For Immediate Release: October 2, 2025
Contact: Lasamee Kettavong, media@napawf.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The government shutdown, triggered yesterday by a Congressional standoff over health care and proposed Medicaid cuts, will inflict immediate, disproportionate harm on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

AAPI communities, already reeling from deep cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) signed into law under H.R. 1, face an even greater crisis due to this shutdown. The crisis is compounded by harmful, false rhetoric attempting to scapegoat immigrants.

NAPAWF’s Interim Executive Director, Christina Baal-Owens stated: “Immigrants are not responsible for this government shutdown, lawmakers are. We must hold lawmakers accountable instead of allowing false, anti-immigrant rhetoric to distract from policy failures. 

Lawfully present immigrants–including refugees, asylees, and survivors of trafficking–are already being denied vital care. Undocumented immigrants were never eligible for these federal programs. Immigrant and mixed-status families will be disproportionately devastated by a shutdown that strips away access to affordable, quality health care. This crisis is an attack on the health and stability of our communities. We refuse to let immigrants be scapegoated for Congressional failure.” 

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The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) is the only multi-issue, community organizing and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls in the U.S. NAPAWF’s mission is to build collective power so that all AAPI women and girls can have full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities.