WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported a 7.4 percent increase in discrimination and attacks against Muslim and Arab Americans in 2024 compared to the previous year, detailing crackdowns on university students protesting in support of Palestine. The annual report, titled “Unconstitutional crackdowns,” attributes the rise in Islamophobia to Israel’s war on Gaza and corresponding anti-occupation protests on American campuses, according to ​Reuters

Record number of complaints

CAIR’s branches received 8,658 complaints related to discrimination against Muslims and Arabs in 2024, the highest annual number since the organization began publishing data in 1996. This figure represents a 7.4 percent increase from the 8,061 complaints in 2023, indicating a worsening climate of Islamophobia, according to the rights organization. The majority of complaints fell into categories such as employment discrimination (15.4 percent), immigration and asylum issues (14.8 percent), educational discrimination (9.8 percent) and hate crimes (7.5 percent), according to reports from ​Reuters and the Guardian.

Crackdowns on pro-Palestinian protests

The report highlights that security crackdowns on pro-Palestinian sit-ins at universities have heightened tensions, with increased arrests and students being barred from attending lectures amid growing calls to end U.S. support for Israel. CAIR noted that viewpoint-based discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a significant factor in many documented cases.

“Robust public discussion, a hallmark of healthy democracy, was replaced by the repression of individuals expressing politically disfavored viewpoints in 2024,” Corey Saylor, CAIR’s director of research and advocacy said. He added that speaking out against Israel’s policies of apartheid, occupation and genocide came at a cost, marking the first time in nearly 30 years that reported complaints were often due to discrimination based on viewpoint rather than religious identity.

Three key trends identified in CAIR’s report

CAIR’s research team identified three main trends in the annual report:​

1. Shift in targeting: Unlike previous years, where American Muslims were primarily targeted for their religious beliefs, 2024 saw a broader pattern where Muslims, alongside Palestinians, Arabs, Jews and Black Asians, were targeted for opposing genocide and apartheid. This shift underscores the increasing tension in American society over global justice and human rights issues.​
2. Rise in employment discrimination: Employment discrimination reached a new high, accounting for 15.4 percent of all reported complaints. This is the first time employment discrimination became the most reported category across CAIR offices nationwide. Many complaints originated from employees, particularly minorities, who faced punishment or defamation for speaking out against Israel’s occupation of Palestine and its treatment of Palestinians.
3. Increase in law enforcement encounters: There was a significant rise in confrontations with law enforcement, which increased by 71.5 percent, with 506 incidents reported in 2024, up from 295 in 2023. This surge coincided with anti-Israel student protests, indicating a troubling trend of university officials using law enforcement to target individuals based on their activism and political opinions. ​

Ongoing discrimination and assaults in 2025

Discrimination incidents and racial assaults against Arab and Muslim Americans have continued across the United States into 2025. For instance, two Muslim sisters were assaulted in Waterbury, Connecticut, earlier this month. The Connecticut chapter of CAIR reported that twin sisters, aged 14 and wearing hijabs, were physically attacked by fellow students at Michael Wallace Middle School on March 3, resulting in serious injuries that required hospitalization.

“Schools should be safe places for all students, regardless of their religion or race,” said Farhan Memon, chairman of CAIR-Connecticut. “What happened to these girls is unacceptable, and the school district has a legal and moral obligation to take decisive action to prevent further harm.” ​

National rise in anti-Muslim incidents

The rise in anti-Muslim incidents is part of a broader national trend. Since October 7, 2023, anti-Muslim and anti-Arab incidents in the U.S. have surged, reaching a record high of 8,658 complaints, largely due to heightened Islamophobia following Israel’s war on Gaza and resulting campus protests. Notable hate crimes included fatal and non-fatal attacks on Arab American and Palestinian Americans.

These developments highlight the urgent need for addressing and combating Islamophobia and ensuring the safety and rights of Arab and Muslim communities in the United States, CAIR’s annual report concludes.