NEW YORK — In the 20+ years since 9/11, the United States has confronted terrorists and worked to eliminate the potential for another large-scale attack on the homeland.
But that doesn't mean the country is safe, far from it. The threats have simply changed, according to testimony on Tuesday.
"There is no doubt the evil we face is ever evolving. and although daunting, we must meet today's challenge with the same commitment to protecting those we love as those heroes who responded to the attacks of 9/11 and the brave soldiers on the front lines of Afghanistan," said Rep Anthony D'Esposito (R-New York).
Meeting at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York, members of the Republican-led House Homeland Security Committee heard testimony from four New York Metro law enforcement agencies.
Among the current threats outlined by witnesses are transnational criminal organizations bringing fentanyl across the southern border, killing more than 100,000 Americans; espionage; cybercrimes targeting critical infrastructure; and online disinformation.
One of the biggest threats cited was home-grown organized and lone-wolf radicalized domestic terror.
The New York Police Department Intelligence and Counterterrorism Deputy Commissioner called it "an area of growth" across the country.
"It's a label that includes a broad category of people who are motivated by different grievances, but uniting them all is hatred," said Rebecca Weiner.
A Government Accountability Office report in March revealed that all but eight states in the U.S. experienced at least one incident of domestic terrorism between 2010 and 2021 and over the last 10 years, domestic terrorism-related investigations have grown by 357%.