The Indian American Advocacy Council (IAAC), a community-driven advocacy group, has released a comprehensive 10-page guide titled “Know Your Rights.” The initiative comes as Indian-Americans report increased targeting, online harassment, and institutional hostility following the 2025 presidential transition. The 10-page booklet advises on events like what to say if ICE shows up at the door and things an employer can never do to an H-1B employee, among others. In an X post, the council shared details on how to document hate and make it count, every phone number one would need and every right an Indian-American has. It is meant for individuals on all kinds of visas including H-1B, H-4, F-1, those with a green card, students, parents and citizens.
The IACC guide
In the guide, the council claimed that the Indian-American community is facing a sharp escalation in online hate, targeted harassment and institutional hostility and thus the guide was created as a practical resource for community members. It highlighted a sharp escalation in anti-Indian sentiment across the US, citing there has been a 115% rise in anti-Indian slurs online from 2023-2025, 50% Indian-Americans have reported personal discrimination since 2025, more than 5 Hindu temples have been vandalised since 2023 and 280M+ views on anti-Indian posts. The guide also offered the city of Frisco in Texas as a case study calling it a “flashpoint” for anti-Indian hostility. It claimed the city has drawn a coordinated far-right campaign alleging “Indian takeover” and H-1B visa fraud. In recent months, numerous far-right activists, none of whom are Frisco residents, have turned up in city council meetings to speak against the existence of the Indian-American community. IACC mentioned that Indian-Americans are protected from discrimination, harassment and hate crimes under “multiple layers” of federal law, including:
- Civil Rights Act of 1964: Prohibits discrimination based on race, colour or national origin
- Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Employment): Prohibits employment discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex or national origin
- Fair Housing Act: Prohibits discrimination in housing, renting, buying, financing, advertising, based on race, colour, national origin, and religion
- Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act: Federal crime to cause bodily injury because of the victim’s actual or perceived race, colour, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability
- Section 1983- Civil Rights Claims: Allows any person to sue a state or local government official in federal court for violating their constitutional or federal rights
- 14th Amendment: No state shall deny any person equal protection of the laws
It guided people to call 911 if they experienced a hate incident, defined as an act of prejudice that is not a crime. Also advised, was to write down date, time, exact location, have photos or videos for record, medical record for injuries and witnesses. Complaints were suggested to be filed with the DOJ Civil Rights Division, Texas Workforce Commission, FBI Dallas field office, and others. The guide’s release on X (formerly Twitter) sparked a polarized debate. “Tonight @iaacouncil releases something I wish existed when I started – a 10-page “Know Your Rights” guide for every Indian in America,” wrote a user while sharing the guide. However, there were others who criticised it. “These are your illegal aliens rats and leeches citizens fleeing your “Suppa Pawwa” India and breaking into another country. Keep pretending not to see the water you’re swimming in,” trolled one user while sharing a video of a group of alleged Indian nationals crossing into the US border, highlighting the hostility the guide claims to address.
