Attorney General Merrick Garland unveils plan to combat domestic terrorism

Attorney General Merrick Garland is considering whether to recommend a new criminal statute to prosecute domestic terrorists, among other tactics he is pledging to use to combat the growing threat of domestic extremist violence.

This year, the FBI has seen an increase in the number of open domestic terrorism cases: racially and ethnically motivated attacks and those stemming from militias are the two most lethal drivers. In an address at the Justice Department Tuesday, Garland compared the threat to those posed by foreign violent actors.  "We will never take our eyes off the risk of another devastating attack by foreign terrorists," he said. "At the same time, we must respond to domestic terrorism with the same sense of purpose and dedication."