CAIR-Chicago

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ACTION ALERT: Know Your Rights when Traveling & Register your Upcoming Trips with TAP

ACTION ALERT: Know Your Rights when Traveling & Register your Upcoming Trips with TAP

(Chicago, IL, 1/6/2020) – The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) expresses deep concern over the dozens of Iranian-Americans, this past weekend, who were stopped at length and questioned at the Peace Arch Border Crossing in Blaine, Washington.

We strongly encourage our communities to take precautions when traveling and entering the U.S. 

CAIR-Chicago operates a 24/7 online portal at www.tapus.org. Please register any upcoming international travel so our team of volunteer attorneys can monitor your flight. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please email CAIR-Chicago Deputy Director Sufyan Sohel at ssohel@cair.com. If you or a loved one is stopped, detained, or denied entry at O’Hare International Airport, please call our emergency hotline at 1 872-333-2737. 

We also highly recommend that you review your rights. Please see the links to guides below:

SEE: CAIR-Chicago’s Foldable Know-Your-Rights Pocket Guide

SEE: "Know Your Rights" materials online in English, Arabic, Somali, Urdu, Farsi, Bengali, and Bosnian.

SEE: ACLU “Know Your Rights” online guide

“We are wary of creeping prejudice consistently validated by the current administration. Whatever the political backdrop, it is wrong to target travelers merely for their religion, race or national origin. The number of intakes regarding alleged travel discrimination has been steadily increasing, but we’re working in every way we can to secure the rights of traveling Muslim-Americans everywhere,” Sohel said.

Please remember:  If you or a loved one is approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Patrol:

  1. Do not permit agents to enter your office or home or search your property without a warrant signed by a judge

  2. Do not lie or provide false info – lying to a law enforcement officer is a federal crime

  3. Demand to have a lawyer present when speaking to agents or any law enforcement

  4. Document the interaction (Name of officer, badge number, department, note questions asked)

CAIR-Chicago is the Chicago Chapter of America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Our mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance.

CONTACT: CONTACT: CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.comCAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Saadia Pervaiz, 312-212-1520, spervaiz@cair.comCAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Hannah Faris, 312-212-1520, hfaris@cair.com