‘Deport To India’: Indian-Origin Democrat Ro Khanna Faces Racist Abuse From Trump Supporters

Last Updated:August 03, 2025, 19:06 IST

Ro Khanna’s remarks on “economic patriotism” sparked attacks from Trump's immigration hardliners and prompted a flurry of racist abuse online.

Ro Khanna’s call for a new economic vision drew a wave of racist abuse from far-right users demanding his deportation. (IMAGE: REUTERS/X)

Ro Khanna, a Democrat and Congressman of Indian origin, faced a wave of racist abuse on social media after outlining what he called a new vision of “economic patriotism" for the United States.

Several far-right accounts targeted him with calls to “deport him back to India" and “denaturalize" him, accusing him of favouring mass immigration and questioning his American identity.

The abuse began after Khanna posted a thread urging Democrats to move beyond political revenge and instead focus on a national economic revival. He said the party must choose between “a transformative vision" and being “consumed by revenge and dripping hatred for MAGA."

Khanna laid out proposals including federal funding for factories, a $1 billion capital fund for towns like Johnstown and Orangeburg and the creation of 1,000 trade schools to build the next generation of skilled workers.

Stephen Miller, who currently serves as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor, responded to the California representative’s remarks, rejecting the idea that economic renewal could happen without immigration control.

He said Khanna and the Democrats supported the “mass importation of the entire third world to our cities" and asked whether Khanna supported any limits on immigration. Miller cited Census Bureau data estimating that 53.3 million foreign-born people now live in the US, nearly 16% of the total population.

In reply, the California Democrat said he supports a secure border and legal immigration, adding that his parents had migrated to the US lawfully.

He referenced a recent meeting with Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum, Republican Congressman Don Bacon and the US ambassador to Mexico, where they discussed legal pathways for undocumented immigrants working in farms and hotels. Khanna noted that such an approach had previously received support under Trump.

The thread triggered a stream of abuse from anonymous accounts, some calling for Khanna to be deported and stripped of his citizenship.

One user wrote, “You have an accent and want to import more Indians." Another posted, “Behave like an American and we’ll spare you."

Khanna responded to one such comment by tagging Miller and writing, “While we may not agree on much, can you at least reject this? My parents will be happy that their son born in Philadelphia in 1976 should not be deported."

The exchange came at a time when US President Donald Trump’s administration has ramped up immigration enforcement. In July, ICE officers raided a cannabis farm in Camarillo, California, arresting over 200 undocumented workers.

One person reportedly died in the incident. In Los Angeles, a recent court ruling limited ICE’s ability to detain individuals based solely on appearance or location. According to internal targets, ICE is aiming to carry out up to a million deportations this year.

Khanna’s comments come amid debate within the Democratic Party following its defeat in the 2024 presidential election.

A section of the party has called for a pivot away from anti-Trump messaging toward concrete economic proposals.

Khanna’s push for a new “economic patriotism" has found support among moderates and younger voters but has also drawn sharp criticism from the right.

Miller, at the time of writing this report, has not yet publicly responded to Khanna’s request to denounce the racist messages.

Shankhyaneel Sarkar

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...Read More

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...

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First Published:

August 03, 2025, 19:06 IST

News nri » usa ‘Deport To India’: Indian-Origin Democrat Ro Khanna Faces Racist Abuse From Trump Supporters

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