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Executive Editor: Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Chronology of Islam in America (2017)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
October 2017 - Page Two
Hawaii judge blocks Trump's Muslim 3.0
Oct 17: A federal judge in Hawaii has blocked President Donald Trump's revised travel banone day before it was set to take effect. Judge Derrick Watson said the travel ban -- Trump's third version of the policy -- "plainly discriminates based on nationality." The President's executive order "suffers from precisely the same maladies as its predecessor: it lacks sufficient findings that the entry of more than 150 million nationals from six specified countries would be 'detrimental to the interests of the United States,'" Watson wrote. The second version of the travel ban, issued in March, had barred residents of six Muslim-majority countries -- Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. The new restrictions that were set to take effect Wednesday cover eight countries -- Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Somalia and Yemen. Tuesday's ruling does not impact the restrictions on North Korea and Venezuela. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders called the ruling "dangerously flawed. "The entry restrictions in the proclamation apply to countries based on their inability or unwillingness to share critical information necessary to safely vet applications, as well as a threat assessment related to terrorism, instability, and other grave national security concerns," Sanders said in a statement. The Justice Department will "appeal in an expeditious manner," spokesman Ian Prior said. "Today's ruling is incorrect, fails to properly respect the separation of powers, and has the potential to cause serious negative consequences for our national security." Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin celebrated the order. The state has been fighting each version of the travel ban. "This is the third time Hawaii has gone to court to stop President Trump from issuing a travel ban that discriminates against people based on their nation of origin or religion," Chin said in a statement. "Today is another victory for the rule of law. We stand ready to defend it." [CNN]
Second judge rules against Muslim Ban 3.0
Oct 18: A federal judge in Maryland today issued a second halt on the latest version of President Trump’s entry ban, asserting that the president’s own comments on the campaign trail and on Twitter convinced him that the directive was akin to an unconstitutional ban on Muslims. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang issued a somewhat-less-complete halt on the ban than his counterpart in Hawaii did a day earlier. Chuang blocked the administration only from enforcing the directive on those with a “bona fide” relationship with a person or entity in the United States, such as family members or some type of professional or other engagement in the United States. But in some ways, Chuang’s ruling was more personally cutting to Trump, as he said the president’s own words cast his latest attempt to impose an entry blockade as the “inextricable re-animation of the twice-enjoined Muslim ban.” Omar Jadwat, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union and represented those suing in Maryland over the ban, said: “Like the two versions before it, President Trump’s latest travel ban is still a Muslim ban at its core. And like the two before it, this one is going down to defeat in the courts.” The third iteration of Trump’s ban on U.S. entry by certain foreign nationals had been set to go fully into effect early Wednesday, barring various types of travelers who are citizens of Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Chad, Somalia, North Korea and Venezuela. Even before Chuang’s ruling, though, a federal judge in Hawaii blocked the ban — at least temporarily — for all of the countries except North Korea and Venezuela. That judge, Derrick K. Watson, prohibited the administration from applying the measure to any citizen of the six countries, not just those with a “bona fide” U.S. tie. But his ruling did not address whether Trump’s intent in imposing the directive was to discriminate against Muslims. He said the president had merely exceeded the authority Congress had given him in immigration law. [Washington Post]
CAIR 3rd Quarter Civil Rights Report Shows Rise in Hate Crimes
Oct 17: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest civil rights and advocacy group, today released a quarterly civil rights report documenting 354 incidents of anti-Islam religious bias during the third quarter of 2017. In its third quarter update, CAIR documented a decrease in the overall number of anti-Muslim bias incidents as compared to the first and second quarters. (354 incidents in Q3, as compared to 451 in Q2 and 851 in Q1) However, bias incidents rose 9 percent in the first nine months of 2017 as compared to the same period in 2016. Hate crimes were the most frequently documented type of bias incident, with 61 cases in the third quarter of 2017. This number was comparable to previous quarters, so while overall cases are down, the number of hate crimes remained steady. The most likely location for the occurrence of a bias incident was an air/bus/train terminal, with ethnicity or national origin being the most common factor identified as triggering the incident. People of Middle Eastern or North African descent were the most frequent targets of bias. “The fact that hate crimes are now the most frequent type of bias incident we document is deeply concerning, “said Zainab Arain, coordinator of CAIR’s National Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia. “The moderate decline in reported bias incidents in the third quarter of this year does justify wary optimism.” Since January 2017, CAIR has released preliminary Islamophobia data every three months. [CAIR]
Governor Brown applauded for Signing of California Religious Freedom Act
Oct 17: The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) today applauded Governor Brown's signing of the California Religious Freedom Act (SB 31), marking a "momentous victory" for civil rights organizations. CAIR-CA said the bill, introduced by Senator Ricardo Lara, will provide critical protections to Californians of all faiths and prevent local law enforcement's participation in a federal registry based on religion, national origin, and ethnicity. SB 31 will prevent a state or local agency, or a public employee from participating in a federal program to create a database based on a person's religious beliefs, practices or affiliations, national origin, or ethnicity, for law enforcement or immigration purposes. It will also prevent state and local law enforcement agencies from collecting information on the religious beliefs, practices, or affiliations of an individual. In Governor Brown's 2017 State of the State Address, he affirmed that, "It is that spirit of perseverance and courage which built our state from the beginning. And it is that spirit which will get us through the great uncertainty and the difficulties ahead." "This is a community victory. Hundreds of Muslims and allies from across the state visited their legislators, sent emails, made phone calls, and more to advocate for the passage of this much needed civil rights law," said CAIR-SFBA Government Relations Coordinator Sameena Usman. CAIR-CA advocated for SB 31 at its 6th Annual Muslim Day at the Capitol during which more than 700 Muslims across California gathered in Sacramento to urge their legislators' support. "We applaud Governor Brown's commitment to preserving the civil liberties of all Californians," said CAIR-CA Legislative and Government Affairs Coordinator Yannina Casillas. "Today, California took a proactive stance in protecting the civil liberties and religious freedoms of all Californians. With the signing of SB 31, Californians know that our great state will stand up to any federal policy that targets vulnerable communities." This legislation was sponsored by CAIR-California, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-California, and ACLU-California. It was additionally supported by MPower Change, PICO California, SIREN, and Faith in the Valley, among others. [CAIR]
It's time to end the horror of immigrant detentionOct 18: Few Americans know about our nation's system of immigrant detention centers. Each year, the U.S. government locks up roughly 440,000 immigrants in over 200 immigrant prisons. These facilities have grown into a highly privatized, lucrative and abusive industry that profits off the misery of immigrants awaiting deportation. Here at Brave New Films, we're doing everything we can to expose the abuses of the deportation industrial complex. In our new film, Immigrant Prisons, we explore conditions inside the detention centers, exposing substandard medical care, widespread physical and sexual abuse and virtual slave labor working conditions. These abuses happen behind closed doors with little to no oversight. Our film, created in partnership with advocates for detainee rights, is shining a light on a particularly dark corner of the American justice system. It's important to remember that immigration detention is a civil form of confinement. "This is not criminal custody, this is not someone who’s been convicted of a crime," says attorney James Fife of Federal Defenders of San Diego. "This is just someone who’s being held for the government’s convenience so that the person’s available” for processing, said Fife.Unlike with criminals who have been convicted of a crime, there's no time limit on how long people can be held at immigration detention centers. It's hard to believe, but immigrants can be locked up indefinitely without a criminal offense or bond hearing. In the film we highlight the case of a Kenyan immigrant, Sylvester, who spent nine years and four months in immigration detention. Another immigrant describes her time in detention as being "like a legal kidnapping.” [By Robert Greenwald / Brave New Films]
Civil society organizations deliver petition to congress calling for travel ban legislation reform
Oct 18: This morning The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in a coalition of 15 organizations delivered a joint petition with over 100,000 signatures to members of Congress calling for legislation to rescind the newest version of the Arab and Muslim Ban immediately. The 15 organizations are calling on Congress to “fulfill their duties and immediately pass legislation to rescind the unconstitutional Muslim ban and make absolutely clear that such attempts to target Muslims, or anyone on the basis of national origin, are unlawful. “We call on Congress today to rise to the challenge of putting country before politics and to protect the rights of all people living in the United States by defending the Constitution,” the joint letter read, “and by rejecting the ‘total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States,’ from forever being enshrined in history books as the official policy of the United States.”The coalition of organizations includes: ACCESS, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Amnesty International USA, Arab American Institute (AAI), Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Iranian American Bar Association (IABA), Muslim Advocates, Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), National Immigration Law Center (NILC), NIAC Action, National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), and South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT). The petition was delivered to the offices of Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA). With the House of Representatives out of session this week, the petition will be mailed to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Today also marks the day that the September 24 presidential Proclamation, commonly known as Muslim Ban 3.0, was set to go into effect. [ADC]
Quebec passes controversial face veil ban
Oct 25: Quebec has passed a contentious law that would make it illegal for Muslim women, and other individuals, who cover their faces to receive public services, including riding public buses. Members of the provincial legislature voted 65-51 in favor of the legislation on religious neutrality, known as Bill 62, this morning. The law forces citizens to uncover their faces in order to receive or give public services in the French-speaking province. It applies to provincial and municipal employees - including doctors, nurses, teachers and daycare workers - and public transit workers. Shaheen Ashraf, a board member of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women based in Montreal, said she was "disturbed and unsettled and upset" that the legislation was passed. Muslim women in Quebec "are feeling targeted" by the law, which is the latest in a series of attempts by the provincial government to "raise the issue of Muslim women's attire", Ashraf told Al Jazeera. "The message they're sending to those women is that you stay home and don't come out of your house because they are choosing to cover their faces and they cannot board a bus or use any public transportation or receive any services," she added. [Al Jazeera]
'All Muslims Dead on 10/30 #MAGA' Threat at WA High School
Oct 28: The Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Washington) said today it is working with Kent School District administrators and impacted families to help ensure a proper response to threatening anti-Muslim vandalism and slurs found on the Kent-Meridian High School campus this week. According to a letter sent out by the school on Friday, October 27, a staff member reported graffiti in the girl's bathroom on Tuesday, October 24th that "threatened students of Muslim heritage." Photos of the graffiti show threats that include "All Muslims dead on 10/30 #MAGA," "towel heads at KM are gonna DIE, "f**k Muslims," and a Nazi swastika sign, as well as other slurs. The letter goes on to say that the school is working with Kent Police and that the school "will implement extensive security measures on October 30th to help us maintain a safe campus." "This is not the first case reported to us of anti-Muslim vandalism at a school, college or university. The fear of being bullied at school has increased for Muslim students due to the negative effects of the presidential campaign and election," said CAIR-WA Civil Rights Director Jasmin Samy. "Our community must report any case of bullying, harassment or intimidation in schools so our learning environments can be a safe place for all students." [CAIR]
53% of Muslim students surveyed in California say they’ve been bullied over religion
Oct 30: Muslim students in California are bullied at a rate that is more than twice the average of Muslim youths nationally, according to a report released by the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The report, which was issued by the group’s Anaheim-based Los Angeles chapter Monday morning, Oct. 30, said 53 percent of the 1,041 Muslim students surveyed, between age 11 and 18 and enrolled in California’s public and private schools, said they were bullied in 2016 — mocked, verbally insulted or abused — because of their religion. Nationally, according to a 2017 Department of Justice report, about 20 percent of Muslim students say they have been bullied. In addition, 26 percent of the California Muslim students surveyed reported being victims of cyber bullying; 57 percent said they saw their peers make offensive comments about Islam and Muslims online; and 36 percent of female respondents reported having their hijabs, or head scarves, tugged or pulled off their heads. This is CAIR-LA’s third bi-annual report on bullying of Muslim students, with incidents rising sharply in number compared to the 2013 and 2015 reports, said Masih Fouladi, advocacy manager for the group. “We’ve also seen an emboldening of these bullies statewide,” he said. “There has been an increase in physical contact and aggressive acts such as the pulling of head scarves causing some students to stop wearing hijabs to school.” The role of President Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim campaign rhetoric cannot be ignored, said Marwa Rifahie, a civil rights attorney with CAIR-LA and lead author of the report. “The results of this survey reveal that Muslim students have had to carry a heavy burden every day at school by facing bullies whose religious intolerance is now being legitimized by a sitting U.S. president,” she said. Survey results also showed an increase in offensive comments made by teachers, administrators and other school officials directed at the religion of Muslim students. Only 30 percent of students reported that they felt their problems were solved by an adult, a decrease from 42 percent in the 2015 report. [Orange County Register]
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