We continue to warn against the rising use of “invasion” rhetoric and bigoted conspiracy theories that have become normalized in conversations around immigration. Rep. Green’s panel for the bigoted group Center for Immigration Studies threatens to be another opportunity for an elected leader to spread baseless conspiracy theories about immigration policy, laced with the Great Replacement Theory that so often leads to real-world violence.

The rallies in Texas, Arizona and California yesterday marked the end of a week where anti-immigrant bigotry in the United States reached a fever pitch

2023 was a deeply challenging year that saw anti-democracy groups continue to amass power at the local level, bigoted rhetoric and conspiracy theories become more mainstreamed, and violence in the Middle East spur a spike in bias incidents on American soil.

A leader of the Proud Boys, who played a major role in organizing the insurrection on January 6, 2021, was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Last week, a Washington DC jury had convicted Proud Boy Joe Biggs of several charges including seditious conspiracy for attempting to forcibly prevent the peaceful transfer of power.

Joe Biggs, a leader of the Proud Boys who led the infamous march to the capitol on January 6, 2021, was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Over the weekend, in an attack reminiscent of the Buffalo massacre, a white gunman targeted Jacksonville’s Black community, killing three. The gunman, who left behind racist manifestos and had swastikas on the AR-15 he wielded, targeted and killed Black people at a Jacksonville Dollar General store.

In response to the verdict handed down in a lawsuit against paramilitary leader Ammon Bundy brought by St. Luke’s Health System, Lindsay Schubiner, Programs Director at Western States Center, issued the following statement.

Yesterday, a jury convicted five Patriot Front members on the misdemeanor charge of conspiracy to riot by disturbing the peace for their role in the intimidation stunt at a Pride event last year. Today they were sentenced to three days in jail plus a $1,000 fine.

Today, Tusitala “Tiny” Toese, a figurehead of the white nationalist militia group Proud Boys was sentenced to 5+ years in prison for inciting and participating in political violence in north Portland in 2021.

The self-avowed white nationalist who wrote that Hispanics were “invading” America before killing 23 people in an El Paso Walmart, was sentenced to 90 life sentences in prison on federal hate crimes charges.

This afternoon, a federal judge sentenced Oath Keeper founder Stewart Rhodes to 18 years in prison following this conviction on seditious conspiracy for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

As of Election Night, the second vote on a non-binding “Greater Idaho” resolution in Wallowa County to endorse seceding from Oregon and joining Idaho is too close to call.

In commemoration of one of the most horrific racist attacks in modern memory, Lindsay Schubiner, Director of Programs at Western States Center, issued the following statement

This morning, four out of five members of the Proud Boys, an anti-democracy organization with a long record of promoting bigotry and political violence, on trial for seditious conspiracy charges were convicted for their role in the implementation of the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.  

Benjamin Jeffery Smith, who killed one person and shot four others at a peaceful demonstration protesting racial violence in Portland last year, was sentenced to life in prison.

This morning, the shooter who murdered ten Black people in a Buffalo grocery store, was sentenced to life in prison. Amy Herzfeld-Copple, Western States Center’s Deputy Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives, issued the following statement:

Brandon Judd, the President of the National Border Patrol Council who frequently promotes white nationalist conspiracy theories, uses bigoted rhetoric against migrants, and engages with anti-immigrant groups, has been invited by House Republicans to testify in front of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Four members of the Oath Keepers, a paramilitary organization with a long record of promoting bigotry and political violence, were convicted on seditious conspiracy charges for their role in the implementation of the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Only 14 of the almost 1,000 individuals charged over the insurrection faced seditious conspiracy charges, underscoring the gravity of these convictions. 

New Mexico police have arrested Solomon Peña, a failed Republican candidate, in connection with shootings at the homes and offices of Democratic elected officials in New Mexico in December and January. A review of Peña’s social media and public statements shows he has shared election denial conspiracy theories and claims his own election was rigged. At this time, police and local officials believe that the shootings were politically motivated.

This vital new toolkit is designed to strengthen libraries as inclusive, pro-democracy spaces better prepared to counter the growing threat of white nationalism.