Sikhs Remain Disproportionately Targeted, FBI Data Shows

Photo: sikhcoalition.org

India-West Staff Reporter

WASHINGTON D.C.– According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) annual hate crime statistics report for 2024, the Sikh community remains the third most-targeted religious group for hate crimes and bias incidents in the United States. The report recorded 153 anti-Sikh victimizations, a slight reduction from 2023, which reflects a broader decrease in reported hate crimes overall.

Despite these numbers, the report acknowledges that the data is fundamentally incomplete. Thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country still report zero hate crimes, likely due to a combination of victims’ reluctance to come forward, a failure to properly investigate, and inaccurate recording of bias-motivated incidents.

In a statement, Mannirmal Kaur, Senior Federal Policy Manager for the Sikh Coalition, highlighted the disproportionate threat the community faces. “Sikhs remain under threat from violent hate disproportionate to the size of our population,” she said, emphasizing that improving reporting across the country is the “first and most basic step” to understanding the full scope of the problem.

To address the issue of underreporting, the Sikh Coalition continues to advocate for the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act. This bipartisan bill aims to make hate crime data more comprehensive by compelling local law enforcement agencies to improve their reporting and by providing additional education on hate crimes for both law enforcement and the public.

The most targeted are the Jewish and Muslim communities.