Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 25 February 2025

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters. 

START Launches New Data Resource on Terrorism and Targeted Violence in the United States 

The University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) initiative has launched a new data resource, the “Terrorism and Targeted Violence (T2V)” project, to provide vital insights into violent events in the U.S. and its territories. Funded by the Department of Homeland Security, the resource offers comprehensive data to help homeland security professionals, policymakers, and law enforcement respond to incidents impacting public safety. 

The data reveals that nearly three incidents of terrorism or targeted violence occur daily, causing significant casualties. Firearms are the most common weapon used, while vehicles are also frequently involved. 

Analyst Comments: 

The prevalence of firearms in incidents highlights this continued concern. Many houses of worship struggle to decide if they should employ armed security guards to help potentially mitigate the risk of an armed, hostile incident. FB-ISAO has previously held educational sessions titled “Firearms in the House”, which are available to be viewed here.   

Historic Saskatchewan church reduced to ashes in suspected arson; 

A historic church in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, the Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, was destroyed in a suspected arson fire late on February 23, 2025. The church, also known as “The Polish Church”, had stood for over 100 years. This incident adds to a troubling trend of church burnings and vandalism across Canada, which started following unverified claims about mass graves at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in 2021.  

Analyst Comments: 

The burning of the Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Saskatchewan highlights the continuing problem of church burnings and vandalism in Canada, which seems to be part of a larger trend. Although these attacks started following the 2021 claims about unmarked graves, the persistent targeting of religious institutions points to deeper tensions tied to Indigenous reconciliation and historical injustices.  

• CISA’s Fire As A Weapon Action Guide 
• US Fire Administration website: Protecting Houses of Worship Against Arson 

As always, Faith-Based ISAO’s website provides resources in the Resource Library, including information on Securing Facilities and People 

Judge blocks Trump administration from making immigration arrests at some places of worship 

A federal judge in Maryland, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, issuing a ruling on Monday blocking the Trump administration from enforcing immigration actions at specific religious sites, including those used by Quakers, Cooperative Baptists, and Sikhs. The groups had sued over President Trump’s decision to revoke a 2021 Biden-era memo that protected certain places, including houses of worship, from immigration arrests.  

Judge Chuang granted a preliminary injunction for the plaintiffs, arguing that the Trump administration’s policy likely violated their First Amendment rights and Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The policy, which allowed immigration enforcement at religious institutions, caused a decline in attendance at these sites, as immigrants feared being targeted. 

Analyst Comments: 

The federal judge’s ruling to block the Trump administration’s policy of permitting immigration enforcement at specific religious sites carries both legal and social significance. It underscores the critical balance between immigration enforcement and the protection of religious freedoms, emphasizing the constitutional right to practice religion without the threat of government interference. It is worth noting that Chuang’s order does not prevent the Trump administration from conducting arrests in or near places of worship when authorized by a warrant.