South Asian lawmakers roundtable on hate crimes

On September 3, 2026, a coalition of South Asian American lawmakers, led by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, held a national roundtable at the US Capitol to address rising hate, harassment, and violence against South Asian Americans. The roundtable included Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Ami Bera, Suhas Subramanyam, and Shri Thanedar, along with state and local elected officials from North Carolina, New Jersey, Virginia, California, Michigan, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Representatives from Indian American Muslim Council and Stop AAPI Hate also participated. Participants discussed the experiences of South Asian communities, the forces driving hate, and strategies to strengthen prevention, reporting, and response to hate crimes. Krishnamoorthi highlighted his reintroduction of the Hate Crimes Commission Act, which would establish a bipartisan commission to study the causes of hate crimes, including the role of social media and technology, and require a United States — United States Government Accountability Office audit of federal hate-crime data. The event reflects heightened concern among South Asian American organizations and elected officials over discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, or national origin.