Indiana Marks 60 Years Since Immigration Law Reform's Impact on Asian American Community

This year marks 60 years since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 legislation changed who could come to America. The law had a profound impact on Indiana's growing Asian American and Pacific Islander population.

“The Changing Face of America” is an event that spotlights this turning point, but it’s not just about looking back – it’s about looking forward.

"I grew up in Indianapolis, and the city today looks a lot different than it did when I grew up, and I think that it’s really because it’s really an outcome of this law that’s passed," said Dr. Ellen Wu, an Indiana University professor and historian.

Wu notes that Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial and ethnic group in the country. There are about 230,000 Asian Americans in Indiana, which makes up nearly 3% of the state's total population.

"Indiana is the main destination for Burmese refugee communities," Wu said. "So, Indiana is home to large populations in the Indianapolis area, as well as Fort Wayne."

"Unlike other racial groups in the U.S., it’s the only one that’s not majority Christian," said Dr. Melissa Borja, a University of Michigan professor. "Although Christians comprise a plurality. So, about a third are Christian."

Borja notes that a large percentage of Asian Americans in Indiana are Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, or not affiliated.

"That is really a reflection of broader patterns in migration to the U.S.," Borja said. "The [Roman] Catholic Church is a historically an immigrant church."

"It’s very hard to predict what might unfold in the future, but I think we can say with confidence that the immigration laws and policies we have today certainly will affect the make up and composition of this country," Wu said.

The largest Asian American populations in Indiana are Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Burmese, and Korean, according to Wu.