Homeland Security Secretary Visits San Gabriel Valley Islamic Center
ROWLAND HEIGHTS (CBSLA.com/AP) — Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson is in Southern California for a series of appearances.
KNX 1070's Mike Landa Johnson visited the Islamic Center of San Gabriel Valley on Thursday to meet with community leaders as well as local and state law enforcement officials to discuss the Department of Homeland Security's ongoing collaboration with these groups on civil rights and other issues.
"Today's visit is an exercise in building trust, building relationships, lowering barriers of suspicion," said Johnson.
The meeting was also an opportunity for local Islamic leaders like Jihad Turk of the Islamic Graduate School in Claremont to air their grievances.
"TSA sometimes harasses members of our community when they're coming back from religious observances of the hajj or the pilgrimage," said Turk.
On Friday, Johnson is scheduled to speak at a naturalization ceremony for approximately 1,000 citizenship candidates at the Ontario Convention Center and to the Pacific Council on International Policy.
He's also set to participate in a panel discussion on national defense at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley on Saturday.
The trip marks Johnson's first visit to the Southland since February, when he toured facilities at LAX and answered questions about the Nov. 1, 2013 shooting rampage that killed TSA Officer Gerardo Hernandez and wounded two others.
Johnson was sworn in as the fourth DHS Secretary last December.
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