Following the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. Department of Justice named terrorism prevention its number-one mission. But it does not treat all terrorism with the same urgency. Law enforcement’s response to acts of far-right violence, which are often designated as hate crimes, has been inadequate.
We advocate for a more robust response. At the same time, we do not believe that new laws are needed to target domestic terrorists. Rather than expanding counterterrorism powers that could be abused, Congress should require the FBI to collect and publish data on far-right violence and intensify its oversight of federal counterterrorism programs to ensure that security resources are directed toward the deadliest threats and that all Americans receive equal protection.
