MICHIGAN — Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, a notable increase in hate crimes against Arab and Muslim Americans have been reported. According to reports from numerous leaders, representing various civil rights organizations, hate crimes against Arabs and Muslims remain on the rise, even more than a decade since the attacks. Until now, these crimes have never been tracked by any federal law enforcement data reports. 

Recently, an advisory policy board of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) voted to revise its hate crime statistics, so that hate crimes against Sikhs, Hindus and Arabs can now also be tracked. 

Hassan Jaber, the executive director of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), says that the human service organization applauds the board’s decision, and noted that it is a step in the right direction to protect vulnerable communities.