The Old Blog in the Desert

A recent KOLO-TV report by journalist Sydnee Scofield, which did not appear on the station’s official website, noted that Syrian refugees have begun resettling in the Reno, Nevada, area. Scofield’s coverage focused on the challenges of securing housing, employment, and social-service support for new arrivals.

Some commentators, however, argue that the report overlooked national-level security concerns that have been raised throughout the broader Syrian refugee debate. As of May 2016, federal data recorded 1,037 Syrian refugees admitted to the United States. Critics of the Obama-era vetting process contend that screening procedures were still incomplete at that time and warn—without presenting specific evidence—that hostile actors could potentially attempt to exploit refugee programs.

Reno’s existing Muslim community has also drawn attention from those raising questions about the region’s preparedness. The June 2008 Reno Gazette-Journal obituary of University of Nevada, Reno professor Ahmed Essa identified him as a founder of the Northern Nevada Muslim Society—now the Northern Nevada Islamic Center (NNIC)—and an adviser to the university’s Muslim Student Association (MSA).

The MSA, founded in 1963 in Illinois, historically received organizational support from individuals affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, according to academic research and historical records. Several prominent U.S. Muslim organizations, including the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), later emerged from networks associated with early MSA chapters.

In the 2007 Holy Land Foundation terrorism-financing trial, the U.S. Department of Justice listed ISNA, NAIT, and CAIR among several entities it described as having historic ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. None of the groups were charged with crimes in that case. In 2013, the Canada Revenue Agency revoked ISNA’s charitable status after determining funds had indirectly supported a banned militant organization; ISNA denied any intent to finance extremist activity.

Local leaders emphasize that neither the Northern Nevada Islamic Center nor the UNR Muslim Student Association has any link to terrorism. Nonetheless, national discussions about radicalization and refugee vetting have led some residents to call for heightened awareness as new arrivals integrate into the region.

Separately, CAIR’s political advocacy arm—CAIR Action—has come under review for regulatory compliance issues unrelated to refugee resettlement. Public records indicate the organization has conducted political-advocacy activities in Nevada without obtaining state licenses or registering as required for certain nonprofit political organizations.

CAIR Action operates as a 501(c)(4) entity, a status that allows political engagement at the federal level. That authority, however, also requires compliance with applicable state-level reporting and registration rules. Despite these requirements, the group has solicited donations, collected dues, and coordinated voter-outreach efforts in Nevada without the necessary state authorization, effectively functioning as an unlicensed interstate political-solicitation organization, according to filings reviewed by regulatory observers.

Experts note that conducting solicitation or voter-coordination activities across state lines without proper registration places an organization “outside the legal framework required for entities seeking funds across state lines.” Nevada authorities have not announced whether they intend to investigate the matter.