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

Biden’s move to expand refugee admissions is his most unpopular executive action so far Tracking of 28 executive actions puts refugee cap increase at bottom of list

(Morning Consult) President Joe Biden’s first weeks in office have been marked by a customary series of executive actions that voters have largely embraced, with one notable exception: last week’s move to greatly expand the number of refugees allowed into the country. […]

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.

(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

Regulator satisfied with Islamic Relief’s response to antisemitic comments by former leaders The Charity Commission opened a case into the charity after offensive comments by former senior figures came to light

(Third Sector) The Charity Commission has declared itself satisfied with the response of Islamic Relief Worldwide to antisemitic comments made by former senior leaders. It comes as the charity said it had requested a meeting with President Biden’s new administration after the outgoing Trump […]

Government & Politics

Biden reversing travel ban for Muslim countries ‘very disappointing’: Chad Wolf The former acting DHS secretary argues 'it's going to make the American people less safe'

(Fox) Former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf argued on Wednesday that President Biden’s intention to revoke Donald Trump’s travel bans for majority-Muslim countries is “going to make the American people less safe.” Speaking on “America Reports” shortly after Biden took the oath of office […]

Demonstrations

Rights group calls on US Muslims to be ‘extra vigilant’ in wake of Capitol riot Council on American-Islamic Relations says threat posed by far-right white supremacist violence is high and Muslims may be targets

(Middle East Eye) A leading Muslim-American civil rights and advocacy group urged Muslims to remain “extra vigilant” until the end of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration amid a threat of white supremacist violence. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said on Wednesday that the […]

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

(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 […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Congress pays $850,000 to Muslim aides targeted in inquiry stoked by Trump The House resolved wrongful termination claims by five Pakistani-American technology workers whose case was twisted into a right-wing conspiracy theory pushed by President Trump.

(NY Times) The House of Representatives quietly paid $850,000 this year to settle wrongful termination claims by five Pakistani-American technology specialists, after a set of routine workplace allegations against them morphed into fodder for right-wing conspiracy theories amplified by President Trump. Together, […]

Government & Politics

Incoming senior Biden staffer justified suicide bombers during Second Intifada In 2002, Reema Dodin, then a student at the University of California, Berkeley, spoke about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying that 'suicide bombers were the last resort of a desperate people.'

(JNS) Reema Dodin, announced on Monday as a deputy director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs for the incoming Biden administration, once praised suicide bombers during the Second Intifada. In 2002, Dodin, then a student at the University of California, […]

Government & Politics

How Arabs and Muslims helped Biden win Michigan and the White House Election data shows increase in turnout in Arab and Muslim communities that overwhelmingly favoured Biden in the presidential race

(Middle East Eye) In one of his first decrees as president in 2017, Donald Trump signed an executive order banning travellers from several Arab, Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. Less than four years later, Arab and Muslim communities in Michigan […]

Government & Politics

US ‘Muslim ban’ set to end ‘on day one’ of Biden presidency President-elect has pledged to immediately halt travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on more than a dozen nations.

(Al-Jazeera) On the first day of his presidency, president-elect Joe Biden intends to rescind Donald Trump’s travel bans on travellers from 13 countries, most either majority-Muslim or African nations. Shortly after taking office in 2017, Trump issued an executive order that banned […]

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 […]

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

(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

(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 […]

Crime

Joe Biden says Muslims would serve ‘at every level’ in his administration Speaking to Muslim-American advocacy group, Biden reiterates pledge to repeal Trump's 'Muslim ban' on day one of his presidency

(Middle East Eye) Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden vowed Muslim Americans would be included in every social and political aspect in his administration, and reiterated his pledge to repeal President Donald Trump’s “Muslim ban” on his first day in office. In a […]

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

(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 […]