U.S. facing increased threat of extremism over next 6 months, DHS warns

(Image credit: Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

published 7 June 2022

The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday warned of an increased threat of extremist violence over the next six months, as midterm elections, the potential downfall of Roe v. Wade, and surging migration at the southern border exacerbate tensions nationwide.

In its latest National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin, the DHS said the U.S. was already in a "heightened threat environment," and that the aforementioned factors could make matters worse.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

The bulletin notably focused far more on homegrown extremism than that from abroad, and said "calls for violence by domestic extremists directed at democratic institutions, candidates, and election workers will likely increase through the fall," writes The Associated Press. On quite a frightening note, the department also noted that individuals online have praised the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas and even encouraged copycat attacks, AP adds. Elsewhere, the fate of both public health order Title 42 and federal reproductive rights might also spur violence.

Explore More

Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox