Counted but Not Seen: The Sikh Struggle for Justice  Amid a Quiet Crisis of Hate

NEW YORK, NY, August 8, 2025 – In response to the FBI’s release of its 2024 Hate Crime Statistics, UNITED SIKHS is sounding the alarm over the continued invisibility of anti-Sikh hate in national reporting. Despite a modest 1.5% decline in overall hate crimes from the previous year,  the Sikh community remains disproportionately targeted and critically under-represented in national hate crime data.

According to the new FBI data, law enforcement agencies reported 11,679 bias-motivated criminal incidents in 2024. The report further highlights that 2,783 of these incidents were based on religious bias, a stark reminder of the persistent and targeted violence against communities of faith.

Incidents targeting Sikhs are often misclassified or omitted entirely, obscuring the true scale of bias faced by the community. UNITED SIKHS warns that this lack of visibility not only distorts public understanding but also hampers efforts to protect vulnerable populations.

This year’s findings are consistent with previous trends – that Sikh Americans are the third most frequently targeted religious group in the United States, with 153 victims across 142 reported anti-Sikh hate crime incidents nationwide (FBI Crime Data Explorer). The continued presence of Sikh Americans among the most-targeted groups reflects broader patterns of religious discrimination, racialized violence, and ignorance toward articles of faith such as turbans, kirpans, and unshorn hair. These biases affect not just Sikhs, but many communities perceived as “other” in public spaces. No individual should face violence or harassment under any circumstances.

Through its grassroots initiative, UMEED Helpline, UNITED SIKHS has documented numerous cases of anti-Sikh hate – from verbal abuse and physical attacks to vandalism of places of worship. These stories, shared directly by community members, rarely make it into federal databases due to systemic barriers like limited confidence in law enforcement, inadequate outreach, and flawed categorization.

Anti-Sikh hate remains a persistent issue, yet it is frequently under-represented in national data. As an organization committed to advocacy and justice, UNITED SIKHS calls on government agencies to enhance systems for tracking and categorizing bias. We further encourage Sikh individuals to report incidents through reliable platforms such as UMEED.

Hate crimes are not just numbers, they are personal traumas that ripple through families and communities. UNITED SIKHS remains steadfast in its mission to advocate for justice, provide legal aid, and foster healing for those impacted by hate. The organization urges all stakeholders to take meaningful steps toward equity, visibility, and accountability.