Ranking Members Thompson, Magaziner Write DHS & FBI on Trump Administration Scuttling Domestic Terrorism Programs
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, announced they sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel regarding reports DHS and FBI are scaling back efforts to counter domestic terrorism, including by firing personnel and canceling programs dedicated to addressing this deadly threat.
Since 2010, there have been over 200 domestic terrorism plots and attacks, with more than 154 people killed. And between 2016 and 2021, FBI’s domestic terrorism cases have increased by nearly fivefold – up to 2,700 pending investigations at the end of FY 2022.
“Given the continued increase in domestic terrorism cases, we are baffled by the Trump administration’s recent actions, including the termination of 30 percent of DHS’s terrorism prevention personnel, transfer of FBI agents and intelligence analysts out of the Domestic Terrorism Operations Section, and cancellation of a national domestic terrorism incident database,” the Ranking Members wrote.
Canceling the Terrorism and Targeted Violence database is particularly concerning as compiling this data is required by law – and Federal and local law enforcement have utilized it to assist them in thwarting nearly 80 percent of domestic terrorism and targeted violence plots targeting schools.
“[D]ata and intelligence should drive policy decisions, and the data and intelligence from your agencies is clear – domestic terrorism is a grave threat to Americans’ safety. Yet, your policy decisions indicate that you have decided to ignore the threat – risking American lives – in fear of running afoul of President Trump’s executive orders to disregard racism and racial inequities in America, which experts have warned fuel domestic terrorism,” the Ranking Members added.
Not only do Trump administration policies defy logic while making the country less safe – they seem to contradict the administration’s own stated priorities. For example, the President signed an executive order to combat antisemitism, yet DHS is considering terminating grant programs that have helped Jewish institutions prevent and mitigate antisemitic attacks. Similarly, FBI officials have reportedly discussed disbanding its Domestic Terrorism Operations section, yet it launched a supposed domestic terrorism task force to crack down on property crimes against Tesla vehicles.
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