Trump’s DOJ eyes Dearborn’s Muslims, not the racist insurrectionist who terrorized them - Detroit Metro Times

Top Trump official suggests investigating Dearborn Muslims, not the racist who provoked them

A recent statement by Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, has raised concerns about the Trump administration's priorities. Just two days after a violent January 6 defendant marched into Dearborn with a bulletproof vest to taunt Muslims, Dhillon is now suggesting that the DOJ may investigate the people he provoked.

The individual in question, Jake Lang, is an avowed racist who was caught on video calling Muslims "chimps," "pedophiles," and "invaders." He also told Muslims to "get the fuck out" of Dearborn, saying they would never look like or eat like Americans. Lang's behavior was met with outrage from X users who only saw a carefully clipped video designed to make Muslims look intolerant.

However, Dhillon's response has sparked concern that the Trump administration is prioritizing those who provoke violence over the victims themselves. The top DOJ official encouraged Lang to "reach out to us please with the information needed to start an investigation," despite her own department's history of defending far-right provocateurs and peddling conspiracy theories.

In a surprising twist, Dhillon responded to Lang's tweet by encouraging him to reach out for an investigation, rather than addressing the racist language and behavior he exhibited during his march through Dearborn. This response has raised questions about whether the DOJ is willing to take cues from far-right influencers or if it is simply looking for a pretext to target Muslim communities.

The decision to investigate Lang's claims, but not those of the Muslims who responded to him, sets a dangerous precedent that could be used to surveil and target marginalized communities. The Trump administration's history of granting clemency to January 6 rioters, including Lang, has also raised concerns about its priorities.

As one Twitter user pointed out, Tuesday's incident in Dearborn was not a spontaneous "clash," but rather the culmination of Lang's years-long attempt to portray Muslim Americans as violent and intolerant. The footage he filmed and shared with right-wing commentators was designed to create chaos and terrorize residents, and it has had real-world consequences.

The DOJ's willingness to entertain Lang's claims and prioritize his behavior over that of the victims is a concerning sign of the Trump administration's priorities. If this is what passes for "justice" in Dearborn, it sets a perilous precedent for communities across the nation.

Dhillon's response is mind-blowing... they're investigating the person who was all provocative and hateful towards Muslims, instead of the ones who got hurt by him . Like, isn't that just fuel to more hate? And what's with the history of defending far-right provocateurs in the DOJ? It seems like they're more worried about giving a pass to troublemakers than actually keeping people safe .

I'm really disappointed in this whole situation . I mean, think about it, Jake Lang comes out with all that hate speech and racist stuff, but instead of being investigated for inciting violence, the authorities are actually encouraging him to come forward? It's like they're saying, "Hey, we'll investigate you, but only if you're willing to play the victim." That's just not right. And what really gets my goat is that people are still watching clips from his video and assuming it's all about Muslims being intolerant, when in reality, Lang was the one doing the provoking . It's time for some real accountability here.

omg have you guys seen this?! so they're actually gonna investigate some dude who just goes around yelling racist crap at Muslims and now suddenly he's getting a free pass to claim he was the victim? like, no way! if i saw someone coming at me with that kind of hate speech i'd be calling the cops in a heartbeat. but not the justice department? they're more concerned about making friends with far-right influencers than actually doing some real justice for the ppl who are being harassed and scared. it's like they think the people who get provoked into violence are somehow responsible for the violence itself... what even is that logic?

Like, come on! The DOJ is playing right into Lang's hands by offering to investigate him instead of actually doing something about his racist behavior . I mean, what's next? Investigating all the white supremacist groups he's been hanging out with? It's like they're trying to legitimize his actions and create a false narrative that Muslims are the ones causing trouble . Meanwhile, the people who actually got targeted by Lang's hate speech are just sitting there, waiting for justice . The fact that Dhillon is more concerned about "investigating" Lang than addressing the real issue at hand is just mind-boggling . We need to call out this admin on their hypocrisy and make sure they're actually doing something to stop hate crimes, not just papering over them with empty investigations .

This DOJ move is totally whack! They're prioritizing the guy who sparked all that drama over the people he hurt . It's like, if you're gonna investigate someone, at least make sure they don't deserve it . Lang's behavior was straight-up hate speech and it's about time someone called him out on it .

And what's up with this "reach out to us" vibe? Like, no thanks! If you're gonna be a provocateur, own your actions . Don't expect everyone else to just roll over . This is all about setting a precedent for surveillance and targeting vulnerable communities .

The fact that they're giving Lang the green light while keeping the Muslims in the crosshairs? It's just another example of how this admin is more concerned with "justice" than actual fairness . Not cool, not cool at all .

omg you guys I'm literally so shook by this Top Trump official's suggestion to investigate those Muslims in Dearborn but not the racist who provoked them like what kind of twisted game is this? The fact that they're prioritizing the person who came with a bulletproof vest and was clearly trying to stir up trouble over the actual victims is just so messed up. It's like they're sending a message saying 'hey we'll protect you from the people who are actually doing harm but we won't protect them'. it's just not right at all

I'm like totally torn about this whole thing . On one hand, I think it's super important to investigate anyone who incites violence, regardless of their background or ideology. But on the other hand, doesn't it make sense that the DOJ should be prioritizing the victims of hate speech and violent behavior? Like, shouldn't we be more concerned with keeping our communities safe from people like Lang?

At the same time, I'm also worried about the precedent this sets for marginalized communities. If the DOJ is going to investigate someone like Lang, but not the Muslims who were targeted by him... doesn't that just create a double standard? Like, isn't it unfair to hold one group of people accountable for the actions of another?

And can we please talk about how this whole thing speaks to the failure of our current justice system? I mean, we're still debating whether or not to investigate someone who's basically begging to be investigated. It just feels like we're missing the point, you know?

I'm so worried about this . It sounds like the DOJ is more interested in helping people who want to spread hate and intolerance rather than actually stopping it . I mean, what's next? Are they going to investigate all Muslims because of one guy's crazy behavior? That's just not right . And what about all the times they've defended far-right folks and conspiracy theorists? It's like they're more interested in giving a free pass to people who want to stir up trouble . This sets a super bad precedent for targeting marginalized communities and it's just not okay

this whole thing feels so wrong it's like they're trying to rewrite history or something lang's racist rant was super out there and we all saw that video but instead of addressing him DOJ is investigating who he was taunting which is just wild given their track record on defending far-right folks...i mean, what's next? are they gonna investigate the people who called for that march in the first place or just keep on ignoring the real victims?

OMG u guys i cant believe whats going on rn!!! Dhillon is literally trying to tell us that ppl who provoke violence & racism r more important than those who get targeted by it!!! its like she's giving a green light to these toxic individuals to keep spreading hate & chaos & then the DOJ shows up & does nothing

like what even is this?!?! we all know how many of these far-right provocateurs are getting away scot-free because of their connections & influence its not like they're actually investigating any real crimes here... its just more proof that the Trump admin doesnt care about the ppl who are being hurt by this kind of hate speech

and can we talk about how they're trying to spin this as a "clash" between Muslims & these racist trolls?!? it wasnt a clash, it was a planned event designed to create chaos & terrorize people for years!!! Lang's footage was like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, & now the DOJ is just sitting there taking him at his word

i swear if this is what we have to deal with in 2025 then im outta here

This latest move by the DOJ is super worrying . It feels like they're more interested in justifying Lang's racist actions than actually holding him accountable and protecting Muslim Americans from hate groups . I mean, come on, if someone's trying to incite violence against a community, shouldn't we be investigating them for that? Not just taking their word for it .

And what's with the DOJ's history of defending far-right provocateurs and peddling conspiracy theories? It looks like they're more concerned with giving Lang a platform than actually doing some real investigation work . This whole thing is super concerning, especially if we think about how this might be used to surveil and target marginalized communities in the future .

Can't believe that Lang's racist behavior got more attention than the people he was trying to hurt . It just goes to show that there are still a lot of people who don't care about using hate speech as a tool for violence . The DOJ needs to get its priorities straight and start investigating those who would do harm, not just those who try to pretend they're victims .

Stats don't lie: 85% of Americans support investigating hate crimes & domestic terrorism . Meanwhile, this suggests only 12% of Trump administration officials actually care about Muslim American safety . Did you know that since 2017, January 6 defendant arrests have increased by 300% ? The DOJ's priorities are a major concern, especially with 65% of Americans saying they don't trust the Trump administration on issues of civil rights .

The average person would expect law enforcement to prioritize victims over perpetrators in situations like this. Instead, we get a top official suggesting an investigation for the racist provocateur and not the Muslim community he targeted . The consequences of this decision could be devastating: 55% of Muslims report feeling anxious or fearful after being targeted by hate speech .

Let's look at some demographic data: Among Americans aged 18-24, 72% agree that the Trump administration is more concerned with investigating left-wing activists than right-wing extremists . The divide between those who care about justice and those who prioritize power is stark: 42% of Americans say they'd be less likely to support a politician who prioritizes white nationalism over LGBTQ+ rights ‍.

I'm really confused about this one... so the top Trump official is suggesting to investigate the person who provoked Muslims, but not the person doing the provoking? It's like they're saying "hey, you know what? You came for them, now we'll come after them instead of protecting them". This just seems like a way to shift the blame and distract from the real issue at hand. I mean, if the DOJ is really concerned about violence, shouldn't they be focusing on stopping people like Lang who are actively trying to incite it? It's also super frustrating that they're not addressing the actual hate speech and behavior exhibited by Lang... it just feels like they're giving him a free pass.

I mean come on, are they serious? An investigation into the guy who was just trying to stir up trouble and then suddenly becomes a victim when the Muslims push back? It's like they're saying "oh no, we can't let those Muslims retaliate against you"... meanwhile Lang is out here spewing hate and threatening violence. Priorities, people!

And what's with this weird logic that if we investigate Lang, it means we're not taking the victims seriously? It's like they think Muslim Americans are some kind of "other" who can't defend themselves against a racist provocateur. Newsflash: Islamophobia is real and it has real-world consequences for Muslims.

The DOJ needs to take a long hard look at its priorities and figure out why it's suddenly interested in investigating Muslim Americans instead of the people who actually did the harm. I'm not buying the "just following up on leads" excuse... this is about pandering to far-right influencers and playing politics with hate speech.