According to sources, the program known as "Countering Violent Extremism," or CVE, is expected to be renamed to "Countering Islamic Extremism" or "Countering Radical Islamic Extremism." Under this change, the program would no longer focus on groups like white supremacists who have also carried out violent attacks in the United States. This shift in focus is in line with President Trump's campaign promises and his criticism of former President Obama for not using the term "radical Islam" to describe groups like Islamic State. The CVE program, which aims to prevent extremist attacks through community partnerships and educational initiatives, has partnered with companies like Google and Facebook. Some supporters of the program are concerned that rebranding it could hinder efforts to work with Muslim communities who are already wary of the new administration, especially after Trump's recent executive order on travel restrictions from predominantly Muslim countries. The CVE program, which targets US residents and is separate from a military effort to combat extremism online, has faced criticism for being ineffective. A source who has worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the program revealed that members of the Trump transition team met with a CVE task force in December and discussed the possibility of changing the name and focus of the program. During a recent meeting attended by senior staff for DHS Secretary John Kelly, government employees were questioned about their selection of community organizations to receive CVE program grants. Despite Congress appropriating funding for CVE and grant recipients being notified during the Obama administration, the money may still not be distributed as Kelly is reviewing the situation. The department declined to comment on the matter. The White House did not provide a response when asked for comment. Some Republicans in Congress have criticized the program, arguing that labeling violence as "radical Islam" would help deter attacks. Others believe that using this term would alienate peaceful Muslim Americans. Many community groups are wary of the program, fearing it could be used for surveillance. Hoda Hawa of the Muslim Public Affairs Council was informed by DHS officials that there is a push to focus the program solely on Islamist extremism. She expressed concern about the targeting of a religious group and putting it under suspicion. A DHS official mentioned a name change was in the works. Others familiar with the situation said plans had been talked about but it was unclear if they were confirmed. The Obama administration worked on building relationships with community organizations for counterterrorism efforts. In 2016, Congress allocated $10 million for CVE efforts and DHS gave out the first round of grants shortly before Trump took office. The approved recipients of the grants included local governments, city police departments, universities, and non-profit organizations. These grants were not only given to organizations focused on countering Islamic State recruitment in the United States, but also to Life After Hate, which works to rehabilitate former neo-Nazis and other domestic extremists. Recent incidents in Charleston, South Carolina, California, Florida, and New York have shown that radical ideologies have been behind violent attacks. One of the grant recipients, Leaders Advancing & Helping Communities, a Michigan-based group led by Lebanese-Americans, declined a $500,000 DHS grant they had originally sought. The group confirmed the rejection of the grant but did not provide further comment. An email sent last Thursday stated that due to the current political situation and reasons for worry, LAHC has decided to reject the award. This decision was made before Trump issued his immigration order, which was criticized for being discriminatory against Muslims, although the White House claimed it was to safeguard the American people from threats of terrorism by foreign individuals.