The House is poised to pass a Senate bill that would direct the Justice Department to expedite the review of coronavirus-related hate crimes as cities experience an uptick in crimes targeting Asian Americans.
The Democratic-controlled House is expected to vote on the bill Tuesday, which will hit President Joe Biden‘s desk for signature upon passage. The bill, which Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Grace Meng introduced on March 11, would also direct the attorney general and the Department of Health and Human Services to focus on eliminating potentially racially discriminatory language when discussing the pandemic.
The Senate passed the bill 94-1 on April 22, with just Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley in opposition.
DOZENS OF LIBERAL GROUPS OPPOSE ANTI-ASIAN HATE CRIME BILL FOR ‘BOLSTERING’ LAW ENFORCEMENT
Biden, who praised the legislation, is expected to sign it into law if it passes the House.
“This critical legislation will bring our nation one step closer to achieving justice and equality for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities,” Biden said in a White House statement on April 23.
Though the bill has been largely praised by Democratic lawmakers, outside liberal groups have raised concerns with the legislation, arguing that it relies too heavily on law enforcement.
More than 75 Asian and LGBT groups on May 12 accused the legislation of relying on “anti-Black, law enforcement responses” that would contradict “Asian solidarity with Black, Brown, undocumented, trans, low-income, sex worker, and other marginalized communities whose liberation is bound together.”
Hate crimes against Asian Americans rose 140% in San Francisco in the first quarter of 2021 compared to 2020, an April study from the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, found. New York City saw a 223% spike in reported hate crimes against Asian Americans in the same time frame.
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A separate study from the same center found that hate crimes against Asian Americans rose 150% in 2020, leading to speculation that the coronavirus pandemic might be linked to the uptick.
