Minnesota's Mall of America is focused on security to try to ensure that shoppers feel safe, said Michael Kercheval, president and CEO of the International Council of Shopping Centers.
"I think the Mall of America has all of the protections it could possibly have from the local security force, and they have been vigilant since 9/11 in stepping up the security to make sure everyone is safe and feels safe in the shopping centers," he said In an interview with CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Monday.
"This is unfortunately a situation we've been living with ever since 9/11," Kercheval said.
On Sunday, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson told visitors to the Mall of America to be on alert after a terror threat surfaced over the weekend.
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"I'm not telling people to not go to the mall," he said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I think that there needs to be an awareness, there needs to be vigilance."
Mall real estate investment trusts traded higher on Monday. Kercheval attributed that to consumer confidence that shopping center owners have been "very vigilant" about safety and have collaborated closely with local and national law enforcement agencies.
He said that overall, American malls have been well-protected and that continues to be the case.