We all know the awful risks posed by domestic extremists such as militias, white supremacists and more. The Biden administration has done more than any previous administration to protect us — starting right after Joe Biden’s inauguration (USA Today):
Biden orders 'comprehensive threat assessment' of domestic violent extremism following Capitol riot
In the wake of the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, President Joe Biden is directing the intelligence community to assess the threat of domestic violent extremism in the U.S. and explore new policies to counter extremist networks.
A three-pronged effort, unveiled Friday by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, includes tasking the Office of the Director of National Intelligence with leading a “comprehensive threat assessment” to help shape policies to address the rise of domestic violent extremism. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security will consult on the work.
In April 2021, the New York Times reported on initial steps the Biden administration was taking:
Biden Steps Up Federal Efforts to Combat Domestic Extremism
The Biden administration is stepping up efforts to combat domestic extremism, increasing funding to prevent attacks, weighing strategies historically used against foreign terrorist groups and more openly warning the public about the threat.
The attempts to more assertively grapple with the potential for violence from white supremacists and militias are a shift from President Donald J. Trump’s pressure on federal agencies to divert resources to target the antifa movement and leftist groups despite the conclusion by law enforcement authorities that far-right and militia violence was a more serious threat.
By June 2021, the Biden administration had developed a game-changing new approach to terror, focusing on homegrown dangers along with threats from abroad (NYT):
White House Unveils Strategy to Combat Domestic Extremism
The Biden administration on Tuesday unveiled a national strategy to combat domestic extremism, calling for aggressive steps such as hiring more intelligence analysts and screening government employees for ties to hate groups.
The 32-page plan highlights a shift in the government’s approach to counterterrorism, which for decades has prioritized fighting foreign terrorists. But violent attacks by American extremists are growing, a problem laid bare by the deadly Capitol riot on Jan. 6.
“We cannot ignore this threat or wish it away,” President Biden wrote in the strategy document. “Preventing domestic terrorism and reducing the factors that fuel it demand a multifaceted response across the federal government and beyond.”
Last June, the White House released a two-year follow-up report on its work carrying out the strategy. Just skimming the report reveals a strong upsurge in efforts to not just to detect risks but also prevent them in the first place:
The U.S. government is increasing its understanding of the nature of the threats posed by domestic terrorism and sharing this information with a wide range of stakeholders inside and outside of government by:
- Improving information-sharing on domestic terrorism threats across the federal government and with our state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement partners. More than 40,000 copies of the updated US Violent Extremist Mobilization Indicators booklet have been distributed, along with a Spanish language version of the booklet and a summary for the tech sector.
- Increasing the rigor and value of intelligence production on domestic terrorism issues. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have vastly increased production of analysis on domestic terrorism threats, highlighting the diversity of those threats in the United States.
- Expanding our cooperation with international partners to better target global extremism. Many of these threats may start at home, but we know that what may inspire bad actors does not stop at our borders.
- Engaging the private sector to enlist their help in our response to the threat posed by domestic terrorists. Departments and Agencies have developed new information-sharing and technical assistance mechanisms that respond to requests from technology, financial, and other private sector actors to better understand the threat posed by domestic terrorists and stop such terrorists from accessing goods and services in furtherance of their violent acts.
- Increasing financial, technical and educational resources for the whole of society. In March, the Administration launched the Prevention Resource Finder, the first ever website with a comprehensive list of Federal resources available to help state and local governments, community organizations, houses of worship, schools, and others prevent acts of targeted violence and terrorism.
- Expanding community-based diversion of individuals at risk of committing targeted violence or terrorism. The FBI has expanded its partnerships with local law enforcement, social service providers, mental health providers, and community leaders to try to prevent violence before it occurs.
- Addressing the role of the Internet in influencing individuals to commit acts of domestic terrorism. The Administration has continued to participate in nongovernmental and multilateral efforts to understand and respond to terrorist content and activities online.
- Prioritizing domestic terrorism-related investigations and prosecutions at both the national and local level. The number of FBI domestic violent extremism and domestic terrorism investigations has more than doubled since the spring of 2020 — to approximately 2,700 investigations at the end of fiscal year 2022.
Is there still more work to be done? 100%! Lots more work. But Biden has done so much more than many people guessed could be done. He deserves a lot of credit. AND he deserves to be re-elected.
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These posts are written by Goodnewsroundup (Goodie),
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