Dear Friend - Assalaamu Alaikum,

I hope that you and your loved ones are enjoying a safe and rejuvenating summer. There is so much underway at Muslim Advocates so I wanted to take a moment to update you on some developments that we are particularly excited about:

Ending the Muslim Ban: The Muslim Ban lives on and Muslim Advocates is fighting in court to end its destructive legacy. That’s why we are suing the State Department so that potentially tens of thousands of people still separated from their families can have their arbitrarily rejected visa applications quickly reconsidered. In May, we attended an important court hearing in San Francisco alongside our allies and our fearless client Bamshad Aziz, who has been separated from his ailing parents. At the hearing, a federal judge called the State Department’s handling of the case a “theater of the absurd,” opening the door for a class action lawsuit to address the right of these Muslim families to gain lawful entry into the country. This is a consequential case for so many in our communities. Please stay tuned because we’ll be in touch soon with ways you can help!

Our Client Bamshad Azizi (center) along with Muslim Advocates’ Naomi Tsu and representatives from co-counsel Lotfi Legal, CAIR California, Iranian American Bar Association, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus, National Immigration Law Center and Perkins Coie

Nusrat Choudhury Confirmed as Federal Judge: Muslim Advocates is invested in creating a more diverse judiciary that is responsive to the needs of Muslims and other targeted communities. In June, the Senate finally voted to confirm Nusrat Jahan Choudhury to be a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, making her the first Muslim woman and first Bangladeshi-American to ever be confirmed to serve as a federal judge! Muslim Advocates worked to pressure senators and President Biden to support her historic nomination, spearheaded a letter from faith and civil rights groups in support of the nomination and advised the Senate Judiciary Committee on rejecting anti-Muslim tropes during her confirmation hearing.
Supporting Rep. Ilhan Omar: In May, Rep. Ilhan Omar invited Muslim Advocates to the U.S. Capitol to deliver remarks in support of the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, a bill she bravely introduced that would repeal the xenophobic Alien Enemies Act of 1798. This law is synonymous with the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II and former President Trump cited it as justification for the Muslim Ban and the targeting of innocent immigrants without due process.

Former Rep. Mike Honda, Susan Corke of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Omar Farah of Muslim Advocates, Raha Wala of the National Immigration Law Center and Elizabeth Yates of Human Rights First

Celebrating Eid-al-Adha with VP Harris: Last week, I was honored to represent Muslim Advocates at an Eid celebration at the home of Vice President Kamala Harris. The celebration was attended by members of the Biden administration, leaders of Muslim organizations, cultural influencers and several elected officials that together demonstrated the expanding power of organized Muslim communities.

Welcoming a New Team Member: Last month, we welcomed our newest team-member, Luna Al-Sadi, who is our new Senior Human Resources Manager. With a career spanning over 10 years, she is helping Muslim Advocates create a thriving and inclusive work environment. We’re thrilled to have Luna and excited for the contributions she’ll make to our Operations team and the organization as a whole.

As the Executive Director at Muslim Advocates, I am grateful for your continued support of our staff’s tireless litigation and advocacy work. Your commitment inspires and motivates us to persist in the pursuit of justice.

Muslim Advocates
PO Box 66408
Washington, DC 20035
United States

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