SMF Meets with Governor Moore's Office of Homeland Security to Address Safety of Shia Muslim Communities in Maryland

SMF Calls on State to Take Proactive Measures to Protect Shia Muslim Centers Amid Elevated Threat Environment

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) announced the successful conclusion of a high-level meeting earlier this week with the Governor's Office of Homeland Security, led by Director Marcia Deppen. The meeting, convened at the request of SMF Executive Director Rahat Husain, brought together senior officials from Governor Wes Moore's administration to address the growing security concerns facing Shia Muslim centers across the state.

"This meeting was a pivotal moment for the American Shia Muslim community," said Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation. "For too long, the unique vulnerabilities of Shia Muslims have gone unaddressed at the state level. Governor Moore's administration has demonstrated genuine commitment and leadership by engaging with our concerns directly, swiftly, and at the highest levels. We are deeply grateful for the seriousness and urgency with which Director Deppen and her team approached this conversation."

A Broad Coalition at the Table

The meeting included Director Deppen and a multi-agency team from the Governor's Office. Director Deppen was appointed as the direct point of contact for SMF, ensuring a dedicated channel for ongoing communication and coordination.

Participants discussed concrete measures the state can take to proactively support the security of Shia Muslim centers in Maryland, including enhanced threat monitoring, improved coordination with local law enforcement, and direct outreach to center leadership. SMF will be participating in monthly security meetings with state law enforcement agencies, a significant step toward institutionalizing the partnership and ensuring the Shia Muslim community has a consistent voice in statewide security planning. The Governor's Office indicated its commitment to follow-up action and ongoing engagement with the Shia Muslim community.

"Idara e Jaferia has served the Maryland community for decades, and our members deserve to feel safe in their place of worship," said Dr. Ghulam Abbas, President of Idara e Jaferia. "We are encouraged by the responsiveness of the Governor's office and look forward to working together to ensure that Shia Muslim centers across Maryland are protected."

Background: A Community Under Heightened Threat

Maryland's Shia Muslim community has faced an escalating pattern of threats and harassment in recent years. Idara e Jaferia, the state's most prominent Shia Muslim center, has been the target of a bomb threat, as well as sustained online harassment from organized right-wing anti-Muslim groups. These incidents have created significant fear among worshippers and center leadership.

The ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict has dramatically elevated these concerns. Shia Muslim communities occupy a distinct and uniquely vulnerable position in the current threat landscape.

"UMAA is proud to stand with the Shia Muslim Foundation in calling on government at every level to take the safety of our community seriously," said Dr. Azmat Husain, President of the Universal Muslim Association of America. "The meetings this week are an encouraging sign that our voices are being heard."

As geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran continue to intensify, SMF has warned that Shia Muslim centers across Maryland and the nation face an elevated and insufficiently acknowledged security risk. The Foundation has called on state and local governments to develop proactive, community-specific security protocols that account for the unique threat profile facing the American Shia Muslim community.

SMF Builds Law Enforcement Partnership with Montgomery County Police

The meeting with the Governor's Office followed an equally significant in-person meeting earlier this week between SMF and officials of the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). Executive Director Husain met with Commander Jason Cokinos and Officer Brandon McCloud of MCPD's 3rd District, facilitated by Kate Chance, Faith Liaison of the County's Office of Community Partnerships. The meeting, held at the MCPD's 3rd District station in Silver Spring, was aimed at establishing a proactive, ongoing relationship between Idara e Jaferia and local law enforcement.

Commander Cokinos and Officer McCloud expressed strong support for the partnership and commitment to working with the Shia Muslim community to address security concerns. "It was a pleasure speaking with you," Officer McCloud wrote to SMF following the meeting. "I look forward to our partnership and future collaborations." SMF views the MCPD meeting as a critical foundation for the kind of local law enforcement coordination that will be essential to protecting Shia Muslim centers in Montgomery County.

The MCPD engagement builds on SMF's prior relationship with MCPD's Community Engagement Division, including earlier contact with Captain Jordan Satinsky, and reflects the Foundation's strategy of building multi-layered partnerships with law enforcement at every level of government.

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the rights, safety, and well-being of the American Shia Muslim community. SMF works to build bridges between Shia Muslim communities and government agencies, law enforcement, and civil society to address discrimination, promote civic engagement, and ensure the protection of vulnerable communities. SMF also serves as legal counsel for Idara e Jaferia, one of the most prominent Shia Muslim centers in Maryland.