ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) called on leaders to address the deeply disturbing climate of hate after newly released FBI data showed that hate crimes are on the rise across the Midwest. In its annual 2018 Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA) report released Tuesday, the FBI found that hate crimes in Chicago increased by 51 percent in 2018. Similarly, the FBI data showed a 30 percent increase in hate crimes across the entire state of Illinois, a 13 percent increase in Wisconsin, as well as increases in Indiana and South Dakota. Nationwide, hate crimes decreased slightly in 2018 after three consecutive years of increases. Nevertheless, hate crimes targeting the LGBTQ community increased by six percent, including a significant 41 percent increase in gender-identity-based crimes. Anti-Hispanic hate crimes also increased by 14 percent, the third straight year of increased reporting. This increase is especially disturbing at a time ADL and others have documented escalating anti-immigrant rhetoric and bigotry. Despite the overall decline in total hate crimes, a serious reporting gap remains. The FBI data is based on voluntary local law enforcement reporting to the Bureau.