Ayanna Pressley leads congressional demand for federal investigation into hanging deaths

A group of 59 Democratic members of Congress, led by Representative Ayanna Pressley, has issued a letter demanding a federal investigation into what they describe as modern-day lynchings. The letter, addressed to Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel, calls for a thorough probe into the deaths of Black individuals found hanging in various states across the country.

The lawmakers cited a February 2026 report documenting over 70 such incidents across seven states between 2000 and 2025, alleging patterns of systemic violence. They specifically noted that at least 10 hangings of Black people have been reported so far this year. The group is requesting that the Department of Justice and the FBI open investigations under the Emmett Till Antilynching Act of 2022.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also signed the letter, characterizing the incidents as “widespread modern-day lynchings” and “racial terror.” However, the claims have faced scrutiny on social media; Community Notes on platforms like X indicated that most of the high-profile cases cited in recent years were ruled suicides by medical examiners and police, with only one currently under investigation as a homicide.