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Washington, D.C. — OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates strongly condemns ongoing political attacks on fair representation. This includes the escalating redistricting battle in Texas and the Trump Administration’s push to exclude undocumented immigrants from the U.S. Census.
In recent weeks, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has advanced a proposal to eliminate five Democratic-led districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, including two that encompass some of the state’s largest AAPI populations in Southwest Houston and Sugar Land. Breaking from the long-standing practice of redrawing maps only once per decade following the U.S. Census, this gerrymandering attempt is designed to predetermine election outcomes and suppress the political power of historically underrepresented communities, including AAPI voters—who are among the fastest-growing demographic groups in Texas.
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair and OCA member Gene Wu is leading his caucus in opposing the proposed maps. To prevent the plan from moving forward, lawmakers have left Texas, denying the state legislature the quorum needed to hold a vote. In response, Governor Abbott has threatened to remove and arrest the absent legislators.
“OCA stands in solidarity with Chairman Gene Wu and everyone fighting to ensure that every Texan’s voice is heard,” said Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates. “Growing up in Houston, I’ve witnessed firsthand how my parents and I have been impacted by gerrymandering. Redrawing maps solely for political gain is an abuse of power that undermines our electoral process. Our communities have the right to choose their representatives, not the other way around."
The fight over fair representation extends beyond Texas. On August 7, President Trump announced that he had directed the Department of Commerce to begin work on a new U.S. Census that would exclude undocumented immigrants. The census, conducted every ten years, determines how congressional seats are apportioned and how federal funding is distributed to states and communities—making full and accurate counts essential to democracy.
"OCA strongly opposes any effort to distort or limit census data,” added Nguyen. “A fair and accurate census is the backbone of our democracy. It determines the resources our communities receive, the representation we have, and the policies that shape our future. Everyone must be counted, regardless of immigration status, so we have a complete picture of who calls America home.”
OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates will continue to advocate against partisan gerrymandering and fight for a fair, accurate census in 2030. We urge Congress to pass the Freedom to Vote Act to set a clear national standard for fair maps and call on elected officials to reject proposals that silence the voices of their constituents.
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