WASHINGTON — Today, President Joe Biden announced his administration’s plans to address the skyrocketing crime rates that have overwhelmed American cities in the wake of the left’s anti-police protests, policies, and rhetoric. 

Zack Smith, a Heritage legal fellow and co-author of Heritage’s Rogue Prosecutor Series, released the following response: 

 

“Rising violent crimes rates—especially murder rates—in cities across the country are something President Biden and his administration can no longer ignore. Homicides were up 24% during the first quarter of this year compared to the first quarter of 2020, and up 49% compared to the first quarter of 2019.  
 

“While President Biden and his team claim to be providing additional funding and resources to law enforcement around the country—something which stands in stark contrast to the calls from other members of his party to defund the police—these efforts ring hollow. These countless preventable tragedies follow from the left’s relentless obsession with defunding and canceling those charged with maintaining law and order and protecting public safety.  
 

“President Biden has committed to meeting with various organizations to get their input on combatting the surge in violent crime, but it’s some of these same organizations that are contributing to it. Some of these groups, such as the George Soros-funded Open Society Foundations, are involved in helping to elect radical, rogue prosecutors around the country who are encouraging crime rather than prosecuting it. When these prosecutors refuse to do their jobs by refusing to prosecute entire categories of crimes, it’s the victims and members of their communities who suffer. 
 

“The Biden administration could also help to effectively combat the rising crime rates by fixing the crisis it created at the border. As the current FBI director recently made clear, the chaos at the border is allowing drug smuggling, human trafficking, and gang activity to flourish—and to spread elsewhere, too. 
 

“Unfortunately, many of the Biden administration’s proposed solutions, such as banning assault weapons—a category of weapons his own nominee to be ATF director had difficulty defining—and banning high-capacity magazines are political moves designed to please his base, but which will do little to make communities safer.” 

To learn more about how George Soros-funded rogue district attorneys have threatened the public’s safety by acting as left-wing political operatives and refused to prosecute entire categories of crime, click HERE.