Last week, U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., the chairwoman of the U.S. Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee, ripped into the Biden administration for not keeping Congress in the loop on investigations of threats made against Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
More than a dozen HBCUs across the nation received bomb threats in recent weeks. Edward Waters University (EWU) in Jacksonville and Bethune Cookman University (BCU) had classes disrupted due to the threats.
Wilson said the administration was not keeping Congress informed on its investigations.
“I am outraged that the United States Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security have failed to brief Congress on developments made in its ongoing investigation of bomb threats made against HBCUs,” said Wilson. “Over the course of almost two months, HBCU students, staff, and faculty continue to be terrorized by racially charged threats and – today – Claflin University was evacuated following yet another bomb threat. I, along with many of my colleagues have called on both the Department of Justice and Homeland Security to brief Congress on their investigation into these hate crimes and to ensure the safety of HBCU campus communities. As these threats of violence continue to rob students of their sense of safety and security, it is long past time for these federal departments to deliver this briefing.
“HBCUs have a long history of being the targets of racially motivated violence and acts of intimidation – violence and intimidation that have not garnered the appropriate level of attention from law enforcement officials,” continued Wilson. “I fear that, if the perpetrators of these hate crimes are not swiftly apprehended, they will only become more emboldened to attempt to carry out physical attacks. Federal and local law enforcement officials have a responsibility to utilize every available resource to bring those responsible to justice and communicate effectively with Congress and university leaders. Once again, I urge the Department of Justice to provide Congress with a confidential briefing on their efforts to keep HBCUs safe and end this horrific campaign of terror.”
A Southwest Florida congressman wants the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee to hold a hearing after more than a dozen Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) received bomb threats last week.
Earlier this month, Wilson wrote U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on the matter.
Also this month, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., called on U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-NY, the chairwoman of the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee, to hold a hearing on the threats.
