Trump, a Republican, has been accused by Democrats of fueling racial divisions. He stated that Americans need to denounce racism, bigotry, and white supremacy following the killings of 22 people in El Paso, where officials believe racial hatred was a possible motive. The suspect, Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old white man, has been charged with capital murder. Prior to the shooting, a racist, anti-immigrant manifesto attributed to Crusius was posted online. Trump did not address claims that his own anti-immigrant and racially charged remarks have contributed to increased race tensions, and he did not advocate for extensive gun control measures. He emphasized the need to defeat these harmful ideologies in his remarks at the White House. "Hate does not belong in America. Hatred distorts the mind, destroys the heart, and consumes the soul." Democrats, who have advocated for stricter gun control measures for a long time, criticized Trump for focusing on mental health reform and social media instead of supporting laws to reduce gun violence in the country. Trump is set to visit El Paso on Wednesday, according to Mayor Dee Margo. Former congressman and El Paso native Beto O'Rourke, who is now running for the Democratic presidential nomination, suggested that Trump should not visit the border city in southwest Texas. O'Rourke tweeted on Monday that the president, who he believes contributed to the hatred that led to the tragedy in El Paso, should not visit the city. He stated that instead of more division, the country needs healing. Other Democratic presidential candidates also held Trump responsible for the attack in Texas, pointing to his rhetoric on immigrants. Five Democrats were in San Diego on Monday to attend the annual conference of UnidosUS, the largest Hispanic advocacy group in the United States. Janet Murguia, the president of the group, referred to Trump as the "radicalizer-in-chief." Joe Biden, the current frontrunner for the Democratic party who served as vice president under Barack Obama, addressed the issue of gun attacks in his opening remarks. He called on President Trump to recognize the hatred and divisiveness in the country that is leading to deaths. Obama, who was unsuccessful in enacting gun restrictions during his presidency, did not explicitly mention Trump but encouraged Americans to reject divisive language. Obama stated that it is important to reject any language from leaders that promotes fear, hatred, or racist attitudes. Trump's campaign in 2015 began with negative comments about Mexican immigrants, and he has continued to make derogatory remarks about migrants from Mexico. In the recent El Paso shooting, eight of the victims were Mexican citizens. Another shooting in Dayton, Ohio occurred shortly after, with the shooter's motive still unknown. White House adviser Kellyanne Conway confirmed on Fox News that Trump will travel to El Paso and Dayton, but did not provide a date for either trip. The recent increase in mass shootings by lone attackers has raised concerns about gun violence and the influence of racist and white-supremacist ideologies. Trump, who has been criticized for not addressing domestic extremist groups effectively, stated that he would order the US Justice Department to investigate domestic terrorism and propose legislation to ensure that those who commit hate crimes and mass murder receive the death penalty. He also emphasized the need to reform mental health laws to identify troubled individuals and collaborate with social media companies to identify potential mass shooters. "We need to ensure that individuals who are deemed to be a significant danger to public safety are not able to obtain firearms, and if they already have access to firearms, they should be taken away through a quick legal process," said the senator, referring to "red flag" laws. US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican and supporter of Trump, mentioned that he has discussed with Trump about a bill he plans to present in September along with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. This bill aims to allocate federal grant funds to states that are interested in implementing such laws. "Red flag" legislation simplifies the process for law enforcement to seize guns from individuals who are deemed to be a threat of violent behavior. Trump also mentioned in a Twitter post on Monday the need for "strong background checks" on gun purchasers, but did not provide further details and it was not the main focus of his official White House statement. In his speech, he stated that it is mental illness and hatred, not the gun, that leads to violence. This statement was quickly criticized by another Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Amy Klobuchar, who accused Trump of avoiding the topic of gun control. She pointed out that while mental illness and hatred exist worldwide, the US has a significantly higher rate of gun violence. Following a mass shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas in 2017, Trump suggested banning bump stocks, which modify semi-automatic weapons to function like machine guns. The ban came into force in March, however, Trump decided against making significant changes to gun laws. In a tweet posted in the morning, Trump suggested bipartisan actions to enhance background checks, potentially along with immigration reform. Democrats, who have opposed Trump's strict immigration policies, disagreed with this connection. Lawmakers are not expected to reconvene on Capitol Hill until September after the summer recess. The US House of Representatives, under Democratic leadership, has approved a bill that requires universal background checks for individuals purchasing firearms. Democratic leaders are pressuring Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell to reconvene the Senate and vote on the bill. However, McConnell has called for bipartisan collaboration to address mass shootings, criticizing what he sees as political theatrics and campaign rhetoric without mentioning the issue of guns specifically.