Washington, April 25 : Lawmakers from the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and other political leaders have strongly condemned a social media post by President Donald Trump targeting Indian and Chinese immigrants, calling it racist, divisive and dangerous.

In a joint statement, CAPAC Chair Grace Meng, alongside lawmakers including Ted Lieu, Judy Chu, Ami Bera, Suhas Subramanyam, Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Shri Thanedar, said they were â??deeply outragedâ?? by remarks referring to India and China as â??hell-holesâ?? and immigrants as â??gangsters with laptopsâ??.

â??At a time when hate incidents against South Asian communities are on the rise, and one in four Americans view Chinese Americans as a threat, this kind of rhetoric pours fuel on an already dangerous fire,â?? the lawmakers said.

They added that the remarks reflect â??a disturbing pattern of the President legitimizing bigotryâ?? and accused the administration of endorsing individuals who had called to â??normalize Indian hateâ?? and urged people to â??never trust a Chinaman or Indian.â??

â??Those who become American by birthright are just as American as anyone else,â?? the statement said, calling on the president â??to serve all Americans with dignity and respect, not just those he deems worthy.â??

Congressman Ted Lieu in a separate slammed Trump for this. â??During WWII, over 100,000 Americans were torn from their homes and forcibly incarcerated in US internment camps because they were deemed disloyal,â?? he said. â??The message was clear: Japanese Americans could never truly belong.â??

â??For much of US history, Asian Americans have been cast as forever foreigners,â?? Lieu said, adding that Trumpâ??s post â??claims there is â??no loyaltyâ?? among todayâ??s immigrants, singling out Indian and Chinese communities specifically.â??

Lieu also highlighted personal experience. â??I came to this country with my family at three years old,â?? he said, noting his military service and public career. â??Immigrants make our country great. Nothing trump says will change that.â??

Other political figures echoed the criticism. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, â??Chinese Americans and Indian Americans are valuable members of our communities. President Trump's hateful message about fellow Americans is truly despicable.â??

Jayapal described the post as â??disgusting, insulting and rooted in white supremacy,â?? adding, â??Birthright citizenship is foundational to Americaâ??no amount of racism or xenophobia from Trump can change that.â??

Representative Greg Stanton warned that such comments â??are designed to divide us and normalize hatred toward our neighbours,â?? noting that â??hate crimes against South Asian communities are already on the rise.â??

The Hindu American Foundation also criticised the rhetoric, saying it had â??serious implicationsâ?? and reaffirming that â??Asian Americans are integral to the fabric of this country, driving its economy, strengthening its institutions, and enriching its society.â??

The controversy comes amid broader debates in the United States over immigration, citizenship and racial identity. Asian American communities, including Indian Americans, have in recent years reported increased incidents of hate and discrimination, particularly during periods of political polarisation.

/IANS