Henderson to Congress: Hold White Nationalists Accountable for Domestic Terrorism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Janessa Sambola-Harris, [email protected]

WASHINGTON — Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, will testify today in front of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on the threat of white nationalist domestic terrorism in America. In his testimony, Henderson will emphasize the need for federal law enforcement to marshal all existing resources available to prioritize addressing white nationalist violence. 

“The violent insurrection on January 6, fueled by white supremacy, horrified us all. However, for those of us who are a part of and work alongside Black, Brown, Arab, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, disabled, and LGBTQ communities, the white nationalist violence did not surprise us,” Henderson says in his testimony. “Sadly, for the members of our coalition and the people we represent, this violence is not new. Whether this type of violence is manifested through housing, education, employment, voting, or criminal legal systems, it demands that we come together across different communities to combat it.” 

Henderson also calls on Congress to encourage law enforcement to utilize existing tools, including more than fifty laws and statutes, to prioritize addressing white nationalist domestic terrorism, rather than creating new legislation or sentencing enhancements that would inevitably criminalize the very communities targeted for hate by white nationalists. 

“Our nation’s long and disturbing history of unjustly targeting Black activists, Muslims, Arabs, immigrants, and movements for social and racial justice has demonstrated that this new authority will likely be used to expand racial profiling or be wielded to surveil and investigate communities of color and political opponents, all in the name of national security,” Henderson notes in his testimony.  “Congress should focus on oversight, appropriations, and limited legislation like the [Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act] that ensures the federal government redirect resources towards the white nationalist violence plaguing our country while holding law enforcement accountable.” 

In addition, Henderson also urges Congress to pass H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. He also urged law enforcement agencies to prioritize rooting out white supremacy within their ranks through improved hiring practices, policies, and accountability. 

His full testimony can be found here.

A livestream of the hearing is available here. 

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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