DHS Reviews Security Funding for Muslim Organizations

DHS Reviews Security Funding for Muslim Organizations
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reviewing security grants provided to Muslim organizations and places of worship after a pro-Israel think tank, the Middle East Forum (MEF), accused them of having ties to “radical” groups, Middle East Eye reported.

According to a DHS document obtained by Fox News, the department has already cut an estimated $8 million across 49 projects due to alleged affiliations with terrorist activities. The DHS is reportedly basing its review on a report from MEF, which claims that the department provided $25 million in grants to “radical nonprofit organizations” from 2013 to 2023. These grants, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), are intended to help organizations prevent, protect against, and respond to hate-based attacks.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has described MEF as an “anti-Muslim think tank.” The MEF’s report does not provide evidence for its allegations against various Muslim groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which it smeared as “Hamas-aligned.” A CAIR spokesperson told Middle East Eye that the organization has no active federal grants and that MEF is a “hate website.” The spokesperson stated that mosques have the same legal right as other religious organizations to apply for federal grants to enhance their security. A DHS spokesperson confirmed to Middle East Eye that the department is conducting a “comprehensive assessment” of all grants to “root out waste, fraud and abuse.”