Hate crimes surge in US: Anti-Sikh cases jump 3700% in decade; anti-Latino incidents rise 18%

THE United States in 2025 witnessed a surge in hate crimes that disproportionately targeted members of the Latino and Sikh communities, raising fresh concerns over rising intolerance and gaps in protection for vulnerable groups.

Axios on Thursday (IST), citing preliminary data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), reported that anti-Latino and anti-Sikh hate crimes in the US soared to a new high in 2025, despite overall hate crimes seeing a decline. Hate crimes in the US have risen sharply over the past decade, with overall incidents increasing by 88% between 2015 and 2025, FBI data revealed.

For the first time in 34 years of hate crime tracking, anti-Latino bias ranked among the top three most targeted categories. 2025 was also the fifth-highest year for hate crimes in the 34-year history of the FBI collecting police data.

Brian Levin, hate crime expert, told Axios, "Whoever is the target of a particular sticky type of stereotype, particularly a fear-inducing one, you'll see that particular group spike."

Anti-Sikh, anti-Latino hate crimes rise sharply

Levin, who analysed the California Association of Human Relations Organizations, noted that anti-Sikh hate crimes were up from just six in 2015 to 228 in 2025, marking a 3,700% increase. He, however, added that anti-Sikh hate crimes had just been introduced as a category at that time.

According to a 2025 report in the Sikh Coalition, a US.-based civil rights group founded after 9/11, advocates for Sikh Americans and documents anti-Sikh discrimination, the community, in 2024, was the third most targeted religious group behind Jews and Muslims.

List of communities/categories most affected by hate crimes in the US:

1. Anti-Trans: The most striking surge was witnessed in anti-trans hate crimes, which have jumped 395% over the period and are by far the largest increase among all tracked categories. This suggests a dramatic escalation in targeted violence against transgender individuals in recent years. Despite a 6 per cent decline, anti-trans hate crimes remain persistently high, 98% above their 13-year average, amid a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

2. Anti-Latino: Anti-Latino hate crimes have also seen a significant rise, increasing by 239%, making it one of the fastest-growing categories. The surge in anti-Latino hate crimes is being attributed to the US President Donald Trump's administration ramping up immigration enforcement, with Trump using racist and inflammatory rhetoric about immigrants.

3. Anti-Asian: Hate crime incidents against anti-Asian people climbed 195%, reflecting a sustained upward trend over the decade.

4. Anti-Jews: Data shows that anti-Jewish hate crimes witnessed a jump of 123% over the decade. However, there has been a 29% dip, marking a sharp year-on-year decline, as the surge following 7 October 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, appears to be easing.

5. Anti-Black: Incidents of anti-Black hate crimes witnessed a surge of 66%.

6. Anti-white: Hate crimes saw a 51% increase.

7. Anti-gay (male): Hate crimes recorded the smallest rise among the listed categories, at 27%.