Rich McCormick and Ro Khanna, co‑chairs of the House India Caucus, sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel demanding a full investigation into a 19‑year‑old’s thwarted attempt to mass‑shoot a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, last year. They insisted the probe must uncover whether anyone encouraged, assisted or coordinated the attacker, whether online or offline, and qualify the case as a federal hate crime.
The letter also called on the FBI and the Department of Justice to share timely threat intelligence with state and local police, as well as with Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras and other South Asian houses of worship, and to provide them with protective resources. McCormick and Khanna asked for a briefing on the threats facing Hindu and Indian Americans and the steps the agencies are taking to counter them.
FBI data shows a sharp rise in hate crimes targeting Sikh, Hindu and Buddhist communities in 2025, and the Centre for the Study of Organized Hate reported a 240‑percent surge in anti‑South Asian posts on X from January 2024 to June 2026. The Carnegie Endowment’s 2026 survey found that one in four Indian American adults had been called a slur since the start of 2025.
The caucus expects a written response within 30 days, outlining the investigative plan and any protective measures to be offered to vulnerable communities.