President Biden signed legislation Thursday that addresses hate crimes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular emphasis on the increase in violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (article available here).
The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, expedites the Justice Department’s review of hate crimes and designates an official at the department to oversee the effort. It also provides grants to state and local governments to conduct crime-reduction programs to prevent and respond to hate crimes.
Asian Americans have faced a dramatic spike in violence throughout the pandemic. The organization Stop AAPI Hate documented 6,603 hate incidents from March 2020 to March 2021, and leaders said the true number is much higher as many hate crimes go unreported.