1960年，该国有12000名印度移民。根据人口普查数据，现在有500万人。
随着人口结构的重大变化，印度裔美国人现已超过华裔美国人，成为美国最大的“亚裔单身”群体。2020年美国人口普查显示，440万人被认定为“印度裔单身”，这一数字在过去十年中大幅增长了55%。这一数据强调了政府中比例代表制的迫切需要。
尽管人数有所增加，但535名国会议员中只有5名是印度裔美国人人。此外，维韦克·拉马斯瓦米、妮基·黑利、鲍比·金达尔和卡玛拉·哈里斯等人在不同时期都因不够“印第安美国人”而受到批评
ABC新闻的Zohreen Shah采访了伊利诺伊州的民主党众议员Raja Krishnamoorthi、密歇根州的Shri Thanedar和华盛顿州的Pramila Jayapal，讨论了政府中印第安美国人代表的必要性。
ABC新闻:让我们倒回去一点。1960.这个国家有12000名印度移民。现在有500万。你有一个一半印度血统的副总统;五名印第安美国人国会议员。很多人都在关注你的成长，并想知道这是怎么发生的。
克:嗯，我认为这是这个国家移民群体的自然旅程。我认为，首先，他们建立了自己的财务安全，然后他们帮助他们的地方非营利组织，他们的mandirs，他们的清真寺。他们帮助那些和他们一样需要帮助的人。然后他们，我认为，参与到国家的公民事务中。
THANEDAR:我一度觉得我实现了我的美国梦。但我想去帮助其他人实现他们的美国梦，尤其是住在底特律。看到许多人无法实现美国梦。机会就是不存在。我说，对我来说，最好的帮助方式是参与公共服务
ABC新闻:我们看到无证印度移民激增，与你们来这里的方式不同，在过去15年左右的时间里增长了70%。你认为现在为什么会出现激增?
KRISHNAMOORTHI:我们的合法移民系统完全混乱了，这让人们感到绝望。我的意思是，合法移民问题和非法移民问题是相互关联的。这并不一定证明人们非法入境是正当的，但它有助于解释，例如，当今天来自印度的某人申请H-1B签证并获得签证时，他们需要花费100年的时间。我没有编造这个数字- 100年才能获得绿卡。
ABC新闻:我们在这里参加IA影响力峰会。这对印度裔美国人来说是一次重大会议。这种事每年都会发生。为什么这一点如此重要?为什么你认为这一点在今年尤为重要?
贾亚帕尔:我的意思是，我认为这真的很重要，因为我们有一个真正的机会来增加我们在印度裔美国人的人数。
ABC新闻:我听到的是可能翻倍。
贾亚帕尔双，在国会这里。我认为，当你有了这种表现，就会发生几件事。你改变了其他人看待自己机会的方式。你真的让人们在我们的民主中更多地投票，你就会得到更好的政策。
THANEDAR:即使是印度裔美国人的人口，我觉得五个成员也不足以代表。我们需要争取更多。印度裔美国人在经济上和其他领域都做得很好。但是我们还没有建立起那种政治力量，我们需要建立这种力量。
ABC新闻:让我们快速地谈谈抖音。这个国家会有人在这个时候购买抖音吗?看起来会有吗?
克:是的。嗯，我还没有遇到一个人希望他们的抖音由中国共产党控制，而不是由抖音控制。这就是这项法案的目的。这不是禁令。意思是-
ABC新闻:但如果在12个月内没有售出，12个月内就会被禁，对吗?
KRISHNAMOORTHI:它在出售前不会上市。
ABC新闻:你认为在11月之前能发现多大的问题?
贾亚帕尔:非常大的一个。我认为只有很少一部分人可以接手。坦率地说，对于其中一些人，我对控制抖音的内容和对中国政府一样担心。所以我认为这里有一个更大的问题是我们如何处理我们所有的社交媒体平台和社交媒体平台上的交流，我认为这可能会对选举产生负面影响，但我不认为这将是决定性的影响。我的意思是，我认为，年轻人关心的事情很多。这可能是其中之一。
ABC新闻记者:维维克·拉马斯瓦米、妮基·黑利、鲍比·金达尔和卡玛拉·哈里斯在不同时期都因不够印第安美国人而受到了很多批评。
克:听着，我不会因为任何人是谁而指责他们，但不要为了迎合某种传统观念而改变你是谁，这种观念就是总统候选人应该是什么样的，或者美国人民会接受谁。因为事实证明美国人民非常老练和精明。
ABC新闻:你谈到看待世界。你说你的父母还在印度。你现在关心美国印第安人的关系吗?
贾亚帕尔:是的，我一直很担心这个问题，而且我已经说了出来。你知道，我受到了印度裔美国人的批评。这是我被告知不够印度的方式之一。尽管我有家人住在那里，但我在印度各地的村庄都住过。
我相信，嗯，宗教自由，通信自由，新闻自由，对我来说非常非常重要。这是我珍视的印度民主的宝贵价值之一。我一直对我所看到的一些情况感到担忧，特别是印度的反穆斯林情绪以及印度总理镇压媒体的方式，还有关于印度法外处决和暗杀未遂的报道，我知道DOJ正在调查此事。
与此同时，我看到了印度的价值，印度作为一个国家拥有巨大的机会来真正为世界提供更好的动力。
ABC新闻:Quick速射:你最喜欢的印度食物或小吃，你知道你应该远离，但你不能?
帕科拉
ABC新闻:萨摩萨斯?
克里希那穆提:馕、萨摩萨和馕
贾亚帕尔:我是布丁·波利。
ABC新闻:谁应该在传记电影中扮演你?宝莱坞明星还是好莱坞印度人?
萨尼达尔:沙鲁克·汗。
美国广播公司新闻:印第安美国人总统还需要多少年。
THANEDAR:随时都可以。
贾亚帕尔:很快。
Three Indian American members of Congress say more representation needed in government
In 1960, there were 12,000 Indian immigrants in the country. Now there are 5 million, according to census data.
In a significant demographic shift, Indian-Americans have now overtaken Chinese-Americans to become the largest 'Asian-alone' group in the U.S. The 2020 US Census reveals that a staggering 4.4 million people identified as 'Indian-alone,' marking a substantial 55% increase over the past decade. This data underscores the pressing need for proportional representation in the government.
Despite the increase, only five of the 535 members of Congress are Indian Americans. Additionally, individuals such as Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Bobby Jindal, and Kamala Harris have faced criticism at various times for not appearing to be "Indian American enough."
ABC News' Zohreen Shah interviewed Democratic Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, of Illinois, Shri Thanedar, of Michigan, and Pramila Jayapal, of Washington state, to discuss the need for Indian American representation in government.
ABC NEWS: Let's rewind a bit. 1960. There were 12,000 Indian immigrants in this country. Now there's 5 million. You have a half-Indian vice president; five Indian American members of Congress. There's a lot of people who are watching your growth and wondering how this happened.
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, I think it's the natural journey of immigrant groups in this country. I think first, they establish their financial security, then they help their local not for profits, their mandirs, their mosques. And they help, you know, other people in need just like themselves. And then they, I think, get involved in the civic affairs of the country.
THANEDAR: At one point I felt that I achieved my American dream. But I want to go help others achieve their American dream, especially living in Detroit. Seeing how American dream is not accessible to many people. Opportunities are just not there. I said, the best way for me to help, would be to be in public service
ABC NEWS: We have seen a surge in undocumented Indian immigrants, different from how you guys came here, grow 70% in the last 15 years or so. Why do you think that surge is happening right now?
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Our legal immigration system is totally messed up that it makes people desperate. I mean, the legal immigration issue and the undocumented immigration issue are connected to each other. It doesn't necessarily justify people coming in illegally, but it helps to explain that when, for instance, someone coming from India today applying for an H-1B visa and receiving one, it would take them 100 years. I'm not making that number up -- 100 years to matriculate into a green card.
ABC NEWS:We're here at the IA Impact Summit. This is a big conference for Indian Americans. It happens every year. Why is this so important and why do you think it's so important this year in particular?
JAYAPAL I mean, I think it's really important because we've got a real opportunity to increase our numbers for Indian Americans.
ABC NEWS: Potentially double is what I’m hearing.
JAYAPAL Double, here in Congress. And I think that when you have that representation, several things happen. You change the way other people see their opportunities. You really engage people to vote more in our democracy, and you get better policy.
THANEDAR: Even the population of Indian Americans, I feel that five members is not sufficient representation. And we need to strive for more. Indian Americans have done so well economically, in every other field. But we haven't built that political muscle and we need to build that.
ABC NEWS: Let's talk about TikTok really quick. Is there going to be someone here in this country who buys TikTok at this moment in time. Does it look like there will be?
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Yes. Um, I have not yet met a single person who wants their TikTok controlled by the Chinese Communist Party versus a TikTok that's not. And that's the aim of this bill. It's not a ban. It's meant-
ABC NEWS: But if it's not sold in 12 months, within 12 months it will be banned, right?
KRISHNAMOORTHI: It won't be available until it gets sold.
ABC NEWS: How big of a concern do you think can be found before November?
JAYAPAL: A very big one. I think that there's there's a very small number of people that could take it over. And frankly, some of those people, I would have just as many concerns in terms of controlling the content on TikTok as I do of the Chinese government. And so I think that there is a bigger concern here around how we address all of our social media platforms and communication on social media platforms and I do think it may have a negative impact on the election, but I don't think it's going to be the determinative impact. I mean, I think, I think there are lots of things out there that young people care about. That may be one of them.
ABC NEWS: Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Bobby Jindal, Kamala Harris have all received a lot of criticism at many different times for not being Indian American enough.
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Look, I don't fault anybody for being who they are, but don't change who you are to try to fit some kind of conventional notion of what a presidential candidate should be, or who the American people will embrace. Because it turns out the American people are very sophisticated and savvy.
ABC NEWS: You talk about looking at the world. You talk about your parents still being in India. Are you concerned right now about American Indian relationships?
JAYAPAL: Yeah, I have been concerned and I have spoken out about this. And, you know, I've been criticized by Indian Americans. This is one of the ways that I'm told that I'm not Indian enough. Even though I have family that lives there, I've lived in villages all over India.
I do believe that um, religious freedom, freedom of communication, freedom of the press, is really, really important to me. And it's one of the dear values that I treasure of Indian democracy. And I have been concerned about um, some of what I've seen happening, particularly the anti-Muslim sentiment in India and the way in which the press has been cracked down on, uh, by this prime minister and the reports about extrajudicial killings, um, and attempted assassinations right here in this country, which I know the DOJ is investigating right now.
At the same time, I see the value of India, the tremendous opportunity that India as a country has to really power the world for better.
ABC NEWS: Quick rapid fire: Favorite Indian food or snack that you know you should stay away from, but you can't?
JAYAPAL: pakora
ABC NEWS: Samosas?
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Naan, samosas and naans
JAYAPAL: I'm pudding polly.
ABC NEWS: Who should play you in a biopic? Bollywood star or Hollywood Indian?
THANEDAR: Shah Rukh Khan.
ABC NEWS: Number of years before we have an Indian American president.
THANEDAR: Any time now.
JAYAPAL: Soon.
