Congress Calls on FBI to Treat Illinois Hindu Temple Shooting Attempt as a Hate Crime Amid Rising Anti‑South Asian Sentiment

When Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and his family were quietly praying at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, an 19‑year‑old self‑identified neo‑Nazi tried to open fire. His rifle jammed, he fled, and a coworker tipped off police – but the episode left a deep wound in the community.

Now, 105 members of the U.S. House, including every Indian‑American representative, have penned a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel. They’re pressing the bureau to treat the incident as a federal hate crime and to answer lingering questions about online threats aimed at Indian, Sikh, Hindu and other South‑Asian Americans.

The suspect, Alexandros Paporakis, was arrested the same day. Prosecutors say he left behind an eight‑page manifesto full of white‑supremacist rhetoric, a jammed rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, body armor and disturbing imagery. All of this points to a pre‑meditated plot targeting a religious congregation.

“The alleged combination of targeted racial hatred, a religious setting, and preparations for mass violence demands a comprehensive federal response,” the lawmakers wrote. They praised the FBI’s assistance to local investigators but warned that without explicit hate‑crime scrutiny, the case could slip through the cracks.

Their concerns are not unfounded. A September 2026 report tallied more than 542,000 anti‑South Asian hateful posts on X between January 2025 and June 2026 – a 240 % jump from early‑2024 levels. A Carnegie Endowment survey found that nearly half of Indian‑American respondents reported encountering racist posts at least occasionally, and one in four said they’d been called a slur.

Adding to the unease, the letter calls out rhetoric from the previous administration that, in their view, risked legitimizing racial and religious stereotypes. “Federal agencies should make clear that debates over immigration or public safety never justify collective suspicion of Indian, Sikh, Hindu, or other South Asian communities,” the lawmakers demanded.

In practical terms, the congressional delegation wants concrete answers: Is the FBI looking at racial, ethnic or religious bias in the Aurora case? Were online platforms or individuals complicit in the plot? What steps are being taken to protect houses of worship without trampling First Amendment rights?

“No one should fear being targeted because of their ancestry, appearance, or faith,” the letter reads. “We urge the FBI to investigate fully, pursue all applicable offenses, and give affected communities a clear account of the steps being taken to protect them.”

The lawmakers have asked for a written response by October 29, 2026, to the extent it does not compromise the ongoing investigation. The hope is simple: to ensure that a place of worship never again becomes a potential battlefield for hate‑filled extremism.