Story highlights The attorney general's new task force on crime reduction also focuses on evaluating marijuana enforcement policy

The President announced the new task force on crime reduction in February

(CNN) Attorney General Jeff Sessions provided an update on the Justice Department's new crime reduction task force Wednesday, including new details on a subcommittee that will specifically focus on hate crime prevention.

In a letter to US Attorney's offices across the country, Sessions explained that the Hate Crimes Subcommittee "will develop a plan to appropriately address hate crimes to better protect the rights of all Americans."

"We must also protect the civil rights of all Americans, and we will not tolerate threats or acts of violence targeting any person or community in this country on the basis of their religious beliefs or background," Sessions added.

On Monday a group of 13 Democratic senators called on the President to establish a task force on combating hate-related violence and on Wednesday evening, the senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution condemning racial, religious and ethnic hate crimes.

Last year the FBI released statistics showing an alarming spike in the number of reported hate crimes -- in particular a 67% increase in crimes against Muslim Americans.

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