Muslims Asked to Serve Homeland Security
A Pakistan Link Report

Newport Beach, CA: The Department of Homeland Security has established “good and close relations with the Pakistani-American community,” Mr. Daniel W. Sutherland, Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the US Department of Homeland Security, disclosed in an exclusive interview with Pakistan Link.
Deeply appreciative of the strivings and successes of Pakistani-Americans in various fields in the US, Mr. Sutherland remarked that a “lot of people are working for our Department” while he enjoyed a regular rapport with APPNA. He was keen to see that the number of Pakistanis in the Department of Homeland Security went up so that misperceptions could be dispelled and the community’s unwarranted fears allayed.
Mr. Sutherland also found Muslim-Americans a “constructive” community. He advised young Muslims to adopt “public service” as a career for a wholesome change. “They should come and work for us as IT experts, accountants, and help in the legislative” process. He added that the federal hiring process requires a great deal of perseverance. “Muslim Americans are with us and can serve as role models” for the younger generation aspiring to work for the Department of Homeland Security.
The goal of the Department is to “establish a strategic partnership with Muslims. We have made quite good progress in the last three years. A lot of ground is to be covered. Lot of challenges are to be overcome. We have to persevere. We need to … make deeper engagement,” Mr. Sutherland observed. In this undertaking, US cabinet members have met leaders of Muslim countries. The Department of Homeland Security officials too have met representatives of various communities in the US. This is an ongoing process, Mr. Sutherland explained.
Asked to elaborate on measures to remedy the oft-made complaint of Muslims of being detained at airports, denial of due process, etc., Mr. Sutherland informed that his Department had investigated such complaints and sought “complaint-resolution procedures.” Those interacting with Muslim passengers at airports have been imparted special training. “More initiatives are to be announced soon,” he said. He also held out the assurance that the Department of Homeland Security is aware of such complaints and expects the affected citizens to contact concerned officials.
Immediately after the interview, Mr. Sutherland left for a meeting with the Ambassador of Pakistan.

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