WASHINGTON(TIP): The Asian-American and Pacific Islander community has launched an anti-Donald Trump campaign in the crucial state of Virginia, alleging that the Republican presidential candidate continues to make fear-mongering comments against the American Muslim community.

The 70-year-old reality TV star’s platform “is steeped in bigotry” and needs to be countered, the Asian-American and Pacific Islanders Victory Fund said while kicking off its campaign by releasing its first web ad, “Rejecting Hate,” which it said is targeted at voters in Virginia.

Virginia has emerged as a swing state, and is now heavily leaning towards Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

During the primaries, the AAPI Victory Fund had endorsed 69-year-old Clinton.

“Donald Trump has consistently chosen to divide our country with hateful demagoguery that fuels anti-Muslim sentiments across the country,” said Dilawar Syed, AAPI Victory Fund co-founder and vice chair.

“We must fight back against a candidate whose platform is steeped in bigotry and who believes that attacking a diverse and engaged American community will somehow give him the path to the White House. We won’t stand for it, and we won’t let it happen,” he said.

“President Obama won our state by a margin of three percent in 2012, a state where Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders represent six percent of the population,” said Shekar Narasimhan, AAPI Victory Fund chair.

“As a Virginia resident and voter, I believe our community can be the margin of victory this November. We can affect this election through outreach and mobilizing voters throughout Virginia,” he said. Launched in January 2016, the AAPI Victory Fund is the first super political action committee of its kind. It is now mobilizing AAPI voters in key battleground states where growing AAPI populations could be the margin of victory.

With a population of more than 21 million and representing six percent of the country’s population, AAPIs are the fastest-growing and most diverse minority groups in America.

Indian-Americans for Trump welcome his immigration policy

Indian-American supporters of Donald Trump have welcomed the Republican presidential nominee’s immigration policy, saying it will strengthen his base.

“The address definitely strengthens his base and, we read that once his message is assimilated by the Latino population interested in keeping the illegal immigrants in the USA, his approval among them will increase somewhat,” said A D Amar, president of Indian-Americans for Trump 2016.

“What we read from this policy address by Trump is that if the illegal immigrants who have not committed crime continue to live in the shadow, there will be no rounding up of them by any deportation task force that he promised to enlarge if elected the next president,” Amar said, commenting on the major policy speech of Trump on immigration.

Amar said that in his address, Trump outlined his immigration policy with emotion and toughness that his followers will appreciate and strengthen his base.

“However, he spared mass deportation for the largest part of the 11 million illegal immigrants who have not committed any crime, are not public charge, are gainfully integrated in the American society, and continue to do so,” he said.

“We see this as a softening, and showing heart for the immigrants living in the USA. Nevertheless, he was very clear that if they wanted path to citizenship, they will have to go back to the country they came from and go through the process to be legalized,” Amar said.