Marking ten years since Guantanamo Bay’s opening, The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has released a report called, “Guantanamo by the Numbers”, describing the cost of running the camp and the treatment of detainees.

On Thursday December 15th, 2011 – the 220th anniversary of the signing of the Bill of Rights into law – CAIR-Chicago’s deputy director Sufyan Sohel, along with members of the interfaith community, spoke at a rally in Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago to oppose new provisions introduced as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.

“It’s something that we must take very seriously,” said CAIR-Chicago executive director Ahmed M. Rehab. “CAIR-Chicago is very disturbed by this news. The Muslim community is disturbed. People of conscience are disturbed. We’ve called police to investigate it, and to prosecute it as a hate crime, because that’s what it is.”

On Thursday, December 8, civil rights and interfaith leaders held a press conference at the CAIR-Chicago office to condemn the controversial new provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 1867) which passed in the Senate last week. SEE PHOTOS

Contact your Senators and demand the removal of provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act which will allow the indefinite detainment of American citizens without charging them for any crime or giving them a fair trial.

Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago executive director commended the TSA for Egan’s firing. “We made it clear that Egan’s discourse was as much an embarrassment to the agency and the values it stands for, as it was an affront against Muslims and other minorities,” Rehab said in a statement.

CAIR-Chicago commends the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for taking decisive action against an employee who publically spewed racist and bigoted rants against Muslims, African Americans, Latinos, and Homosexuals. Roy Egan had worked at O’Hare airport for nine years where he checked passenger baggage.

Staff Attorney, Rabya Khan, of CAIR-Chicago was back in Grand Island, Nebraska again last week continuing depositions on the JBS Swift Case. CAIR-Chicago is representing about 50 plaintiff intervenors in an U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) discrimination lawsuit filed against JBS Swift in 2010.

Khan will be traveling again next week to Minneapolis for defending our clients in their depositions.

CAIR-Chicago successfully resolved another citizenship delay case this month; Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham and Litigation Director Kevin Vodak had worked on the case for more than two years.

CAIR-Chicago filed a complaint in federal court yesterday against The American Bottling Company on behalf of a Muslim man who was unjustly fired from the company after requesting time off on Fridays for Islamic congregational prayers.

After more than a year of CAIR-Chicago raising the issue, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finally agreed to recognize “Arab” as a race. Just last week, the EEOC headquarters in Washington, D.C. issued an apology letter to CAIR-Chicago Litigation Director Kevin Vodak for the improper classifications and assured him that steps have been taken to prevent further problems.

Staff Attorney, Rabya Khan, of the Chicago Office of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) begins depositions with the JBS Swift Case over employment discrimination lawsuit filed by EEOC in 2010.

The Chicago Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) recently filed two complaints on behalf of Middle-Eastern men who alleged the USCIS has unlawfully delayed the processing of their citizenship applications.

CAIR-Chicago Litigation Director Kevin Vodak presented the “Hate Crime and Bias Awareness” conference on September 15th, 2011 to discuss the ways in which law enforcement agencies can improve their procedures and techniques in addressing hate crimes.

CAIR-Chicago staff members look back on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, share their stories, and explain how we as a nation can move forward after 10 years.

In the wake of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the Vocalo Overdrive team, Luis Perez and Shantell Jamison, asked Amina Sharif of the Council on American-Islamic Relations about the perception of Muslims in America. Check out what she had to say.

CAIR-Chicago intern, Becky Fogel, created this audio documentary for Vocalo and Chicago Public Media on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks to share perspectives on the media’s role in harboring Islamophobia. Becky interviewed civil rights activists in the Muslim community and had them share their thoughts on how public perception of Muslims has changed since 9/11.

Communications Intern Becky Fogel discusses the overblown reaction to a rally at the ICE hearing last week.

On Wednesday, August 17th 2011, CAIR-Chicago staff attorney, Rabya Khan, and communications intern, Becky Fogel, attended a public hearing held by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to discuss the Secure Communities program. The event ended in civil disobedience led by local youth and the arrest of six attendees.

Government Affairs Intern Clement Yu discusses the controversial Secure Communities program, enforced by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

Rabya Khan met with school officials to convey the importance of presenting balanced perspectives and not perpetuating stereotypes. CAIR-Chicago has requested that the school remove the worksheets, and not use them again or any similar worksheets. Rabya also provided a resource list of organizations that can conduct workshops on Islam, including CAIR-Chicago, and is compiling a list of educational resource companies with balanced materials on Islam and Muslims.

Communications Intern Noor Salahuddin discusses whether lawmakers around the world should have the right to decide what kind of religious dress, if any, should be allowed in public places.

CAIR-Chicago Intern Ian Peterson discusses racial profiling in the U.S. in the first of a series of video blogs on the issue. In his first video, Ian focuses on significant supreme court cases and government policies that have continued to erode the 14th amendment of the constitution which prohibits racial profiling in the U.S.

CAIR-Chicago Intern Ian Peterson discusses racial profiling in the U.S. in the first of a series of articles on the issue. In his first article, Ian focuses on significant supreme court cases and government policies that have continued to erode the 14th amendment of the constitution which prohibits racial profiling in the U.S.

Christina Abraham, civil rights director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, added that these actions would speed up the process of overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad and would “lessen the human and economic costs of our struggle”.

CAIR-Chicago Intern Noor Salahuddin discusses the humanitarian flotilla to Gaza that was prevented from delivering aid by Greek authorities at an Athens port. Noor dispels false claims made by Israeli officials in their attempts to delegitimize the humanitarian mission.

“Since the beginning of the peaceful demonstrations in Syria on March 15 this year, 1350 civilians have been killed. An estimated 15000 civilians have been detained, tortured or have disappeared and more than 12000 refugees have fled the country,” Christina Abraham, Civil Rights director at CAIR-Chicago, told the media in Johannesburg today.

“We’re living in a world now where there is no room for totalitarianism, dictatorships and oppression,” said Christina Abraham, civil rights director for the Council of American-Islamic Relations in Chicago. “When we see these movements happening, we need to support them. We don’t give leeway to governments that violate human rights, like the Assad government is doing right now.”

Yaser Tabbara may live half a world away from Syria, where he grew up. But as the uprising there continues, the Chicago lawyer has mounted a one-man legal and diplomatic assault against the Syrian regime to highlight the brutality of its response and help depose President Bashar al-Assad.

This Sunday join thousands in downtown Chicago to rally in support of the Syrian people’s struggle for democracy and freedom.

Since demonstrations in Syria began in March, it is estimated that nearly 1,500 people have been killed, 2,000 wounded, 20,000 imprisoned, and close to 1,000 forced disappearances.

CAIR-Chicago Communications Intern Noor Salahuddin discusses new Georgia ID laws and the impact on undocumented immigrants.

Civil rights law clerk Tarek Khalil analyzes and critiques Herman Cain’s “Muslim loyalty oath”.

Noor Salahuddin discusses immigration issues in CAIR-Chicago’s Immigration Vlog. In this session Noor dispels common U.S. immigration myths.

An argument among neighbors, involving 20 people, in Orland Hills on Saturday night ended in the arrest of a 46-year-old mother and her teenage son. “She contacted us and told us her side of the story,” Said Law Clerk Eyad Tabahi. “It’s in the preliminary stages of investigation. We’re looking into the matter to see what the proper course of action should be.”

CAIR Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak discusses new FBI guidelines, and what you can do to work with your local law enforcement to make sure your civil liberties are being protected.

For our Civil Rights Vlog this week, Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham discusses the significance of the newly extended PATRIOT Act.

On May 27th, 2011, President Obama signed the renewal of the USA PATRIOT Act. The purpose of the bill was to enhance domestic security against terrorism in response to the September 11th attacks, but it has gone far beyond its preventative purpose and encroached on our constitutional rights.

The lawsuit naming DuPage County for its refusal to allow an Islamic prayer center just east of Naperville is moving ahead after attempts to settle the issue apparently fell short.

A 21-year-old recent college graduate discusses their experience as an undocumented immigrant, and the implications of the DREAM Act for them and their family.

The panel sought to engage community members in a discussion regarding the problems some Americans have in adjusting to and interacting with new immigrant populations.

The passing of the Illinois DREAM Act not only shows that Illinois is an immigrant friendly state, but also that the political power of immigrants in this country is growing stronger. The state of Illinois holds the honor of being the first state in the nation to opt out of the “Secure Communities” program and is the first state in the nation to actually implement a version of the DREAM Act.

CAIR-Chicago would like to congratulate all those who worked tirelessly to get the DREAM Act (SB2185) passed. The bill will go to Gov. Quinn’s desk to be signed, which he has promised to do.

“Far from a victory in the fight for women’s rights, France’s ban of the burqa, the head-to-toe covering worn by some Muslim women, is a red herring, a deflection, and a blow for free societies everywhere,” writes Christina Abraham, CAIR-Chicago’s Civil Rights Director.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham speaks on the There Is No Spoon podcast as a panel member discussing the PATRIOT Act.

CAIR-Chicago is pleased to announce the decision by District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer this week to deny DuPage County’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed against the county on behalf of the Irshad Learning Center, a Naperville mosque.

CAIR, which advocates for religious freedom and civil liberties in the Muslim community, also maintains that Irshad officials tried to pursue remedies for the permit refusal through normal administrative channels before filing the federal suit.

Kevin Vodak, the attorney arguing the case for CAIR and Irshad, was pleased overall with the ruling.

CAIR-Chicago, which said the center would serve about 30 families, “will continue to pursue the Center’s right to use the facility they own to accommodate the needs of the community,” said Kevin Vodak, CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney.

“She’s asking for unpaid leave that means they didn’t have to pay her for the three weeks that she was going to be out and she gave them three months for which to prepare,” argues CAIR-Chicago attorney Christina Abraham.

CAIR-Chicago denounced a vote by the DuPage County board to reject a requested height variance that would have allowed the construction of a minaret and dome at a proposed mosque on 91st Street in unincorporated Willowbrook. A decision on whether to allow the construction of the Muslim Educational Cultural Center of America (MECCA) has still not been made.

CAIR-Chicago participated in an interfaith press conference held on behalf of the Muslim Education and Cultural Center of America (MECCA), the third mosque denied a permit in DuPage County in the past year.

“How many mosques constitute an oversaturation in unincorporated DuPage County, according to the Zoning Board of Appeals?” asked Ahmed Rehab, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, at a news conference. “The answer would be one. One would be one too many apparently, and that’s very disconcerting to us.”

The AAUW put together the conference at DePaul University in order to achieve more knowledge on the role of women in Islam. The presentation, which drew around thirty audience members, allowed Abraham to bring up present day issues and misconceptions regarding Muslim women.

“Islamophobia is the last form of racism that is tolerated in mainstream America,” said Amina Sharif, CAIR-Chicago’s Communications Coordinator. “You won’t see Fox News go out of its way to defend anti-black or anti-Semitic comments but they went out of their way to defend an Islamophobic statement.”

Amina Sharif, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said she is concerned that officials are trying to limit religious institutions. In April, the group filed a lawsuit against the county alleging discrimination in rejecting a zoning proposal for an Islamic education center and place of worship near Naperville.

Call the DuPage Country Board and show your support for: the Islamic Center of the Western Suburbs (ICSW), the Muslim Education and Cultural Center of America (MECCA), and the Irshad Learning Center (ILC).

Make your voice heard and make a difference!

“There is a large and growing number of Muslim families who live, work, and pay taxes in DuPage County yet are being denied the same right as their neighbors to establish institutions to accommodate their religious and community needs,” said Ahmed Rehab.

The DuPage County Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-2 to reject the petition by the Muslim Educational Cultural Center of America (MECCA).

Last year, CAIR-Chicago filed a federal lawsuit against the county, alleging discrimination in the rejection of a zoning proposal for an Islamic educational center and place of worship near Naperville.

CAIR-Chicago is advocating on behalf of Jacqueline Pasha, a Muslim woman who was not allowed to ride a Greyhound bus because of her face veil, or niqab. CAIR-Chicago’s Communications Coordinator discusses the case with NBC’s Natalie Martinez.

The Chicago Chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) filed two complaints in Circuit Court on behalf of Mahmoud Yaqub, his wife, and two children. The Cook County Forest Preserve is being sued for religious discrimination because Yaqub and his family were denied admission to a swimming facility.

CAIR-Chicago filed two complaints in circuit court today against the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. The complaints were filed on behalf of a Muslim family that was barred from entering a children’s water park last year because of their clothing.

Complaints of discrimination were filed by a Muslim family against the Cook County Forest Preserve. The complaints claim that county employees at a public pool kicked a Muslim family out because of what they were wearing.

The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed two complaints Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court claiming employees at a public pool discriminated against a Muslim family from Lyons based on their attire.

Two lawsuits were filed Wednesday on behalf of a Muslim family which was allegedly barred from entering a Cook County recreational pool last year because of their clothing.

Amina Sharif issued a statement today on behalf of CAIR-Chicago, condemning the FBI’s recent raids on the homes of local anti-war activists who have dedicated their lives towards peacefully organizing for justice at home and abroad.

Check out our Civil Rights Digest and see how CAIR-Chicago works to help people in the Muslim community.

“Here in DuPage county officials seem to be more focused on the types of land that’s available in residential areas and want to appease residents’ concerns rather than the rights of religious institutions,” said Kevin Vodak, attorney for the Chicago chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations.

CAIR-Chicago filed a discrimination lawsuit in federal court on behalf of 49 Muslims of Somali heritage who were fired from Swift Co, a meat packing plant in Nebraska. The lawsuit intervenes in a class action filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in August.

In light of the growing concerns about the invasiveness of the new enhanced pat-down procedure, CAIR-Chicago offers recommendations to Muslim travelers.

Ahmed Rehab talks to Red Eye Radio’s Marc Germain about a Muslim woman who was denied service at a convenience store because she refused to remove her hijab.

Check out our Civil Rights Digest and see how CAIR-Chicago works to help people in the Muslim community.

CAIR-Chicago’s complaint alleges the Irshad Learning Center’s First and 14th Amendment rights were violated when county officials refused to grant a special use permit to open an Islamic worship site and school.

Kevin Vodak, the attorney representing Irshad through the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the judge hopes to issue her ruling within the next couple of weeks.

Check out our Civil Rights Digest and see how CAIR-Chicago works to help people in the Muslim community.

“Alsherbini claims that the targeting practice began after Jan. 2009 when Randy Keller became mayor of the village. On Aug. 27, 2009, under the orders of Keller, Alsherbini was served with a notice to appear for proceedings to revoke his business license, according to the suit.”

Christina Abraham discusses the lawsuit CAIR-Chicago filed for businessman Ala Alsherbini, against the village of Worth.

CAIR-Chicago filed a discrimination complaint in federal court against the Southwest Suburban Village of Worth on behalf of Ala Alsherbini, a local Muslim business owner.

A Muslim family was wrongly denied access to an aquatic center in Lyons last summer when employees told them their clothing violated the facility’s rules, state officials said Friday. “This incident is a blatant example of anti-Muslim discrimination,” Christina Abraham, civil rights director for the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said in a statement. “Everyone is entitled to the equal enjoyment of public places.”

CAIR-Chicago received a favorable ruling today from the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) regarding a discrimination complaint filed against a Cook County recreational pool on behalf of a Muslim family.

Check out our Civil Rights Digest and see how CAIR-Chicago works to help people in the Muslim community.

CAIR-Chicago proudly congratulates Sufyan Sohel, a CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Law Clerk, on receiving recognition by the prestigious PSLawNet Pro Bono Publico Award. Sohel, a third year student at DePaul University College of Law, was nominated by DePaul and placed second in the national competition.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak discusses the absurdity of proposed legislation aimed at limiting citizenship rights.

On September 11th, CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham spoke to first year Law School students at Kent Law School about the divisive rhetoric surrounding Muslims in America. She was joined by esteemed Northwestern law professor Joseph Marguilez.

CAIR-Chicago attended a protest outside FBI headquarters where Executive Director Ahmed Rehab spoke out against intimidation tactics used by the government against anti-war activists. Rehab also talked to CBS and the Chicago Tribune about the need to speak out against such tactics.

“Muslims are kind of the new kids on the block in DuPage and they are going to face the highest burden in having to go to commercial areas, buy more expensive land, create larger developments and be completely away from their neighbors,” Vodak said.

“Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said Monday that the investigation into Abudayyeh’s organization was ‘a waste of taxpayer dollars.’

‘Hatem is a longtime, respected leader in the community. It is unthinkable that he would have any connections to terrorism,’ Rehab said. ‘This is a new low. … This is an example of FBI overreach when it comes to activism or commentary on the (Middle East) conflict.’”

Join CAIR-Chicago at the FBI Headquarters to protest recent FBI raids of the homes of peaceful, anti-war activists.

CAIR-Chicago announced today that it is deeply concerned about the FBI’s recent raids on the homes of anti-war activists in the Midwest.

CAIR-Chicago is issuing the following statement in response to the raids.

DuPage County is on the verge of passing sweeping restrictive zoning and land use ordinances which will have an adverse impact on all religious institutions.

Here are some of the proposed changes and what you can do to challenge them.

Mustapha is the well-known leader at one of the nation’s most popular mosques and is a national figure in American Islam.

So considering his civic stature, it isn’t surprising Imam Mustapha was invited by FBI officials in Chicago to attend this summer’s Citizens’ Academy with about 25 other local notables.

CAIR-Chicago filed a discrimination complaint in federal court this week against the Illinois State Police (ISP) on behalf of Kifah Mustapha, a leading Muslim religious leader (Imam) based in Chicago. The ISP revoked his chaplaincy position citing a dubious Internet report attacking him. The report was written by Steven Emerson, an anti-Muslim blogger notorious for fighting against American Muslim civic participation. See media coverage of the lawsuit
HERE.

Ahmed Rehab says the position was revoked because of a false anti-Muslim blog attacking Kifah.

“There was nothing that would prevent him from fulfilling this role. Except for the fact that somebody out there wished to smear him and the ISP was either too lazy or incompetent to actually sift through the smears and figure out that they were smears. And instead decided to drop him to avoid any controversy. That’s unacceptable,” said Rehab.

“Constitutionally a person can only be held responsible for their own activities, their own conduct,” said CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham.
“And if Imam Kifah has never committed a crime – then what is he being denied for? That’s an answer we never received from the Illinois State Police.”

In December, community and religious groups hailed Mustapha’s appointment as a nod to the growing diversity among the agency’s nearly 2,000 officers. Since 2002, Mustapha has been an imam and director at the Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, one of the Chicago area’s oldest and largest mosques. He also served as a designated chaplain with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, helping to counsel Hurricane Katrina victims.

The lawsuit filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Chicago chapter alleges discrimination based on race, religion and national origin. The suit also says Mustapha was denied his First Amendment right to freedom of association, which bars the government from imposing guilt by association. It calls for Mustapha’s immediate reinstatement.

“Imam Kifah [Mustapha] is an upstanding citizen who has served this country and his community time and again,” Christina Abraham, civil rights director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Chicago, said in a release.

“It is time to put an end to the fear-mongering and anti-Muslim rhetoric that has senselessly engulfed our nation,” she said.

CAIR-Chicago filed a discrimination complaint in federal court today against the Illinois State Police (ISP) on behalf of Kifah Mustapha, a leading Muslim religious leader (Imam) based in Chicago. The ISP had previously hired Imam Kifah as the first and only Muslim chaplain for its workforce after the completion of a thorough background check. Shortly after news of Imam Kifah’s hiring, the ISP revoked its decision citing a dubious Internet report attacking Imam Kifah. The report was written and distributed by Steven Emerson, an anti-Muslim blogger notorious for fighting against American Muslim civic participation.

DuPage County zoning officials are proposing amendments to the Zoning Ordinance which would ban any new religious institutions in residential areas.
This proposal follows CAIR-Chicago’s lawsuit on behalf of Irshad Learning Center (ILC), which was denied a special use permit to conduct religious educational classes and worship services at a property previously owned by a private day care center.

The 18 DuPage County commissioners and office holders who were sued after they refused to support a Muslim learning center near Naperville are waiting to hear whether the complaint will have its day in court.

“Given the situation with ground zero (in New York), there’s a growing trend by various right-wing organizations to vilify Islamic organizations, and I don’t think we can take that away from what’s happening in DuPage County,” said Kevin Vodak, an attorney for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

CAIR-Chicago’s Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham moderated an event featuring a speech by Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office, at the American Islamic College.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham gave a lecture on the Patriot Act and other national security policies to students at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Abraham discussed how these laws have affected Muslims in America particularly regarding immigration, travel, and relations with law enforcement.

A measure that could streamline the process of establishing places of worship and other forms of assembly in unincorporated DuPage County is heading to the zoning panel that recently has taken up two zoning proposals from Islamic groups.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham will moderate an event featuring Robert D. Grant, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office. SAC Grant will be discussing the FBI’s role in an increasingly interconnected world.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak talks to the Naperville Sun about recent developments in the Irshad Learning Center’s lawsuit against Dupage County.

“It’s disappointing that things should come to this, that the Illinois State Police has succumbed to the defamatory rantings of bigoted individuals who, while in the name of protecting American values, do nothing more than undermine and degrade the very principles this country was founded upon,” said Abraham.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a discrimination claim with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Wednesday, the precursor to a lawsuit against Illinois State Police, after it rescinded its first appointment of a Muslim cleric as chaplain.

Kifah Mustapha, a well-known Chicago-area imam, was appointed chaplain in December. The Council on American-Islamic Relations is representing him and said Mustapha was told by a state police official his appointment was put on hold after criticism by the Investigative Project on Terrorism, a think-tank.

The Illinois State Police has revoked the appointment of the agency’s first Muslim chaplain, citing only information revealed during a background check. A national Muslim advocacy group Wednesday blamed the move on Islamophobia.

The Illinois State Police has revoked the appointment of a prominent cleric to become the department’s first Muslim chaplain.

Ahmed Rehab, CAIR’s executive director in Chicago, called it discrimination against Muslims, especially since Imam Kifah Mustapha hasn’t been formally accused of wrongdoing.

Ahmed Rehab, CAIR’s executive director in Chicago, called it discrimination against Muslims, especially since Mustapha hasn’t been formally accused of wrongdoing.

“The ISP is kowtowing to the run-of-the-mill fear-mongering that Islamophobes have devoted their careers in order to avoid a public relations controversy,” he said.

A Bridgeview imam will file a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the Illinois State Police, his lawyer said Wednesday, alleging that police force fired him based on misleading and anti-Islamic media reports.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham discusses recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on Khatib v. County of Orange. Abraham argues that the court of appeals decision violates free exercise rights.

“He is a man of great integrity…He’s looking to truly serve his country and his community. Muslims who serve every day in the Illinois State Police deserve a chaplain of their own faith,” said Ahmed Rehab, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

“Our concern is that the Illinois State Police is kowtowing to articles online published by notorious anti-Muslims who have been in the business of smearing Muslim activists leaders and Imams for the longest time,” said Rehab

“It is essentially guilt by association,” said Christina Abraham.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham gave a “Know Your Rights” presentation to members of the Islamic Society of the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago (ISNS).

“If you add up hate mail, hateful phone calls and e-mails, racial slurs being yelled at people and verbal or physical altercations, it’s dozens of incidents,” said Amina Sharif.

“Hate is a self-addressed envelope and so the person who bears this hate is the victim of his own hatred before I am. And I can only pray for that person to find peace and to rid himself of that hatred,” said Ahmed Rehab.

“the fight’s not over, and they will try to appeal the decision,” Amina Sharif, the nonprofit’s communications coordinator, said. “We are concerned that anti-Muslim sentiments expressed during the meeting may have wrongly influenced the decision,” she said. “That is something that concerns us, and that we may challenge.”

“We fear that the board may have acted on improper factors in rejecting the Irshad Learning Center’s permit, and we will continue to pursue this matter in hopes of achieving a just resolution,” said Kevin Vodak, attorney with the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which will be representing Irshad as it considers appealing the county’s ruling.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham, who attended the hearing with Amal Abusumayyah, said afterward, “We are hopeful that this sent a message to the public that sort of behavior will not be tolerated by a fair and just society.”

CAIR-Chicago announced today that it is pleased with the plea agreement reached yesterday between state prosecutors and Valerie Kenney, a suburban woman who faced hate crime charges after attacking a Muslim woman at a Tinley Park grocery store 2 days after the Fort Hood shooting.

An official with the Chicago-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, which became involved in the case, said the backlash against Muslim-Americans had spiked somewhat in the days immediately following the Fort Hood shooting but has subsided.

“We try to rally community support for (victims and their families) and to make sure the state’s attorney is pursuing the case with the utmost importance,” said spokeswoman Christina Abraham.

CAIR-Chicago announced today that it has filed a complaint in federal court against USF Holland and YRC Worldwide Inc. on behalf of an African-American Muslim former employee. The complaint alleges that the man, Reginal Exson, suffered discrimination and severe verbal abuse based on his race, religion and disability.

After a 4-year wait, a divorce, and two passed citizenship tests, a man was sworn in as a citizen of the United States.

The man, charged with criminal trespassing during the protest, was represented by CAIR-Chicago’s Christina Abraham.

CAIR-Chicago has recently resolved the cases of four Muslim men whose bids for citizenship faced long delays and complications.

A Muslim CTA employee contacted CAIR-Chicago for representation after being repeatedly passed up for promotion.

CAIR-Chicago recently settled a discrimination suit in favor of a Muslim woman fired for not attending an annual company event.

A Citibank security guard reportedly objected to a Muslim woman receiving service because it would encourage more of “them” to come into the bank. Throughout the process, which the Muslim customer described as “humiliating,” the guard allegedly made anti-Muslim remarks.

Two more CAIR-Chicago clients were recently sworn in as United States citizens after enduring years of difficulties and delays. With the assistance of the Civil Rights department, they received a response from the government and obtained their citizenship.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham and Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak presented on the state of civil rights in post 9-11 America at an event entitled “The War on Terror and the Rights of Muslims,” sponsored by the American Constitutional Society (ACS).

“Pulling a woman’s head scarf is clearly a hate crime and should therefore be investigated as such,” said Christina Abraham, the Chicago civil rights director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

“It is not the fact that the Univ. of Chicago invited a pro-Israel speaker that offended so many. Rather, it is Olmert’s criminality that offends. It is the disparity with which the university treated its affected students that offends. It is the way in which they assured us that all views would be given a platform, and yet blatantly repressed the point of view of one group of people, that offends. And for this they must, at the very least, apologize,” says Christina Abraham.

Christina Abraham talks to Al-Jazeera about the University of Chicago’s inappropriate invitation of war criminal and former Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham delivered a lecture at a DePaul University multiculturalism seminar. Abraham discussed the political climate in the United States against Arabs and Muslims post-911.

Listen to CAIR-Chicago’s Civil Rights Director, Christina Abraham, on the Matt and Perri Show. Abraham discuss the discrimination complaint filed this week against Columbia College on behalf of a Muslim Instructor who was unjustly fired.

CAIR-Chicago filed action in federal court this week against Columbia College on behalf of a Palestinian Muslim Instructor, Sue Smiley, who was unfairly fired after a student falsely reported that she made an anti-Semitic comment in class. Read all media coverage of the case here:

“‘Although we are always proud when one of our leaders is recognized for their commitment toward peace, it is important to remember that this award is being given to President Obama for the promise he displays, and not for his achievements thus far.’ — Christina Abraham, a director at the Chicago’s Council on American-Islamic Relations.”

The suit [filed by CAIR-Chicago] alleges Smiley was treated less favorably than similarly situated employees who were not Palestinian or Arab when accused of “false allegations of misconduct.”

“The unsubstantiated allegation against, and subsequent firing of, Sue Smiley reeks of racism,” said Kevin Vodak, an attorney for the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which filed the suit on Smiley’s behalf.

“According to the suit [filed by CAIR-Chicago], a teacher’s assistant and eight other students were present in class at the time and confirmed that Smiley never made the remark or any anti-Semitic statements. Despite no evidence, the college refused to conduct an investigation into the allegations and swiftly fired Smiley, the suit said. No witnesses were contacted or questioned.”

Also see related stories in the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times

“The three-count federal suit (filed by CAIR-Chicago) — which claims one count of national origin discrimination and two counts of race discrimination — seeks all wages and benefits she would have received, in addition to compensatory and punitive damages. It also seeks an order mandating Smiley be returned to her former position or receive pay in lieu of reinstatement.”

CAIR-Chicago is filing action in federal court today against Columbia College on behalf of a Palestinian Muslim Instructor who claims to have suffered wrongful termination after a student falsely reported that she made an anti-Semitic comment in class.

The plaintiff’s co-workers and superiors would call him “terrorist,” “sand ni***r” and “camel jockey.” An opinion issued yesterday by federal district court judge Dow notes the precedent set by CAIR-Chicago’s legal victory in Yasin v. Cook County. Dow writes, “There can be little question that, as a court in this district recently concluded, referring to a Muslim of Middle Eastern origin and Arab ancestry as a ‘terrorist’ or ‘bin Laden’ is ‘discriminatory, insulting and humiliating.’”

Naim Zaita is now a United States citizen after attempting to gain his citizenship for nearly 4 years. Zaita, a Palestinian, applied for citizenship in 2005, but was forced to endure delays and complications

A hookah lounge in Worth, Illinois, is still in business after unsubstantiated complaints against it were resolved by CAIR-Chicago. Civil Rights Director, Christina Abraham, reached a settlement last week allowing the Arab American owned lounge to remain open.

(CHICAGO, IL, 8/28/09) The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) today announced that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has determined that Somali Muslim employees at a meatpacking plant in Nebraska faced “unlawful harassment” because of their religion.

The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) announced today that it has filed a complaint in federal court on behalf of a Palestinian Muslim man who claims to have suffered discrimination and wrongful termination by his employer, U.S. Foodservice Inc.

President Barack Obama accomplished what he set out to do when he hosted Cambridge Sgt. James Crowley and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. at the White House for a beer and “a friendly, thoughtful conversation.”

It is hard to read the news on any given day without being reminded why affirmative action policies in government hiring and college admissions continue to be necessary and how they benefit society.

A Cook County correctional officer who claimed he was harassed by colleagues because of his Arab ancestry was awarded $200,000 in damages by a federal jury Friday.

The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) announced today a verdict in favor of an Arab-American correctional officer in a discrimination case CAIR-Chicago Staff attorney, Kevin Vodak, litigated against the Cook County Sheriff’s department pro-bono.

A Cook County correctional officer who claimed he was harassed by colleagues because of his Arab ancestry was awarded $200,000 in damages by a federal jury this past Friday.

A jury awarded $200,000 to a Cook County correctional officer who said he was the victim of racial harassment on the job.

A Cook County sheriff’s deputy of Palestinian ancestry who is suing superiors for failing to look into his complaints of racial harassment testified at the start of his trial that he endured dozens of incidents between December 2004 and March 2006.

CAIR-Chicago is representing Officer Abraham Yasin in an employment discrimination case. Yasin was harassed by fellow officers in incidents spanning over a year, and is seeking justice for the violation of his rights.

The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) today announced the filing of a complaint in federal court on behalf of a Muslim man of South Asian descent who alleges that he suffered harassment at his workplace, culminating in an unjustified termination from his position.

The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) filed a complaint in federal court today on behalf of a Muslim woman who claims to have suffered harassment at her workplace where she served as a personal banker.

On June 6, 2009, the Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights hosted a forum entitled The State of Surveillance in the Surveillance State: Chicago and the Nation.

Event: Panel on Chicago Area Surveillance Issues, June 6, 2009

Today the Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights (CCDBR) is hosting The State of Surveillance in the Surveillance State: Chicago and the Nation. The event will take place at Northwestern University School of Law from 1-4pm.

Bill Moffitt was the kind of attorney every lawyer and aspiring lawyer hopes to become. Talented and dynamic, quick on his feet and sharp-tongued. But it was his character and integrity that made him an inspiration to civil rights activists across the nation. Bill Moffitt will be remembered in the civil rights community as a talented and harrowing fighter.

CAIR-Chicago announced today that a District Court ruled for a corrections officer’s discrimination case against the Cook County Sheriff’s department to move to trial. U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve denied Cook County’s motion for summary judgment this week. (The court had also denied Cook County’s motion to dismiss the case in 2008.)

On Monday, April 27, the Coalition to Ground Torture Flights will hold a protest and news conference at the annual Boeing shareholder’s meeting to demand that the company respond to allegations that it is an active participant in so-called “torture flights.”

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham was recently appointed as a member of the Brussells Tribunal Advisory Board, an international hearing committee that addresses human rights issues.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak settled a case of employment discrimination on behalf of a man who believed he was terminated from his job because he is Muslim.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham attended a citizenship interview with a man who has been waiting five years for citizenship.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham represented a man in an appeal hearing for his application for citizenship before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

WHAT: Lessons from History: Japanese-American Internment and the War on Terror

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham spoke to a group of over 40 students at Kent Law School as part of a panel last Wednesday. At the event, titled “Human Rights in Gaza: What is Happening Now, and What Can Change for Tomorrow,” Abraham discussed Israel’s actions in Gaza within the context of international law.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham headed to the Philippines this January as a part of a delegation to the International Visitor’s Program (IVP) Conference in Cebu, Philippines. From January 2-13, Abraham presented on civil rights workshops based upon CAIR-Chicago’s work for victims of discrimination.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham spoke to a high school class about constitutional rights as a part of the Pegasus Players Acting Free program. The program seeks to teach high school students about various civil rights and civic issues, and then works with them to create plays surrounding those issues.

CAIR Chicago’s staff attorney, Kevin Vodak, led a “Know Your Rights” presentation at the Muslim Community Center (MCC) this Tuesday.

WHAT: Vigil to honor MLK and the innocent civilians and children killed in Gaza

The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is co-sponsoring two vigils today that will celebrate Martin Luther King’s fight for justice and human rights, and in the spirit of his work, call for peace in Palestine.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham is headed to the Philippines this January as a part of a delegation sponsored by the state department. The delegates were chosen for their respective expertise in methods for constructive civic engagement.

CAIR-Chicago attorneys Kevin Vodak and Rima Kapitan settled two employment discrimination cases last month involving Muslim women and their right to wear the traditional headscarf, also known as the hijab.

Feature 277 After 12 years living, studying, and working legally in the United States, Sheeraz Iqbal sought to trade in his Pakistani citizenship and swear allegiance to America for good.

Requests by Muslims to pray at work have led to clashes with employers who say they cannot accommodate the strictly scheduled prayers.

Mass firings at meatpacking plants in Colorado and Nebraska last month highlight growing conflicts over how to accommodate religion in the workplace.

The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations announced today that the Islamic Foundation mosque of Villa Park was vandalized Thursday for the fourth time in less than two months.

Central Nebraska has become the latest stage for an unfolding American drama. Tensions over Muslim workers’ request for prayer time erupted into worker walkouts, protests, counterprotests, a brief plant shutdown and employee firings at a meatpacking plant in Grand Island.

A group of the more than 120 Muslim employees fired last week at the Swift plant in Greeley met with an attorney representing the Council on American-Islamic RelationsWednesday, hoping that the advocacy group can help them find a resolution.

Rima Kapitan, with CAIR’s Chicago office, on Wednesday met with Muslim workers recently fired by JBS Swift. She said CAIR is coordinating with an attorney retained by about 60 of the fired workers.

An agreement between Muslim workers and a Nebraska meatpacking plant reached late Tuesday could be an outline for an accord in a similar dispute in Greeley, people involved in the discussions say.

But a major hurdle in any agreement over Muslim prayer times will be whether 103 workers who were fired for walking away from the JBS Swift & Co. slaughterhouse in Greeley are rehired, said Christina Abraham, civil-rights director at the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Chicago.

A volunteer attorney with the Council on American-Islamic Relations said Wednesday thatCAIR has been negotiating for a year with JBS Swift & Co. about break times for Muslim workers.

A civil-rights group holds little hope that a week-old dispute between Muslim workers and their bosses at a Greeley slaughterhouse will end quickly, based on the company’s recent response in a similar standoff in Nebraska.

A Muslim Family says a Chicago Public School teacher singled out their son as resembling a terrorist and says it hopes a federal civil rights hearing will end with the teacher’s dismissal.

A public school teacher in Chicago is in trouble and could lose her job after she mentioned the only Muslim student in her class in an anecdote about terrorists, according to local media.

The family of a 13-year-old Muslim student who claims that a former teacher singled him out as a “terrorist” during a 6th grade history class in the spring called for the woman’s firing after meeting with Chicago Public Schools officials and a federal mediator for several hours Thursday.

A Chicago public school student says his teacher used him as an example of a terrorist a class.
The child is an Arab-Muslim and says he was intimidated and isolated from classmates after the incident.

The 13-year-old student, Saleh Choudhary, said because of the April 6 incident, he has been intimidated and isolated by his peers, NBC5′s Anthony Ponce reported.

A Chicago teacher is under fire for singling out the only Muslim student in her class while talking about the Middle East. The teacher has now been reassigned to another school. However, the young boy’s family is demanding answers.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak represented a man at a status hearing for an employment discrimination complaint.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham filed an appeal with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) on behalf of a Muslim man who was denied public accommodation on the basis of his national origin and religion.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham represented a Muslim man who had applied for naturalization. The man first applied for citizenship in 2003. He subsequently passed his test and interview. CAIR-Chicago sent out inquiries to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on the man’s behalf.

Civil Rights Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak represented a Muslim man at a deposition regarding an employment discrimination case.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak represented a Muslim woman at her status hearing pertaining to her employment discrimination case. The woman worked for a school cafeteria for seven years. After a different company began contracting with the school to provide cafeteria services, the woman began experiencing discrimination.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham represented a man at his unemployment benefits hearing.

Unrest over a Muslim prayer issue and allegations of discrimination have drawn a visit to the state by regional members of a Muslim advocacy group.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham represented a man at his interview and exam for citizenship. The man passed the English and U.S. History test and will be approved pending his submission of additional requested documents.

CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham, and Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak attended the quarterly Community Roundtable held by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham represented a man at his naturalization application appeal hearing

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak represented a Muslim man at his status hearing regarding an employment discrimination case.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak attended a status hearing for a Muslim woman regarding her employment discrimination case

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak attended a status hearing for a Muslim man who suffered from discrimination at work.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham attended a status hearing for a Muslim woman who had been accused of shoplifting.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak represented a Muslim man at his status hearing regarding his employment discrimination case. The case will enter the discovery phase in the coming months.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak represented a Muslim man at a status hearing regarding his employment discrimination case.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham represented a Muslim man at an Infopass appointment with the Unites States Citizenship and Immigration Services regarding his citizenship delay case

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak filed a voluntary motion to dismiss a citizenship delay complaint. The man was naturalized mid July after first applying for citizenship in 2004

Civil Rights Law Clerk Mani Mostofi represented a Muslim man at a meeting with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. The purpose of the meeting was to share information with USCIS.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak represented a Muslim man at his status hearing for an employment discrimination complaint. In his complaint, the man alleges he had been a victim of discrimination based on his religion and national origin, and was retaliated against after having complained of the discrimination. CAIR-Chicago will continue to represent the man in his claims of employment discrimination.

CAIR-Chicago Law Clerk Mani Mostofi represented a Muslim man at his recent status hearing for an employment discrimination complaint. The parties have settled the case and the man has been reinstated to his position. Mostofi asked the court to dismiss the complaint as a result of the settlement.

Should a man be forced to shave his beard for work if it violates his religious beliefs?
Abal Zaidi, who is Muslim, refused to shave and now alleges that’s why he lost his job as a Kane County correctional officer in Geneva. Last week, he sued the Kane County Sheriff’s Department, where he worked from July to December 2006.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham represented a Muslim man at a status hearing for an employment discrimination complaint. CAIR-Chicago filed a complaint on behalf of the man alleging discrimination on the basis of his religion and national origin, as well as retaliation for complaining about the discrimination.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham represented a Muslim man at a deposition in regards to a complaint he filed for discrimination by the Chicago Police Department.