How can we effectively reintegrate the spouses and children of foreign terrorist fighters to life in the U.S.?

Reintegrating the Families of Foreign Terrorist Fighters: Phase 2

So What?

Tens of thousands of individuals traveled from around the world to fight for the Islamic State between 2013 and 2019. Many traveled with their families or formed families in-theater. Following the collapse of the self-declared caliphate, thousands of these families, including women and children, remain in dangerous detention camps in Syria and Iraq. This presents a massive humanitarian issue and national security concern, as these camps can be ripe ground for terrorist groups to recruit and radicalize new members. The U.S. advocates a policy of repatriating and reintegrating these families to life in the states.

Project Summary

In March 2023, NCITE published Reintegration of Foreign Terrorist Fighter Families: A Framework of Best Practices for the U.S., which identified priorities for effectively reintegrating the spouses and children of foreign terrorist fighters to life in the U.S. In this next phase of the project, the research team will work to design an evidence-based microcredential training program for practitioners tasked with managing the reintegration of this population.

Purpose/Objectives

The training program will focus on the reintegration of family members associated with violent extremists, particularly the children and spouses of foreign terrorist fighters. A key aim of the project is to develop a curriculum for the reintegration workforce and broader stakeholder community. The NCITE research team will work with a network of supporting subject matter experts to achieve this.

Method

The project team will develop and publish a rapid review of current U.S. reintegration policy and practice. This will integrate information from existing academic literature, policy reports, and other public sources. The team will also conduct interviews with a select group of subject matter experts. In addition, to support the development of the microcredential training program, the team will lead and co-edit a collected volume to serve as a supplement to the course material and reference for future research on the topic of reintegration and reentry of violent extremists and their families.

Outputs and Impact

• Pilot microcredential training program for managing reintegration.
• Deliver a rapid-review report updating the knowledge baseline for U.S. FTF family reintegration policy and practice.
• Complete a multi-chapter edited volume for practitioners’ educational use and advancement of knowledge for the public common good.

	Austin Doctor, Ph.D. University of Nebraska at Omaha Assistant Professor of Political Science College of Arts and Sciences Head of Counterterrorism Research Initiatives Expertise: Militants, terrorism, irregular warfare, and emerging threats
	Anne Hobbs, Ph.D. University of Nebraska at Omaha Director of the Juvenile Justice Institute College of Public Affairs and Community Service Licensed Attorney and Published Research Faculty Member Expertise: Juvenile re-entry after incarceration, inequality in access to justice, and mentorship of youth involved in the juvenile justice system
	Devorah Margolin, Ph.D. Georgetown University Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Center for Security Studies Blumenstein-Rosenbloom Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy Expertise: Terrorism governance, terrorism financing, countering violent extremism, and the role of women and gender in violent extremism

Reports and Publications

	Reintegration of Foreign Terrorist Fighter Families: A Framework of Best Practices for the U.S. This report identifies best practices for practitioners to effectively guide the reintegration process of spouses and children of foreign terrorist fighters in the United States.
	Trends in the Return and Prosecution of ISIS Foreign Terrorist Fighters in the United States This report provides an overview of the U.S. return and repatriation policy of foreign terrorist fighters who have returned or been brought to the U.S. through formal processes.