MPAC Statement on CVE Act of 2015

July 15, 2015


The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) is concerned with HR 2899, also known as the CVE Act of 2015. The bill was introduced to the House Homeland Security Committee by Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX10).

The CVE Act aims to create an Office of Countering Violent Extremism, which would hold all of the power of enforcing and regulating CVE programming, in the Department of Homeland Security. The concern MPAC shares with other civil liberties groups is that this bill formalizes and institutionalizes a program that is vague and lacks transparency.

Additionally, while the bill does not explicitly mention American Muslims, there are no safeguards outlined to ensure that the office does not disproportionately target American Muslims or any other group based on religion, ethnicity or race. The bill also allows the office to identify risk factors for those “who may be likely to engage in violent activity.” Identifying risk factors casts a broad net of suspicion over constitutionally -protected activities such as free speech or the free exercise of religion.

Until we can gain a clearer insight of what is currently happening with the government’s CVE program and reject outdated modes of CVE theory, it is unwise to support this bill.

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