Trump’s war on the left: Inside the plan to investigate liberal groups

Powerful Trump aide Stephen Miller key part of crackdown ICE agents being redeployed to target activist groups George Soros' charitable network on White House list Trump using isolated ICE clashes to justify national crackdown WASHINGTON, Oct 9 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's threatened crackdown on the finances and activities of liberal non-profits and groups opposed to his agenda is a multi-agency effort with top White House aide Stephen Miller playing a central role, according to officials. The Trump administration plans to deploy America's counter-terrorism apparatus - including the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department - as well as the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department against certain left-wing groups it accuses of funding and organizing political violence, the officials said. Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here. Advertisement · Scroll to continue Report This Ad The effort marks an escalation in the administration's efforts to target domestic opponents, raising alarm among civil rights groups and Democratic leaders about the use of executive power. Reuters spoke to three White House officials, four Department of Homeland Security officials and one Justice Department official to produce the first comprehensive account of how decisions are being made, forces deployed, and operations coordinated in the crackdown. All of the administration officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations more freely. Miller is deeply involved in reviewing government agencies' investigations into the financial networks behind what the administration labels "domestic terror networks," which include nonprofits and even educational institutions, a White House official said. Advertisement · Scroll to continue Report This Ad The Trump administration has released some examples of what it alleges are incidents of left-wing violence, but it has provided little evidence of a coordinated effort. "Left-wing organizations have fueled violent riots, organized attacks against law enforcement officers, coordinated illegal doxing campaigns, arranged drop points for weapons and riot materials, and more," the White House said in a statement to Reuters. Miller did not respond to a request for comment. 'ANTI-AMERICANISM, ANTI-CAPITALISM AND ANTI-CHRISTIANITY' Two weeks after the September 10 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Trump issued a presidential memorandum directing the National Joint Terrorism Task Force to focus on "domestic terrorists" whose common ideologies include "anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity." Trump's opponents say the focus on liberal and left-wing groups ignores violence by right-wing organizations. They point to the January 6, 2021, violence by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol who sought to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump has pardoned most of those convicted of violence that day. A federal judge in Chicago on Thursday temporarily blocked U.S. President Donald Trump's deployment of hundreds of National Guard soldiers in Illinois. While Trump has frequently blamed violence on left-wing groups, a second White House official noted that the president's directive does not mention them specifically and is aimed at disrupting organized political violence before it occurs. The official said the "focus remains on violence and illegal activity," and that left-wing groups are free to protest within the bounds of the law. Trump's sweeping crackdown on migrants has triggered confrontations in U.S. cities between Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and protesters, including Los Angeles and Chicago. Trump and Miller have claimed protests in which sporadic violence occurs are evidence of domestic terrorism. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Miller asserted that protesters were engaged in a "continuum of violence" that was part of a larger conspiracy to disrupt federal operations. For more information, visit us at https://www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com/.