CAIR-NY, Kaufman Lieb Lebowitz & Frick LLP Sue Orange County Officials for Forcibly Removing Hijab, Denying Religious Accommodations in Jail
(NEW YORK, NY, 4/24/2025) – The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), along with co-counsel Kaufman Lieb Lebowitz & Frick LLP, today announced the filing of a federal lawsuit on behalf of Tammi Green, a Muslim woman who was allegedly subjected to religious discrimination while in custody at the Orange County Jail.
READ THE COMPLAINT: Green v. Orange County, et al.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Green v. Orange County, et al. details egregious violations of Ms. Green’s constitutional rights.
According to the complaint, Orange County officers repeatedly stripped off Green’s hijab in the presence of male officers. In one incident, in retaliation for speaking out about poor conditions in the jail, officers ransacked Green’s cell and destroyed her hijabs, leaving her unable to pray for 22 days. On multiple occasions, Green’s tasbeeh (prayer beads) and other religious items were also destroyed or confiscated. In addition, Green was repeatedly denied access to religious meals. In one instance during Ramadan, Green went several days without any food due to officer mismanagement.
The client, Tammi Green, stated:
“Because the officers disposed of my hijabs, I was unable to pray for myself and my family, including my mother, who was dying from stage four cancer. I was so embarrassed to be exposed in front of men I should not have been. I was completely traumatized and had a crisis of faith because of what happened.”
“I’ve had to constantly defend my religion at the Orange County Jail. Regardless of incarceration status, I believe that all people deserve to be treated with respect and decency. I am filing this lawsuit to get justice for myself and to make sure this never happens to anyone else.”
Burhan Carroll, CAIR-NY Staff Attorney, said:
“Correctional officers are not above the law. The right of incarcerated people to practice their religion must be respected. Ms. Green struggled every day to observe her faith, because of officer retaliation and mismanagement. She was punished and humiliated for wearing a hijab. Sadly, this is a common occurrence across New York state. We will continue to challenge law enforcement – as many times as necessary – until they learn to leave the hijab alone.”
Washington, D.C., based CAIR offers an educational toolkit, called “A Correctional Institution’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices,” to help correctional officers and administrators gain a better understanding of Islam and Muslims.
SEE: A Correctional Institution’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices
CAIR-NY's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-NY es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT:
Burhan Carroll, CAIR-NY Staff Attorney, BCarroll@cair.com
CAIR-NY Communications Team, comms@ny.cair.com