In the eight years since it was formed, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has received complaints from groups that feel they have been mistreated as they board airplanes, cross borders or even enter federal buildings. A large number of these complaints came from the American-Arab, Muslim, Sikh and South Asian communities. In an effort to respond to these criticisms and correct improper procedures, the department’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties began in 2003 to reach out to diverse communities throughout the United States on which DHS policies have an impact.
“Often people don’t know what the Department of Homeland Security is,” says Kareem Shora, head of that office’s Community Engagement Section. “They don’t know we’re 22 different agencies with a very diverse set of responsibilities.”
More than 87,000 different governmental jurisdictions at the federal, state and local levels have homeland security responsibilities. The department’s goal is to develop a complementary system connecting all levels of government in an effort to protect the American people and their homeland. Among the department’s major components that regularly interact with citizens are Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard.
The most visible tool used by DHS’ Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties is regular community round tables. The first of these round tables took place in Detroit in 2003 in response to issues raised by the city’s Arab-American and Muslim communities. One outcome of this first event was a commitment on the part of DHS to begin meeting regularly with community groups in that area. Over the next years, regular round tables were held in an additional seven cities. DHS now is engaging with a range of groups, including Somali, Latino, Asian and Asian-Pacific communities. In the last two years, the number of ongoing round tables has grown to 13 cities, among them Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle and Columbus, Ohio.
Shora emphasizes the unique challenge of responding to the concerns of communities that are socially, economically and racially diverse. “We have to do our homework before we start a round table, so we meet with a lot of people informally. We meet with federal agencies in the local area, and then we work with community leaders — advocacy groups, faith-based groups, social services agencies, professional associations. There’s no one-size-fits-all.” In addition, the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties hosts occasional round tables with young leaders from American-Arab, Muslim, Sikh, South Asian, Middle Eastern and Somali communities.
The round tables are intended to answer questions, address community concerns and clarify DHS policy. The primary aim, according to Shora, is to demystify homeland security. “We build a relationship of trust with community leaders. … We meet with them on a regular basis,” Shora said. “We tend to touch a lot of different interests in communities. We want to be as responsive as possible. We don’t want to give the impression that we’re just ‘checking the box.’”
The round tables have evolved to the point where they no longer focus solely on the Department of Homeland Security. “We often find ourselves playing a liaison role for the federal government,” Shora said. On a number of occasions, the office has invited colleagues from other federal agencies to respond to an issue raised by community leaders. The Treasury Department, for instance, has clarified guidelines related to charitable donations.
“So long as we’re able to provide a certain level of responsiveness, we have the necessary buy-in from the community,” said Shora. “Leaders come back and meet with us because they see a value in it as well.”