CAIR Reps Visit 113 Congressional Offices
Washington, DC: Members of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)-CA met with elected officials and staff at 113 congressional offices for the Washington-based Muslim civil rights organization's 6th annual Capitol Hill Advocacy Days.
CAIR chapter representatives met Monday and Tuesday with officials at 66 Democratic, 46 Republican and one Independent offices. They spoke with members of Congress and key congressional staffers from their home states about supporting due process for all Americans and about concerns over racial and religious profiling.
CAIR-Greater Los Angeles Area Government Relations Coordinator Adel Syed, Executive Director Hussam Ayloush and Deputy Executive Director Ameena Mirza Qazi held 15 Congressional office visits advocating on behalf of the Muslim community.
During the meetings, CAIR representatives asked that Congress reexamine the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 and sought support for legislation that repeals the law's indefinite detention provisions and reaffirms the due process rights of all persons.
The CAIR representatives asked members of Congress to support and cosponsor the End Racial Profiling Act of 2011. That act would prohibit and promote measures to eliminate profiling based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion by federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement.
Members of Congress were also urged to support a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting a revision of its 2003 policy guidance on racial profiling. The current DOJ guidance remains ineffective because it includes open-ended loopholes that allow federal law enforcement agencies to profile at US borders and for reasons of national security.
Finally, CAIR-CA representatives also spoke about school bullying and the need to strengthen legislation to protect students.
CAIR has published a Civic Participation Handbook designed to provide best practices and step-by-step guides for everything from holding voter registration drives to making the most of a meeting with elected officials.
SEE: CAIR's Civic Participation Handbook
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.
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