State campaigns formally deputize ordinary citizens to surveil Muslims

Evidence

The state actively recruits private citizens to participate in surveillance by encouraging them to be on the lookout for suspicious activity in order to prevent terrorism. The “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign by the Department of Homeland Security gives citizens permission to profile Muslim Americans. The Department of Homeland Security’s website states, “Become a partner and join the ‘If You See Something, Say Something™’ campaign’s efforts to protect our nation by raising awareness of the indicators of terrorist activity and the importance of reporting it to local law enforcement. By disseminating the campaign message, you’ll play an integral role in keeping our communities safe” (U.S. Department of Homeland Security 2017). — Saher Selod, Forever Suspect_ Racialized…, 301

Categorization

• XREF: The state-private partnership echoes COINTELPRO-era informant cultivation and the panopticism the reader maps across Beydoun.