Assalamu'alaykum John,

We close out this month with some progress amidst the setbacks. The health pandemic has waned in some areas, while rising in others. Statues memorializing racial injustice fell to the ground, as protests against continued injustice filled the streets. DACA and gay rights were upheld, as urgent calls to address humanitarian crises were raised. And we are only halfway through 2020.

The rest of the year is ahead of us - heavy in its challenges, but also ripe in its opportunities.

For many, quarantine has given us a chance to consider what is truly essential in our lives, and see beyond ourselves. For others, systemic racism was exacerbated and iniquities exposed, whether it was in the difficulties accessing health services, remote educational resources, or the very air George Floyd begged to breathe.

We learned - and continue to learn - how the systems of injustice against Blacks, Muslims, and other minorities stem from the same tainted roots of racism, and having gone largely unchecked, branched out and intertwined into the twisted system we see today that presumes that people of color need to be surveilled, searched, criminalized, controlled - or worse.

As we learn, we grow and develop the skills, tools, and unity we need to root out injustice.

In this issue of MLFA Monthly, we share progress in restoring a prisoner's rights, a challenge to the continued unjust separation of a client formerly on the No-Fly List and his family, and reflections on justice from a departing staff member while also welcoming a new addition to the team.

The work of justice is ongoing. God-willing, this year will be a chapter in our history where real progress will be made.

In faith and for justice,

The inmate contacted CLCMA in January after having applied and been rejected for the Kosher meal plan because, per the rejection letter, he did not properly establish why his religious beliefs required Kosher food.

He sought Kosher food as a compromise because the prison system does not currently offer Halal food. He thoughtfully explained that he was requesting the meals as a compromise, cited several verses of the Quran regarding the importance of eating and avoiding certain foods, and specifically pointed to Surah Maidah, verse 5 which is largely understood to permit Muslims to eat meat from "people of the book," including Jews.

This client is a devout follower of Islam and strives to follow the religion as closely as possible, even at great cost to himself. In the absence of food consistent with his beliefs, he subsisted on non-meat foods and things he was able to purchase from commissary, which led to severe weight loss for him. His hardships were further compounded during Ramadan when he was regularly served foods he could not eat, and served food at times he could not eat (i.e., after the Fajr prayer).

Now, USCIS is withholding the chance for his wife to relocate to the U.S. Last week, CLCMA filed a complaint seeking mandamus relief and alleging violations of the APA in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. This lawsuit challenges the government’s arbitrary and lengthy delay of the client’s immigrant visa petition, which he filed on behalf of his wife of six years. She is currently living abroad waiting to be able to immigrate to the United States, with the couple’s two young U.S. citizen children.

This month, we bid farewell to Shari Crittendon, Senior Corporate Counsel and Director of Outreach and Compliance at CLCMA. She served as head of the Nonprofit Practice Group after successfully piloting the program in 2016. Prior to joining CLCMA, Shari served as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary to the Corporation for the United Negro College Fund, Inc. (UNCF), the nation’s largest higher education minority education assistance organization. The hallmark of her tenure was providing legal advice and counsel to the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholars $1.6 billion dollar grant. Shari also served as UNCF’s top lobbyist on Capitol Hill and with the Bush and Obama administrations, helping to secure $2.6 Billion for minority serving institutions.

Shari's experience managing governance, risk and compliance as well as other legal issues for charitable, community and faith-based nonprofits across the nation has proven invaluable to the American Muslim community. Hundreds of Imams, board members, and community leaders benefited from her vast experience and practical advice, and she was instrumental in laying the foundation for the continued success of our most valuable institutions.

Shari will serve as General Counsel at Kansas State University in the fall. We wish her the best of success as she continues the work of justice in her new capacity. We have been honored to have her on our team.

Her parting words to us, that we pass on to you, are: "Stay in the fight. You make a difference."

We also welcome Rafa Sattar as a summer intern at MLFA. Ms. Sattar recently graduated as the Salutatorian of her class from the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, CUNY with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. She has previously interned at Weitz and Luxenberg PC, as well as the New York City Civil Court. She hopes to pursue a career in human rights law and immigration law.

"Interning for the Muslim Legal Fund of America provides me with invaluable exposure in interacting with vulnerable members of the Muslim-American community and best representing their respective interests. I am humbled by the legal triumphs and dedication of the MLFA team, and am excited to play a role in redefining Muslim-American narratives through MLFA's nuanced, empathetic vision."

Welcome to the team, Rafa!