The FBI and DOJ will now start to track all hate crimes against Sikh, Hindu, and Arab Americans, reports NBC News. Additionally, the FBI has updated the procedure for dealing with hate crimes against these communities– providing local police with specific information as to how to best handle such crimes.
“We can’t fully grasp or solve a problem until we know exactly what it is we are dealing with. That’s why collecting data on hate crimes is so critical,” Representative Joe Crowley said.
Sikh activist and leader of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) Jasit Singh feels that these actions are a step in the right direction towards ensuring the safety of his community against persecution.
“Today we all stand together to show that hate has no place in America,” Singh said.
For more information on this important change in FBI policy, visit NBC news.