US rights groups warn of Republican effort to undercut LA advocacy work

Josh Hawley, a senator, threatened multiple organizations with inquiries, claiming they were ‘bankrolling civil unrest’

Immigration and civil rights organizations across the US are warning of a growing effort to undermine their advocacy work as rightwing lawmakers accuse them of fueling the demonstrations against federal raids in California.

Advocacy groups voiced alarm on Thursday after Josh Hawley, a Republican US senator from Missouri, threatened multiple immigration and civil rights groups with investigations over claims that they are “bankrolling civil unrest” in Los Angeles.