Torres Continues Efforts to Address White Supremacy in Law Enforcement with New Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today introduced the White Supremacy in Law Enforcement Information Act. The legislation, which is co-sponsored by 13 lawmakers, builds on Torres' successful efforts last year to raise awareness about, and ultimately pressure the Department of Justice into declassifying, a heavily redacted 2006 intelligence assessment by the Federal Bureau of Investigations entitled White Supremacist Infiltration of Law Enforcement.
Specifically, Torres' new legislation would:
- Require the DOJ and FBI to submit to relevant House Committees each intelligence assessment relating to white supremacist infiltration of or links to law enforcement prepared from 2006 onward and release redacted reports for the public.
- Direct the DOJ and FBI to report to Congress on all actions to address the infiltration of white supremacists in and links to law enforcement from 2006 onward and release a redacted report for the public.
- Instruct the DOJ and FBI to prepare an intelligence assessment describing the current relationship between white supremacy and law enforcement.
Congresswoman Torres released the following statement:
"The January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol showed the heroism of our Capitol Hill police force, but it also showed some law enforcement officials standing side-by-side with white supremacists in a riotous mob," Rep. Torres said. "This is not news for our Justice Department and FBI who issued internal assessments in 2006 about the threat it poses to our citizens and our democracy. White supremacist infiltration of law enforcement is a threat to public safety – the bill I'm introducing today will demand an accounting for what the federal government has done about it, and provide an accurate depiction of where we are today. The only way we can truly address this scourge is by being clear-eyed about how prevalent it is, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in doing exactly that with this bill."
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