MEDIA ADVISORY: CAIR-Chicago Files IDHR Charges on Behalf of Palestinian Students Alleging Discrimination by DePaul University
Photo by Communications Coordinator, Jordan Esparza-Kelley taken at DePaul University during the 2024 pro-Palestinian student encampments.
(CHICAGO, IL, 4/6/2026) – The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, will host a press conference in support of Palestinian students at DePaul University who have allegedly faced discriminatory repression based on their identity and anti-genocide advocacy.
WHAT: Press conference with Palestinian students announcing the filing of their IDHR complaints alleging discrimination by DePaul University
WHEN: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 — 3:30 PM CT
WHERE: DePaul University, 2250 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
LIVESTREAM: facebook.com/cairchicago
SPEAKERS:
Christina Abraham, CAIR-Chicago Litigation Lead
Abdulrahman Akhras, Palestinian student
U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-03)
Tesamy Abulaban, Palestinian student
Estrella Vazquez, District Director for State Rep. Lilian Jimenez
Rabbi Brant Rosen, Tzedek Chicago
Rev. Dr. Michael L. Pfleger, Senior Pastor at St. Sabina Church
While DePaul University publicly affirms its Vincentian commitment to “social justice,” “human dignity,” and “serving marginalized communities,” Palestinian students allege that these principles are not being applied equitably. In particular, students point to disciplinary action taken against the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter, which they report has been suspended through 2027.
Students further report being accused of “antisemitism” for expressing views and sharing information about the ongoing violence in Gaza—speech they maintain is protected political expression tied to their identity, lived experiences, and the impact on Palestinian families both abroad and within Chicago, home to one of the largest Palestinian diasporas in the country.
For these reasons, and what they describe as a broader hostile and discriminatory campus climate, Palestinian students at DePaul have filed discrimination complaints with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR). These filings mark a formal step in the civil rights process, seeking investigation and accountability for alleged discrimination based on identity and protected expression.
CAIR-Chicago’s mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance.
CONTACT: Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; Heena Musabji, Legal Director of CAIR-Chicago, 312-212-1520, hmusabji@cair.com; Hafsa Haider, Communications Director, CAIR-Chicago, 561-317-7509, hhaider@cair.com