Barack Obama

Arts & Entertainment

Ex-college student who left Alabama to join ISIS explains herself and why she wants to come home 'When you are brainwashed, you don't realize it until you snap out of it,' Hoda Muthana says in the new documentary The Return — though the U.S. government says there's not reason to be so sympathetic

May 26, 2021   

(People) Six years ago, Hoda Muthana was a 20-year-old college student in Alabama who lied to her family about a trip and instead joined the Islamic State in Syria. When she arrived she was confined to a home for unwed women, with […]

Government & Politics

Biden and Islamism: What’s past is prologue

May 2, 2021   

During his April 28 speech to Congress, President Biden asserted that white supremacism is currently the most lethal terrorist threat to the country, implicitly downplaying the threat posed by Islamist terror. The Biden administration has yet to clarify its attitude toward Islamism, […]

Government & Politics

As US refocuses anti-extremism programs on far right, many Muslims still oppose them After the Capitol attack, the Biden White House called for countering violent extremism programs to shift to a focus on white supremacists. But Muslim groups say the programs are still a waste of resources.

February 18, 2021   

(Religion News) The storming of the U.S. Capitol brought renewed attention to the threat of far-right and white supremacist groups in the nation, prompting the Biden administration to consider applying counterterrorism-focused programs that have for years targeted Muslim communities. Many in the […]

Government & Politics

Barred from U.S. under Trump, Muslims exult in Biden’s open door Few foreigners welcomed President Biden’s election victory as enthusiastically as the tens of thousands of Muslims who have been locked out of the United States for the past four years.

January 23, 2021   

(NY Times) As the results of the American presidential election rolled in on Nov. 4, a young Sudanese couple sat up through the night in their small town south of Khartoum, eyes glued to the television as state tallies were declared, watching […]

Government & Politics

Progressive groups push Biden to tap accused Iranian lobbyist for top national-security role As an Iranian national, Trita Parsi probably cannot get security clearance, say experts

December 18, 2020   

(Free Beacon) A coalition of progressive foreign-policy groups is pressing President-elect Joe Biden to hire an Iranian national accused of lobbying for the Islamist regime for a senior administration role that a non-U.S. citizen would likely be ineligible to hold. As Biden […]

Academics & Education

US Muslim student groups drop Emgage from voter mobilisation event Yale University's Muslim Student Association faced calls to drop Emgage and Farooq Mitha from its programming

October 23, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) Muslim student groups at more than 30 US universities have dropped Emgage, a Muslim political advocacy group that has come under fierce criticism in recent weeks over its ties with pro-Israel groups, from an event aimed at mobilising young voters. The event, hosted […]

Government & Politics

‘We don’t have much of a choice’: Florida’s Muslim voters disenfranchised by both parties In largest swing state, most voter advocacy taking place is for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, but not everyone is happy about it

October 23, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) As the US November elections edge closer, much of the nation’s attention has zeroed in on swing states, with some, such as Florida, set to be battlegrounds that may determine the outcome. While there are only about 3.45 million […]

Government & Politics

Muslim Voices for Trump event cut short after being ‘Zoom bombed’ by activists The call had to be abandoned less than 20 minutes in when it turned into a disorderly free-for-all

October 14, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) An online event organised by “Muslim Voices for Trump” descended into chaos late on Tuesday when activists infiltrated the call in another case of the new viral threat termed “Zoom bombing.” The call, arranged by US President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign in […]

Government & Politics

U.S. repatriates last of Islamic State suspects believed captured in Syria The suspects had been held by Syrian forces along with prisoners from other countries whose governments have been reluctant to take back the men.

September 30, 2020   

(NY Times) The United States has repatriated and charged the last Americans believed to be detained in Syria and accused of supporting the Islamic State, the Justice Department said on Wednesday. The move could give the Trump administration a stronger hand in […]

Government & Politics

‘Inshallah’: Biden uses Arabic expression over release of Trump’s tax returns No foreign policy discussions during the first US presidential debate, in which candidates traded insults and spoke over each other

September 30, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) Many Middle East-related policy questions that could affect the lives of millions of people hang on the outcome of the US presidential elections in November: a possible return to the Iran nuclear deal; Washington’s relations with Riyadh; and the White House […]

Crime

Joe Biden’s plan for Arab Americans: Six takeaways The Biden campaign released a platform addressing domestic and foreign policy issues that affect Arab Americans; here's what's in it

August 30, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has released a comprehensive platform outlining his plans for the Arab-American community, emphasising commitment to civil rights and prosperity at home as well as a more balanced foreign policy in the Middle East. […]

Government & Politics

Biden campaign’s attacks on Linda Sarsour alienate Muslim voters, activists say Muslim advocates say the campaign's statement against Sarsour shows disregard for Muslim voters who may play key role in November's election

August 19, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour offered advice to the Democrats on Tuesday on how to engage Muslim voters: ensure representation, treat Muslims as a decisive voting bloc in swing states and reach out to them in their communities. “The Democratic […]

Government & Politics

Ilhan Omar campaign mailer accuses opponent of being ‘in the pocket of Wall Street’ and only quotes Jewish donors by name The mailer references three Jewish donors, plus 'Michael, a donor from Scarsdale, New York.'

July 23, 2020   

(Vice) Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) campaign recently sent out a mail piece ripping her primary opponent, attorney Antone Melton-Meaux, for the large donations he’s gotten from wealthy and moderate donors. The only donors to her opponent identified by name in the mailer […]

Government & Politics

Biden campaign holds private meeting with Palestinian-American activists Senior adviser to Joe Biden was 'evasive' and made no promises to address Israel's human rights abuses, source tells MEE

July 22, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) Joe Biden’s presidential campaign held a private virtual meeting with Palestinian-American activists on Tuesday, several sources familiar with the call confirmed to Middle East Eye. Tony Blinken, a top campaign adviser, drew a “contrast between Donald Trump and Joe […]

Demonstrations

Police surveillance concerns US Muslims amid BLM protest crackdown With coronavirus hitting the US hard, there are growing fears community groups will have to resort to funding provided by surveillance programmes

July 3, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) The killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis triggered the largest protests over systemic racism and police brutality the United States has seen in more than a generation. Black Lives Matter protests swiftly spread to more […]

Government & Politics

New name, same game: American Muslims vow to fight new ‘counter-terror’ initiative Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention programme is just an extension of CVE, advocacy groups say

June 5, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) Ahmed Mohamed made headlines five years ago when he brought a homemade clock to his US public high school. A robotics enthusiast, Mohamed loved engineering and had dreams of studying at the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Still, when […]

Government & Politics

Biden’s plan for Muslim Americans: A ‘good start’ but missing policy details Activists call for more specifics from Biden's campaign and urge direct engagement with Muslim community

May 13, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) Joe Biden has released a plan to protect the civil rights of Muslim Americans and reverse some of Donald Trump’s Islamophobic decrees if elected president. The plan, titled “Joe Biden’s agenda for Muslim-American communities,” vows to undo Trump’s Muslim ban on […]