1. United States
2. Wisc.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action against Attorney General Pam Bondi's December 4 memo directing the Department of Justice to compile lists of groups engaged in potential domestic terrorism based on their political beliefs. This memo represents a dangerous threat to First Amendment protections and must be stopped. Bondi's memo identifies political viewpoints as indicators of domestic terrorism, including anti-capitalism, support for LGBTQ rights, opposition to traditional family structures, and support for immigration reform. The memo instructs law enforcement to refer individuals holding these views to FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Forces. While Bondi includes a footnote acknowledging that these views are constitutionally protected, the directive itself creates a framework for targeting Americans based on their political beliefs rather than criminal actions. This approach fundamentally misunderstands both terrorism and constitutional rights. Antifa is not a formal organization but a loosely connected network of activists opposing fascism. No federal law allows the president to designate domestic terrorist groups, yet this memo attempts to operationalize Trump's executive orders doing exactly that. The memo followed Trump's claims that progressive nonprofits formed a shadowy cabal responsible for political violence, despite evidence showing the Utah man charged with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk appears to have acted alone. Supporting progressive causes, opposing certain religious or economic systems, or advocating for immigrant rights are all protected forms of political expression. Using the national security apparatus to investigate and monitor Americans for holding these views is unconstitutional and un-American. This memo could chill legitimate political activism and transform disagreement into grounds for terrorism investigations. I urge you to publicly oppose this memo, demand its immediate rescission, and support legislation preventing the DOJ from targeting Americans based on constitutionally protected political beliefs. Attorney General Bondi must be held accountable for this assault on civil liberties.