CAIR-NY: 232 Groups, 6 Elected Officials Demand Trump Administration Rescind ‘Muslim Ban 3.0’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(NEW YORK, NY, 9/27/17) — The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), a leading Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today issued a joint letter signed by 238 national and state immigration and civil human rights organizations, law offices, educational institutions, elected officials, and faith based groups* to President Trump and Acting DHS Secretary Elaine Duke demanding that the administration rescind its latest iteration of the unconstitutional and discriminatory “Muslim ban” executive order.

The joint statement is in response to President Trump’s Sunday signing of the executive order “Proclamation Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats.”

SEE: Presidential Proclamation Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats

In the joint letter, the coalition said:

“We, the undersigned community leaders, elected officials, and community-based, civil society, and civil rights organizations, hereby demand that you promptly rescind your Proclamation Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats ("EO-3"), your administration’s latest attempt to fulfill your campaign promise of an unconstitutional “Muslim Ban.”  This order, though more sophisticated than its predecessors, is just as transparently illegal.

“Despite the addition of two non-Muslim majority countries, the intent of the EO-3 is the same as its predecessor, to target the entry of Muslims to the United States. Additionally, we note that Chad, a majority-Muslim country, will also see its citizens restricted from entering the United States.  Moreover, the continued inclusion of countries like Somalia, which Acting Secretary Duke admitted “satisfies the information-sharing requirements” of EO-2, shows that this new order is based in bigotry, not necessity.

“As President Trump’s repeated public statements – both as a candidate and President – make clear, EO-3 is driven by nothing more than animus for Islam and those who practice it. This order is an unlawful abridgement of the First Amendment, denying Muslims the right to practice their faith.  Countless visa-holders and applicants are now being asked to choose between their very religion and the ability to enter our country.  Your administration’s pattern of anti-Muslim discrimination is unconstitutionally stigmatizing the very practice of Islam, further eroding our cherished commitment to the free exercise of religion.  Moreover, EO-3’s disparate impact on and discriminatory intent towards Muslims violates these individuals’ rights to equal protection of the laws, pursuant to the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

“In addition, EO-3 clearly violates the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, 8 U.S.C. § 1152.  In 1965, Congress responded to America’s disgraceful history of discriminatory immigration laws with a ban on actions that favor an immigrant’s ‘“race, sex, nationality, place of birth, or place of residence.”  More than a half century ago, Congress had the foresight to ban the very discrimination you seek to enact through EO-3, and we will never stop fighting to ensure that the rule of law is respected and that this ban is repealed.

“If you refuse to rescind this unlawful order, we commit to do all in our power to protect those communities being targeted by EO-3 and to support litigation to defeat this unconstitutional ban.  History will long remember, and we will not quickly forget, this singular assault on America’s commitment to freedom of religion.”

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.

END

* Letter co-signers include the following national and state civil, immigration and human rights organizations, law offices, educational institutions, elected officials, and faith based groups:

National Organizations

  • Alliance for Justice

  • American Muslims for Palestine

  • American Muslim Voice Foundation

  • Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles

  • Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)

  • Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)

  • CenterLink

  • Church World Service

  • Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

  • Defending Rights & Dissent

  • Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries

  • East Shore Unitarian Church

  • Emgage Action

  • Faith in Public Life

  • Fellowship of Reconciliation

  • Franciscan Action Network

  • Friends Committee on National Legislation

  • Gamaliel

  • GirlForward

  • Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights

  • Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA)

  • ICNA Council for Social Justice

  • Islam in Spanish

  • Japanese American Citizens League

  • Katon.Law

  • Kids at Risk Action

  • LatinoJustice PRLDEF

  • Mi Familia Vota

  • Muslim Alliance in North America

  • Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA)

  • Muslim Youth Network

  • National Association of Social Workers

  • National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)

  • National Religious Campaign Against Torture

  • National Center for Lesbian Rights

  • National Center for Transgender Equality

  • National Immigrant Justice Center

  • National Immigration Law Center

  • National LGBTQ Task Force

  • National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC)

  • OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates

  • Public Good Law Center

  • September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows

  • Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

  • The Advocates for Human Rights

  • Tule Lake Committee

  • Veterans for Peace

  • Win Without War

  • World Savvy

  • Yemen Peace Project

State Organizations (states listed for identification purposes only)

  • A Good Word Da'wah Center (Texas)

  • ACIJ (Alabama)

  • Adhikaar (New York)

  • Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice (Alabama)

  • Aliento (Arizona)

  • Alliance of South Asians Taking Action (California)

  • Alliance San Diego (California)

  • Al-Mahmood Foundation (Minnesota)

  • Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago (Illinois)

  • Asian Law Alliance (California)

  • Asian American Studies Program

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (Minnesota)

  • Ask a Muslim (Ohio)

  • Associated Students of the University of Washington

  • Middle Eastern Student Commission (Washington)

  • Associated Students of the University of Washington

  • Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activists (Washington)

  • Arab Americans of Central Ohio (AACO) (Ohio)

  • Autism Society of Alabama (Alabama)

  • Bend the Arc: Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania)

  • Birmingham Islamic Society (Alabama)

  • By The Rivers: A Multi-Faith Life Cycle and Learning Center (Minnesota)

  • CAIR

  • CAIR-Alabama (Alabama)

  • CAIR-Arizona (Arizona)

  • CAIR-Cincinnati (Ohio)

  • CAIR-Cleveland and Northern Ohio (Ohio)

  • CAIR-Columbus (Ohio)

  • CAIR-Colorado (Colorado)

  • CAIR-LA (California)

  • CAIR-Iowa (Iowa)

  • CAIR-Kentucky (Kentucky)

  • CAIR-New York (New York)

  • CAIR-Oregon (Oregon)

  • CAIR-Texas, Houston (Texas)

  • CAIR-Texas, San Antonio (Texas)

  • Chair, Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota (Minnesota)

  • Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights (Illinois)

  • Church of the Good Shepherd, United Church of Christ (Michigan)

  • Cleveland Peace Action (Ohio)

  • Committee on Refugees, United Nations Association USA-Dallas Chapter (Texas)

  • Community Alliance of Oklahoma (Oklahoma)

  • Congregation Beth Elohim (New York)

  • Democratic Socialists of America – Birmingham (Alabama)

  • Densho (Washington)

  • Department of Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies, University of Minnesota

  • Dolores Street Community Services (California)

  • Dream Act Oklahoma (Oklahoma)

  • El Centro de la Raza (Washington)

  • Exposed Brick Theatre (Minnesota)

  • Faith Action Network (Washington)

  • Faith Forward Dallas (Texas)

  • Faith in Action Alabama (Alabama)

  • Faith in the Valley (California)

  • Fellowship Congregational UCC Church (Oklahoma)

  • Florin Japanese American Citizens League-Sacramento Valley (California)

  • Gamaliel of Illinois (Illinois)

  • Georgia State Law Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild (Georgia)

  • Global Shapers Minneapolis (Minnesota)

  • Gonzaga University (Washington)

  • Greater Birmingham Ministries (Alabama)

  • Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network (Ohio)

  • Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition (New York)

  • Heartfelt Tidbits, Inc. (Ohio)

  • Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (Alabama)

  • Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (Illinois)

  • Impact Hub Boston (Massachusetts)

  • Impact Hub Houston (Texas)

  • Indivisible Eastside Washington State (Washington)

  • In Solidarity (Texas)

  • Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center (Ohio)

  • Interfaith Action for Human Rights (D.C., MD, VA Region)

  • Interfaith Council of Alameda County (California)

  • InterIm CDA (Washington)

  • ISAIAH (Minnesota)

  • Islamic Center of Olympia (Washington)

  • Islamic Civic Association of Staten Island (New York)

  • Islamic Council of Oklahoma (Oklahoma)

  • Islamic Society of Akron and Kent (Ohio)

  • Islamic Speakers Bureau Alabama (Alabama)

  • Japanese American Citizens League Twin Cities Chapter (Minnesota)

  • Jewish Community Action (Minnesota)

  • Jewish Voice for Peace – Boston (Massachusetts)

  • Jewish Voice for Peace of Northern New Jersey (New Jersey)

  • Jewish Voice for Peace, University of Washington (Washington)

  • JFKU College of Law Clinical Program (California)

  • Kadima (Jewish) Reconstructionist Community, Seattle (Washington)

  • Kaleo Center for Faith, Justice & Social Transformation (Minnesota)

  • Kentucky SHARE (Kentucky)

  • Kids4Peace Seattle (Washington)

  • Kol HaNeshamah (Washington)

  • La Raza Student Comission of the University of Washington (Washington)

  • Lab/Shul NYC (New York)

  • Law Offices of Frederick L. Goss (California)

  • Law Office of Aliya Karmali (California)

  • Law Office of Paula Aiello (California)

  • Lawyers for America (Texas)

  • Lexington NAACP (Kentucky)

  • LULAC Ohio Education Foundation (Ohio)

  • MACE Islamic Center (Ohio)

  • MAIZ (California)

  • MAPS (Muslim Association of Puget Sound) (Washington)

  • MAPS-AMEN (American Muslim Empowerment Network)(Washington)

  • Media Alliance (California)

  • Michigan Coalition for Human Rights (Michigan)

  • Michigan United Washtenaw County (Michigan)

  • Middle Collegiate Church (New York)

  • Minidoka Pilgrimage Planning Committee (Washington)

  • Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) (Minnesota)

  • Minnesota Women's Consortium (Minnesota)

  • Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition (Maryland)

  • Mukilteo Indivisible (Washington)

  • Muslim American Society of New York (New York)

  • Muslim Association of Cleveland East (Ohio)

  • Muslim Community Association (California)

  • Muslim Community Network (New York)

  • Muslim Student Association at the University of Kentucky (Kentucky)

  • National Association of Social Workers - New York City Chapter (New York)

  • National Organization for Women- Houston Area (Texas)

  • National Organization for Women, Inc. – NOW Texas (Texas)

  • Neighbors in Faith (Washington)

  • New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (New Jersey)

  • New Jersey Citizen Action (New Jersey)

  • New Jersey Muslim Bar Association (New Jersey)

  • New York City Council Progressive Caucus (New York)

  • New York Day of Remembrance Committee (New York)

  • Northwest Washington Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (Washington)

  • Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (Washington)

  • Oakland Justice Coalition (California)Oakland Law Collaborative (California)

  • Oakland Privacy (California)

  • Ohio Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (Ohio)

  • Omar Ibn El-Khattab Mosque, Inc. (Ohio)

  • OneAmerica (Washington)

  • OutFront Minnesota (Minnesota)

  • Pacific Coast Baptist Association (California)

  • Protect Minnesota (Minnesota)

  • Project for Pride in Living (Minnesota)

  • Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA)(Washington)

  • Queens Coalition for Solidarity (New York)

  • Queer Student Commission of the University of Washington (Washington)

  • Refugee Services of Texas (Texas)

  • Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment (Minnesota)

  • Royal Lane Baptist Church (Texas)

  • Sacred Heart Community Service (California)

  • Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus (New York)

  • San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (California)

  • Seattle Indivisible (Washington)

  • Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network (SIREN) (California)

  • Showing Up for Racial Justice - Montgomery County, MD (Maryland)

  • Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)-Washtenaw (Michigan)

  • SnoCo Indivisible (Washington)

  • Somali Family Safety Task Force (Washington)

  • Somali Health Board (Washington)

  • Somali Student Association of the University of Washington (Washington)

  • SOMOS Mayfair (California)

  • Songtsen Gampo Buddhist Center of Cleveland (Ohio)

  • South Asian Fund for Education, Scholarship and Training (SAFEST) (New York)

  • St. Paul's Community Church UCC (Ohio)

  • Stavros Immigration APC (California)

  • Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights (Washington)

  • Tacoma Community House (Washington)

  • Tahoma Unitarian-Universalist Congregation Social Justice Committee (Washington)

  • The Interfaith Center of New York (New York)

  • The RIGS Initiative, University of Minnesota (Minnesota)

  • Therapists for Peace & Justice (California)

  • Turning Point for Women and Families (New York)

  • UAW Local 4121 (Washington)

  • UNITE HERE Local 30 (California)

  • United Food & Commercial Workers Local 21 (Washington)

  • United Taxi Workers of San Diego (UTWSD) (California)

  • University of Minnesota, Department of American Indian Studies (Minnesota)

  • University of Minnesota, Department of Chicano and Latino Studies (Minnesota)

  • University of Saint Thomas (Minnesota)

  • University Unitarian Church (Washington)

  • Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Chandler (Arizona)

  • Wallingford Indivisible (Washington)

  • Washington Defender Association's Immigration Project (Washington)

  • Washington State Religious Campaign Against Torture (Washington)

  • WESPAC Foundation (New York)

  • Westchester Coalition Against Islamophobia (New York)

  • What's Next (Washington)

  • Workers Defense Project (Texas)

  • Yemeni Alliance Committee (California)

  • Yemeni Student Association (California)

  • Zainab Organization (Washington) 

Elected Officials 

  • Kent City Councilmember Dennis Higgins (Washington)

  • New York City Council Member Helen Rosenthal (New York)

  • Office of Manhattan Borough President (New York)

  • Washington State House Representative Derek Stanford

  • Washington State House Representative Mia Gregerson

  • Washington State House Representative June Robinson

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