A DHS shutdown since Feb. 14 has frozen security grants for nonprofits, leaving synagogues without funding during rising antisemitic threats.

A shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security since February 14 has frozen the review of federal security grants for nonprofits, including synagogues, due to a political dispute over immigration enforcement. The Nonprofit Security Grant Program, vital for funding security upgrades like cameras and guards, remains inactive as furloughed staff cannot process applications. This delay occurs amid rising antisemitic threats, including a recent armed attack on a Detroit synagogue, leaving vulnerable institutions without expected funding during a period of heightened danger.