Despite a number of "glaring omissions" and limitations that prevent a complete look at the extent to which hate-driven violence is on the rise in America, new FBI data showing that 2017 saw a spike in hate crimes not seen since 2001 was met with alarm and calls to action by civil rights advocates, who have connected President Donald Trump's racist and xenophobic rhetoric to the increase in attacks on people of color, religious minorities, the LGBTQ community, and other vulnerable groups.

"The FBI data confirm the reality we all know: hate is increasing in America."

—Maya Berry, Arab-American Institute

The 7,175 reported hate crimes during Trump's first year in office represents a 17 percent rise from 2016 and the largest single-year increase since violence against Arab-Americans and Muslims soared after 9/11.

"The scourge of hate crime continues to harm communities in cities and states across the country. The FBI data confirm the reality we all know: hate is increasing in America," Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab-American Institute, said in a statement on Tuesday. "The FBI data, in what is missing from it, also demonstrates the hate crime reporting system we have in place is failing to respond adequately to hate crime, and thus inform fully the policy remedies we must make to improve our response to hate."

The FBI just released its annual report on hate crimes in America and it contains glaring omissions. The murders of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, Heather Heyer, and the Portland MAX train stabbings, are not included in the report.https://t.co/3mY5PHlT1S — Arjun Sethi (@arjunsethi81) November 13, 2018

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According to the FBI's data—which comes just weeks after an anti-Semitic gunman killed 11 people after opening fire in a Pittsburgh synagogue—there were 2,013 hate crimes against black Americans, 938 against Jews, and 237 against Muslims in 2017.

Hate crimes targeting people for their sexual orientation accounted for 1,130 of the more than 7,000 incidents reported last year, the FBI found.

FBI recorded 1,679 anti-religious hate crimes in 2017 (up from 1538 in 2016)

•58.1% of them were anti-Jewish

•18.7% of them were anti-Muslim At a combined only 3% of US population—Jews & Muslims suffer 77% of anti-religion hate crimes Words matter—Hate speech has consequences — Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@MuslimIQ) November 13, 2018

"This is shocking and requires Congress's full attention," the NAACP declared on Twitter in response to the FBI's numbers. "Shouldn't this urgent crisis be subject of first post-recess Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today, instead of ramming through more Trump judges? Our lives are at stake."