Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Sheila Jackson LeeGrand jury charges no officers in Breonna Taylor death Hillicon Valley: Murky TikTok deal raises questions about China's role | Twitter investigating automated image previews over apparent algorithmic bias | House approves bill making hacking federal voting systems a crime House approves legislation making hacking voting systems a federal crime MORE (D-Texas) on Tuesday said the Trump administration should declare racist beliefs a threat to U.S. national security.

During a hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee, Jackson Lee said that the attack in her home state of Texas last week displayed the danger of ignoring U.S. residents who foster white supremacist views.

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"I believe that racism ... should be declared a national security threat," Jackson Lee said.

"Racism is a national security threat. Before, we would say, 'you have a right to your racist views. You have a right to believe that slavery was right. That segregation was right.' We live in an era where that can no longer be allowed," she continued.

Her remarks came after 22 people were killed in an El Paso Walmart last week by a shooter who police say espoused racist and white supremacist views after his capture.

Multiple Democrats have condemned the Trump administration and President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE himself following the attack and another the week before in Gilroy, Calif., arguing that the president's rhetoric about immigrants and communities of color contributed to the shooters' motives.

Trump has called for the House and Senate to pass bills supporting "intelligent background checks" after the shootings, while adding that he is hopeful for "meaningful" action on gun violence in Congress.

"I think with a lot of success that we have, I think I have a greater influence now over the Senate and over the House," he said last week. "I think we can get something really good done. I think we can have some meaningful background checks."