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DHS mandates state and local spending to combat domestic terrorism

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 Pehal News Team 0 Comments DHS mandates state and local spending to combat domestic terrorism - CNNPolitics, politics

For the primary time, the division designated combating domestic violent extremism as a “National Priority Area” for 2 of its Federal Emergency Management Agency grant applications. FEMA operates several grant programs to help state and local governments forestall and recuperate from acts of terrorism and different threats.

These grant recipients will likely be required to spend a minimum of 7.5% of their grant awards on combating domestic violent extremism, which can quantity to $77 million in grant funding throughout the US, in accordance to DHS.

“Today the most significant terrorist threat facing the nation comes from lone offenders and small groups of individuals who commit acts of violence motivated by domestic extremist ideological beliefs,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas mentioned in a press release.

CNN reported last week that the Biden administration deliberate to lean on FEMA to assist state and local authorities combat domestic extremism.

This is one a part of the division’s new push to combat domestic terrorism, as officers work to compile a comprehensive threat assessment. The division can be contemplating increasing coaching, offering technical help to local jurisdictions for risk evaluation investigations, and growing methods to combat the affect of false on-line narratives, in accordance to an administration official.

The grant announcement got here as a part of a funding discover for eight state and local preparedness grants value practically $1.87 billion.

Additionally, this yr’s grant awards will prohibit the acquisition of sure gear corresponding to grenade launchers, bayonets, and weaponized plane, DHS mentioned.

Mayorkas additionally directed further grant funding to help cybersecurity efforts. Recipients of the FEMA grants will likely be required to spend a minimum of 7.5 p.c of their grant awards on cybersecurity updates.

On Thursday, Mayorkas introduced the division will quickly begin a sequence of cybersecurity “sprints” that can focus first on combating ransomware, constructing the cyber workforce and enhancing industrial management techniques.

He known as ransomware and “epidemic that is spreading through cyberspace,” including that criminals and nation state actors have paralyzed cities throughout the US, throughout his first main remarks on cybersecurity since taking workplace on the President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition — a nationwide cyber competitors for the federal workforce.

The sprints are modeled on actions DHS took in 2015 to enhance federal community safety, however he didn’t supply further particulars.

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