Hate Crimes

Keeping Arab Americans Safe from Hate Crimes

Our community has increasingly been subjected to hate crimes. ADC has persisted in its efforts to help keep Americans of Arab heritage, Muslims, and those perceived to be, safe by addressing reported incidents of hate crimes and ensuring the appropriate authorities are informed. ADC has received increasing number of complaints regarding racially motivated cyberbullying and threats of bodily harm on 'hate sites.' In light of this, ADC works closely with the FBI to address these grave concerns and to expedite the opening and investigation of cases that involve serious threats of bodily harm.

Changes to FBI Hate Crimes Tracking Form: As part of an ongoing effort by ADC to promote tracking of hate crimes against Arabs, in February of 2013, ADC urged members to ask their senators to support a letter introduced by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Diane Feinstein (D-CA) urging Attorney General Eric Holder and FBI Director Robert Muller to allow for the collection and tracking of hate crimes committed against Arab Americans, Sikh Americans, and Hindu Americans. The Legal Department is pleased to report that through the Legal Department's efforts, and support from our coalition partners and ADC members, in early 2014 ADC was successful in obtaining the tracking of hate crimes against Arabs and Arab Americans by the US Department of Justice. The US Department of Justice has revised its hate crime tracking form to include a check box for Arabs.

In September 2015, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) assisted Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30) in drafting a resolution honoring victims of post-9/11 hate crimes. The resolution honors the victims of Islamophobic and anti-immigrant hate crimes, and also acknowledges the positive contributions of Arabs, South Asians, Sikhs, and Muslims to the United States.

The recent 2016 FBI Hate Crime Tracking Report data shows an 38% increase from 2015 in anti-Arab reported hate crimes. Find more data and statistics on hate crimes for the 2016 FBI Hate Crime Tracking Report.