massive social media following, I know how to communicate the evils of this administration and built pressure to fight back.
Unfortunately, Congress has abandoned its role in writing the laws and holding the executive branch to account for its actions, under both parties. We need leaders who not only say the right things, but who will be heard. If elected, I will use the same skills I honed in the courtroom and on social media to communicate why this fight is worth fighting. And I will use my voice to pressure my colleagues to pass a common-sense immigration plan that treats everyone with respect, ensures we have secure borders, provides a pathway to citizenship for those who are willing to work to achieve the American Dream and, perhaps most of all, rein in an unaccountable ICE and make those who have abused their power answer for their actions.
As a former assistant DA, I have zero tolerance for those who engage in hate crimes. If elected, I will work to strengthen federal hate crime laws, including supporting the Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2025 (H.R.4187), which changes the standard from requiring a protected characteristic (race, religion, etc.) to be the sole motive, to just a contributory motivating factor for a crime. I also will work with my colleagues to better support the victims of hate crimes, by reversing the Trump administration’s reckless cutbacks to mental health and community based programs that support the AAPI community and other vulnerable populations.
The fact that some states are passing anti-Asian land ownership bans – today: not in 1870, but in 2025 – demonstrates how far we still need to go to address xenophobia in this country. Yes, the government should take espionage by foreign governments seriously, whether it’s by China, Russia, or any other country. Casting suspicion on an entire community is not only counterproductive; it creates a climate of fear, and as we’ve seen too many times, inspires acts of violence against innocent people.
It doesn’t help when you have a President who is all too willing and eager to traffic in the most odious cultural stereotypes and doesn’t think twice about using hateful tropes that his supporters parrot. As the son of a Haitian immigrant, I know how that feels. That’s why having leaders in Congress who are able to take on the MAGA communications infrastructure and fight back is so important.
In addition, recognizing that education is still the best antidote to ignorance, I will work to pass legislation like the Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act (H. R. 3551) that provide grants for educational programs that include the history of peoples of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent in the settling and founding of America, and the development and enhancement of American life and culture.
Cammie Croft
(Democrat)
Asian American communities in New Jersey — including in CD-11 — are incredibly diverse, with families tracing their roots to many countries, cultures, languages, and faith traditions. While experiences vary, I consistently hear several shared concerns: rising costs of living, access to quality public education, small business stability, language access in government services, and safety in the face of rising hate and harassment.
As a public servant, my approach starts with listening. Again and again, when I was canvassing almost every weekend this summer through fall to help elect our new Governor, Mikie Sherrill, I heard just how concerned people are with affordability here in NJ-11–especially in diverse communities like Parsippany, where families have worked their way into the middle class and are often supporting both children and immigrant parents at the same time.
I believe representation is not just about showing up during elections, but about building sustained relationships with community leaders, advocates, faith organizations, and small business owners. If elected, I will prioritize regular engagement with Asian American communities across the district.
I will also work to ensure federal programs — from energy affordability to healthcare and education — are accessible to Asian American families, including immigrants and seniors who may face language or cultural barriers. Ensuring communities are heard and supported requires both policy action and genuine partnership. To that end, I would join the Congressional Asian Pacific Americans Caucus as an associate member to ensure that I could collaborate with fellow representatives across the country who are championing the needs of the vibrant Asian American communities in our constituencies. Additionally, I would designate a district staff person as an AAPI community liaison and commit roundtable meetings at least twice a year with local AAPI groups to ensure there is an open and ongoing dialogue between my office and the community.
The cost of living crisis is the issue I hear about most from families in CD-11. People are working hard, raising families, and still struggling with rising costs — especially for housing, energy, healthcare, childcare, and groceries.
My policy focus is on lowering everyday costs, starting with utility bills. I support a massive expansion of clean, affordable energy — including rooftop solar and battery storage—to increase energy supply to meet rising demand, stabilize the grid, and bring down rates for everyone. I also believe large corporate energy users – like data centers – must pay their fair share instead of passing costs onto families.
I will also fight to protect Affordable Care Act subsidies, strengthen public transportation, and take on corruption that drives up prices. Lowering costs means taking on powerful interests so families can not just get by but get ahead.
Due process and equal protection under the law are foundational American values, and I am deeply concerned by federal actions that undermine these principles and create fear in our communities.
During the first Trump administration, I worked to fight back against cruel immigration policies that separated families, targeted immigrant communities, and undermined basic constitutional protections. While I worked at FWD.us in the first Trump administration, I am proud to have helped push our organization and our peers to directly support work and coalitions led by directly-impacted leaders, and we doubled down on this approach when we saw an increase in hate crimes toward AAPI communities spurred by Trump’s response to COVID.
That experience fighting family separation, attacks on DACA and presidential-inspired surges in hate reinforced for me how important it is for Congress to serve as a real check on executive overreach.
In Congress, I will use oversight authority to hold federal agencies accountable, protect funding for legal representation and community-based services, and oppose policies that criminalize immigrants or erode civil liberties. We need an immigration system that is orderly, humane, and fair — one that respects families and reflects the reality that immigrants are essential to New Jersey’s communities and economy.
The rise in hate incidents targeting Asian Americans — including Indian American communities in northern New Jersey — is alarming and simply unacceptable. No one should feel unsafe because of who they are or where they come from.
I support robust funding for community-based organizations that provide victim support services, culturally competent mental health care, and language-accessible legal assistance. These organizations are essential to helping victims heal and ensuring incidents are reported and addressed.
I will also support stronger hate crime prevention and reporting efforts, alongside education and outreach to combat misinformation and scapegoating.
I oppose alien land laws and any policies that single out people based on national origin or ethnicity. History shows that these laws fuel discrimination and fear without making our country safer.
I understand that rhetoric about China that many politicians—including some Democrats—see as benign, such as describing China as “threat” or “rival,” can fuel hate and discrimination towards Chinese- and Asian-American communities. Not only would I be committed to being thoughtful about the impact of my own language, I would always encourage my colleagues in Congress to do so as well.
During the first Trump administration, I saw firsthand how xenophobic rhetoric and policies tore apart families and communities, including Asian American and immigrant communities. I worked to push back against those policies and to advocate for approaches grounded in fairness, due process, and respect for human rights.
We can protect national security and economic competitiveness without resorting to racial profiling or collective suspicion. That means focusing on actions — not identity — while investing in American innovation, supply chains, and global cooperation.
Our strength as a nation comes from upholding our values, especially in challenging times.
Brendan Gill
(Democrat)
Asian American communities in CD‑11 are vital to the district’s economic, cultural, and civic life, yet they face persistent challenges—from rising housing and healthcare costs to small business support needs, language access barriers, and safety concerns amid increasing hate incidents. Addressing these challenges requires thoughtful engagement and targeted policy solutions that reflect the district’s diversity and complexity.
I am committed to a consistent and inclusive approach that ensures Asian American voices are not only heard but central to federal policymaking. This includes regular engagement with community leaders, targeted outreach, and town halls to directly hear residents’ concerns; strengthening language access to federal programs; and supporting small businesses through equitable access to federal grants and contracts. I will also prioritize anti-bias initiatives and community-led safety programs, ensuring that every resident of CD‑11 feels secure and respected.
By actively listening and responding to the concerns of AAPI communities, I will ensure that federal policies reflect the real needs of one of the fastest-growing populations in the country. Asian Americans in CD‑11 will have a seat at the table as we invest in the future of our diverse district.
Families in CD‑11 face extraordinary financial pressures, from housing and healthcare costs to childcare and energy expenses. Affordable healthcare is essential, and I will fight to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, protect Medicaid as an entitlement, and ensure coverage remains accessible for seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families. I will also work to modernize care delivery and protect safety-net hospitals, ensuring that federal funding safeguards access to healthcare for all residents.
Housing remains another critical concern. Many communities in CD‑11 face a shortage of affordable options, particularly for homeownership, which is foundational to building wealth and economic security. I will advocate for federal policies that prioritize community-rooted homeownership and long-term affordability, so families can move beyond the cycle of high-cost rentals and invest in their futures.
By addressing these affordability challenges at the federal level, including energy costs, childcare, and healthcare, I will work to reduce the financial burdens on CD‑11 families and ensure that the American Dream remains within reach for working households in our district.
New Jersey’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and CD‑11 reflects this rich mix of backgrounds and experiences. Every resident deserves protection under the law, and I am committed to ensuring that immigration enforcement respects basic human rights and due process. I have worked at the county level to limit local involvement in federal immigration enforcement, expand legal representation for detainees, and implement oversight mechanisms that protect families from unjust detention.
At the federal level, I will advocate for reforms that modernize border and immigration infrastructure, improve processing efficiency, and expand legal pathways for immigrants, including highly skilled workers, refugees, and Dreamers. Policies should focus on ethical enforcement that prioritizes public safety without violating civil rights, such as requiring identification for federal agents and restricting the use of unmarked vehicles or full-face masks.
A fair and humane immigration system strengthens our economy, supports innovation, and upholds America’s promise as a land of opportunity. I will champion legislation that balances security with human dignity, ensures a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and long-term residents, and addresses the root causes of migration through regional partnerships and economic development in neighboring countries.
The rise in hate incidents targeting Asian Americans, including Indian Americans, is deeply concerning and unacceptable. Preventing these acts before they happen is critical. I will support initiatives that raise bias awareness, improve data collection and reporting, and fund community-based prevention programs to stop hate at its roots.
Protecting victims requires comprehensive federal support, including mental health resources, trauma-informed care, and culturally competent counseling. I will advocate for expanded funding for these services and ensure that victims have access to legal assistance to navigate reporting processes, obtain protection orders, and pursue justice.
Addressing online harassment and protecting children from exposure to hate and bias is also critical. I will support initiatives that promote internet safety, educate families, and hold platforms accountable for preventing harassment, ensuring that young people can participate safely in their communities and schools.
By combining strong prevention measures with robust victim support services, we can help all residents of CD‑11 feel safe and respected, and foster communities where diversity is valued rather than targeted.
National security and economic competitiveness must be pursued without scapegoating entire communities or fueling discrimination. I strongly oppose xenophobic policies, such as alien land laws or rhetoric that unfairly targets Chinese Americans or other Asian Americans. Anti-Asian bias has no place in our communities or federal policy, and we must ensure civil liberties and equal protection under the law are preserved.
At the same time, we must address legitimate security and economic concerns. I support evidence-based policies to strengthen U.S. competitiveness while maintaining oversight and safeguards to prevent abuses. Bipartisan initiatives that promote innovation, workforce development, and economic growth can enhance national security without harming local communities or fueling bias.
In Congress, I will ensure that our national security strategies balance the need to protect the nation with the imperative to uphold civil rights and respect for diversity. The AAPI community in CD‑11, and across the country, should never be viewed as a threat, and I will fight for policies that reflect both fairness and strategic responsibility.
Jeff Grayzel
(Democrat)
Ethnic and cultural diversity is one of our nation’s strengths. When we learn from each other, we become richer. I worked in China for several years and loved the experience and learning the culture there. I have also done work in many other countries and know how to work cross-culturally to complete projects. That can only be accomplished when you respect each other and listen to each other, while understanding your common goal. We can achieve great things when we work together. I will promote these values and live by them. My goal is to ensure prosperity for all people.
There are two primary things at this moment that are driving the affordability crises in our country: Tariffs and rising insurance premiums. The Trump tariffs are doing nothing other than raising prices for the average consumer, and are doing nothing for bringing manufacturing back to our country. I believe that rising healthcare premiums and associated costs are the #1 driver of the affordability crisis in our country. When workers are literally taking home less money because the rise in healthcare insurance premiums is outstripping their rise in wages, paying for basic requirements of living becomes very difficult. We MUST break the monopoly of power that the insurers and healthcare provides have over the delivery of healthcare services in our country.
The US immigration system needs a complete overhaul. In the interim, due process and equal protection under the law must be fiercely safeguarded. We need a path to citizenship for those families living in our communities and part of the fabric of our daily life. And we cannot allow family separation.
Jeff Grayzel is Jewish and fully understands what it means to see the rising number of hate crimes to his own Jewish community and other communities such as the AAPI community. Hate and bias have no place in our country. Community leaders must come together to support each other and speak out about the hate that others are facing. We are all in this melting pot together and we must stand up for each other. I have supported community based-advocacy programs and was a member of the “Community Leaders Against Hate” group. We need more of these types of initiatives.
Any legislation that focuses on one country or one class of people is discriminatory. Diversity is one of our nation’s strength and we need to leverage that strength instead of suppressing it. Every US resident deserves equal protection under the law. I am a big-picture thinker and am always looking out for unintended consequences of that implementing new policies might have on related (or unrelated) issues. At the end of the day we need to be a secure country but without giving up basic human rights and without losing our human decency.
Tom Malinowski
(Democrat)
I have seen Asian American communities in New Jersey and CD-11 face a number of interrelated challenges.
Many of these are issues that affect all New Jerseyans – including access to affordable health care, housing, child care, and higher education, preserving the quality of our public schools, barriers to small business, and improving mass transit and public safety.
Others are felt in unique ways by members of the AAPI community – from language access, to the invisibility of many AAPI subgroups in public policy making, to the impact of President Trump’s outrageous tariffs on Indian American businesses and families.
Still others affect all new American, including AAPI, communities – particularly the rising bigotry against immigrants encouraged by the Trump administration, and its indiscriminate, unjust, crackdown on immigrants already in our country and on future legal immigration.
I believe engagement starts with showing up consistently, not just during elections: meeting people where they are, partnering with trusted community organizations, and making sure government services and civic participation are accessible in multiple languages. When I was in Congress, I held over 140 public town halls, more than any other member in the New Jersey delegation, because I want my constituents to be able to consistently share their concerns with me, face-to-face. I also regularly met with AAPI community members at places of worship and at meetings focused on their priorities.
As an immigrant myself, I know how damaging it is when communities are treated as an afterthought. I will fight to ensure Asian American voices, and all underrepresented voices, in NJ-11 are respected, protected, and reflected in the decisions we make.
Families in CD-11 are being squeezed by high housing costs, rising health care bills, grocery prices, inflated energy bills, and political corruption that has allowed corporate consolidation and stifled competition. Lowering the cost of living is deeply personal to me, which is why I have laid out a comprehensive ten-point affordability platform on my website (https://www.malinowskifornj.com/on-the-issues) detailing the steps I believe Congress can realistically take to tackle these challenges.
During my time in Congress, I helped pass legislation that expanded Affordable Care Act premium supports and protected Medicaid, lowering costs for families and seniors. Those gains have been reversed under the Trump agenda, with enhanced ACA credits allowed to expire and Medicaid cut. These actions are driving up premiums and threatening access to care. I will work to restore and strengthen these protections, while pursuing reforms that lower the underlying cost of health care in America, so families aren’t forced to pay more for less.
Congress must also repeal Trump’s harmful tariffs that function as hidden taxes on working families. It should lower electricity costs by renewing investments in cheap clean energy, while making data centers pay a fair premium for the energy they use. It should incentivize state and local policies that increase housing supply. It should enforce anti-trust laws so that competition keeps prices down. It should place guardrails on artificial intelligence, including a ban on algorithmic pricing that charges some people more than others for the same goods and services. And it should increase legal immigration (including through the H1B program and by enabling immigrants who graduate from our universities to stay), to promote innovation and to ensure we have a labor force that can support a growing economy and senior population while keeping taxes under control.
As an immigrant myself, I believe deeply that America’s openness to immigrants from all parts of the world – to people who choose to embrace our country, often at great personal sacrifice, and to contribute their talent, creativity, hard work, and culture to ours – is one of our greatest comparative advantages. I am outraged that the Trump administration wants to squander this advantage, and heartbroken by the pain its policies are causing. While the rule of law must govern our immigration policies, due process and equal protection under the law are not privileges — they are constitutional guarantees that apply to everyone. New Jersey’s strength comes from its diversity. No new American family in our state should have to carry a passport in public places to prove their citizenship to federal agents, and no one here should fear unlawful detention, family separation, or being deprived of their rights by the federal government.
In Congress, I would seek to condition funding for the Department of Homeland Security on respect for civil and human rights, prevent the diversion of FBI and other law enforcement personnel to immigration enforcement, work to prohibit federal agents from wearing masks, restrict overbearing military tactics and equipment in routine law enforcement operations, and defund any agency that defies court orders or allows politicization of its ranks. I support comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, an expansion in legal immigration, and a resumption in refugee admissions, without racial or religious discrimination. I have been a vocal supporter of the Immigrant Trust Directive here in New Jersey and I support the Immigrant Trust Act that is currently moving through the NJ General Assembly.
What Indian and other Asian Americans are experiencing today is not a natural phenomenon – it is the direct result of leaders in our country encouraging their followers to scapegoat ethnic and religious minorities – whether Somalis, Indians, or Haitians, Hindus, Jews, or Muslims – and non-white immigrants in general, for our country’s problems. The Trump administration and the MAGA movement are trying to change the definition of what it means to be an American, arguing that our country is based not on an ideal of equal rights and responsibilities that anyone can embrace but on the blood of those who have lived on its soil for generations. My first priority will be to take on these hateful policies and the other root causes of the harassment, discrimination, and threats people are facing.
In Congress, I passed a bipartisan resolution in the House condemning President Trump for racist comments he made telling members of Congress he believed to be immigrants to “go back” to their countries – to date, the only condemnation of Trump Congress has passed on any issue since 2017. I led an effort to restore funding for a DHS program Trump eliminated to help state and local governments identify and counter violent extremists and white supremacists. I stood with the Asian American community in supporting the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to improve hate crime reporting and help law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable.
I was also the leading champion in the House of legislation to hold social media companies accountable for the algorithms that they consciously designed to amplify hateful speech over responsible discourse, and will make that cause a top priority again if I return to Congress.
If elected again, I will push to expand culturally competent mental health services, accessible legal assistance, and sustained support for community based advocacy tailored to the needs of AAPI victims of hate and bias. I will also build strong partnerships with local leaders and organizations to ensure AAPI residents’ voices are heard, concerns are addressed, and policies reflect the real needs of communities across CD-11 through regular town halls and listening sessions.
I strongly oppose policies and rhetoric that unfairly target Chinese Americans or other Asian American communities. Our national security and economic interests require a thoughtful, targeted approach to strategic competition with the Chinese government and other adversary states, like Russia. But we must never let that imperative slide into xenophobic rhetoric or policies that single out entire communities based on ethnicity or nationality. Trump’s “China Initiative” and alien land laws purposefully fueled suspicion and bias without strengthening real security, and cannot be repeated.
In fact, when I was in Congress, I argued that one of the best ways to pursue competition with the Chinese Communist Party is to encourage immigration to the United States, with normal safeguards, of talented people from China (just as we did with regard to scientists, engineers, artists, and writers from the Soviet empire during the Cold War). For example, I was the main sponsor of the Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act, which would have created a special program to bring Hong Kongers with advanced degrees to the United States, while expediting refugee status for those fleeing Chinese government repression, and protecting those already in the U.S. The bipartisan bill passed the House, but was blocked in the Senate by Senator Ted Cruz for openly xenophobic reasons. I also sought funding for Chinese language and cultural centers at American universities that would be named after the Chinese Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, to replace the Chinese government funded Confucius Centers.
Analilia Mejia
(Democrat)
Affordability will be the number one issue driving the Asian American community here in New Jersey, because it’s the issue facing every family in the state. I’m proud to have met with hundreds of NJ-11 residents and community leaders all across the district, including the Asian American community, and everyone is saying the same thing: The cost of living is becoming untenable. Meanwhile, corporations and billionaires rake in record profits year after year – and it’s working families all over the NJ-11 that get left behind. How is that acceptable? I’m running for Congress to bring that issue to the forefront of Congress, delivering an economy that works for everyone by ensuring we’re fairly taxing our billionaires and corporations, ending corruption, reining in private equity and big tech, and lowering costs by passing universal childcare and healthcare.
In the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, it is absolutely unacceptable that families cannot afford to live. Childcare has become almost like a second rent, and families worry day after day that one medical bill could bankrupt them; as a parent and sandwich-generation caregiver, I know exactly what that feels like. So the fight for Medicare for All and universal childcare is personal to me. Our country should know that our children and our health are an intrinsic, public good – and we should invest accordingly.
I am proud that the New Jersey State Legislature has advanced a legislative package that would protect immigrants from the worst of ICE’s abuses – but we cannot stop there. The murder of Renee Good is all the proof we need that ICE is beyond control and must be abolished. That in turn will allow us to repair the community trust that has completely eroded, and it will lay the groundwork for a fair immigration process that respects the dignity of every person seeking to live here.
That means closing Delaney Hall and all facilities like it, which have been reported to be rife with human rights abuses.
Furthermore, we need to ensure that immigration courts are actually adjudicated by a federal judge and not within the executive branch, allowing for independence and impartiality. We need more resources to address the backlog of immigration cases. And we must provide fair pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, who have built lives here and paid into our tax system already.
I support federal hate crimes legislation, and as Congresswoman, will bring in new investments in community support services, youth education, and legal assistance programs for anyone facing racist hate crimes.
I am also, very critically, not afraid at all. Not of Trump or the movement of white supremacy that fueled his rise. I will use my voice as Congresswoman to unequivocally stand up for the Asian American community and all marginalized communities against racism.
There is a very clear difference between encouraging fair global competition and putting forth legislation and a foreign policy doctrine that all but declares a Cold War against China. That does not make our country safe, nor does the recent spate of anti-Asian policies that target students, research, and our immigration process. If we’re not welcoming the world’s best and brightest into our universities to succeed on our soil, then we cannot hope to lead the world – furthermore, these policies and Trump’s recent violent deportation of 200 South Korean auto workers on the job are simply two sides of the same coin.
Justin Strickland
(Democrat)
Our district is privileged to have a significant Asian American community, and as my constituents, our Asian American neighbors will always find in me a listener ready to hear their concerns — something I’ve valued and maintained as a councilman. I will commit to holding a quarterly town hall with AAPI to hear your concerns and share progress on our legislative priorities. Like many in our district, members of the Asian American community struggle with the high costs of healthcare, housing, childcare, and college tuition. Our campaign offers concrete policies to address these concerns in Congress.
All of our policy proposals seek to lower the cost of living for families in our district. For instance, to address the exorbitant cost of healthcare, we will introduce legislation to create a public healthcare option available to all Americans. To address the housing crisis, we will eliminate the need for a 20% down payment by creating a federally backed home loan program for first-time, bank-qualified homebuyers, thus also eliminating the need for PMI. To support working parents, we will create a “childcare coupon” program to cover families’ childcare and daycare costs up to $25,000 per year. To support folks pursuing a college education, we will cap tuition for public colleges and universities to ensure that Americans don’t finish college with hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. To end predatory financial practices, we will eliminate unnecessary fees for checking and savings accounts and cap credit card interest rates (APR) at 15%; these policies will protect Americans from paying banks a tax to simply hold our money. For seniors, a two year period that allows widows/widowers to continue collecting the social security of their deceased spouse. Our goal is simple: making life easier for everyday Americans so as to enable everyone to achieve their American Dream.
As someone who has served our country in the military, and took several oaths to defend the Constitution, guaranteeing due process to all regardless of immigration status, is a paramount concern for me. The current administration has abused our institutions, denigrated the Constitution, and deprived immigrants of their dignity and their freedom from fear. In Congress, I will defend these principles and coordinate with state authorities to ensure that the current administration and federal authorities do not terrorize our streets and our neighbors.
As a councilman in Chatham Borough, I voted on a Resolution urging the New Jersey State Legislature to pass the Immigrant Trust Act. Local and state law enforcement cannot be implicated in federal immigration enforcement, nor should they be allowed to stop and question someone on their immigration status.
Hate crimes have no place in our society. To ensure that the AAPI community receives the support services it needs, I will build strong relationships with community organizations, fight for funding for DOJ and FBI reporting on hate crimes against the AAPI community (which was severely slashed by the Republican party), and ensure the public is educated on the seriousness of attacks against the AAPI community. In Congress, I will remain committed to acting in a way that honors the position entrusted to me by voters. Unfortunately, many of our politicians, including our commander-in-chief, have provided bad examples and contributed to creating a more violent, hostile, and hateful political discourse that too often translates into awful acts, including against the AAPI community.
While we must fight to ensure our national security is not jeopardized by foreign interests, we cannot do so by vilifying the citizens of foreign countries. Targeting China and Chinese citizens is wrong and discriminatory. We will always oppose discriminatory legislation. As a combat veteran, I understand the importance of standing up to nations that threaten America’s national security and economic standing in the world. As China will undoubtedly be one of America’s biggest economic competitors as the century unfolds, the U.S. will have to remain economically competitive while pursuing diplomacy and strategic cooperation to the greatest extent possible.
Tahesha Way
(Democrat)
It is true that Asian American communities in New Jersey are growing fast, and the issues I hear most are affordability, small-business opportunity, and healthcare costs — plus barriers that are too often invisible, like language access, navigating government services as immigrants or children of immigrants, and anti-Asian hate. In order to better understand key issues, throughout this campaign I’ve been meeting Asian American constituents where they are, including sitting down with community leaders in Parisipanny and other local communities within CD-11.
Engagement has to be ongoing, not election-season only. I’ve worked to build real partnerships that reflect New Jersey’s diverse AAPI communities, including through the NJ-India Commission and international collaboration that supports entrepreneurship and job growth. I’m also proud to lead the NJ AAPI Commission, which was created in the wake of the pandemic-era anti-Asian hate incidents and ensures that our AAPI residents are valued and welcomed in New Jersey. And the State Language Plan which helps translate state resources into Korean, Chinese, and Gujarati among other languages is included in my Department of State.
In Congress, I’ll hold regular AAPI community roundtables across CD-11, partner with groups like AAPI New Jersey, provide multilingual constituent services, and fight for federal resources that expand language access, protect civil rights, and help AAPI families and small businesses thrive.
CD-11 families are getting squeezed by housing costs, property taxes, healthcare, childcare, and commuting.
As Lieutenant Governor, my focus has been making life more affordable, and as Secretary of State I oversee tools that help grow paychecks and lower costs — like the New Jersey Business Action Center, a one-stop shop that helps small businesses save time and money navigating permits, training support, and resources.
In Congress, I’ll focus on three practical affordability moves: (1) tax relief by raising or repealing the SALT cap for middle-class families; (2) housing supply by expanding federal incentives to build and rehab homes (especially near transit) and speeding up permitting so projects don’t stall for years; and (3) family cost relief by extending ACA affordability, lowering prescription drug costs, and expanding childcare tax credits.
New Jersey’s diversity is a strength — and when federal immigration enforcement escalates, due process and equal protection have to be non-negotiable. No one should be detained without accountability, denied access to counsel, or separated from family without a fair hearing.
As Secretary of State, I chaired New Jersey’s Complete Count effort to make sure immigrant and mixed-status families felt safe participating and received their fair share of federal resources. And as Acting Governor, I signed protections for immigrant workers so employers can’t weaponize immigration status to cover up labor abuses.
In Congress, I’ll push for real safeguards: stronger oversight and transparency for DHS/ICE, guaranteed access to legal counsel and timely hearings, and guardrails that protect civil rights while keeping communities safe. And I’ll fight for a fairer system — clear the case backlog, keep families together, protect Dreamers, and create an earned pathway to citizenship so people who contribute to New Jersey can build stability without fear.
Hate and bias targeting Asian Americans – including Indian Americans – is unacceptable, and we must both put in place measures to prevent it as well as insure that victims don’t have to navigate the aftermath alone.
As Secretary of State, I oversee the New Jersey Asian American & Pacific Islander Commission housed in the Department of State, and we have a plan to strengthen language access so people can report incidents and reach services without barriers.
In Congress, I’ll expand federal support for culturally competent victim services — mental health counseling, legal assistance, and community-based advocacy — by fully funding DOJ victim-service programs and hate-crime victim resources that connect people directly to help. I have expanded access to mental health services for all, but especially our kids, in New Jersey and I will do the same in Congress. I’ll also increase prevention and security resources for community centers and houses of worship, and improve reporting so hate incidents are identified and prosecuted more effectively.
I oppose “alien land laws” and other proposals that target people based on national origin — they fuel xenophobia and put Chinese Americans (and other Asian Americans) at risk. We should be laser-focused on conduct and genuine security threats, not scapegoating communities. Recent court fights and the spread of these bills show why we need federal guardrails that protect civil rights while addressing legitimate risks.
On the “China Initiative,” I support the direction the Justice Department ultimately took — ending that label and moving to a threat-driven, evidence-based approach that counters espionage and malign influence without casting suspicion on an entire community.
As Secretary of State, my Department houses community focus groups that includes New Jersey’s AAPI Commission, so I’ve seen how policy choices land on real families. In Congress, I’ll pair smart security policy with anti-profiling protections, transparency and oversight, and investments that strengthen U.S. supply chains and innovation — while keeping our AAPI communities safe and respected.
Anna Lee Williams
(Democrat)
Asian American communities are a vital and growing part of New Jersey and NJ-11, and you deserve a representative who listens, shows up, and delivers.
Key issues I hear consistently:
How I’ll engage and ensure Asian American voices are heard:
CD-11 families are working hard and still getting squeezed. Lowering the cost of living means fixing the systems that drive everyday expenses up, not asking families to tighten their belts even more.
Here’s what I’ll fight for:
New Jersey’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and no one should lose their constitutional rights because of their immigration status. Due process and equal protection are not optional, they are the foundation of a functioning democracy.
I will fight to stop immigration enforcement that violates basic civil rights, including warrantless arrests, secret detentions, and raids that tear families apart. Federal agencies operating in New Jersey must be held to strict transparency, oversight, and accountability, and enforcement must be barred from sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and places of worship.
Public safety depends on trust. I support ending harmful cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, so police can focus on keeping communities safe and families can report crimes or seek help without fear.
We also need to redesign our immigration system around dignity and fairness, not punishment. That means a clear pathway to legal status and citizenship for long-term residents and Dreamers, guaranteed access to legal counsel, an end to mass and for-profit detention, and policies that keep families together.
I will fight to fully fund culturally competent support services for victims of hate, including trauma-informed mental health care, multilingual counseling, and community-based wellness programs that reflect the lived experiences of AAPI families. Mental health support must be accessible, affordable, and rooted in trust.
I will also support guaranteed access to legal assistance for victims of hate and bias — so people can report incidents safely, understand their rights, and pursue justice without fear or financial burden. Civil rights only matter if people can actually enforce them.
Equally important, I will support direct funding for AAPI-led community organizations that provide advocacy, victim navigation, bystander intervention training, and healing services. These groups know their communities best and must be partners in policy design and implementation.
Finally, I will push to strengthen hate-incident reporting, transparency, and enforcement, while expanding education and prevention efforts that build long-term safety and belonging.
I oppose alien land laws and policies that single out people based on nationality or ethnicity. They don’t make us safer, they invite discrimination and hate.
The China Initiative showed why this approach fails. We should enforce the law against real misconduct, but policies that treat Chinese and Chinese American scientists, students, or families as presumptively suspect violate due process and equal protection and do real harm to local communities.
I also oppose “strategic competition” legislation that focuses exclusively on China in ways that turn foreign policy into domestic scapegoating. National security must be about targeting actions, not identities.
The right path forward is clear:
NO RESPONSE RECEIVED after multiple outreach attempts.
Jack Ciattarelli (Republican)
In 2023, we formally changed our name to AAPI New Jersey to reflect the statewide priorities and activities that this group of committed community members and advocates now supports.
We continue to host events and programs in Montclair and invite you to explore this site to learn more about the diverse resources and opportunities we offer.
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