Lynch Defends Muslim Outreach Efforts as Trump Urges Entry Ban

Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the U.S. must expand outreach to the Islamic community to detect extremists before they act, highlighting the administration’s ideological split with Republican presidential contender Donald Trump, who’s calling for a ban on the entry of Muslims.

Lynch’s comments, made on Monday hours before Donald Trump urged an entry ban, point up the stark contrast between the administration’s policy of engaging with Muslims and the billionaire mogul’s controversial stance. While law enforcement has been increasing its interactions with Muslims in recent years to detect violent extremists and to prevent discriminatory backlash, Lynch said those contacts must be broadened.