ABSTRACT
The history of domestic terrorism in the United States goes back hundreds of years, yet the twenty-first century saw the rise of this type of violent extremism. We can break domestic terrorism down into three categories: active, dormant, and persistent. Unlike in the international terror realm, there is no comprehensive list of domestic terror groups. Right-wing extremism is the most persistent and lethal threat. White supremacists, militias, and sovereign citizens groups are very active in our country and are increasingly prone to violence. Left-wing violence is on the decline. Single-issue or special-interest terrorism is on the rise, particularly with environmental concerns related to pipelines and other major infrastructure projects. Homegrown terror is a major concern, with ISIS and al Qaeda actively recruiting Americans to carry out attacks in the homeland. We still lack a deradicalization process in the United States for those convicted of terror offenses coming out of prison and back to society with no rehabilitation. The Mexican cartels, with their own brand of violence, are now operating deep inside our country and moving out to rural areas. All of these actors have the capacity to strike soft targets or have already carried out acts of terror and extreme violence against them in our country.
