The launch of this petition comes from a place of deep concern. As citizens who are troubled by the state of our nation, we have seen a disturbing trend that can no longer be ignored. A person in an influential leadership role, specifically, Donald J. Trump, has arguably used his authority to further ideological and personal goals that have negatively impacted our communities — specifically, vulnerable racial, ethnic, and religious groups.

The influence he has over his millions of devoted followers is detrimental. By endorsing behavior that is consistent with the definition of Domestic Terrorism outlined in 18 U.S. Code § 2331(5), he not only undermines our principles of democracy, but he also poses a threat to the safety and well-being of individuals and communities within our borders. 

We believe that Donald J. Trump has used his national position of authority to encourage and mobilize sympathetic Americans to act against racial, ethnic, and religious persons and groups in at least two ways that are consistent with the language of Domestic Terrorism in 18 U.S. Code § 2331(5): 1) Dangerous to human life 2) Intended to intimidate civilian populations. 

We also note that numerous judicial precedents define certain kinds of speech not protected by the First Amendment, including Incitement to Imminent Lawless Action, Fighting Words, True Threats, Defamation, and Harassment, all speech that can be attributed to Donald J. Trump.  

Donald J. Trump intentionally promotes dangerous falsehoods against racial, ethnic, and religious minorities that pose a threat to human lives and intimidates civilian populations, including some of his most recent incidents below (but by far not exhaustive):

1) Donald J. Trump publicly dehumanizes and slanders Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. The consequence has been bomb threats, shooting threats, vandalism, and harassment. The former president's racist speech has created a climate of fear and intimidation for Haitian American families, many of whom feel extremely vulnerable and unsafe and have kept their children at home for fear of bullying, harassment, or worse. 

2) Donald J. Trump publicly threatens violent (“bloody”) deportation against undocumented immigrants in the U.S.—children, women, and men. We believe he is responsible for intimidating and terrorizing this civilian population by threatening to use organized and armed state power to compromise their safety and well-being. His reckless words of “bloody” violence against these highly vulnerable persons and families also fuel racism and ethnic hatred, which further terrorizes this civilian population and poses a threat to their safety and well-being. 

3) Donald J. Trump spreads falsehoods that undocumented immigrants commit most of the violent and drug crimes in the U.S. He repetitively employs incendiary rhetoric that slanders entire ethnic groups as dangerous and depraved—children, women, and men—fueling racism and ethnic hatred. This all contributes to a climate of intimidation and terror for this civilian population and poses a threat to their safety and well-being. 

4) Donald J. Trump lies repeatedly about the number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., inflating their numbers to perpetuate a false narrative that American jobs, and way of life, are in danger. By doing so, he intentionally fuels fear and animosity toward a specific civilian population and places their safety and well-being in jeopardy. His lies also place Latino U.S. citizens at risk for harassment or worse and have contributed to public health issues for both citizens and undocumented immigrants, according to the Migrant Clinicians Network.

5) Donald J. Trump intentionally fuels anti-Muslim bigotry at rallies by conflating Islam with extremism and terrorism and declaring that he will use the power of the state, even more aggressively than he did during his first term, to deport and ban Muslims from entering the country. With promises to make it much worse if elected again, he is further fueling a climate of intolerance that is creating intimidation and fear for Muslim Americans and that poses a threat to their safety and well-being.

The above examples are only some of the most recent dangerous falsehoods strategically promoted by Donald J. Trump, posing a threat to human lives and intimidating civilian populations. He has been overtly attacking and denigrating the most vulnerable human beings from his national pulpit since at least 2015, including African Americans, LGBTQ persons, and other immigrants and ethnic persons and groups in the U.S. Donald J. Trump has also assaulted our democratic institutions and mechanisms, most notably his efforts to try to overturn a democratic election. And, of course, there is the infamous January 6 insurrection, which FBI Director Chris Wray condemned as “domestic terrorism” and that underscores the case we are making in this petition.

With all considered, we, the people, call upon the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate Donald J. Trump for his potential acts of Domestic Terrorism as defined by 18 U.S. Code § 2331(5). Stand with us, sign this petition, lend your voice to manifest justice and protect our civilian populations and democratic values.