Countering White Supremacist Extremism Act

This bill tells the Department of Homeland Security’s intelligence office to create and share a terrorism threat assessment and a simple reference guide about dangers from foreign violent white supremacist extremist groups. It must be made with other federal partners and draw on the State Department’s existing strategy on this issue, then be shared with state, local, and Tribal police and fusion centers to help them spot and respond to threats.

The guide must include an overview of symbols, flags, and other signs used by these groups. It can also be shared, on request, with online platforms to help them identify content that may be tied to these groups and may break their terms of service, in consultation with DHS’s civil rights office. The guide cannot include the names or other identifying details of people or groups engaged in lawful political or public speech in the United States.

Key points

• Who is affected: DHS intelligence and civil rights offices; state, local, and Tribal law enforcement; online platforms that request help.
• What changes: Requires a DHS threat assessment and reference aid on foreign white supremacist extremist threats, including common symbols; shares it with police and, when asked, online platforms; protects lawful speech by keeping identifying details out of the guide.
• When: The text does not set a specific timeline for completing or sharing the guide.