The Department of Homeland Security reports that risks to targets within the healthcare sector have increased due to heightened tensions in cultural conflicts.

The Department of Homeland Security reports that risks to targets within the healthcare sector have increased due to heightened tensions in cultural conflicts.

Federal intelligence analysts state that threats to healthcare facilities and personnel are on the rise and are expected to remain at an elevated level. This surge is attributed to cultural and divisive issues such as abortion, gender-related care, and lingering debates stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A recent briefing memo from the Department of Homeland Security, dated February 26, highlights that the ongoing litigation of contentious socio-medical issues in both public discourse and the legal arena is set to increase the visibility of the healthcare sector as a potential target for attacks by domestic extremists.

 

The confidential analysis outlines a broad spectrum of risks posed by these escalating threats. These dangers range from potential harm to patients due to compromised care, to instigating a chilling effect on clinicians through harassment and intimidation, and to ideologically driven cyber attacks targeting healthcare providers and networks.

The DHS bulletin stated that violent extremist threats against the healthcare and public health sector have diversified since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. These threats are anticipated to persist at an elevated level in the post-pandemic era, primarily due to the proliferation of ideological grievances related to medical issues.

The recent surge in threats of violence targeting healthcare facilities and personnel has encompassed tactics such as hoax bomb threats against hospitals, attempts to incite violence through doxing (public release of personal information like addresses and phone numbers), and calls to harm specific physicians, public officials, or pharmaceutical executives, as per the bulletin.

This escalation coincides with a heightened public discourse on medical issues, amplified by legislative actions and debates, according to the bulletin. Since the pandemic disrupted daily life, the threat spectrum has expanded to include other ideological grievances. Notably, there has been an increase in threats related to abortion or gender-affirming care, explicitly fueled by narratives and conspiracy theories embraced by violent extremists, focusing on these divisive issues.

John Cohen, former intelligence chief at DHS and current ABC News contributor, remarked, “Our society is very angry and very polarized, with an increasing number of people in the US viewing those who disagree as the enemy and considering violence an acceptable way to express their disagreement.”

Experts caution that a divisive “us-versus-them” mentality is wielded as a tool by those seeking to exploit societal fractures in America. Violent extremists, terror groups, and foreign intelligence services purposefully exploit public policy debates perceived as the most polarizing, anticipating volatile reactions and potentially inciting violent acts, as Cohen 

 

Last week, a Californian man pleaded guilty to firebombing a Planned Parenthood clinic with a Molotov cocktail in March 2022. Others involved in the incident had already entered guilty pleas, leading to the temporary closure of the clinic and the rescheduling of approximately 30 patient appointments.

According to the Department of Justice, the defendant aimed to “intimidate the clinic’s patients; deter doctors, staff, and employees at the clinic from providing abortions; and scare pregnant women away from obtaining abortions.” Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022, the defendant and co-conspirators had planned to use a second Molotov cocktail to attack another Planned Parenthood clinic. A year later, they were apprehended two days before their planned attack on an LGBTQ “Pride Night” at Dodger Stadium.

This incident is part of a growing list of criminal plots in recent years, ranging from swatting calls and death threats against health officials and hospitals to assaults on clinic escorts, vandalism, and facility damage.

Graffiti bearing the message “If abortions aren’t safe, then neither are you” has been found on pregnancy resource centers and abortion alternative advocacy group headquarters across multiple states, particularly surrounding the overturn of Roe. In May 2022, an “incendiary device” was used to start a fire at a building belonging to a “pro-life organization” in Oregon.

 

In September 2023, a Massachusetts woman admitted guilt for making a false bomb threat against Boston Children’s Hospital, a facility offering diverse healthcare services, including a program focused on gender-diverse and transgender adolescents.

In the threatening call, the woman warned, “There is a bomb on the way to the hospital, you better evacuate everybody you sickos,” prompting the dispatch of a bomb squad and forcing the hospital and its vicinity into lockdown, as reported by the DOJ. John Brownstein, Chief Innovation Officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor described the incident as “obviously scary” and highlighted the impact of misinformation escalating from internet-based discussions into real-world threats.

Experts express a unique concern as healthcare becomes a target, directly jeopardizing citizens’ well-being and causing a ripple effect of harm. The ongoing threats have compromised patient care and medical services across various healthcare systems since the pandemic, according to the DHS bulletin. The recurring threats could potentially diminish the ability of clinicians and facilities to provide adequate care.

The bulletin suggests that the situation may worsen, particularly in the context of the first presidential election since the pandemic and the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Leading candidates are addressing divisive issues, ranging from reproductive rights and gender conflicts to immigration at the Southern border and multiple overseas wars, which authorities fear could serve as potential flashpoints.

The DHS bulletin warns that government actions in the healthcare sector, responses to public health crises, and discussions on controversial medical matters may escalate threats of violence into actual acts of violence. Court decisions on mail-order access to abortion medication and state legislation prohibiting gender-affirming treatments for minors are highlighted as potential triggers for violence against the healthcare sector.

For adversaries seeking to undermine U.S. societal stability, targeting a critical pillar like healthcare becomes an attractive strategy. According to Cohen, a former intelligence chief at DHS and ABC News contributor, U.S. adversaries aim not only to destabilize society but also to erode confidence in government, including in essential elements like the election process, critical infrastructure such as the power grid and financial institutions, and healthcare systems that people rely on daily.