The Department of Homeland Security on Monday appointed 25 members to a "reinvigorated" Faith-Based Security Advisory Council before its first meeting next month.
"These prominent faith and law enforcement leaders will help us build and strengthen the community partnerships that are so vital to our mission success," DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.
"We will work together to increase access to our services, ensure equity, maintain openness and transparency, and fully restore the trust of the communities we serve."
The announcement comes as churches, synagogues, and mosques will soon be holding a variety of religious ceremonies and celebrations and just months after bitter criticism from the conservative advocacy group CatholicVote over President Joe Biden's "notable silence" on attacks on dozens of churches after the Supreme Court's ruling reversing Roe v. Wade's constitutional right to an abortion.
As of August, there have been vandalism and arson attacks against at least 69 churches, as well as 64 pro-life pregnancy centers, since the May 2 leak of the Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, the Washington Examiner reported.
In the announcement, DHS said the group members will advise Mayorkas on homeland security matters in their communities to help "prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of targeted violence, terrorism, and other threats."
The members announced represent various faith communities and a diversity of denominations, including from the Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh communities, as well as law enforcement, the statement said.
The first meeting of the council will be Oct. 6.
The members include the Rev. Al Sharpton of the New York City-based National Action Network; Deputy Chief Tracie Baker of the Arlington, Texas, Police Department; the Rev. Leslie Copeland-Tune of the National Council of Churches; and the Rev. Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition.
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