Congressman Carson Calls on President-Elect Trump to Address Homegrown Extremism

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman André Carson (D-IN) sent a letter to President-Elect Trump, along with Democratic Members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, calling for the continuation of community engagement programs to stop homegrown extremism. The letter asks the new administration to build on existing programs, often referred to as Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), in order to foster trust and grow partnerships in communities impacted by terrorism. It warns against a narrow focus on threats posed by ISIL and al Qaeda, at the expense of right wing, anarchist, religious, racial, and eco-extremists.  It cautions against any attempt to combine engagement programs with intelligence collection, which would spur mistrust and eliminate the gains made during the Obama Administration. Finally, the letter raises concerns of the Muslim American community about profiling and surveillance and asks for consideration of the contributions Muslims make to the federal government. 

“Throughout his recent campaign, President-Elect Trump raised a number of concerns about domestic threats facing our country. Along with many of my colleagues, I raised serious questions about his characterizations of Muslim Americans and foreigners in general as dangerous and untrustworthy. Despite these concerns, it is critical for us to acknowledge that threats to our homeland are serious and countering them will require strong support from Congress. Developing a robust program to address homegrown extremism in all its forms should be a non-partisan priority.  This letter is intended to lay out a framework for the future of community engagement programs. The new Administration must look beyond its past rhetoric and recognize American communities as patriotic partners rather than targets for suspicion. If our new President can develop programs that protect civil rights and privacy while defending against terrorism, I stand ready to work with him.”

The text of the signed letter can be seen here.