Justice Department Considering Recommendation That Congress Pass Domestic Terrorism Law

The Department of Justice is currently weighing a recommendation for Congress to pass a domestic terrorism law. There is no law like it on the books in the United States; currently, the DOJ can only prosecute instances of ideologically driven violence by people with no international allegiances using existing statutes. The lack of a law also complicates efforts to track extremism in the United States.

The Biden administration announced it would share information with law enforcement agencies and collaborate with tech organizations to track domestic terror content online. The government’s plans, developed by the National Security Council, also include an effort to identify government employees who may pose a domestic terror threat. Screening and vetting processes would be improved.

“Domestic terrorism — driven by hate, bigotry, and other forms of extremism — is a stain on the soul of America,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “It goes against everything our country strives for and it poses a direct challenge to our national security, democracy, and unity.”

An official fact sheet from the White House‘s website also stresses the importance of countering domestic terrorism.

“The U.S. Government is committed to strengthening trust in American democracy and its ability to deliver for the American people, including through relief and opportunity provided by the American Rescue Plan, the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan. The U.S. Government will also work to find ways to counter the polarization often fueled by disinformation, misinformation, and dangerous conspiracy theories online, supporting an information environment that fosters healthy democratic discourse,” it reads.