PRESS STATEMENT: Muslim Legal Fund of America & CAIR-Chicago Launch the American Muslim Legal Ecosystem (AMLE.us) in Illinois
First-Ever Community-Powered Legal Referral Platform Launched in Chicago
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(CHICAGO, IL, 1/13/2026) - Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA) the nation’s only Muslim organization focused on federal litigation and constitutional defense, and the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, are proud to announce the official launch of the American Muslim Legal Ecosystem (AMLE) — the first coordinated, community-powered legal referral and resource platform launched in Chicago to serve American Muslims in Illinois.
Debuting in Chicago, this groundbreaking initiative is made possible through support from The Tides Foundation, with plans for broader expansion in the future.
AMLE will be a digital hub designed to connect American Muslims with trusted, culturally competent legal professionals. The platform will:
Offer smart referrals to attorneys experienced in serving Muslim communities
Maintain a directory of Muslim legal professionals
Provide accessible legal education resources, such as know-your-rights guides, videos, and guides
By centralizing referrals and resources, AMLE ensures that legal support for American Muslims is no longer fragmented, but strategic, networked, and community-driven.
Muslim communities in Illinois and across the United States increasingly face workplace discrimination, civil rights violations, unjust surveillance, immigration and family law challenges, Islamophobia, and more.
Despite these growing needs, legal support remains siloed and difficult to navigate. AMLE responds directly to this gap by building a cooperative infrastructure that empowers both clients and legal advocates in Illinois and potentially other states in the future.
How to Join
Legal professionals in Illinois — including private attorneys, law firms, and nonprofit organizations, and community partners can join AMLE in minutes by creating an account at: amle.us/legal
Once you sign up, you can add your legal organization or law firm, share your areas of expertise (immigration, civil rights, family law, personal injury, etc.), upload and contribute educational content such as guides, PDFs, and videos, be recognized in our directory, with your website linked and resources credited.
Background
In October 2022, MLFA and CAIR-Chicago were awarded a $200,000 grant from Muslim Collaboration Prizes (sponsored by the Waraich Family Fund) to build AMLE. AMLE’s launch reflects the organizations’ shared mission to strengthen institutional collaboration, close service gaps, and increase access to justice for American Muslims.
About Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA)- mlfa.org/amle
MLFA is the nation’s only Muslim organization focused on federal litigation and constitutional defense. We envision an America where constitutional rights and liberties are not mere promises on paper but lived realities, upheld fiercely and equally for everyone, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or cultural heritage. At MLFA, we champion this vision and mission at the highest levels of our nation's legal system, relentlessly safeguarding and asserting the rights of American Muslims and their institutions. Our commitment is unyielding as we vigorously challenge injustice within constitutional and national security law at the federal level, empowering our communities to thrive with dignity, resilience, and equal protection under the law.
“AMLE builds the legal infrastructure our community urgently needs,” said Arshia Ali-Khan, CEO of MLFA. “By linking American Muslims to culturally aware and skilled attorneys, we’re making justice more accessible and collaborative.”
About CAIR-Chicago- cairchicago.org/amle
CAIR-Chicago engages in legal advocacy, education, and civil rights defense for the Muslim community in Chicago and beyond, leveraging a model of “professional Muslim activism.” CAIR-Chicago’s mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance.
“Too often, American Muslims don’t know where to turn for legal help,” said Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago. “AMLE changes that — it’s not just a directory, but a community ecosystem rooted in trust.”
CONTACT: Adnan Alhabian, AMLE Project Manager — aalhabian@cair.com / adnan.alhabian@mlfa.org / 773-807-1892 | Hafsa Haider, Communications Director, CAIR-Chicago — hhaider@cair.com / 561-317-7509 | Ruhama Berta, Marketing & Communications Manager, MLFA — mediarequests@mlfa.org
