Home > News > ISNA and other Interfaith Leaders Welcome DHS Secretary’s Commitments in Meeting on Countering Violent Extremists
ISNA & other Interfaith Leaders Welcome DHS Secretary’s Commitments on Countering Violent Extremists
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
(Washington, DC – January 29, 2010) In a meeting with Department of
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano yesterday to discuss joint efforts
against domestic violent extremists, Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian American
community leaders welcomed commitments by the Secretary to promote meaningful,
positive and authentic dialogue. Leaders from national and local organizations
representing these communities expressed concern about DHS policies, such as
racial, ethnic, and religious profiling at airports and the border, that have
eroded the government’s trust and credibility with the communities.
The commitments Secretary Napolitano made to these community
leaders include:
- Community participation in an anti-violent
extremism task force of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which reports to
the Secretary;
- Regular, quarterly meetings with the
Secretary;
- Education and training for DHS leadership to
promote understanding of the Muslim, Arab, Sikh & South Asian American
communities and their concerns; and
- An honest and full discussion of legitimate
grievances from members of these communities about DHS policies that are
ineffective and have a deleterious, humiliating impact on Muslim, Arab, Sikh and
South Asian American communities.
Community leaders believe that fulfilling these
commitments would be a step forward in establishing meaningful, open and
authentic dialogue between DHS and the Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian
American communities. In addition, these leaders have called for changes to DHS
policies that are ineffective and discriminate based on race, ethnicity or
religion, including:
- Rescinding a new Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) directive targeting travelers from or through 13
predominantly Muslim nations, plus Cuba.
- Revising a TSA directive on religious headwear,
such as turbans and headscarves.
- Setting limits on interrogations and searches by
Customs and Border Protection agents that probe an American’s faith, politics,
finances or associations, as well as cell phones, laptops and electronic
devices, without any evidence of wrongdoing.
-END-
Media Contact:
Mohamed Elsanousi, Director Community Outreach
melsanousi@isna.net
202-544-6767
Other Media Contacts:
John Showalter, Muslim Advocates,
415.336.1868; Amardeep Singh, Sikh Coalition, 212.655.3095,
ext. 83; Deepa Iyer, South Asian Americans Leading Together,
301.270.1855; Louay Safi, Islamic Society of North America,
317.838.8130; Edina Lekovic, Muslim Public Affairs Council,
213.383.3443; Hossam Al-Jabri, Muslim American Society,
617.427.2636; Imad Hamad, American Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee–Michigan Chapter, 313.581.1201; Rebecca Brown, Arab
American Institute, 202.429.9210; Kiran Ansari, Council of
Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, 312.506.0070; Nawar
Shora, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, 202-244-2990;
Hannan Deep, Arab Community Center for Economic and Social
Services, 313.842.5128; Mohamed Elibiary, The Freedom and
Justice Foundation, 214-403-2652.