Wa’el Alzayat

Government & Politics

Inside Biden’s broken relationship with Muslim and Arab American leaders Even as the president piles new pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza, those who have called most passionately for him to change course say it is too little, too late.

May 10, 2024 and   

(NY Times) Seven months into Israel’s war in Gaza, Muslim and Arab American leaders say their channels of communication with President Biden’s White House have largely broken down, leaving the administration without a politically valuable chorus of support for his significant shift […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Before Trump, a low-profile congressman named Ron DeSantis sought a ‘Muslim travel ban’ Muslim groups warn that Republican rhetoric and the party's policy agenda inflame an already fraught situation amid rising threats and violence against the community.

November 30, 2023   

(NBC) In 2017, President Donald Trump triggered national outrage for implementing a so-called Muslim travel ban, blocking U.S. admissions for travelers from predominantly Muslim countries. The move prompted widespread protests and legal challenges, and Joe Biden rescinded it in one of his first […]

Government & Politics

New details on Biden’s private apology to Muslim Americans for rhetoric on Palestinian civilians One meeting attendee 'respectfully challenged' the president over his tone.

November 29, 2023 and   

(ABC) As President Joe Biden tries to find a balance between supporting Israel and showing concern for the plight of Palestinian civilians, new details are emerging about how emotions spilled over during a private White House meeting last month between him, his […]

Government & Politics

Swing-state Muslim Americans threaten to vote against Biden Muslim Americans voted overwhelmingly for Biden. But community leaders in swing states tell NBC News that the president's handling of the war in Gaza risks losing their support.

October 31, 2023 and   

(NBC) As Israel’s U.S-backed war against Hamas intensifies and Palestinian civilian deaths mount, a growing number of swing-state Muslim American and Arab American leaders are warning President Joe Biden that he is losing support from their communities in ways that could cost […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

With no fanfare or acknowledgment, Biden hosts White House meeting with Muslim leaders 'The optics don’t look good,' an attendee said, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk freely about the discussion with Biden.

October 27, 2023   

(NBC) President Joe Biden quietly hosted a meeting Thursday for a handful of Muslim leaders, according to four sources familiar with the White House gathering, as he faces pressure from the Arab American community over what they contend is his comparative disregard […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

‘The man broke my heart’: Biden’s Arab-American boosters begin to leave his side These Arab-Americans were among Biden’s biggest fans. Now they’re warning they — and others — could abandon him in 2024.

October 23, 2023   

(Politico) Maysoon Zayid, a Palestinian American comedian, did everything she could to get Joe Biden elected in 2020. She starred in a comedy event boosting him. She spoke on a call organized by the Biden campaign featuring Arab women supporting him. Biden’s […]

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.

March 4, 2020   

(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

Sanders wins backing of top Muslim political group Wa'el Alzayat, CEO of Emgage Action, said Sanders is popular among Muslim voters because of his health care plan, criminal justice proposals and environmental policy.

February 20, 2020   

(Politico) Emgage PAC, which calls itself the biggest Muslim political action committee in the country, is throwing its weight behind Bernie Sanders. The organization, which has chapters and affiliates in 11 states, is the latest in a series of high-profile Muslim groups […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Top Muslim group calls for U.S. boycott of 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing The Chinese government’s 'ethnic genocide' against the Muslim Uighur population is disqualifying, according to Emgage.

November 26, 2019   

(HuffPost) Emgage, a group dedicated to increasing Muslim American involvement in politics, called on the U.S. Olympic National Committee to boycott the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing over the Chinese government’s mass detention and repression of Uighur Muslims. “The Olympic Games are […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Muslim candidates feel the effect of Trump attacks on Ilhan Omar Some Muslim Americans running for office in Virginia have seen a rise in death threats since the controversy.

May 26, 2019   

(HuffPost) President Donald Trump’s decision to vilify Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) has had real, harmful effects not just on the first-year congresswoman, but on Muslim candidates running for public office at the state and local levels as well. In March, Omar faced […]