OP-ED: The Big, Beautiful Bill is Anything But for AAPI New Yorkers

By Congresswoman Grace Meng and Catherine Chen | Published: September 26, 2025 | Empire Report

Ms. Liu, a single mother of two from Flushing, has shouldered the weight of supporting her family since losing her husband to COVID-19. She works hard to make ends meet, but like so many New Yorkers, she struggles to keep up with the rising cost of living. SNAP benefits have been a lifeline to ensure her children are healthy and fed. But under H.R. 1, the so-called “Big, Beautiful Law,” that lifeline may now be in jeopardy.

Her story is not unique. In the weeks following the bill’s passage, our offices received dozens of calls from concerned Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and for good reason. The “Big, Beautiful Law” gives massive tax cuts to billionaires while gutting programs that everyday people rely on.

For New York, the damage is stark.

If you are a lawful immigrant on New York State’s Essential Plan, which provides health care for those who do not qualify for Medicaid–you could be kicked off on January 1, 2026.

If you are in your 60s, and cannot prove that you worked or volunteered 80 hours a month–you could lose your Medicaid coverage.

If your child is on the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP)–federal cuts could mean no more routine checkups or preventive care.

H.R. 1 will strip health insurance from 1.5 million New Yorkers and slash billions in federal healthcare funding. Hospitals, clinics, and community nonprofits will be forced to scale back services or close, while the need for care grows.

These are just some of the most visible cuts. The truth is, H.R. 1 puts entire working- and middle-class communities–and particularly Asian American families–at risk. Over 730,00 New Yorkers could lose Essential Plan coverage, including many Asian Americans. 34% of Asian New Yorkers live in or near poverty, 40% of poor Asian households rely on SNAP benefits, and roughly 636,000 rely on Medicaid and other government assistance. Cuts to the Children’s Health Insurance Plan mean that low-income Asian children may go to bed hungry.

AAPI New Yorkers are deeply woven into the state’s economy. We are healthcare workers, small business owners, teachers, construction workers, delivery drivers, restaurant staff, and more. 17% of Asian New Yorkerswork in health care alone. That’s tens of thousands of doctors, nurses, and home health aides, many of whom bridge critical language and cultural gaps for their patients. H.R. 1 could wipe out 34,000 hospital jobs, a blow that would delay treatment for patients and rob workers of their incomes.

The harm isn’t limited to healthcare. At a time when masked, armed agents are raiding birthday parties, violating constitutional rights, and deporting people without due process, H.R. 1 hands ICE a large blank check. With many Asian communities being among the largest refugee and asylum-seeking populations, this policy puts entire households at risk.

The result: more fear, more poverty, less trust in government, and less public safety. Immigrants are avoiding hospitals, keeping their children home from school, afraid to report crimes, and afraid to go to work.

This is not just an Asian issue; it’s an American one. When working people lose their jobs, entire communities suffer. That restaurant on your block, the nurse caring for your loved ones, or the teacher helping your child learn –they may all be gone before you know it.

Both Democrats and Republicans say they value opportunity, hard work, and family. This law does the complete opposite. A truly “beautiful” bill should lift people up, not shut them out.

Now more than ever, our communities need support.

New York’s immigrant communities are incredibly diverse, speaking hundreds of languages, and often lack digital access. Without proper outreach, many Asian New Yorkers may not even realize they have lost benefits until it’s too late. That is unacceptable, which is why we are fighting to expand access to translation and interpretation services at every level of government.

We have to fight for policies that help Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders thrive. Strong communities are built through investment, not neglect. When we put resources into our schools, infrastructure, healthcare, and public safety, we create opportunities for working families to succeed and for local economies to grow. When we prepare our community with timely information, we can protect those of us at risk. When our leaders fight for what’s right, that’s how we make sure the next generation of New Yorkers does even better than the last.

Because at the end of the day, this is not just an Asian American issue. This is about who we are as a society, and who we choose to lift up or leave behind.

About the Authors:

Congresswoman Grace Meng ​​is a Democratic member of Congress representing New York’s 6th District. She serves as the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

Catherine Chen is the Executive Director of the Asian American Federation (AAF). Together with more than 70 frontline partners, the Federation advocates for better policies, services, and funding to improve economic and social inclusion for over 2 million Asian New Yorkers.