U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz says an outreach program to Boston Muslims isn’t being used for surveillance, in response to Muslim groups criticizing the program.
Muslim groups and other faith leaders gathered in front of Boston City Hall Thursday to protest what they say is a lack of transparency in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Countering Violent Extremism program.
The program’s stated goal is to assist communities in preventing individuals from being inspired by violent extremism. So far it’s being rolled out in Boston, Minneapolis, and L.A.
Shannon Erwin, an attorney with the Muslim Justice League, says federal officials aren’t sharing information with critics about how the program will work.
"It’s going to chill dissent, it’s going to chill worship, freedom of association and speech, and it’s probably going to alienate people from the service providers that they need to go to — their own mental health providers or nurses or doctors or teachers, and make our communities more distrustful of one another,” Erwin said.
In a statement, Ortiz said, “Outreach involved in this effort is not for purposes of surveillance." A spokesperson for her office says they welcome anyone interested in constructive discussions about concerns.
