A string of mass shootings involving white nationalists has finally spurred the Department of Homeland Security to come up with a plan to confront the threat.
The Atlantic reports that DHS will unveil a new policy for combating white nationalist terrorism and its goals include securing "more resources to analyze the changing nature of terrorism in the U.S.; improve information-sharing with local law enforcement; and provide training to communities to prevent or respond to attacks, including through active-shooter drills and security in schools."
While this sounds good, the Atlantic's report also finds that many of the policy recommendations contained in the plan simply call for more study of the issues surrounding white nationalist recruitment and incitement, which indicates that the government is still trying to get a handle on the problem.
And even if the plan were perfect, argues the Atlantic, there's no chance of it being implemented by the Trump White House.
"Then there is the matter of money," the publication writes. "Some of the very same kinds of programs DHS now wants to expand have seen budget and personnel cuts throughout the Trump administration."
George Selim, a former DHS official who specialized in counter-extremism, said that the Trump administration has "gutted" programs that in the past have been used to disrupt white nationalist organizing.
