Advancing Justice|AAJC warns of hate crime undercount

News Article
Aug. 20, 2026
By Randall

New FBI data just released show a decline in the overall numbers of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans, with Sikhs and Hindus being the exception.

The civil rights group Asian American Advancing Justice|AAJC warns the statistics likely reflect an undercount as not all hate crimes are reported, and not all police agencies submit their numbers to the FBI.

“The real risk is not simply that hate goes unaddressed, but that it becomes invisible,” said Sim J. Singh Attariwala, Director of the Anti-Hate Program at Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC to Security Watch.

New Indian Express reports racially biased incidents against Sikhs increased 24.6% to 177 in 2025. Hate Crimes against Hindus rose to 28 or 12%.

Hate crimes against Asian Americans overall in 2025 were 2.5 higher than pre-pandemic levels but declined 10.6% to 339 incidents from 2024.

Conservatives were not immune from hate crime attacks with Second Lady Usha Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy. GOP candidate for Governor of Ohio, frequent targets on social media. AAJC also cautioned against efforts to portray Sikh and Punjabi truck drivers as public safety threats.

The FBI data also found hate crimes against Pacific Islanders in 2025 declined by 31% to 20.