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CAIR Action Alert #648:

Ask Congress to Remove Language Targeting Muslims from DHS Bills

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/19/2011) -- CAIR is urging American Muslims and other people of conscience to contact their elected representatives to request the removal of problematic language in two pending Department of Homeland Security Reauthorization Acts that singles out American Muslims for additional scrutiny over the threat of violent extremism in the United States.

Co-sponsored by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Rep. Peter King (R-NY), each bill (S.1546 and H.R.3116) seeks to create a new coordinator position within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to direct efforts on "counter[ing] homegrown violent Islamist extremism" with particular focus on the "ideology of Al Qaeda and its affiliated groups" in the United States.

In September, CAIR addressed similar concerns over the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee's consideration of the same legislation.

SEE: CAIR Says Bill Unfairly Singles Out U.S. Muslims

"CAIR believes that creating such a coordinator position would narrowly shift the DHS counterterrorism strategy away from following actual leads and preventing illegal and violent acts, to unconstitutionally monitoring the thoughts and beliefs of American citizens," said CAIR Government Affairs Coordinator Robert McCaw.

In a recent letter to Senator Lieberman, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano reaffirmed that, "DHS has made it a priority to counter all forms of domestic violent extremism, regardless of ideology," and that DHS has already established, "the Counterterrorism Advisory Board [led by a Counterterrorism Coordinator] to better coordinate the Department's ... efforts to prevent and protect against foreign and homegrown terrorist attacks."

SEE: DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano's Letter to Lieberman on Countering Violent Extremism

"Since the Department of Homeland Security has already established a coordinator to direct efforts on confronting violent extremism, there is no benefit in creating an additional position that conflicts with current counterterrorism programs and goals," said McCaw.

Immediate Action Requested: (As always, be polite and respectful)

1. Contact your elected representatives through: http://www.congress.org/

On the right side of the page, enter your ZIP Code. On the resulting page, click the names of your elected representatives. Click the "contact" tab on the resulting page for your officials' phone numbers.

You may also contact the Capitol Hill Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 (have your ZIP Code ready).

2. Talking points:

• As your constituent, I urge you to oppose any legislation that singles out the American Muslim community for unwarranted scrutiny. I also ask that you support measures that persue criminal action, not beliefs.
• To U.S. Senators: I also ask you to ensure that if the Department of Homeland Security Reauthorization Act of 2011 comes to a vote in the Senate, that Section 213 is amended to remove all problematic language that targets ideology and singles out American Muslims for additional scrutiny.
• To U.S. House Representatives: I also want you to ensure that if the Department of Homeland Security Reauthorization Act of 2011 comes to a vote in the House, that Section 102 is amended to remove all problematic language that targets ideology and singles out American Muslims for additional scrutiny.
• I believe that DHS counterterrorism strategy should remain focused on following actual leads and preventing illegal and violent acts, not unconstitutionally monitoring the thoughts and beliefs of American citizens.
• Religious and racial profiling is not effective law enforcement. Anti-government, violent extremists like Timothy McVeigh (Oklahoma City Bombing, 1995), John Bedell (Pentagon Shooting, 2010), and Joseph Stack (IRS - Austin, TX Suicide Bombing, 2010) would not have been identified by a coordinator focused on religious ideology.

3. Inform your friends and family by forwarding this alert to at least five other people. Tell them you took action and ask them to do the same.

For more information, contact CAIR Government Affairs Coordinator Robert McCaw, Tel:202-742-6448, E-Mail: rmccaw@cair.com.