New York, May 22, 2026 – Democratic congressional candidate Vichal Kumar is emerging as a prominent South Asian voice in New York politics as he campaigns for New York’s 7th Congressional District, representing diverse communities across western Queens, including Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside.
The son of working-class Indian immigrants, Kumar grew up helping his parents operate their small convenience store. He attended law school at night while working during the day, eventually choosing a career in public service instead of corporate law. For the past two decades, Kumar has worked as a public defender, representing immigrant families, tenants, and workers in court.
Kumar has also held major leadership roles within the South Asian legal community, serving as President of both the South Asian Bar Association of North America and the South Asian Bar Association of New York.
His campaign has focused heavily on issues affecting immigrant and South Asian communities in Queens. Kumar has proposed federal support for immigrant-owned small businesses, including no-interest startup loans and banking reforms to expand lending access for business owners using ITIN numbers. He has also called for stronger protections for restaurant and delivery workers against exploitative app-based companies.
On immigration, Kumar has emphasized his firsthand experience representing individuals in ICE detention. He supports dismantling ICE, ending the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program, reducing visa backlogs, and removing per-country green card caps that affect families from countries such as India and Bangladesh.
Housing affordability is another major pillar of his campaign. Kumar supports expanding Section 8 housing vouchers and repealing federal restrictions that limit the construction of new public housing developments in New York.
Kumar has also been building alliances within Queens’ growing South Asian political landscape. Recently, he joined Assembly candidate Somnath Ghimire during a postcard-writing drive hosted by South Asians for America at Nepali Bhanchha Ghar in Jackson Heights, highlighting efforts to strengthen cross-community engagement among immigrant voters.
If elected, Kumar would become the first South Asian member of Congress from New York, marking a historic milestone for the state’s South Asian community. – Report by Raju Lama
