In a move that has sent ripples through the civil rights and law enforcement communities, FBI Director Kash Patel announced on October 3, 2025, that the bureau is severing all ties with the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Both organizations, longstanding partners in the fight against hate crime and extremism, have been accused by Patel of transforming into what he called "partisan smear machines," sparking a fierce national debate about the future of civil rights advocacy and the role of federal agencies in combating domestic extremism.
Patel’s announcement, delivered through official statements and social media posts, marks a sharp departure from decades of FBI collaboration with these groups. The SPLC, founded in Montgomery in 1971 by Morris Dees and Joe Levin, has built its reputation on civil rights advocacy, notably fighting segregation and dismantling white supremacist organizations through landmark legal victories. The ADL, established in 1913 to confront antisemitism, has similarly provided critical research, training, and support to law enforcement agencies across the country.
Patel’s rationale for the break was clear and uncompromising. He lambasted the SPLC’s widely known “hate map,” which tracks organizations it deems to be anti-government or hate groups, saying, “The Southern Poverty Law Center long ago abandoned civil rights work and turned into a partisan smear machine. Their so-called ‘hate map’ has been used to defame mainstream Americans and even inspired violence. That disgraceful record makes them unfit for any FBI partnership.” According to Axios, Patel further insisted that the FBI’s new direction is to avoid “agenda-driven intelligence from outside groups.”
The ADL did not escape Patel’s scrutiny either. In a post shared on X, Patel mocked former FBI Director James Comey’s 2017 praise of the ADL, writing, “James Comey wrote ‘love letters’ to the ADL and embedded FBI agents with them—a group that ran disgraceful ops spying on Americans. That era is OVER. This FBI won’t partner with political fronts masquerading as watchdogs.” The ADL’s CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, responded in a statement, “The ADL has deep respect for the FBI. In light of an unprecedented surge of antisemitism, we remain more committed than ever to our core purpose to protect the Jewish people.”
The timing of the announcement was notable, coinciding with the beginning of Hate Crime Awareness Month and the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur. The SPLC, for its part, issued a statement reiterating its mission: “For decades, we have shared data and analysis with the public to protect civil rights and hold extremists accountable. We remain committed to exposing hate and extremism as we work to equip communities with knowledge and defend the rights and safety of marginalized people.”
This controversy reached a fever pitch following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, had been the subject of criticism in the SPLC’s annual report, "The Year in Hate and Extremism 2024," which described Turning Point USA as “A Case Study of the Hard Right in 2024.” Prominent conservative figures, including Elon Musk, accused the SPLC of inciting violence, with Musk calling the organization an “evil propaganda organization.” The SPLC has faced growing criticism from conservative circles, who argue that its designations unfairly malign right-wing groups and mainstream Americans.
The FBI’s partnership with both the SPLC and the ADL has historically included sharing research on hate crimes and domestic extremism, providing law enforcement training, and recognizing officials for their work investigating racially or religiously motivated crimes. According to the Associated Press, former director Comey once remarked, “For more than 100 years, you have advocated and fought for fairness and equality, for inclusion and acceptance. You never were indifferent or complacent.”
Yet, the landscape has shifted dramatically under the current administration. The Trump administration, since retaking office, has moved to reframe civil rights protections, with the Justice Department issuing new guidelines in July 2025 that prohibit federal funding to companies with diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. This policy shift has raised concerns among civil rights advocates, who fear that marginalized groups—people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and religious minorities—could lose vital protections and resources.
The SPLC’s “Hate Map” itself has become a focal point in the debate. The map, a non-exhaustive compilation, tracks groups based on ideologies such as anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ, sexist, racist, or religious bigotry. Critics argue that the map’s criteria are too broad and politically motivated, while supporters contend that it provides crucial transparency in tracking dangerous organizations. The SPLC’s spokesperson emphasized, “We remain committed to exposing hate and extremism as we work to equip communities with knowledge and defend the rights and safety of marginalized people.”
The ADL, meanwhile, has also faced criticism from the right for maintaining a “Glossary of Extremism,” which the organization announced it would discontinue due to outdated entries and concerns about intentional misrepresentation and misuse. Despite the end of its formal relationship with the FBI, the ADL has stated its ongoing commitment to fighting antisemitism and protecting Jewish communities.
The real-world stakes of these decisions are underscored by hard data. According to the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics Act Report, 11,679 hate crimes were reported in 2024—the second-highest annual total since the bureau began collecting such data in 1991. Of those, roughly 53% were motivated by race, 24% by religion, 17% by sexual orientation, and 4% by gender identity. These figures highlight the ongoing threat of hate-motivated violence and the need for effective monitoring and intervention.
For the SPLC, the loss of FBI partnership does not immediately threaten its operations, as it does not receive federal funds. However, the symbolic and practical implications are significant. The organization has vowed to continue its work, but the lack of formal collaboration with the nation’s premier law enforcement agency could hamper efforts to track and combat extremism.
Meanwhile, the broader political context cannot be ignored. The Trump administration’s approach to civil rights and diversity initiatives has been to roll back policies designed to address historical inequities, with officials arguing that such measures constitute “anti-white” discrimination. This perspective, sharply at odds with the historical record of racism and exclusion in the United States, has fueled ongoing debates about the proper balance between free speech, civil rights, and public safety.
As the dust settles from Patel’s announcement, both supporters and critics of the decision are left grappling with its implications. For some, it signals a necessary correction to what they see as politicized advocacy masquerading as objective watchdog work. For others, it represents a dangerous retreat from the hard-won progress of the civil rights era and a weakening of the nation’s resolve to confront hate in all its forms.
One thing is clear: the FBI’s break with the SPLC and ADL marks a turning point in the relationship between federal law enforcement and civil rights organizations, with consequences that will likely reverberate for years to come.
