FBI, DHS leaders warn of ‘substantial’ risks of targeted violence

National security leaders on Tuesday stressed the ongoing threat posed by domestic extremism, terrorism and foreign countries as GOP lawmakers homed in on the southern border.

The hearing, an annual examination from the House Homeland Security Committee of threats facing the U.S., highlighted the gap between the top security focuses of the Biden administration and the extent a Republican-led Congress would zero in on oversight efforts at the border.

FBI Director Christopher Wray and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas rattled off a series of threats from both outside and inside the U.S., noting efforts made by Russia, China, Iran and North Korea to seek to undermine U.S. global power.

And internally, the U.S. is battling a rise in violent extremism that has increasingly been focused on political leaders and government institutions. 

“The risk of targeted violence, perpetrated by actors abroad and at home, is substantial. Emerging technology platforms allow individuals and nation states to fan the flames of hate and personal grievances to large audiences and are encouraging people to commit violent acts,” Mayorkas said.

“Those driven to violence are targeting critical infrastructure; soft targets; faith-based institutions; institutions of higher education; racial and religious minorities; government facilities and personnel, including law enforcement and the military; and perceived ideological opponents.” 

The hearing came just weeks after a man broke into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) home, attacking her husband in her absence and reportedly asking, “Where’s Nancy?”

“We have seen a trend over the last several years of people more and more in this country when they’re upset or angry about something turning to violence as a way to manifest it. And that is a very, very dangerous trend,” Wray said.

Mayorkas pointed to domestic terrorists as the greatest threat facing the homeland, while Wray noted the particular risk posed by lone actors and small cells, a more difficult group for law enforcement to monitor.

“With the lone actors in these small cells, the real problem there is there are not a lot of dots out there to connect, and there’s very little time in which to connect them. So that presents a whole new type of challenge for law enforcement and the intelligence community,” Wray added.

In Afghanistan, leaders acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining the same level of monitoring without U.S. presence on the ground. 

Christine Abizaid, director of the National Counterterrorism Center at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said she’s most concerned about ISIS affiliates in the country. 

“That’s a group that has demonstrated very significant capability against the Taliban in Afghanistan right now. They have conducted some attacks outside of Afghanistan in the immediate environs, and I am worried about their ambition for greater and wider-spread attacks,” she said. 

Republicans largely focused on issues at the border, with some promising future probes on the topic.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) questioned Wray about the trafficking of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.

“We don’t seem to be doing much about it. And frankly, I’m upset about that. We seem to be focused on domestic violent extremists, which we should,” he said. “We seem to be turning a blind eye to organizations that are killing tens of thousands of Americans. And we also seem to be doing not much about stopping the flow of this drug coming into the United States through our southern border.”

That prompted a response from Mayorkas in the next line of questioning; the Homeland Security chief called it “candidly outrageous to say that we are not doing anything to address the transnational criminal organizations.” 

The recent resignation of Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magnus, who left his post Saturday after being told he would otherwise be fired, featured little in the hearing, even as Republicans otherwise seized on border issues. 

“Looking statistically, it seems like the border is getting worse,” Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.). said.

“The policies that you have put in place have failed and that they have failed miserably. We know that Commissioner Magnus recently was forced to resign from office, and I applaud you for removing him. I thought he did a terrible job. And I hope that there are other people that you will remove and that you will work with a Republican-controlled Congress to find a way to secure the border,” he added.

Mayorkas also swatted away multiple questions from Republicans over whether he himself might resign, calling such rumors false.

For their part, Democrats pushed back on a number of Republican talking points. 

“It is my fervent hope that as the other side of the aisle seems poised to take over, that we keep this focused on homeland threats and not making this a place of political theater,” Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said.

“That is my desperate hope. And I think that is the message that was sent by the voters last week. I hope they hear it and continue in that spirit.”

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) rolled through a number of programs he said could be harmed by any reduction in funding to the FBI, with Wray readily agreeing each would be harmful.

On the border, Swalwell said, “I haven’t heard a plan, just grievances.”  

In some cases, Democrats stepped in to ask Republicans to show more comity to the witnesses.

“All of our witnesses are here today as guests of the committee to discuss threats to the homeland. As our guests, we owe our witnesses respect, and the subject matter of today’s hearing deserves thoughtfulness. The chair encourages all members to be polite and to take today’s worldwide threats hearing seriously,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said.