Ranking Members Thompson & Magaziner Statement on Trump Administration Scaling Back Domestic Terrorism Focus
(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, released the following statement on news reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has terminated 30 percent of the personnel leading the Federal government’s terrorism prevention work and that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is scaling back staffing and tracking of domestic terrorism probes:
“The Trump Administration’s scaling back of Federal personnel and activities to counter domestic terrorism is simply ignorant and dangerous. Since 2010, domestic terrorists have been responsible for the death of at least 154 Americans – posing the most lethal terrorist threat to the homeland – a fact that the previous Trump Administration acknowledged.
“Removing FBI agents and intelligence analysts from the Domestic Terrorism Section, terminating 30 percent of DHS personnel who have supported over 1,000 interventions for individuals who were threatening to engage in extremist violence, and discussing the complete disbanding of such efforts across the Federal government is absurd. The administration’s retreat from addressing domestic terrorism threats leaves us to question whether they are also taking a bulldozer to Federal actions to prevent foreign-inspired terrorism. Killing efforts that have saved lives does not ‘Make America Safe Again.’ On the heels of the New Orleans attack and as we approach the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, these actions reek of incompetence.
“Yet all the while, the Attorney General wants to label property damage ‘domestic terrorism.’ The Trump Administration and Republicans want to ignore the many lives lost and those at risk of actual domestic terrorist attacks, offering only thoughts and prayers in those cases, but are willing to use taxpayer funded, Federal resources to bring charges forward when their billionaire buddy’s cars are damaged.
“Make it make sense.
“This decision by the Trump administration fits in well with his penchant for protecting and emboldening MAGA violent extremists. We saw it in Trump’s pardoning of the January 6 violent extremists who attacked the Capitol. And we see it now. As do all terrorists who want to harm our nation.
“We fear that the prioritization of immigration enforcement over terrorism will have deadly consequences. The President’s most solemn responsibility is to protect the homeland, but this President is more concerned with protecting his extremist friends to the detriment of all Americans.”
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