Trump's Department of Justice has taken a troubling step towards investigating Muslim Americans in Dearborn, Michigan, just days after they were subjected to a violent and racist attack by a Trump supporter. Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, tweeted that the department "reach[es] out" to individuals who can provide information on alleged misconduct.
However, in this case, the person allegedly engaging in misconduct is Jake Lang, a self-proclaimed white supremacist and January 6 rioter. Lang recently marched through Dearborn wearing a bulletproof vest and shouting racist slurs at Muslims, sparking widespread outrage and physical confrontations with counter-protesters.
What's striking about Dhillon's response to Lang's actions is that she has chosen not to investigate the violent and racist behavior of her colleague's adversary. Instead, she has signaled that the department may take action against Muslim Americans who dared to stand up for themselves in the face of harassment and intimidation.
This move raises serious questions about the DOJ's priorities and values under Trump. If the department is willing to target communities that have been subject to violence and hate crimes, rather than those perpetrating them, it suggests a disturbing double standard. The pattern of behavior here aligns with other instances where the Trump administration has selectively targeted Black and brown individuals for investigation, while ignoring white supremacists with violent records.
It's worth noting that Lang was recently granted clemency by Trump on his first day in office, along with nearly 1,600 others charged or convicted in connection with the January 6 insurrection. This decision to pardon a violent extremist has been widely criticized as a betrayal of justice and a reward for hate crimes.
Dhillon's willingness to entertain Lang's claims raises serious concerns about the Trump administration's commitment to protecting communities from hate and violence. As the country grapples with rising levels of racism and extremism, it's essential that law enforcement agencies prioritize investigating and holding accountable those who perpetrate these acts, rather than targeting innocent victims.
This case is a stark reminder that the Trump administration's approach to justice is fundamentally skewed towards white supremacy and anti-Muslim bias. By choosing not to investigate Lang's racist behavior, Dhillon has signaled that the DOJ remains committed to this toxic agenda, even as it ignores the violent actions of far-right extremists like Lang.
However, in this case, the person allegedly engaging in misconduct is Jake Lang, a self-proclaimed white supremacist and January 6 rioter. Lang recently marched through Dearborn wearing a bulletproof vest and shouting racist slurs at Muslims, sparking widespread outrage and physical confrontations with counter-protesters.
What's striking about Dhillon's response to Lang's actions is that she has chosen not to investigate the violent and racist behavior of her colleague's adversary. Instead, she has signaled that the department may take action against Muslim Americans who dared to stand up for themselves in the face of harassment and intimidation.
This move raises serious questions about the DOJ's priorities and values under Trump. If the department is willing to target communities that have been subject to violence and hate crimes, rather than those perpetrating them, it suggests a disturbing double standard. The pattern of behavior here aligns with other instances where the Trump administration has selectively targeted Black and brown individuals for investigation, while ignoring white supremacists with violent records.
It's worth noting that Lang was recently granted clemency by Trump on his first day in office, along with nearly 1,600 others charged or convicted in connection with the January 6 insurrection. This decision to pardon a violent extremist has been widely criticized as a betrayal of justice and a reward for hate crimes.
Dhillon's willingness to entertain Lang's claims raises serious concerns about the Trump administration's commitment to protecting communities from hate and violence. As the country grapples with rising levels of racism and extremism, it's essential that law enforcement agencies prioritize investigating and holding accountable those who perpetrate these acts, rather than targeting innocent victims.
This case is a stark reminder that the Trump administration's approach to justice is fundamentally skewed towards white supremacy and anti-Muslim bias. By choosing not to investigate Lang's racist behavior, Dhillon has signaled that the DOJ remains committed to this toxic agenda, even as it ignores the violent actions of far-right extremists like Lang.
This is really concerning... they're basically saying let Muslim Americans do time for standing up against hate while letting white supremacists walk free 
. It's like, what even is that? 
The Trump DOJ needs to get its priorities straight and stop playing favorites 
. I mean, come on, if they're gonna investigate Muslim Americans who are just trying to protect themselves from hate, that's not justice, that's a recipe for disaster 
. We need our law enforcement to be protecting everyone from racism and extremism, not just letting it slide when it's convenient 
. This is a dark day for America 
.
. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. They're gonna go after Muslim Americans for standing up to hate crimes while letting white supremacists slide? It's like they're speaking a different language or something. What's the criteria here, huh? The fact that Lang was pardoned by Trump on his first day in office just shows how out of touch they are with reality. And now they're gonna start investigating Muslim Americans for "alleged misconduct" while Lang gets a free pass? It's just not right 
. We need to hold people accountable who perpetrate hate crimes, not the victims themselves. This is what happens when you have an administration that's fundamentally anti-Muslim and pro-white supremacy.
It's wild that they're focusing on Muslim Americans instead of the actual hate criminal 
This whole thing feels like a clear case of "us vs them" mentality, and it's really depressing to see the DOJ perpetuating this toxic agenda 
. Can't they see that targeting Muslim Americans just fuels more division and hatred?