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MARCH 2020

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Assalamu'alaykum John,

In the span of less than a month, the country as we knew it changed. The
world grew smaller, as the threat of coronavirus grew larger. We are all
called upon to battle a common enemy that knows no borders. The more
united we are, the better we are able to protect the most vulnerable
among us and overcome this challenging time sooner rather than later.

While we continue to fight the COVID-19 virus, we will also continue to
fight for civil rights, because while the virus does not discriminate,
people still do.

Although we are taking necessary precautions, including social
distancing and working from home, we cannot afford to miss a step in the
many ongoing legal battles we fund. Our beneficiaries are still holding
on to hope, as the world around them closes, because civil rights remain
open , and our fight
continues.

In this issue of MLFA Monthly, we celebrate a victory

for one of our beneficiaries, who received his citizenship just as
COVID-19 surfaced; commemorate the anniversary of Noor Salman's historic
win in an uphill
battle against government prosecutors; share updates
on a number of ongoing cases at the
Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America; provide a valuable
resource

for nonprofits in light of the crisis; and ask you to support

political prisoners this Ramadan.

In faith and for justice,

 

 

 

Community Resource

 

 

Actions Nonprofits Can Take in Response to COVID-19

**** As news of the coronavirus is startling, and the United States'
response appears stunted, nonprofits are reeling trying to manage the
impact of this unprecedented pandemic. As the virus continues to spread
across the country, the coronavirus is more than a public health crisis
but also an economic crisis as it threatens the sustainability of
nonprofits' staff and stakeholders, as well as the organizations
themselves.

Beyond hygiene and social distancing protocols, what practical steps can
nonprofit boards and leadership take to balance their mission of service
while surviving this new threat? Read more below:

ACTION STEPS FOR NONPROFITS

 

 

 

A Look Back

 

 

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United States of America v. Noor Salman
On March 30, 2018, Noor Salman walked out of a federal courthouse in
downtown Orlando a free woman after two nightmarish years in the
cross-hairs of federal prosecutors. Charged with aiding and abetting her
husband, Omar Mateen, in the horrific Pulse Nightclub massacre two
summers before, Noor found herself in a seemingly insurmountable
struggle for her innocence as she spent 15 months behind bars away from
her young son.

With a near perfect record in terror prosecutions, the government was
not expecting to lose.

That was before lawyers at the MLFA-funded
Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America stepped in.

When Noor and her loved ones approached Muslim Legal Fund of America and
Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America for help, there were a
lot of articles in the media in which the FBI were claiming "she
knew" about her husband's plans to shoot people in Orlando. However,
it didn't take long for attorneys at CLCMA to see that something was
not right with the FBI's claims. Thanks to the talented team of
attorneys, paralegals, investigators, and subject matter experts, the
truth came out.

After a three-week trial and 12 hours of deliberation, the jury returned
a
"Not Guilty" verdict, acquitting Noor of all charges against her.

In addition to winning Noor's freedom, the astute legal defense team
at CLCMA exposed misconduct of the FBI, prosecution, and Department of
Justice. These violations of Noor's rights include:

* Withholding exculpatory evidence favorable to Noor from her CLCMA
defense team, such as the cell tower data that proved Noor did not scout
the Pulse nightclub as her alleged confession claimed.

* Hiding the fact that the shooter's father was an FBI informant who
likely helped stop the FBI's earlier investigation into Omar Mateen.

* Relying on Islamophobic stereotypes in hopes of swaying the jury to
decide her fate based on prejudice instead of the evidence.

To say that this win was historic is an understatement.

What occurred in the courtroom in Orlando in the month of March 2018,
truly showed that justice could prevail with enough support and enough
resources to make sure the truth came out.

This legal victory is not the end.

Muslims are still being unfairly targeted and unjustly treated in
American courtrooms. Injustice happens in many forms, including
immigration denials, security status revocations, mosque building permit
denials and employment terminations -- all because of their Muslim
identity.

Our wish is that every defendant, Muslim or not, could have the same
level of representation that Noor Salman received in her Federal
criminal case. Thanks to the support of those at CLCMA, and from
generous contributions of both time and money from the Muslim community,
Noor was able to prevail and is free today and with her son. We could
not have done it without you.

 

 

Support Political Prisoners

 

 

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Every year, The Coalition for Civil Freedoms (CCF) has an annual Ramadan
Gift Program
in
which they send 240 inmates gifts of $100 to their commissary accounts.
These are political prisoners who were targeted in the domestic "war
on terror," criminally prosecuted, and incarcerated due to their
political views, beliefs, cultural identity, or activism/charity. While
the vast majority of these prisoners are Muslim, there are a handful of
non-Muslims who meet CCF's criteria and thus receive a gift either
during Ramadan or their preferred holiday.

For U.S. prisoners who are at enormous risk for contracting COVID-19 and
for whom medical treatment is often denied, the weeks ahead are an
intense time of fear of the untold disaster that might unfold once the
coronavirus spreads throughout the entire prison system.

While many of you are under "lockdown" today due to the coronavirus,
CCF asks that you kindly remember the victims of mass incarceration in
the U.S. for whom this term has been a cruel part of their everyday
lives.

SUPPORT CCF

 

 

Case Updates

 

 

USCIS Grants U.S. Citizenship After CLCMA Intervenes to Remove
Administrative Roadblocks

****Earlier this month, CLCMA client, Ahmad S., (seen here with CLCMA
attorney Kathryn Brady), became a naturalized citizen after he recently
took the oath of allegiance in a stunning group ceremony before a
federal judge. This great accomplishment was possible because of
Ahmad's own attentiveness to his application and CLCMA stepping in to
challenge USCIS's unjustified delays and roadblocks. As is often the
case for members of the Muslim community, his application was stuck in
the USCIS system's Controlled Application Review and Resolution
Program ("CARRP") because of "guilt by association."

Ahmad, who has no criminal record, was being subjected to additional
travel screening and an unexpected personal visit from immigration
officials who made it clear that they had the power to impact his
immigration applications. Wisely, he recognized the need for attorney
intervention to counteract the government's tactics.

READ MORE 

CLCMA Takes On the Watch List in Employment Cases

CLCMA is taking on the Watch List in the employment context as well as
travel, in relation to government-issued credentials that may be denied
or revoked based on determinations that the persons are a security
threat, resulting in either the loss of jobs or the inability to accept
contingent job offers. Lassana Magassa and Mohamed Al-Seraji are two
such clients. Click the link below for the latest updates on their
ongoing cases.

STATUS UPDATES

CLCMA Files Notice of Appeal Challenging Denial of Lawful Permanent
Residence

**** Mohammad K. came to the U.S. just over 20 years ago from
Afghanistan. He fled from his home country because the Taliban was
targeting him for his membership in the Northern Alliance. He first
sought refuge in Germany, but those same political rivals threatened him
there too, and he was still not safe. Fortunately, he was able to make
his way to the U.S. and seek protection here by filing an asylum case.

It was when he tried to go through the appropriate procedures to become
a lawful permanent resident that he experienced difficulties and delays
not encountered when granted asylum. Twenty years later, and he's still
fighting for his right to call America home.

 CONTINUE READING

 

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Earlier this year, we launched the Sustainers for Justice Monthly Giving
Community..

Growing this sustainable fund is more important now than ever.

Please consider joining for any amount you can donate monthly to support
MLFA.

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Muslim Legal Fund of America
833 E Arapaho Rd
Suite 209
Richardson, Texas 75081
United States

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