DHS Secretary Warns of Rising Homegrown Extremism After New Orleans Attack

Alejandro Mayorkas highlights a decade-long surge in domestic radicalization and calls for unity in addressing the threat.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas described the current threat landscape as 'very difficult,' citing a significant increase in homegrown violent extremism over the past decade.
The New Orleans truck attack, carried out by a U.S.-born assailant who pledged allegiance to ISIS, resulted in at least 14 deaths and has drawn national attention to domestic terrorism threats.
Mayorkas emphasized that the attack was unrelated to border security, as the perpetrator was a U.S. citizen and military veteran who became radicalized domestically.
Republican Rep. Michael McCaul expressed concerns about a resurgence of ISIS activity and urged officials to focus on identifying online radicalization to prevent future attacks.
Mayorkas called for a united, non-politicized approach to combating extremism, stressing the need for collaboration among federal, state, and local officials, as well as the broader community.