On Monday, June 1, the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus joined a coalition of more than 70 civil rights and community organizations in sending a letter to Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf asking him to end an anti-Muslim and deeply flawed $80 million dollar federal surveillance program, named Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP), and halt grants to implement the program across the country.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also provides funding for CVE and PVE programs that rely on community groups to root out extremists under the guise of providing mental health and social services. The programs essentially have community organizations surveil those they serve, especially students of color, immigrants and refugees who have experienced trauma.
Applications for the grant program are due June 17 and $10 million in grant funds will be disseminated in September.
READ: Letter Opposing TVTP Grant Program
CAIR-SFBA Civil Rights & Legal Services Coordinator Ammad Rafiqi said in a statement:
“Given the attack on Black and Brown communities by law enforcement, it is even more important that states, counties and local sheriffs’ offices reject federal funding from the TVTP program that target American Muslims among others for surveillance through policing instead of diverting funds to pandemic related assistance such as for housing, employment, healthcare guarantees, and schooling.”
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus Staff Attorney Hammad Alam said in a statement:
“State and federal collaboration, like that between the California Office of Emergency Services and DHS, is deeply harmful to our state’s immigrant communities and communities of color. There is no reason a state like California, which purports to lead the nation in protecting our most vulnerable communities, should be working closely with federal agencies like DHS to implement these programs, whether called TVTP, CVE, or PVE. These programs do not keep our communities safe. They only legitimize the surveillance and infliction of state violence upon them.”