Government & Politics

NJ will celebrate its first ‘Muslim Heritage Month’ in 2024 New Jersey has the highest percent[age] of Muslim residents in the U.S. A resolution in their honor saw support from Democrats and Republicans.

(Patch) There is now a “Muslim Heritage Month” in the Garden State. Last weekend, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a joint resolution, SJR105/AJR194, which names the month of January as “Muslim Heritage Month” in New Jersey. The designation aims to “promote awareness and […]

Academics & Education

Va. board member brags about using taxpayers’ $3B for ‘Muslim power,’ pushing Palestinian agenda in schools Fairfax County school board member, Abrar Omeish, previously refused to vote on a motion that would commemorate Sept. 11 victims

(Fox) A controversial Fairfax, Virginia, school board member, Abrar Omeish, who previously refused to vote on a motion that would commemorate Sept. 11 victims, shared plans to use $3 billion available in the district’s budget for a Palestinian agenda before she was […]

Academics & Education

Controversial school board member endorsed curriculum that removes ‘Islamic terror’ from 9/11 history lessons School board member Abrar Omeish has previously been accused of 'cruel' and 'callous' rhetoric relating to 9/11

(Fox) A Fairfax, Virginia, school board member recommended curriculum materials for teachers to use for their lesson plans which opposed using terms such as “radical Islamic terror,” “Islamic terrorists” and “jihadists” when discussing the history of the Sept. 11 attacks. Abrar Omeish […]

Context

Rep. Ilhan Omar pressed on old comments: ‘Wasn’t aware’ there were ‘tropes about Jews and money’ Omar told CNN's Dana Bash that she's learned 'a lot' about antisemitic tropes

(Fox) Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said Sunday during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” that she “wasn’t aware” there were “tropes about Jews and money” in response to questions about previous antisemitic comments. CNN’s Dana Bash asked Omar what she […]

Government & Politics

Dems mobilize to defend Omar in face of GOP defections McCarthy plans to hold a House vote to remove her from the Foreign Affairs panel, but it’s unclear that he’ll have enough support in his conference.

(Politico) House Republicans are already facing defections over a leadership push to oust Rep. Ilhan Omar from her committees. Democrats plan to make the vote even more painful. The Minnesota Democrat and her caucus allies have begun to mount a robust defense […]

Immigration

Border Patrol nabbed 17 people on FBI terror watch list at southern border in December Customs and Border Protection's latest numbers mean that [there] have been 38 terror watch list encounters on the border since October

(Fox) Border Patrol agents stopped 17 people on the FBI’s terror watch list at the southern border in December, bringing the total of individuals arrested at the southern border to 38 already for the current fiscal year. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) […]

Academics & Education

Academic freedom vs. rights of Muslim students An instructor at Hamline U showed an image of Muhammad in an art history class. The president criticized the instructor for doing so. Another professor, who tried to explain the situation with an essay in the student paper, had his piece removed.

(Inside Higher Ed) This fall, an instructor at Hamline University, in Minnesota, was teaching global art history. For one class, the instructor (who has not been named) was discussing Islamic art and included for a brief period (under 10 minutes) a screen […]

Government & Politics

Biden renominates board member at anti-Israel group to Small Business Administration Senate Republicans blocked Dilawar Syed's nomination in 2021 over affiliation with anti-Israel group Emgage

(Free Beacon) The Biden administration will renominate a board member at an anti-Israel group to help lead the Small Business Administration, one year after the nominee was blocked by Republicans, according to the Wall Street Journal. Dilawar Syed served on the board […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Favourable view of Muslims in the US ticks up, even as Islamophobic incidents rise Number of Americans holding Islamophobic and antisemitic views has flatlined, and may actually be shrinking, even as hate crimes increase

(Middle East Eye) The number of US residents holding Islamophobic and antisemitic views has flatlined, and may actually be shrinking, even as hate crimes increase, according to a 2022 poll conducted by Brookings Institute. Favourable views of Muslims in the US have […]

Arts & Entertainment

Bill Maher roasts ‘insane’ liberals for not calling out Islamic extremism The HBO host blasted 'the people who are purporting to uphold liberalism' for staying quiet on the issue

(Fox) Bill Maher used his “Club Random” podcast on Monday to slam those who will not defend free speech, hammering fellow liberals as “insane” and “backwards” for failing to call out Islamic extremism. Maher had evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins as a guest, […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Ron DeSantis: Republican rising star alarms Muslim, Palestinian communities As the Florida governor positions himself for a possible presidential bid, activists and organisers say DeSantis reminds them of bigoted rhetoric birthed in US-led 'war on terror'

(Middle East Eye) In 2006, then-Navy officer Ron DeSantis was an appointed attorney supporting the US military’s mission at Guantanamo Bay. Not much is officially known about his months-long stint at the prison, which at its peak held nearly 800 Muslim men […]

Government & Politics

‘Just a matter of time’ before a terrorist gets through border and kills Americans, Lindsey Graham warns Senator tells Harris Faulkner the Biden admin has 'surrendered the border'

(Fox) Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., warned Friday that “it’s just a matter of time” before a terrorist comes into the United States through the southern border and kills Americans. Graham joined “Faulkner Focus” to discuss the national security risk facing Americans and […]

Government & Politics

Muslim Americans make historic gains in 2022 midterm elections 'When Muslims run for office today, in 2022 and beyond, ... it's rewarded by voters,' said Mohammed Missouri, executive director of Jetpac, a nonprofit that works to increase Muslim representation in US government and politics.

(Religion News) Nabeela Syed made history in this year’s midterms when she defeated a Republican incumbent in Illinois’ 51st District, making her the youngest member of the Illinois General Assembly and among the first Muslims elected to the state Legislature. “It is […]

Government & Politics

In run-up to midterms, Muslim groups, mosques push for voter engagement 'The local work is allowing us to expand voting rights so more people can vote for our candidates,' said Nada Al-Hanooti, executive director of Emgage’s Michigan chapter.

(Religion News) Community organizer Nada Al-Hanooti insists local city council politics hold just as much power as elections on the national and federal levels. As proof, she cites voter outreach efforts in southeast Michigan that in 2021 helped elect the city of […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

US may elect first Muslim senator. Why are few Muslims thrilled? Donald Trump-backed Mehmet Oz’s Senate bid fails to produce enthusiasm seen with previous Muslim firsts in US.

(Al-Jazeera) The United States may elect its highest-ranking Muslim official next week — a Donald Trump-backed Republican who has questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 elections. Mehmet Oz, a television personality and retired surgeon of Turkish descent, is running in Pennsylvania against […]

Government & Politics

Arab Americans flex their muscles at the US midterms ballot box Arabic voting ballots available in two Michigan cities as Arab Americans enjoy growing political power

(National-UAE) The upcoming US midterm elections serve as a reminder of how far the Arab American demographic has come in gaining political power and influence. In Dearborn, Michigan — the Detroit suburb long considered the heart of America’s Arab American community — […]

Government & Politics

Mehmet Oz faces backlash from Pennsylvania’s Armenian community over Turkish ties Would-be Republican senator's refusal to recognise genocide has made him persona non grata for many Armenian voters

(National-UAE) For many of the roughly 40,000 Armenian Americans living in Pennsylvania, the Senate race between Democratic candidate John Fetterman and Republican Mehmet Oz is personal and has become focused on a genocide that occurred during the First World War. Oz, a […]