As a tariff war continues to escalate under U.S. President Donald Trump, a study by a local nonprofit highlights the adverse effects South Bay residents say they’ve suffered due to the levies.
The Asian Business Association Foundation conducted a three-week survey of more than 1,050 residents in San Diego County’s District 1, and 56% of those who responded reported a decline in their financial situation.
Another 61% said that the April 2 tariff announcement had a negative impact on their households.
The study identified a pattern among small businesses, as well as Latino and Asian communities in which respondents said they faced barriers in access to public services and a loss of trust in institutions, all while also facing a decline in economic stability.
This month, Trump implemented a 10% tariff on imports from all countries, with higher rates for nations the administration claimed had high barriers to U.S. imports. He also imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese imports, with an exception for certain electronic devices.
A graph showing survey results on which costs cause the most financial stress among San Diego residents from District 1. (Image courtesy of Asian Business Association Foundation)California joined the effort to halt the new tariffs by filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Wednesday.
For foundation president and chief executive Jason Paguio, the study serves as a “call in, not a call out.” By bringing these issues to light, he hopes their organization can raise awareness and inspire change within the community.
“We wanted to be able to use it to bring policy makers, small business owners and neighbors back to the same table, to align what’s felt with what’s funded,” Paguio said. “Policy should begin where the pressure begins — at the REM check, the grocery run and the business counter. This is really how we wanted to position this.”
The organization focused on South County, he said, because officials were concerned that what was happening in the area, which includes the U.S.-Mexico border, “might be a signal for what’s coming in the region.”
“Although these are resilient regions, resilience shouldn’t mean invisibility,” he said. “So, a lot of the businesses that we service are adapting quietly and absorbing more risks than a lot of us realize.”
Graph revealing District 1 San Diego resident’s growing mistrust in Trump’s executive orders following the April 2 tariff announcement. (Graph Courtesy of Asian Business Association Foundation)As District 1 gears up for the July runoff special election between Chula Vista Mayor John McCann and Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, South Bay residents are raising their voices and urging officials to address the gaps caused by tariffs within their communities.
To learn about more studies conducted by ABAF, visit their research website for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander studies here, or follow them on Instagram at @abasandiego.
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