Homeland Security advises religious groups on physical safety

The Department of Homeland Security released a guide on Wednesday that offers safety advice to churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious centers. The document gives suggestions for physical security since cybersecurity was addressed earlier. DHS worked on the document for months in response to concerns from people of various faiths, said David Mussington, who helps direct infrastructure security at the department’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Why did they release the guide? “Houses of worship” across the country are vulnerable to malicious individuals or groups, according to a news release from DHS. Department officials have met with “hundreds of community leaders,” as conflict has escalated between Hamas and Israel. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas described current tensions around religious centers as a “continued heightened threat environment.”

Dig deeper: Read Adam M. Carrington’s column in WORLD Opinions on the anniversary of the Birmingham church bombing.