A/HRC/11/36/Add.3 page 22 70. An increase in cases of discrimination and harassment in the workplace was also reported, not only towards people of Arab or Muslim descent, but also against Sikhs. Serious concern was expressed regarding the long delay in the processing of citizenship applications, which had been disproportionately high for individuals of Arab, Middle Eastern or South Asian descent.50 71. More broadly, these organizations referred to overall negative perceptions of the American public towards Muslims. Reference was made to a recent USA Today/Gallup poll that showed that 39 percent of Americans felt at least some prejudice against Muslims and that 22 percent would not want Muslims as neighbors.51 While a number of organizations welcomed outreach initiatives developed by the Government in the aftermath of 9/11, they expressed the need for comprehensive actions to address issues of stereotyping and concrete policy changes in areas that have a discriminatory impact on individuals of Arab, Sikh, Middle Eastern and South Asian descent. G. Measures taken in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina 72. The Special Rapporteur travelled to New Orleans, as well as the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf coast, in order to hear local civil society, community leaders and residents about their concerns in the aftermath of Katrina. In addition, he visited different neighborhoods that were severely affected by the storm, including the 9th Ward of New Orleans. He also met with the Mayor of New Orleans, with whom he discussed the reconstruction efforts and implications for minorities. 73. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau show the massive impact of Hurricane Katrina in the entire Gulf coast. In the State of Louisiana, 1.3 million people were displaced, with a dramatic depopulation of New Orleans as a whole.52 However, data indicate the disproportionately high impact of Katrina for African-Americans. For example, whereas the population of whites in New Orleans decreased approximately 39 percent after Katrina, the population of Africa-Americans declined around 69 percent. The ethnic makeup of the city also changed: African-Americans formed around 67.3 percent of the population before Katrina and comprised only 58.8 percent after the hurricane.53 50 Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, Americans on Hold: Profiling, Citizenship, and the “War on Terror”. Available at http://www.chrgj.org/docs/AOH/AmericansonHold Report.pdf. 51 Quoted in Council of American-Islamic Relations, 2007, The Status of Muslim Civil Rights in the United States, p. 6. 52 Louisiana Recovery Authority, Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Data for Louisiana. Available at http://lra.louisiana.gov/assets/docs/searchable/LouisianaKatrinaAnniversaryData082206.pdf. 53 U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census and 2006 American Community Survey. In 2000, according to the Census, the white population of New Orleans was 135,956 and the African-American population was 325,947. In 2006, according to the American Community Survey, the white population was estimated at 82,107 and the African-America population at 131,441.