Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris speaks at a gun safety forum at Iowa Events Center on Aug. 10. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) released a plan Wednesday to tackle domestic terrorism by limiting gun access, following mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton this month.
Why it matters: Domestic terrorism is a growing threat in the U.S. FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before Congress in July that the bureau had made about 100 domestic terrorism arrests in the first 3 quarters of this fiscal year. Harris is the latest 2020 candidate to address this issue.
- Other candidates to reference recent mass shootings and highlight the role that white nationalism and domestic terrorism can play in gun violence include Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), former HUD Secretary Julián Castro and Southbend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
The big picture: In her plan, Harris proposes the creation of a federal "red flag" law and background checks for online gun sales. She pledges to pass Domestic Terrorism Prevention Orders into law if elected.
- The orders would allow certain individuals, including law enforcement officers and family members, "to petition a federal court to temporarily restrict a person’s access to guns if they exhibit clear evidence of dangerousness."
Go deeper: Where 2020 Democrats stand on gun control