Mahfouz stated, "The funding will be specifically used to sustain existing programming . . . [including] youth development, nurturing parenting, substance abuse prevention." But these seemingly benign programs were given greater clarity by the DHS secretary, who released a statement the week before the LAHC announcement, declaring that "in this age of self-radicalization and terrorist-inspired acts of violence, domestic-based efforts to counter violent extremism have become a homeland security imperative. . . . The funding will go for activities that include intervention, developing resilience, challenging the narrative, and building capacity."

XREF: Connects to broader security studies literature on the securitization of social programs and how homeland security objectives embed themselves in ostensibly benign community services.

Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Unde…, loc. 403