NAPABA, SABA Chicago, CABA, and FALA Chicago Statement in Response to Alleged Plot to Attack Hindu Temple in Aurora, Illinois

For Immediate Release:Contact:
October 21, 2026:[email protected]

WASHINGTON—The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), South Asian Bar Association of Chicago (SABA Chicago), Chinese American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (CABA), and Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago (FALA Chicago) condemn the alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at the largest Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois. Last week, law enforcement authorities arrested and charged a suspect who allegedly planned an attack targeting worshippers at the temple. According to law enforcement officials, the suspect allegedly possessed white supremacist materials and expressed hate towards individuals of South Asian and Indian descent along with Jewish and Black individuals.

We are deeply disturbed by this alleged act of hate and stand in solidarity with the Hindu, Indian American, and broader South Asian communities. We are grateful to the individuals who alerted law enforcement and to the authorities whose actions helped avert a potential tragedy.

Who we are, and how and where we choose to worship, are part of the tapestry of American life. A refuge for peace and prayer must never be transformed into a place of violence by perpetrators of hate.  Hate—whether in the form of anti-South Asian hate or any other form of bigotry—has no place in our society.  We remain committed to eradicating hate in all its forms, including by urging governments at every level to fully support and strengthen hate prevention efforts.

NAPABA, the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago, and the Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago Statement in Response to the Act of Hate in Plainfield, Illinois

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For Immediate Release:
  October 17, 2023  Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy 

WASHINGTON – On Sunday, an unimaginable nightmare visited a Palestinian American family in Plainfield, Illinois, a suburban region outside of Chicago. Local law enforcement officials have accused the family’s landlord of murdering a six-year-old child and attempted murder of the child’s mother in their home. The Will County Sheriff’s Office concluded that the perpetrator targeted the family because of their Islamic faith.

No words can capture the anguish and devastation that this vile act of hate has brought. We send our deep, heartfelt condolences to the family, and we stand with the Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities throughout the United States.

Acts of hate must have no quarter anywhere. As the nation responds to the current conflict in the Middle East, we must not overlook our common humanity. Hate, whether in the form of anti-Asian hate, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, white supremacy, or any other act of bigotry must be condemned across the board.

On Monday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released its national crime statistics for 2022, reminding us that our work to eradicate hate must continue. With unrelenting focus, NAPABA, the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago, and the Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago are committed to do so.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of all backgrounds in the legal profession.