Praxis, for Migrants and Refugees ’s Post

If you're a California #nonprofit at risk of: 🚨Terrorist attacks... 🚨Hate crimes... 🚨And attacks because of your nonprofit’s ideology, beliefs or mission... Then apply for the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program (CSNSGP) now to help your organization get ZeroEyes fully funded. The CSNSGP provides funding for safety and security projects (like ZeroEyes) to eligible 501(c)(3) California nonprofits. We work 24/7 so you don’t have to—take advantage of this #opportunity to strengthen the safety of your property and patrons. IMPORTANT: The application period is still open...and closes on Monday, September 23, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. If you’re hoping to get ZeroEyes coverage, contact us now and mention that you want our grant-writing team to help with your application process: https://lnkd.in/gx8akVWV There's no time to lose...and you still have a chance! #publicsafety

I want to share something important. For the past nine months, my primary focus on LinkedIn has been on raising awareness about the genocide happening to the Palestinians and spreading their stories as widely as possible. Unfortunately, I’ve recently become aware that some individuals are exploiting this situation to scam those who genuinely want to help. I’ve received a few direct messages asking for GoFundMe donations, and you might have encountered the same. To ensure your donations reach those who truly need them, here are some steps to verify the authenticity of the person requesting funds: 1. Identity Verification: Ask them to write their full name in Arabic/English with today’s date and take a photo with their family member (husband/kids, etc.). 2. Cross-Reference: Compare this photo with the ones on their GoFundMe page. The last time I followed this process, the person stopped responding, which raised a red flag. One crucial lesson I’ve learned in my 10 years in IT is the importance of ‘Zero Trust’ in security. Stay vigilant and ensure your contributions make a real impact.

ACTION NEEDED: Protect Nonprofits from Dangerous Legislation! A new bill in Congress, H.R. 9495, threatens nonprofits everywhere by giving the government unchecked power to label any nonprofit as a "terrorist supporting organization" and revoke its tax-exempt status—without requiring evidence or due process. While this bill is intended to combat terrorism, it sets a dangerous precedent that could jeopardize the essential services nonprofits provide to communities. Nonprofits like ours—and the people we serve—deserve protection, not unwarranted attacks. What’s Happening? The House of Representatives will consider H.R. 9495 this week, with a vote likely on Wednesday, November 20th. We must act quickly to oppose this harmful legislation. Take Action Now: Sign the Petition through the IS Action Center to oppose H.R. 9495. https://lnkd.in/g3UantM7 Call Your Congressional Representative and tell them to vote NO on H.R. 9495. Find your Representative here: https://lnkd.in/eZqPR2C Spread the Word on social media: Tag your Representative and urge them to oppose H.R. 9495. Sample post: "Nonprofits are the backbone of our communities. #HR9495 threatens due process and risks critical services for vulnerable populations. [@YourRepresentative], vote NO on H.R. 9495 to #ProtectNonprofits!" This bill has failed twice before, and we must ensure it fails again. Our democracy and nonprofit sector depend on it. Together, we can make our voices heard. Contact your Representative and spread the word today! #ProtectNonprofits #StopHR9495 #NonprofitAdvocacy #TVNPA #CalNonprofits #Advocacy #Nonprofit #Nonprofits

H.R. 9495 essentially combines three items: 1) Postponement of tax deadlines for hostages and individuals wrongfully detained abroad; 2) Refund and abatement of penalties and fines paid by eligible individuals; and 3) Termination of tax-exempt status of terrorist supporting organizations. I've yet to talk to another individual who takes issue with 1 and 2, but this is unfortunately another example of how bad legislation gets written and passed. As I read the bill, Section 4 (#3) would allow the government to terminate the tax-exempt status of nonprofits by giving the Secretary of Treasury the authority to designate any organization a "terrorist-supporting organization". The threats to the constitutional rights of free speech and protest notwithstanding, I am fearful of what this would mean for nonprofits to carry out their work in an environment free of government overreach. For example, Open Heart Kitchen does not ask the immigration status of any of our guests because we believe that food is a basic human right. This bill is flawed in so many ways - putting the onus on the nonprofit to prove it has done nothing wrong, with a 90-day window to do so, rather than the normal process of the burden of proof being placed on the accuser, to name one - but it also seeks to stifle speech against injustice. Most people I know love charity because it's rarely controversial and generally doesn't cost us much to offer it. Justice, however, unnerves us because it forces us to evaluate power structures - who benefits, who doesn't, who calls the shots, who suffers the consequences "downstream". But charity will not alone solve the most persistent problems and challenges facing us today. Only an honest conversation about power will, and you can't talk about power without calling out injustice. All nonprofits, regardless of where they appear to fall on the political spectrum, stand to lose a great deal if this bill passes and, ultimately, it will be the people who rely on us who will suffer the most if it does.

It takes a Village, and it’s time for our Village to take action. House Bill 9495 would give the Treasury Secretary the power to take away a nonprofit’s 501(c)(3) status without proof of any connection to terrorism and without having to explain why. While it’s framed as a way to shut down terrorist organizations, the lack of oversight and transparency is a big concern for nonprofits everywhere. Nonprofits are already doing so much with limited resources—balancing community needs, government regulations, and grant guidelines, and donor requirements. A bill like this could make their work even harder, and we can’t ignore the potential ripple effects. The vote is happening on Thursday, November 21, so now’s the time to take action. Make your voice heard by reaching out Tuesday or Wednesday. 1. Sign the petition against H.R. 9495: https://lnkd.in/gMnEjXEw 2. Review the representatives who voted "yes" to expedite this bill already, then call and email them to ask them to vote "no." Find them here: https://lnkd.in/gMnEjXEw ICYMI: You can contact folks even if you don't live in their district. Dial the Capitol Switchboard to be connected to your Rep's office: (202) 224-3121 Resources Full text of H.R. 9495: https://lnkd.in/gZZn7_YG Article from Nonprofit AF: https://lnkd.in/ghkBrsix Article from Nonprofit Quarterly: https://lnkd.in/gdfZ_fuC Additional resources from Rusty Stahl, including a phone and email script: https://lnkd.in/gMnEjXEw Letter to Congress from the ACLU: https://lnkd.in/giZ4npnp As always, our posts do not reflect our contractors or any of the organizations we work with, but speak to the wellbeing of the nonprofit sector as a whole.

Action steps and resources linked below about HR 9495.

🛡️ Keep scammers at bay this holiday season with multi-factor authentication (MFA)! Even if a scammer gets your password, MFA adds a second layer of protection. Read Archtop Fiber’s blog to learn more about staying safe while shopping and donating online. https://lnkd.in/gZV3JSVQ #HolidayCyberSafety #MFA #GiftCardScams #StaySecure

S. 4136 would harm nonprofits. It would give the Department of Treasury unchecked power to single-handedly shut down a nonprofit that it felt was engaging in terrorism—no due process and no independent route for appeal. It duplicates efforts under existing laws, except this new process would be opaque and allow the Treasury Department to be arbitrary and capricious (and vengeful with selective enforcement). Note: I am intentionally not wading into the issue of *which* nonprofits might receive selective enforcement under this bill. That’s for another post, so please don’t start that discussion here.

Please take one minute for one of the easy actions below to oppose HR 9495. And then take 10 seconds to share here on LinkedIn!

There are unique risks to nonprofits when fraud occurs. Please join our webcast on May 21 to learn how to help your organization prevent or detect fraud in a timely manner.