Banks & Banking

Lawmakers call out major U.S. banks for discriminating against Muslim Americans Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ilhan Omar are demanding answers about policies that target communities of color.

(HuffPost) Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) released a letter Thursday demanding answers from the heads of several leading U.S. banks about policies that have disproportionately targeted Muslim Americans and communities of color. “The lack of information regarding the […]

Government & Politics

CAIR quietly scrubs Democrats’ praise for group after blowback over leader’s pro-Hamas comments Nihad Awad, CAIR's executive director, said he was 'happy to see' Hamas attack Israel

(Fox) The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) appears to have scrubbed Democratic lawmakers’ praise for its group from its website following blowback over its leader’s controversial statements regarding Hamas, Fox News Digital has discovered. Nihad Awad, CAIR’s executive director, recently said he […]

Government & Politics

Flashback: Dozens of Dems wrote letters of support to anti-Israel group that’s now defending Hamas Council on American-Islamic Relations attributed terror attack to Israel's 'apartheid policies'

(Free Beacon) Dozens of Democratic members of Congress in 2019 privately issued letters of support to an anti-Israel advocacy group that is now blaming the Jewish state for the Hamas terror attacks that killed more than 1,000 Israelis. After Hamas on Saturday […]

Banks & Banking

US lawmakers demand banking regulators address discrimination against Muslims Congressman Ilhan Omar and Senator Elizabeth Warren urge Treasury to adopt corrective measures to promote equal access to banking institutions

(Middle East Eye) US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Senator Elizabeth Warren are leading an effort to urge American banking regulators to reassess policies that discriminate against Muslim Americans and immigrant communities. The two lawmakers, along with Senator Ed Markey and Congresswomen Rashida […]

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.

(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

Five states elect first-ever Muslim lawmakers, from Oklahoma to Delaware On Tuesday, voters in Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Oklahoma and Wisconsin all elected their state legislatures’ first-ever Muslim lawmakers.

(Religion News) Mauree Turner, a 27-year-old member of Oklahoma City’s Muslim community, became Muslim after learning about the faith from her father, who converted while incarcerated. Black and nonbinary, Turner is also a community organizer who’s long been involved in criminal justice […]

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

(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 […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

‘Slap in the face’: Muslims decry Bloomberg’s upcoming appearance at Democratic convention As New York mayor, Bloomberg oversaw a surveillance programme that targeted Muslim community gatherings, businesses and student groups

(Middle East Eye) Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg oversaw a surveillance programme targeting the city’s Muslim community for almost a decade. This week he will be speaking at the Democratic national convention — an event that has so far focused on […]

Government & Politics

Ilhan Omar signs onto AIPAC letter siding with Trump on Iran After clashing repeatedly with AIPAC, Rep. Ilhan Omar has signed onto one of their key lobby agenda items for this year.

(Al-Monitor) It’s no secret that Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has had an acrimonious relationship with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The freshman lawmaker has quickly become a lightning rod of criticism for AIPAC and its supporters, who have gone so […]

Government & Politics

In battle for the Muslim vote, Sanders destroys the competition: poll Amid massive voter turnout of Muslim-Americans, Bernie Sanders takes the Muslim vote in landslide, recent CAIR survey shows

(Middle East Eye) US presidential candidates made unprecedented efforts to court the Muslim vote in the lead-up to Super Tuesday, but according to a recent poll, Bernie Sanders won that battle in a landslide. Sanders took 58 percent of the overall Muslim […]

Government & Politics

Bernie Sanders’ next-level outreach gives Muslims solid footing in presidential politics Candidates on both sides of the aisle have rarely formalized their attempts to draw in Muslims. Sanders has succeeded and lifted up an often-overlooked voter base.

(HuffPost) Super Tuesday saw former Vice President Joe Biden leap ahead in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination while Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) got knocked out of the lead. Despite the losses, the Sanders campaign has advanced how presidential candidates have […]

Government & Politics

US election 2020: At one Iowa mosque, almost all caucus votes went to Bernie Sanders Muslim-Americans came out overwhelmingly in support of Sanders at mosque in Des Moines

(Middle East Eye) “Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar.” The Muslim call for prayer, known as adhan, echoed through the Muslim Community Organization in Iowa as voters stood in a registration line outside the prayer hall, waiting to attend the Democratic Party’s caucuses at […]

Government & Politics

More than 120 members of Congress issue letters of support to leading anti-Israel group Congressional support for CAIR likely to generate concern in pro-Israel community

(Free Beacon) More than 120 members of Congress privately issued letters of support to a controversial Islamic-American advocacy group known for its involvement in one of America’s most prominent terrorism financing cases, according to a copy of these official communications obtained by […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

More presidential candidates are visiting mosques than ever before Prior to the 2020 election, presidential candidates rarely — if ever — visited a mosque on the campaign trail. But that’s changing.

(HuffPost) The day before he appeared onstage at Wednesday’s Democratic presidential debate, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee visited the Islamic Center of Detroit to discuss the concerns of Muslim Americans. The roundtable, attended by imams, activists, nonprofit leaders and other community members, lasted […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Muslim Caucus highlights need for greater political engagement Two-day Muslim Caucus conference focused on communicating no Muslim politician should be reduced to their faith alone.

(Al-Jazeera) Participants at the first national gathering of Muslims in politics in the United States spoke of the two-day event, which ended on Wednesday, as an opportunity [to] move American Muslim communities beyond the defensive posture they have been forced to take […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Ilhan Omar: I’m going to unmask the system of oppression in US At historic conference, Muslim Caucus condemns Trump's attacks, calls for infrastructure for organising Muslim Americans

(Al-Jazeera) An event in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, billed as the first national gathering of Muslims in politics in United States history, began with a resounding … rebuke of racism and Islamophobia emanating from the White House, and a call for Muslims […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Muslim Caucus to hold first conference amid Trump’s attacks Ilhan Omar, others set to speak at first annual conference. Most major 2020 candidates are not attending.

(Al-Jazeera) Muslim political leaders and academics are set to gather in Washington, DC, on Tuesday for what is being billed as the first national gathering of Muslims in politics in United States history. The historic moment comes as President Donald Trump and […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

It’s 2019 and Democratic presidential candidates are ignoring Muslim voters Muslim organizers say the candidates’ lack of interest in an upcoming gathering reflects a much larger apathy toward their community.

(HuffPost) The president of the United States stood tall and proud at his North Carolina rally as the crowd chanted loudly for him to deport Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), one of the first two Muslim women in Congress. Just days before, Donald Trump had […]

Demonstrations

Greeted by protests, Rep. Ilhan Omar tells LA-area Muslims to ‘raise hell’ in face of intolerance Outside the Woodland Hills Hilton, at least 1,000 people protested Omar's appearance.

(LA Daily News) Freshman Congresswoman [Ilhan] Omar of Minnesota urged some 400 Los Angeles-area Muslims packed inside the Woodland Hills Hilton on Saturday to stand defiant and “raise hell” in the face of discrimination they confront as Muslims in America. It’s advice […]

Government & Politics

US Jewish leader accuses Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib of anti-Semitism Malcolm Hoenlein also says he opposes US Jews donating to Israeli political campaigns, argues Airbnb’s decision to delist settlements opens a Pandora’s box

(Times of Israel) One of American Jewry’s most senior leaders lashed out at US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib on Monday, accusing the young lawmaker of making anti-Semitic remarks. “I am very disturbed. I do believe Tlaib has made anti-Semitic comments,” Malcolm Hoenlein, the […]