NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Indian American comedian Zarna Garg says many in her community support Donald Trump because of his hard line on illegal immigration, even as she disagrees with how he carries out those policies. Garg shared her views during an appearance on The Daily Beast Podcast, where she spoke about the political divide among Indian Americans and why immigration remains a major concern for many families.

Garg said many Indian Americans came to the United States through long and demanding legal processes. She noted that most families waited years for visa approvals, background checks, and interviews. She said those experiences shape how they feel about immigration today.

“Indian people, by and large, are legal immigrants in America,” Garg said during the interview. “It was years of waiting, years of applying paperwork. There are hundreds and thousands of verifications. So the whole illegal immigration thing was something that we never really got on board with.”

Garg added that many Indians have relatives who have waited more than 15 years for legal entry to the U.S. She said that creates frustration when they see people crossing the border illegally. “It felt like anybody who was breaking the law was getting rewarded,” she said. Garg directed some of her criticism toward the Biden administration. She said many Indian immigrants struggled to understand the government’s approach to border security over the past few years.

“We could not understand why they were not taking this seriously,” she said. “Ask any Indian person. We have relatives who have been waiting 15 years in line. And then, yet it felt like anybody who was breaking the law was getting rewarded.”

She said people abroad also questioned the situation in the U.S. “You cannot just walk into Switzerland. You cannot just walk into Canada. You cannot walk into India,” she said. While Garg said many Indians appreciate Trump’s tough message, she also stressed that she does not support how he enforces immigration rules. She said she believes the U.S. must address real problems at the border, but does not agree with Trump’s methods.

“I don’t think he should be doing things the way he’s doing them,” she said. “I have a problem with his execution. But a lot of the problems he has highlighted are real problems. And just saying that the problem doesn’t exist is not going to make them go away.”

Garg’s daughter, Zoya, also joined the podcast and said Trump appeals to many Indian Americans because of his business background. She said Indian families often admire business leaders and see Trump through that lens.

“What was admirable was that President Trump could be seen as like a business person,” she said. “That is something that Indian people can understand and aspire to in their own families.”

Garg blended humor with commentary throughout the conversation. She joked that Indians often accept political flaws because they grew up seeing corruption in their own home country.

“All our politicians are crooked back home,” she said with a laugh. “So that just seems to be a job requirement.”

A recent survey from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace shows political views among Indian Americans are changing. The October 2024 findings showed that support for the Democratic Party dropped from 56% in 2020 to 47% in 2024. Republican support remained steady, while more respondents identified as Independents.

Garg, who began her comedy career in 2019 after her daughter pushed her to try an open mic, said the United States gave her the opportunities she would not have had elsewhere. She told Fox News Digital earlier this year that America welcomed her voice and allowed her career to grow.

“This is a country that looks at a person like me and says, ‘We want to hear what you have to say,’” she said. “That’s what makes America, America.”

Garg, now a successful stand-up comedian, screenwriter, and author, continues to use her platform to talk about immigrant life and the cultural issues Indian Americans face. Her comedy special One in a Billion and memoir This American Woman have earned her a large following. As political divides deepen in the U.S., Garg’s comments reflect an ongoing debate inside the Indian American community about immigration, identity, and leadership.