An updated directive adds new race categories in federal data collection, providing a host of options for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
March 29, 2024, 3:05 PM EDT
Federal agencies will now be required to differentiate among Asian American and Pacific Islander groups when collecting data, according to an updated directive from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.
The new standards push agencies to update their forms, like an application for a Social Security card, for example, to include new choices beyond the umbrella terms Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, an OMB official told NBC News.
Under the Asian category, users will be given the following options: Chinese, Asian Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese or another group (for example, Pakistani, Hmong, Afghan).
The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander category will have more detailed choices as well: Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Chamorro, Tongan, Fijian, Marshallese or another group (for example, Chuukese, Palauan, Tahitian).
Groups listed are based on those with the highest population counts in the 2020 census, and agencies will also be encouraged to provide “write-in boxes” on the “another group” option so that people can further specify.
“And the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to advancing racial equity and inclusion through improved data collection, research, access, and disaggregation efforts. Better data leads to better and more informed policies that reflect the needs and priorities of the AA and NHPI communities,” an administration official said.