Topline
Far fewer Americans perceive racial discrimination against Black and Asian people compared to 2021, according to an AP-NORC poll of 1,437 adults, which also found increasing numbers of people are becoming more skeptical of diversity, equity and inclusion programs as the Trump administration targets universities and companies promoting them.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MAY 26: Protesters march on Hiawatha Avenue while decrying the killing of George Floyd on May 26, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
The poll found about 45% of American adults believe there is “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of discrimination against Black people in the U.S., a 16 percentage point drop from 2021, the year following the George Floyd protests that sparked a racial reckoning in the U.S.
The perception of a significant amount of discrimination against Asian Americans dropped 14 points over that same time frame, from 46% in 2021 to 32% in 2025.
The poll also found perceptions of a large amount of discrimination against Hispanic and white people dropped, but by smaller margins.
Forty-four percent of respondents in the most recent poll perceived “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of discrimination against Hispanic Americans, down from 48% in 2021, while 15% said white Americans face a significant level of discrimination, compared to 18% in 2021.
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What Does The Poll Say About Religious Discrimination?
Nearly half of the public believe Muslim people experience “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of discrimination, while 35% say the same about Jewish people. The 2021 poll didn’t measure discrimination perception based on religion.
Tangent
Roughly three in 10 people believe DEI initiatives increase discrimination against the majority of racial and ethnic groups including white people, according to the poll, which noted about a third feel DEI programs are reducing discrimination against women, Hispanic people and Asian people. Nearly four in 10 said the same about DEI programs and Black people.
Big Number
58%. That is the share of Americans who believe immigrants without legal status are subject to “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of discrimination, the highest amount of any demographic.
Key Background
Nearly a year after George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, 83% of Americans said Black people faced a “great deal” or a “moderate amount” of discrimination, according to the AP-NORC poll. A heightened period of racial unrest around that time led to greater scrutiny of systemic racism and the role of police in the U.S., also sparking a push for expanded DEI initiatives across public and private sectors. The push received support from former President Joe Biden, who sought to increase DEI programs and awareness at educational institutions, in the federal government and in the housing market after he took office in 2021. President Donald Trump has done the opposite, characterizing government DEI programs as “radical” and “wasteful” and threatening public institutions like schools with the loss of government funding if they do not eliminate DEI initiatives. His opposition to DEI has also impacted the corporate sector. The Federal Communications Commission recently approved an $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance, giving the green light after Skydance vowed to end DEI considerations in hiring, promotion, development and compensation processes. Trump has also targeted immigrants without legal status in the U.S. and sought to conduct large-scale deportations. The aggressive approach has been met with protests in large cities such as Los Angeles, where demonstrators opposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids through days-long protests that were met with a controversial deployment of the National Guard and Marines.