The Double Standards of U.S. FTO vs. DTO Persecution

Executive Summary

The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and Emgage Action have developed this policy package as a guide for members of the federal government and other key stakeholders in order to:

• Help all parties better understand the proposed legislation on domestic terrorism (DT) and how existing legal codes (as highlighted in our appendix) can be used to prosecute white supremacist terrorism; 
• Address the violations of civil liberties and international human rights standards by law enforcement under the increased authorities of the state’s counterterrorism powers; 
• Demonstrate the discriminatory double standards of the state’s application of the foreign terrorist organization (FTO) laws in their investigation of American Muslims and other minorities/people of color;
• Demonstrate the ways in which the state’s discriminatory practices served to undermine national security, allowing the threat of white supremacist militancy and violence to intensify and grow; 
• Encourage reforms to counterterrorism laws and practices that will enhance national security without further expanding an already unchecked set of powers that threaten the rights and freedoms of all Americans; and
• Suggest the implementation of stringent protections for the civil rights and civil liberties of every American, regardless of their race, color, or creed.