September, 01 2015, 12:30pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
CAIR Government Affairs Manager Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com
82 Groups Ask DOJ to Address Illegality of 'Muslim-Free Zone' Businesses
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, announced today that a coalition of 82 civil liberties, human rights, immigrant rights, faith, and cultural organizations (see list of signatories below) sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch asking her to investigate the growing phenomena of so-called "Muslim-free zone" businesses nationwide.
WASHINGTON
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, announced today that a coalition of 82 civil liberties, human rights, immigrant rights, faith, and cultural organizations (see list of signatories below) sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch asking her to investigate the growing phenomena of so-called "Muslim-free zone" businesses nationwide.
SEE: Group Letter Requesting DOJ to Investigate "Muslim-Free Zone" Bans by Public Accommodations
https://www.cair.com/images/pdf/MuslimFreeZoneLetter.pdf
[MEDIA ADVISORY: At 2 p.m. today, there will be a media availability at CAIR's Capitol Hill headquarters to discuss the release of the coalition's letter, 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Manager Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com]
The coalition, which includes prominent national organizations such as the ACLU, NAACP and the YWCA USA, requested that the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division's Housing and Civil Enforcement Section conduct a full federal investigation into all businesses that have declared themselves as "Muslim-Free Zones" and "bring civil enforcement proceedings against business owners who have violated the law."
"The broad range of groups calling for government action on the 'Muslim-free zone' issue clearly indicates that the U.S. Department of Justice should speak out and take concrete action to protect the constitutional rights of American Muslims," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.
Businesses in Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, New York, Oklahoma, and New Hampshire have publicly declared themselves "Muslim-Free." Despite these reports, the DOJ has remained silent, with the exception of a pledge to "monitor" the Arkansas "Muslim-free zone" business.
The coalition requested a meeting with the DOJ to further discuss "the civil rights impact of these bans and how we can best engage with the DOJ to address current and future discriminatory exclusions by public accommodations."
CAIR recently questioned why, despite repeated requests for action, the DOJ has remained silent on the "clearly illegal" religious ban, which the Washington-based group compared to "whites only" businesses excluding African-Americans prior to the Civil Rights Movement.
SEE: CAIR Questions Feds' Silence After Oklahoma Business Joins 'Muslim-Free' Movement
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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House Dems Voice 'Deep Concern' Over Biden Claim That Israel Is Legally Using US Arms
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More than two dozen House Democrats on Tuesday challenged the Biden administration's claim that Israel is using U.S.-supplied weapons in compliance with domestic and international law—an assertion made amid an ongoing World Court probe of "plausibly" genocidal Israeli policies and practices in Gaza.
Citing "mounting credible and deeply troubling reports and allegations" of human rights crimes committed by Israeli troops in Gaza and soldiers and settlers in the occupied West Bank, 26 congressional Democrats led by Texas Reps. Veronica Escobar—who co-chairs President Joe Biden's reelection campaign—and Joaquin Castro asked U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines "whether and how" their agencies determined Israel is lawfully using arms provided by Washington.
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Responding on social media, his wife, Stella Assange—who is an attorney—blasted the U.S. assurances as "weasel words."
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