'Indians in US work, don’t riot': Post amid LA chaos ignites debate on immigrant contributions

As Los Angeles reeled from days of violent protests, one post drew a stark line between Indian immigrants and demonstrators from other countries.

“Indians come to the U.S. to work hard, not wreak havoc. You don’t see them burning cars, looting stores, or trashing cities,” the post declared. It then blamed “so-called ‘activists’ from places like Palestine, Somalia, Pakistan, other Muslim countries and some Mexicans” for “RIOTS, VIOLENCE, and CHAOS.”

The post surfaced as LA streets burned, National Guard troops deployed, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids inflamed tensions across Latino neighborhoods. 

Supporters of the tweet saw it as blunt truth-telling. One reply framed it more narrowly: “The mindset of Indians is straightforward — focus on hard work, stay out of others’ business, and keep moving forward.”

The timing and the message forced a wider discussion not just about the protests, but about immigrant identity and perception — who is seen as contributing, and who is portrayed as causing disruption.

According to 2023 data, Indian Americans — roughly 5.2 million strong — now make up the second-largest Asian-origin group in the U.S., yet account for just 1.5% of the population. 

Despite that, they contribute between 5–6% of all U.S. income tax, an estimated $250–300 billion annually. Indian Americans dominate high-income sectors: they run 60% of the nation’s hotels, lead 16 Fortune 500 companies, and represent a quarter of all international students.

Their total economic footprint supports more than 11 million American jobs — a contrast supporters of the tweet were quick to highlight as they praised the community’s low-profile, high-performance presence during the unrest.

Other groups mentioned in the post — Pakistani, Somali, and Palestinian Americans — have made strides in healthcare, business, and community services, but on smaller scales. Pakistani Americans, at around 600,000, are largely urban and educated, but with less unified lobbying power. 

Palestinian and Somali American populations are smaller still, with limited but growing economic impact.