On Sunday, a 19‑year‑old white supremacist, Alexandros Paporakis, was stopped outside Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora, Illinois, as Congressman Subramanian Raja Krishnamoorthi led prayers with his family. Police said the suspect’s AR‑15 rifle jammed before he fled, and a raid on his home uncovered a serial‑number‑less AR‑style rifle, eight loaded magazines, 300 rounds of ammunition, Nazi‑symbolic items and a gas can labeled “Jeet Remover.”
Krishnamoorthi condemned the “anti‑India, anti‑South Asian hate” that has taken root in the U.S., citing a Florida official’s call for his deportation and a Trump‑era tweet aimed at Sikh Americans. He noted that a Sikh truck driver was stabbed 17 times a week later and warned that online vitriol is now turning into street violence.
The congressman urged Treasury to release the $400 million Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) earmarked for temples, synagogues, mosques and churches, saying the money is being held for political reasons. He warned that without funding, vulnerable religious sites could be bereft of protection and “another attack could happen.”
Krishnamoorthi slammed the Trump administration for diverting resources away from domestic violent extremism, saying the FBI’s focus on immigration left plots like Paporakis’ undetected. He called for stricter gun‑control measures to curb the proliferation of semi‑automatic weapons that enable such threats.
Finally, he urged big‑tech platforms to police hate content more aggressively, arguing that unchecked online rhetoric fuels radicalization. He pledged that his colleagues across the aisle would stand shoulder to shoulder against hate, demanding a united response.