Why Are Hate Crimes Against Sikhs and Hindus Rising in America?

Washington: Hate crimes targeting Sikh and Hindu communities in the United States have increased, according to an analysis of FBI data by Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) and the Sikh Coalition.

Reported anti-Sikh hate crime incidents rose from 147 in 2024 to 177 in 2025, an increase of 24.6%. Anti-Hindu incidents increased from 64 to 75, representing a rise of about 17%.

Anti-Buddhist hate crimes also increased by 7.7%, from 27 cases in 2024 to 29 in 2025.

What Is Behind the Increase?

Civil rights organizations have linked the rise to several broader factors, particularly growing anti-immigrant rhetoric and political polarization in the United States.

Public discussions and political statements portraying immigrants as a threat to jobs, public safety or national security can contribute to negative stereotypes against minority communities. Sikh and Punjabi communities have reportedly faced particular attention, including attempts to portray Punjabi truck drivers as a threat to public safety.

Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Raises Concern

The Sikh Coalition and AAJC have expressed concern that hostile rhetoric against immigrants can create an environment in which religious and ethnic minorities become targets of harassment and violence.

For Sikh Americans, religious identity can sometimes make them more visible targets because of articles of faith such as turbans and beards. Misidentification and stereotypes can further contribute to anti-Sikh incidents.

Many Cases May Go Unreported

The reported figures may not reflect the full scale of the problem. Many hate incidents are never reported to law enforcement because victims may fear retaliation, lack confidence in authorities, or may not know how to report such incidents.

As a result, the actual number of hate incidents could be significantly higher than the official figures.

Wider Impact on Asian American Communities

Civil rights organizations have warned that the issue extends beyond individual communities. Rising hostility toward immigrants and minority groups could affect Asian American, South Asian, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu communities more broadly.

They have called for stronger efforts to address hate crimes, improve reporting mechanisms and counter misinformation and discriminatory rhetoric.