Violent hate crimes against Latinos are on the rise.

According to a 2012 report on hate crimes released by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, attacks against Latinos have tripled. 

The rate of violent crimes against Latinos increased from 0.6 per 1,000 people age 12 and older in 2011 to 2.0 per 1,000 people in 2012. 

Many worry about the outbreak of crime against Latinos. For example, 350 people gathered on the steps of City Hall in Trenton, N.J. last week to call for justice on the murder of Julio Cesar Cruz. 

The rally highlighted violence against undocumented workers who, according to activists, are being targeted. 

On Saturday, Feb. 15th, Cruz was beaten to death outside of a friend's home. Authorities believe robbery was the motive. The 18-year-old traveled from Guatemala and came here to make money for his family. 

His death outraged many in Trenton's Latino community. Cruz's brother, Jose Antonio Cruz said,"I want justice for my brother and for the many victims of these types of crimes against Latinos," he said during the rally. 

More than 33 percent of Trenton's population is Latino, much higher than the states's total of 17 percent. 

Emerson Gramajo, who was also a victim of violence said,"They call us walking ATM's knowing that we are Guatemalans who work hard and fearful of immigration and won't call the police when assaulted," he said according to The Trentonian. 

Julio's funeral will be held this Saturday at 6pm in the Chiacchio's Funeral Home, his body will be sent to Guatemala. 

The Bureau of Justice report also collected statistics on the overall total of hate crime victimizations. More than 300,000 of violent and property hate crimes occurred in 2012 against people age 12 and older in the United States, a 20 percent increase from 2011. 

Victims believe more than 50 percent of the attacks were motivated by ethnicity bias, according to the report. Approximately 60 percent of hate crimes were not reported to police in 2012, a slight decline from 74 percent in 2011.