United Against Hate

In September 2022, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that over the next year, all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices (USAOs) would host a new nationwide initiative to combat unlawful acts of hate. So far, USAOs have hosted over 50 United Against Hate events across the country.

The United Against Hate (UAH) Community Outreach Program aims to improve hate crime reporting by:

• teaching community members how to identify, report, and help prevent hate crimes; and
• building trust between law enforcement and communities.

UAH shares resources to combat hate and encourages discussion between representatives from law enforcement, community organizations, and members of the public. UAH emphasizes that while some hate-fueled incidents—standing alone—may not be a crime, people should still report those incidents to local law enforcement and the FBI.

During the UAH program, participants may work through hypotheticals about hate crimes and bias incidents. Through video clips featuring real stories, participants can learn about the impact of hate crimes and bias incidents on communities. Facilitators lead rich discussions that help participants reflect on concrete actions they can take to identify, report, and, most importantly, help prevent acts of hate.

Community Partnerships. Community partners have included organizations working on behalf of African Americans, Asian Americans, Latin Americans, and LGBTQI+ people. USAOs have co-hosted UAH events with national, state, tribal, and local civil rights organizations, including:

• the Southern District of Ohio partnered with the Cincinnati Regional Coalition Against Hate; and
• the Western District of Washington partnered with the Washington State LGBTQ Commission for an event.

Religious Organizations. USAOs have also presented UAH events in partnership with community religious organizations, such as:

• the Eastern District of Virginia co-hosted an event with the Tidewater Jewish Foundation;
• the District of Connecticut held an event at a local Sikh art gallery; and
• the Middle District of Louisiana held a bilingual event at a church.

Educational Institutions. Educational institutions have also participated in UAH events across the country, including:

• an Idaho UAH event was held in collaboration with the College of Idaho as well as the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights;
• the District of Vermont and others have held UAH events at local high schools;
• the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York held an event at Fordham Law School; and
• the District of South Dakota has held events at a university, a medical school, and a law school.

The UAH program represents a “whole of government” approach to combating hate. USAOs are partnering with other components of the Department of Justice, such as the FBI and the Community Relations Service. The Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the Civil Rights Division are leading the nationwide launch of UAH.