Indian-Americans have voiced concerns over Kamala Harris’ perceived tendency to downplay her Indian heritage in favor of her Jamaican background.

Recently, as Harris entered the presidential race, the New York Times reported that her Indian heritage is “little advertised.” Harris, whose mother is Indian and father is Black Jamaican, has often been celebrated as a historic figure breaking glass ceilings. However, some Indian-Americans feel that her Indian identity is only highlighted when it suits her.

“It appears now, as both a vice president and a presidential candidate, that she and her party have decided to emphasize her African-American background to secure the African-American vote, which strongly aligns with the Democratic Party and Joe Biden,” Suhail Khan, a conservative activist and former Bush administration official, told the Caller. “In the 2020 election primary, Joe Biden outperformed Kamala Harris on every level, including with African-Americans.”

Akash Chougule, an Indian-American conservative commentator, expressed a similar sentiment, stating, “While she might lean into her ethnic background when it is politically convenient, what matters are her policy positions, which are concerning for most Americans and particularly for the Indian-American community.”

Throughout her political career, the media has predominantly focused on Harris’s Black identity due to historic discrimination against Black people, as noted by Vox. In 2016, Harris was recognized as the second Black woman elected to the Senate, but her Indian heritage was often overlooked. This pattern continued with her historic presidential campaign, where her achievements as an Indian-American were underemphasized.

The issue of Harris’ identity resurfaced recently when 45th President Donald Trump questioned whether Harris was on the Democratic ticket solely because of her race. Trump commented, “I have known her indirectly for a long time, and she always promoted her Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a few years ago when she started identifying as Black. So, is she Indian or Black?”

Harris responded to Trump’s remarks, stating, “It was the same old show. The divisiveness and the disrespect. The American people deserve better.”

Chougule argued that Harris’ record in office has not been favorable for Indian-Americans, citing her support for policies like affirmative action, which he believes harm Indian-American college applicants. Ricky Gill, a former senior advisor at the State Department, echoed this sentiment, pointing to Harris’ actions during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests as an example of her distancing from the Indian-American community.

Gill stated, “[Rioters] were torching and looting businesses, including those owned by Indian-American immigrants who identified with the dream of starting a business. Kamala Harris was raising money for protesters to get out of jail scot-free.”

Indian-American Republican strategist Puneet Ahluwalia criticized Harris for what he sees as a selective emphasis on her heritage based on political convenience. “As an Indian-American, we’ve left identity politics behind. It’s about individual liberty and the pursuit of happiness in a free Republic,” Ahluwalia said. “If she wants to raise money from Indians, she highlights her Indianness. If she wants to get a large base of Black Americans, she plays her Black identity.”

Ultimately, many Indian-Americans are focused on Harris’ policy positions rather than her shifting emphasis on racial identity. “Only Kamala Harris knows why her Jamaican heritage is more relevant than her Indian heritage,” said Jahan Wilcox, an Indian-born Republican strategist. “Voters are smart enough to judge her on the Biden-Harris economic and energy policies that have made life more difficult for all Americans.”

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