U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed federal law enforcement to intensify investigations into domestic extremist groups, including organizations associated with the anti-fascist antifa movement, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters.
The directive marks one of the most sweeping expansions of domestic terrorism scrutiny in recent years, signaling a significant shift in the Justice Department’s priorities.
The memo, distributed Thursday to federal prosecutors and multiple law enforcement agencies, instructs the Justice Department to elevate cases involving suspected domestic terrorism and to pursue not only violent offenses but also potential financial crimes.
Bondi specifically asked investigators to examine “tax crimes” involving groups accused of defrauding the Internal Revenue Service, framing financial misconduct as part of a broader pattern of extremist activity.
“These domestic terrorists use violence or the threat of violence to advance political and social agendas,” Bondi wrote in the memo, listing a broad set of ideological positions that she said required heightened attention.
Among them were opposition to immigration enforcement, “extreme views” supporting mass migration and open borders, as well as anti-capitalist, anti-American, or anti-Christian sentiments. She argued that these ideologies could serve as a gateway to violence or organized disruption.
Bondi ordered the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces to prioritize investigations into such groups and to coordinate closely with prosecutors on potential charges.
She also directed federal law enforcement agencies to review their intelligence holdings and turn over any relevant material, particularly information involving antifa-aligned networks.
The memo represents a consolidation of long-running concerns within conservative political circles that left-wing groups pose an escalating threat to public safety.
Critics of the approach have argued that the definition of “extremism” risks becoming overly broad and could sweep up constitutionally protected political activity.
Supporters contend that the rise of politically motivated violence, regardless of ideology, requires a muscular federal response.
The Justice Department has not commented publicly on the memo, and it remains unclear how many active investigations may fall under the newly expanded mandate.
But Bondi’s directive suggests that federal authorities are preparing to take a far more aggressive posture toward groups they believe blur the line between political activism and unlawful conduct.
