ATTORNEY GENERAL KWAME RAOUL ISSUES STATEMENT CONDEMNING RACIST ATTACKS ON FBI, IMMIGRATION & DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES

ATTORNEY GENERAL KWAME RAOUL ISSUES STATEMENT CONDEMNING RACIST ATTACKS ON FBI, IMMIGRATION & DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES

January 04, 2025

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today issued the following statement condemning an unfounded attack on the FBI U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn issued in a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray. In the letter, Blackburn attempted - without merit - to tie the New Year's Day act of terrorism in New Orleans to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

"I am absolutely outraged that in the aftermath of the horrific New Year's Day attack in New Orleans, President-elect Trump and his fellow Republicans continue to focus not on healing our nation, but on weaponizing the tragedy to push an agenda grounded in hate and bigotry. At a time when our nation needs leadership and unification, they instead continue to make unfounded attacks on immigration and diversity, equity and inclusion - even undermining the FBI as the agency's dedicated public servants investigate the attack on their fellow Americans ringing in the New Year.

"I have tremendous respect for the FBI based in part on my office's successful partnership with the agency on many fronts. My office's attorneys and investigators have worked side-by-side with FBI agents of all genders and races to protect Illinois families from perpetrators who trade child sexual abuse images online and to protect communities from drug and gun traffickers, fraud and corruption, cybersecurity threats and organized retail crime. All FBI agents must meet the same stringent requirements to qualify to serve, and the agency's efforts to diversify should by no means be mistaken for lessening those requirements. Diversity within the FBI and the military is critical to keeping Americans safe. Even the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, which opponents to diversity now proudly exploit, recognized the value of diversity to the military.

"The senator's letter is a disgusting attack on FBI agents of all races. Furthermore, Republicans' meritless attacks on the FBI, diversity, equity and inclusion and on immigration are dangerous. While working toward bipartisan solution on border security and immigration reform should be a priority, this attack by a U.S.-born citizen should not have an impact. This racist rhetoric has never been more shameful than it is as we collectively mourn the innocent lives lost on New Year's Day. Tragedies like the one in New Orleans should unite us as one nation. We cannot allow them to separate us!"