DOJ Expands Investigations Into Extremist Groups Including Antifa

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally ordered federal law enforcement agencies to escalate their investigatory activities directed at groups labeled as extremists. Attention should be especially given to the activist networks such as Antifa. Attorney General revealed that this step is a significant change regarding the level of attention and potential legal actions against those groups that are identified as a threat to domestic security.

In a memo to federal prosecutors and law enforcement officers, the DOJ instructed that the investigation of those groups, which engage or are likely to engage in activities threatening public safety or public order, be first of all taken care of. Furthermore, the directives guide police to concentrate on the prosecution of illegal tax activities, secretive network financing, and the commission of other money-related crimes that go hand in hand with these organizations.

Officials suggest that the plan, in case of the shifting of the emphasis, is to find out the sources of money that are used for "extremist activities" and to dismantle them. At the same time, it focuses on the uncovering of fraudulent financial transactions and secret support networks. The DOJ intends to use the existing laws to charge those who in addition to illegal fundraising are also involved in money laundering or committing other crimes.

The scale and intensity of the campaign against so-called extremists is the reason why defenders of civil liberties and non-governmental organizations are concerned about it. In their opinion, when groups like Antifa are characterized as "extremist" and targeted for investigation, the authorities might employ this for legitimizing the widening of surveillance operations and restriction of lawful activism. Some of them assert that the move can result in unlawful searches of protestors and groups whose activities are constitutionally protected.

Moreover, some legal experts have suggested that this particular instruction might lead to the suppression of dissent and, in general, freedom of speech, especially in the cases in which the investigation concerns the financial support of advocacy groups or social movements.

On the contrary, the department’s and administration members who support such measures argue that these actions are necessary to protect the country from threats and violent activities that are based on extremist ideology. They claim that the probe targets those who commit illegal acts, not those who exercise their political views lawfully.

Attorney General conveyed that the DOJ is: “Our job is to ensure that no individual or entity, functioning within the US borders, jeopardizes the safety and security of our communities by illegal ways. We are resolved to using every legal avenue at our disposal to bring to justice those who commit crimes under the cover of activism.”

This disclosure comes after the administration had taken various steps to counter the homegrown extremist threat. The mentioned steps comprise operations to upgrade surveillance, exchange intelligence, and launching of inquiries into different groups. However, this issue keeps being debated concerning the equilibrium between security and civil rights that is to be found.

As the Department of Justice enhances their investigations, legal experts and civil rights groups are closely monitoring their moves. The issue uncovers still existing problems in the US of how to best provide safety without infringing the people's constitutional rights.

It is anticipated that the scope of law enforcement activities and their consequences will become more evident in the upcoming months, and hence the effects on activism, civil liberties, and national security policy.