What is cve?

Countering Violent Extremism

Where did it come from?

In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a new anti-terrorism initiative, Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), which aims to deter U.S. residents from joining "violent extremist" groups by bringing community and religious leaders together with law enforcement, health professionals, teachers and social service employees. In 2014, the CVE initiative launched in three pilot cities: Boston, Minneapolis and Los Angeles.

WHo administers the cve program?

 

 

The United States Department of Justice oversees the entire pilot program. Minnesota US Attorney, Andrew Luger locally administers CVE in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro. The US Attorney for Massachusetts and California administer the Boston and Los Angeles programs.

WHy do communities oppose cve?

CVE discriminatorily targets the Muslim and Somali communities, increasing policing and intelligence gathering under the guise of providing social services.

• Muslim groups speak against anti-terror program
  Full article here: http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/05/01/muslim-groups-speak-against-antiterror-program
• The 'Countering Violent Extremism' program institutionalizes injustice against Somalis
  Full article here: https://www.minnpost.com/community-voices/2015/05/countering-violent-extremism-program-institutionalizes-injustice-against-so
• Minnesota Muslims Concerned About New ‘Stigmatizing, Divisive, and Ineffective’ CVE Pilot Program
  Full statement here: http://files.ctctcdn.com/bd15115b001/d068ad69-9ad8-46a0-bdcd-b9d57454ed20.pdf
• Understanding Countering Violent Extremism CVE by CAIR MN:
  On Friday, January 30, 2015, CAIR-MN and the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law will held a community educational event on CVE, "Understanding Minnesota's 'Countering Violent Extremism' Pilot Program: The Dangers of Reliance on a Debunked Theory of Terrorism."
  
  
• California Muslim Groups Vote to Oppose Federal CVE Program, Cite Concerns About Stereotyping
  http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/12876-california-muslim-groups-vote-to-oppose-federal-cve-program.html
• Muslim Student Associations (MSAs) Oppose CVE
  http://www.journalofamerica.net/html/cve_program.html
• Citing Civil Liberties Concerns, 48 Groups Oppose Countering Violent Extremism Act
  https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/groups-oppose-passage-countering-violent-extremism-act-2015-citing-civil-liberties-concerns

Will the cve program target children in public schools?

“There will be intervention teams in Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools. The schools are very willing. Professionals will be available who can help with difficult conversations to address kids who are exhibiting behaviors of concern.” (Luger, public meeting announcing attendance at White House CVE Summit, February, 2015)

• Kourtney Kiernat, Executive Director of External Partnerships and Institutional Advancement at Minneapolis Public Schools, speaks on the role of CVE in Minneapolis Public Schools.
  Video:

What is the concern about cve in schools?

 

 

The achievement gap in Minnesota is one of the worst in the US. Critics worry that monitors in public schools looking for suspicious behavior will only serve to further isolate and alienate students who are already struggling. Somali and Muslim students become suspects in their own learning environment.

• Is Your Child a Terrorist? US Government Questionnaire Rates Families at Risk for Extremism By Murtaza Hussain, Cora Currier, and Jana Winter
  https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/02/09/government-develops-questionnaire-see-might-become-terrorist/
  Former FBI agent Mike German states, “The idea that the federal government would encourage local police, teachers, medical and social service employees to rate the communities, individuals and families they serve for their potential to become terrorists is abhorrent on its face.”
  
  

What do researchers, scholars, and experts say about cve?

• Mike German, Former FBI Agent Speaks to American Muslims
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usMEwhTJdKE
• Arun Kundnani, Interview on the Dangers of CVE Initiatives
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N45id0wKms 
• David Schanzer, No Single Pathway to Terrorism
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYn24UUd7Ao
  
  

WHAT DOes the doj say about how cve will work?

The following points are from a 2011 Department of Justice Document titled, “Strategic Implementation Plan for Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States.”
You can view this document at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/sip-final.pdf

additional resources

• Brennan Center for Justice Resource Page-
  https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/cve-programs-resource-page
• CAIR-LA CVE Toolkit-
  http://cve-cairla.nationbuilder.com/ 

Myths	CVE Facts
CVE is actually “Building Community Resilience.”	After the Muslim, Somali and allied communities rejected the CVE initiative, US Attorney Luger renamed the program “Building Community Resilience” in an effort to re-brand, making it more attractive to the community.
CVE will empower the Muslim community to address issues of radicalization and terror recruitment.	Due to the stigmatizing and discriminatory focus on Muslims and Somalis, many key partners are avoiding CVE completely. Those who partner with CVE are seen as agents of law enforcement. CVE creates a stigma and further isolates these communities from each other and from the larger Minnesota community.
CVE will improve relations between law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and the Muslim community.	Local law enforcement agencies have shared their frustrations with CVE, clarifying that their efforts to build relationships with the community, are NOT part of the CVE program. Stigmatizing the community will not improve trust with law enforcement.
CVE is a community led effort.	50 Minnesota Muslim organizations have signed onto a statement that opposes CVE, citing concerns of civil rights violations and discrimination.
CVE is “community outreach,” not a method of intelligence gathering.	Past “community outreach” efforts by the US attorney and the FBI have been found to include elements of intelligence gathering. See Community Outreach or Intelligence Gathering? A Closer Look at “Countering Violent Extremism” Programs. https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files /analysis/Community_Outreach_or_Intelligence_Gathering.pdf