By Rami Ayyub

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – An attack on a Texas school, a Supreme Court decision about abortion, and concerns over security at the U.S.–Mexico border may all lead to American extremists engaging in violence, said the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday.

In its most recent National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin DHS stated that violent threats to democratic institutions and politicians will probably increase in the lead up to November’s congressional election.

This was DHS’ sixth advisory of this nature since January 2021. Officials turned their attention again to domestic threats following the attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump in January 2016.

The advisory stated that May’s shootings at Uvalde in Texas and Buffalo, New York had received online praise, with some encouraging copycat attacks.

In the Uvalde massacre, a gunman shot and killed 19 children as well as two teachers. A white supremacist avowedly killed 10 Black victims at a Buffalo grocery store.

“Threat actors have recently mobilized to violence due to factors such as personal grievances, reactions to current events, and adherence to violent extremist ideologies, including racially or ethnically motivated or anti-government/anti-authority violent extremism,” the advisory said.

The advisory stated that both supporters and opponents of abortion have encouraged violence in public venues ahead of the Supreme Court’s anticipated decision to overturn the 1973 Roe V Wade landmark ruling, which legalized it nationwide.

The advisory stated that some domestic extremists also have grievances about the United States’ inability to protect the U.S. border with Mexico and called for violence to stop the flow of illegal migrants. The advisory said extremists could justify violence by changing border policies.

DHS stated that it is responding to these threats through partnership with local governments, private sector and other community stakeholders.