Shora Speaks at DHS Conference on Extremist Violence

WASHINGTON – Human Rights First’s Executive Vice President for Programs and Policy Kareem Shora spoke today at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships’ (CP3) Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grantee Symposium

“The extremist anti-democratic movement, which is becoming increasingly visible in the United States, is an existential threat to our civic institutions, to public discourse, and to democracy itself,” said Kareem Shora, who previously served at DHS. “Bringing together grantees from DHS Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (DHS CP3) to discuss the prevention of violence and terrorism, while protecting human and civil rights, helps to counter this grave challenge.  Human Rights First supports CP3’s society-wide rights-centered public health-informed approach to this grave threat to our country, though we believe that more needs to be done to defend our democracy.”

In his remarks, Shora also discussed Human Rights First’s recommendation that the U.S. Government promote the voices of civil society and the narratives of those impacted by extremism.  He urged DHS grantees to integrate civil rights and civil liberties protections, equity, and diversity into their efforts to confront violence from extremists and extremism. Shora also recommended that DHS grantees use their programming to expose and interdict extremist threats present within government agencies, the military, and law enforcement.

The two-day conference included Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas among other senior DHS and National Security Council officials and featured approximately 200 representatives of civil society organizations, academic institutions, and local, state, and federal agencies from around the country that have received grants from this DHS program.

Human Rights First’s Extremism and Human Rights program, the first of its kind from an international human rights organization, leverages our network of human and civil rights defenders, veterans, technologists, and advocates, to proactively challenge this threat. The organization uses its expertise in research, policy, law, technology, and national security to uncover key actors, expose extremist tactics both online and offline, and uphold human rights.