Nikki Haley , the Indian American governor of South Carolina , whose parents are from Punjab in Northwest India , identified as ' white ' on her voter registration card in 2001 . Haley 's behavior reflects a historic trend among lighter skinned people of color in America , called white passing . Dick Harpootlian , chairman of the South Carolina Democrats , stated “ Haley has been appearing on television interviews where she calls herself a minority — when it suits her ... When she registers to vote she says she is white . She has developed a pattern of saying whatever is beneficial to her at the moment . ” An Indian immigrant to the United States regarded himself as a " white American " for the 16 years that he lived in the United States , but , after 9/11 , he realized that he was not a " white American , " and he assumed that his neighbors would regard him as a non-white person , an Arab , a Muslim , a foreigner , or a possible terrorist . Many Indian Americans have a tendency to represent themselves to Americans as being from the " glorious ancient Indian civilisation , the spiritual and cultural east , or from the pure Aryan race . " The official classification of South Asians as part of the Asian racial category represents an agreement of convenience for South Asians on where they fit on the racially divided black-white spectrum in America . South Asian Americans and other types of Asian Americans mutually feel that there exists " profound racial difference " between themselves and the other Asian ethnic group . Furthermore , " Working-class or state school-educated second generation Indian Americans do not see a natural alliance or unity with other Asian American groups . " In 1989 , the East – West Center published a research paper about Indian Americans that said that Americans find identifying South Asians by their " race " or " color " to be difficult . The paper said that a 1978 survey of Americans asked the question , " Would you classify most people from India as being white , black , or something else ? " The paper said that 38 % of respondents classified most people from India as " other , " 23 % classified them as " brown , " 15 % classified them as " black , " 13 % did not know how to classify them , and 11 % classified them as " white . " The paper said that the American social world must somehow add a category of " dark-skinned Caucasians " to the central and familiar black and white dichotomy . In 2000 , a series of interviews of second-generation Asian American college student leaders found that most of the interviewees who did not include Indian Americans as Asian Americans did not express a clear reason that was more than perceived difference in physical appearance and culture . A 2017 book about Indian Americans said that Indians and other South Asians are a part of Asian Americans , yet apart from Asian Americans , and admitted among Asian Americans , but not acknowledged among Asian Americans . It said that Asian Americans most suitable characterization for Indians and other South Asians might be " ambiguously nonwhite . "
9/11
September 11 attacks
Racial classification of Indian Americans