LGBTQI+ individuals face a surge in violence against individuals and community spaces. Federal threat monitoring has shown that these threats are increasingly tied to hate groups and domestic violent extremists. LGBTQI+ Americans – especially transgender women and girls of color – have experienced disproportionately high rates of violence and hate crimes for decades.
To protect against these increasing threats, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with support from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has launched the LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership.
As part of its work, the Partnership will work hand-in-hand with LGBTQI+ community organizations to provide critical safety resources to ensure these organizations can remain safe spaces for the community. In acknowledgement of the mistreatment that LGBTQI+ communities have often faced in interactions with law enforcement, the Partnership will also work to build trust between LGBTQI+ organizations and federal law enforcement agencies.
DHS has committed to providing the following dedicated safety trainings for LGBTQI+ community organizations and increasing federal threat briefings for LGBTQI+ organizations:
- The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will provide trainings to LGBTQI+ community organizations – including community centers, small businesses, and Pride festival organizers – to help them prevent and respond to threats.
- The Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) will provide a bi-monthly threat briefings (or as required based on changes in the threat levels) for LGBTQI+ organizations to provide updates on the threat landscape and review key indicators of violence, and offer resources for local leaders.
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Center for Prevention Programs and Partnership (CP3) will lead a series of workshops for LGBTQI+ community organizations to raise awareness of federal funding for both physical security and threat prevention grant opportunities.
DHS will be conducting outreach to LGBTQI+ community organizations to participate in these trainings and resources.