The election of America’s first Muslim senator, the victories of African-American candidates in several gubernatorial races, the prospect of the first Black Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the growing legislative presence of Indian-Americans offer an important corrective to the recent Indian perception that America has become deeply racist.The surge in anti-Indian rhetoric from sections of the populist MAGA movement has understandably angered Indians at home and in America. But to see the US only through the lens of racism is to miss the other side of its extraordinary political history: Its capacity to absorb outsiders and elevate them to the highest positions of public life.AdvertisementAmerica has always been a land of immigrants and a country deeply troubled by immigration. Its history is marked by repeated waves of hostility towards newcomers, followed by their gradual acceptance into the national mainstream. The tension between exclusion and inclusion has been central to the American political experience.The election of Abdul El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, as the first Muslim senator, and the re-election of Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American Muslim, despite intense campaigns against them, underline America’s capacity for integration. These victories do not mean that racial and religious prejudice has disappeared. They demonstrate that prejudice does not always determine how Americans vote.Also Read | America has reminded it takes more than anger to governIndian Americans have good reasons to be upset by the recent hostility towards their community. Long celebrated as a successful “model minority”, Indian-Americans are discovering that they are not immune to racial hatred. Yet, Indians should also recognise that hostility towards outsiders is hardly unique to America. India’s own history is full of “sons of the soil” movements, while caste and religious prejudice continue to influence its politics and society.AdvertisementNor is racism a recent American invention. Recall the anti-East Asian racism in the first term of the Trump administration. Going further back, immigration legislation of 1924 reinforced racial barriers and sharply restricted immigration from Asia. The dismantling of these restrictions, culminating in the immigration reforms of 1965, opened the door to large-scale migration from India and other Asian countries.The remarkable rise of the Indian-American community over the last few decades is inseparable from America’s decision to welcome Asians. America did not simply offer economic opportunities to Indian immigrants. It also created political space for them and their children to participate in the governance of their adopted country.The changing composition of the US Congress reflects this wider transformation. The proportion of racial and ethnic minority members has more than doubled since the beginning of this century, from about 12 per cent in 2000 to 26 per cent in 2024.Indian-Americans are part of this change. Five have secured election to the House of Representatives this week, with a sixth awaiting the final count. Beyond Washington, at least 30 Indian-Americans have reportedly won elections to state legislatures, including 15 women. Much of this is on the Democratic Party ticket.The growing political influence of immigrants extends well beyond the Indian community. Last November, Zohran Mamdani, born in Uganda to parents of Indian origin, became New York’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor. In Los Angeles, Indian-born Nithya Raman is leading in a tight mayoral contest. These developments underline a simple point: Candidates from immigrant backgrounds can compete for power without their origins becoming an insurmountable barrier.Nor should Delhi assume that the political success of Indian-Americans automatically translates into their support for all policies of the Indian government. Their political loyalties are to the United States, and their views reflect the diversity of American politics. As the community grows, we should also expect greater differences among Indian-Americans in their vision of US policies to India. Delhi must earn their support, as it would with other American citizens.you may likeFor India, the lesson is to avoid sweeping judgements about America. The country has never been free of racial and religious prejudice. But few societies have demonstrated a comparable capacity to welcome outsiders and allow them to rise to positions of political authority.America’s struggle between exclusion and inclusion is far from over. MAGA’s hostility towards immigrants is real, but it is also being challenged by Americans themselves. The United States remains a society in which the ideas of national belonging are constantly contested and repeatedly enlarged. That is a sensible way of thinking about the great American melting pot.The writer is contributing editor on international affairs, The Indian Express. He is professor and director, The Motwani Jadeja Institute of American Studies, Jindal Global University, Delhi