Indian-origin US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has pushed back on the questions about the place of Indian Americans, saying that his identity and heritage do not make him less American.
The Illinois Democrat’s comments came after Palm Bay City Councilman Chandler Langevin had told him to “take your curry and go home” in a post on X. Krishnamoorthi said he wanted to stay in the United States and emphasized that no one should decide who belongs in the country.
Krishnamoorthi’s reply: “I’m staying. So is the curry. America is my home,” he said. No one should have the authority to say who is American, who belongs to the country or what they eat.
The exchange has revived questions of immigration, race and identity in American public life. Krishnamoorthi was born in New Delhi and grew up in Peoria, Illinois, and has represented Illinois’ 8th Congressional District in the US House since 2017. His Congressional biography describes him as the child of immigrants.
Krishnamoorthi’s recent comments are among a series of statements he has made about remarks against Indian and South Asian Americans. On September 10, he criticized a Department of Homeland Security social media post featuring a character named “Mr. Singh” alongside a message telling the person to “self-deport or find out.” Krishnamoorthi said that such messaging would be seen as linking South Asian and Sikh identity to being unwanted in America.
The DHS post also came as several Democratic members of Congress, including Krishnamoorthi, criticized it in a September 15 statement. They said the now-deleted post could escalate hostility towards Sikh and South Asian Americans.
Krishnamoorthi has also spoken about immigration policy beyond identity issues. In August, he spoke about legal immigration pathways and the value of drawing skilled workers from all over the world during a Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus programme.
He said immigration is a factor in maintaining America's competitiveness.
His office has also condemned comments directed at South Asian students at the University of Texas. On September 13, Krishnamoorthi had denounced a post by Texas Republican Railroad Commission nominee Bo French that said South Asian students were “displaced by foreigners.”
The debate comes as Indian Americans are getting more attention in US politics and public life. Krishnamoorthi and his fellow Congressman Shri Thanedar in July encouraged Indian Americans to take a more active role in civic life and consider running for public office.
Krishnamoorthi’s issue has thus become part of the larger debate about immigration, representation and belonging. His answer has been the idea that American identity is not based on a person’s ancestry, surname, religion or food, and also that immigration is still a political issue in the United States.
