WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — South Asian American lawmakers and elected officials are urging stronger action against hate, harassment and violence targeting their communities. They made the call during a national roundtable led by Indian American Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi.
The meeting brought together federal, state and local leaders to discuss discrimination against South Asian Americans. Participants also explored ways to improve hate crime prevention, reporting and response across the United States.
U.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Ami Bera, Suhas Subramanyam and Shri Thanedar joined Krishnamoorthi at the roundtable. State and local officials from several parts of the country also attended. Indian American Impact and Stop AAPI Hate took part as well.
Krishnamoorthi said the meeting focused on the growing concerns about hate, harassment and violence affecting South Asian communities. He said lawmakers must find practical ways to protect people and prevent future attacks.
He also stressed that the issue affects all Americans. Krishnamoorthi said no one should feel unwelcome because of their birthplace, religion or name.
The Illinois congressman has also pushed for stronger federal action on hate crimes. In particular, he supports the Hate Crimes Commission Act. The proposal would create a bipartisan U.S. commission to study the causes of hate crimes and identify ways to prevent them.
The legislation would examine several factors that may contribute to hate crimes. These include the role of social media and technology. It would also look at problems that can prevent victims from reporting incidents accurately.
In addition, the bill would direct the Government Accountability Office to review federal systems for collecting hate crime data. Supporters say better data could help policymakers understand trends and improve responses.
Krishnamoorthi reintroduced the legislation in May with Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Reps. Grace Meng and Nydia Velázquez also serve as House co-leads on the measure.
The roundtable included elected officials from North Carolina, New Jersey, Virginia, California, Michigan, Texas and Pennsylvania. Chintan Patel, executive director of Indian American Impact, attended the meeting. Manju Kulkarni, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, also joined the discussion.
The gathering comes as South Asian American organizations continue to raise concerns about discrimination. Hate incidents can target people because of their ethnicity, religion or national origin. Leaders say communities need better tools to report incidents and receive support.
Krishnamoorthi represents Illinois’ 8th Congressional District. He has called for a wider federal review of the causes behind hate crimes and the gaps that can limit accurate reporting.
Federal figures cited when lawmakers reintroduced the bill showed more than 11,000 single-bias hate crime incidents in 2024. Those incidents involved nearly 14,000 victims, according to data reported to the FBI.
The incidents involved several forms of bias. They included attacks or discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.
For South Asian American leaders, the latest roundtable represents another effort to bring hate crime concerns into the national policy debate. They say stronger reporting systems, better data and coordinated action could help communities respond more effectively.
The lawmakers also emphasized that preventing hate requires action at every level. Federal agencies, state governments, local officials and community organizations all have roles to play.
As discussions continue, South Asian American leaders are calling for policies that protect communities while ensuring that victims can report hate incidents without fear. The broader goal, they say, is to strengthen public safety and ensure that every community feels welcome in the United States.
