Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 22 January 2026

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.

UCPD arrests man near Kaufman Hall following anti-Muslim threats to Iranian student

The University of California Police Department (UCPD) arrested a man on Jan. 16, 2026, after he allegedly made anti-Muslim threats to an Iranian student on the UCLA campus. According to the student, the man approached her and asked if she was Iranian; after she responded affirmatively, he followed her and made comments including “Do you know what my country is going to do to your country? … We’re going to clear all the Muslims,” using a derogatory term to refer to Muslim people. Officers arrested him at about 2:50 p.m. for disturbing the peace, and UCPD said the case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office along with the suspect’s prior arrests. Records show he had been arrested six times previously by UCPD and LAPD, including two UCPD arrests less than two weeks earlier, and had been released from a Thursday arrest only about 14 hours before the campus incident. The encounter left the student feeling nervous and distressed, and she expressed a hope for greater community unity and peace at UCLA.

Analyst Comments: This incident underscores the importance of rapid reporting, visible patrol presence, and timely intervention in maintaining safety on and around campus facilities. While the threat appears to have been verbal and isolated, such encounters can have a disproportionate psychological impact on individuals and can heighten anxiety within the broader campus community. The suspect’s repeated prior arrests suggest the challenge institutions face in managing individuals who repeatedly engage in disruptive behavior in public spaces. From a safety perspective, this highlights the value of situational awareness, accessible reporting mechanisms, and clear communication between campus police and students. Regular reminders about escort services, emergency call options, and bystander reporting can help reduce risk and reassure community members that concerning behavior will be addressed promptly.

Congress allocating $300 million for nonprofit security grants in 2026

Congress has agreed to allocate approximately $300 million in 2026 for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), a federal program that provides funding for physical and related security improvements to nonprofit organizations considered at high risk of extremist or terrorist attacks. This funding level is a modest increase from recent years but falls short of the much larger sums advocated by numerous Jewish community leaders and advocacy groups, who have pushed for at least $500 million or more, given the continued rise in violent incidents and threats targeting religious communities. Jewish House Democrats also urged the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that grant terms do not include unrelated conditions on recipients. Additionally, related federal funding such as a separate DOJ allocation to help law enforcement enhance protection at religious sites has drawn support from community advocates.

Analyst Comments: Congress’s allocation of $300 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program in 2026 reinforces the ongoing recognition that nonprofits particularly faith-based institutions face persistent security risks and require dedicated resources to address them. While the funding supports practical measures such as cameras, access controls, and emergency communications, demand for the program continues to exceed available funds, meaning many organizations may still face unmet security needs. For faith-based institutions, this funding provides an important opportunity to strengthen physical security and preparedness, but it also underscores the need for early planning, clear risk assessments, and coordination with local partners to maximize limited resources and ensure protective measures are implemented effectively.

Building an Intelligence Team for Your House of Worship

When: February 4, 2026, 12:00 PM ET. 

Register here.

This session is part of an FB-ISAO–led program, developed and delivered by our team to support faith-based organizations in building stronger threat awareness and intelligence capabilities.

The Mission and Purpose of an Intelligence Team and Program session will explore key questions such as:

• What is the local threat to my house of worship?
• Which threat actors or adversaries might support, plan, or carry out a malicious act in my area?

During the session, FB-ISAO panelists will discuss how broader contextual information—including global developments—can be used to better assess and understand local risks facing houses of worship. The discussion will focus on helping faith-based organizations determine:

• What information they need,
• Where to find that information, and
• How to process it in a meaningful, useful, and actionable way.

This session is open to the public, and we encourage participants to share it with peers and partners to help strengthen collective awareness and resilience across the faith-based community.