US Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), who serve as co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, have issued a joint statement in response to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2024 Hate Crime Statistics Report.
According to Senator Lankford, “The FBI’s latest hate crime report paints a troubling picture. Jewish Americans continue to be targeted simply because of their faith and heritage in schools, synagogues, and in their own neighborhoods. This disturbing trend demands urgent attention. I remain committed to confronting antisemitism and strengthening reporting to fully understand the scope of this threat. By working together, Congress, the Administration, and law enforcement can help ensure that every Jewish American can live without fear.”
Senator Rosen stated, “All Americans should be deeply troubled by the sharp increase in anti-Jewish hate crimes detailed in this report. As one of the co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Forces for Combating Antisemitism, I remain steadfast in our commitment to work across party lines to root out the scourge of antisemitism. We’ll continue pushing to ensure the federal government keeps Jewish Americans safe from discrimination, violence, and hate.”
The FBI’s 2024 data shows there were 11,679 reported hate crime incidents nationwide. Of these cases, 3,096 were single-bias offenses motivated by religious bias; nearly 70 percent were classified as anti-Jewish. Among 3,235 victims of anti-religious hate crimes, 69.1 percent were targeted due to anti-Jewish bias.
In total, there were 2,237 Jewish victims of hate crimes last year—the highest number since the FBI began collecting such data in 1991. Although Jews make up about two percent of the U.S. population, antisemitic hate crimes accounted for 16 percent of all hate crimes reported by law enforcement agencies participating in the FBI’s data collection program in 2024.
Senators Lankford and Rosen are advocating for continued bipartisan support for measures such as the Antisemitism Awareness Act and funding for security grants aimed at protecting high-risk nonprofit organizations.
The Antisemitism Awareness Act seeks to make permanent the Department of Education’s use of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition when investigating potential violations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides financial support for security improvements at nonprofit institutions considered vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
For more information on these statistics or related legislative efforts, readers can access additional details through official channels or news outlets covering this issue.
