The letter sent by Krishnamoorthi was signed by 68 cosigners
Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi wrote a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, on Monday, urging him to use his complete authority in combating hate crimes against the religious minorities. The letter sent by Krishnamoorthi was signed by 68 cosigners.
Krishnamoorthy’s letter comes after John Kelly visited a Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus meeting in which the secretary told members that he felt there was a need for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to focus more on white supremacist organizations and hate groups.
“I was heartened to hear Secretary Kelly’s recognition of the threat posed by hate groups and other forces of intolerance,” Rep. Krishnamoorthi said. “This letter urges the Secretary to act on that knowledge and use the resources of his department to combat both hate crimes and their root causes.”
Krishnamoorthi wrote in the letter that many Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jews, and other religious minorities in the US are living under the fear for their safety and requested him to protect the interests of all US people.
Kelly, during his congressional meeting, had said, “One of the first things I noticed from the last administration is that there was not enough focus, in my view, on white supremacy organizations or hate organizations… this intolerance is truly disgusting.”
Krishnamoorthi said that the time has arrived to take decisive action to put an end to the hate crimes, and asked him to assure the US people their basic rights to live freely in the country.
In the letter, Krishnamoorthi points out the attacks on Indian Americans and the desecration of Jewish cemeteries. He specifically pointed to the Kansas incident where an Indian American engineer was shot dead.
“These attacks seek to undermine not just public safety, but the very nature of American exceptionalism. For more than two hundred years, the United States has stood as a beacon of freedom from tyranny, oppression, and persecution. A fundamental promise of our nation is that any American – regardless of where you come from, the color of your skin, or how you pray – can trust the federal government to preserve, protect, and defend their rights,” said Krishnamoorthi.
He, along with the 68 cosigners, requested the secretary to combat the roots of hatred and intolerance. The congressman extended complete support to bring back normalcy and protect the rights of every citizen.