Matt Bush, FISM News
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The Department of Homeland Security announced the appointment of 25 new members to its faith-based advisory council created to advise Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on the needs of the faith community.
“These prominent faith and law enforcement leaders will help us build and strengthen the community partnerships that are so vital to our mission success,” Mayorkas said about the new members. “We will work together to increase access to our services, ensure equity, maintain openness and transparency, and fully restore the trust of the communities we serve.”
Today, DHS announced the appointment of 25 members to the reinvigorated Faith-Based Security Advisory Council. The council—representing a diversity of faith traditions—will advise @SecMayorkas on the needs of the faith community related to security: https://t.co/jbD13zzTqs pic.twitter.com/mRueItmv6S
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 19, 2022
The council consists of people from a variety of faith backgrounds including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh, along with a few law enforcement officers and nonprofit leaders. To see a full list of members visit the DHS website.
A recent Baptist Press article described the growing concern over the safety of religious congregations in America.
“Since the shooting at the Oak Creek, Wis., Sikh temple in 2012, it was followed by the massacre at Emanuel AME in Charleston, S.C., a mostly Black congregation, in 2015; the killing of nearly two dozen worshipers at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas; the killing of 11 Jews at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018,” and these were not the only mass killings or acts of violence perpetrated against religious congregations.
Because of the growing security concerns, the council, among other things, will help DHS evaluate the effectiveness of security in religious and nonprofit organizations. There is a nonprofit security grant program that will provide funds for religious organizations to “beef up security on their premises.”
There is $250 million budgeted for this in 2022, up from the $180 million available in 2021. However, not all houses of worship that apply for the grant receive it. In fact, just over 50% of the 3,470 applicants last year were approved.
According to the DHS website, “The Council will provide organizationally independent, strategic, timely, specific, and actionable advice to the Secretary on diverse homeland security matters. Specifically, the Council’s contributions will enhance the Department’s work to protect houses of worship; improve coordination and information sharing of threat information with the faith community, and through the faith community, within the broader communities in which they serve; increase access to DHS resources by building trust and addressing potential barriers; and prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of targeted violence, terrorism, and other threats.”
Due to COVID-19 fears and restrictions, many religious institutions experienced a drop off in attendance at their services, but that trend seems to be coming to an end in 2022. Most Americans are beginning to live their lives like “normal” and that includes attending worship services in public settings.
Rabbi Jonah Pesner, a member of the council said, “There’s a sense of both joy and return and renewal and fear.” The goal of this new council is to help congregations of all religions and all over the country not have to fear meeting anymore.
Additionally, numerous faith-based pregnancy centers have been the victim of vandalism and violence since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health decision was leaked in the spring. Neither federal nor local law enforcement has made any arrests in these cases so far.
The first meeting of the council will take place virtually on October 6 with the Secretary presiding.