U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland visited Newark on Monday to meet with law enforcement leaders from around the state and warned of the rising threat of hate crimes nationwide amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

“The Justice Department is remaining vigilant in the face of the potential threats of hate-fueled violence and of terrorism,” Garland told reporters before his meeting. “We are closely monitoring the impact the conflict in the Middle East may have on inspiring foreign terrorist organizations, homegrown violent extremists and domestic violent extremists both here in the United States and abroad.”

The nation’s top cop also touted violence prevention programs between federal and local law enforcement, plus federal efforts to slow the spread of fentanyl.