• BREAKING: CAIR-WA Assisting Iranian-Americans Detained at U.S. Border
  
  The Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA) is assisting more than 60 Iranians and Iranian-Americans of all ages who were detained at length and questioned at the Peace Arch Border Crossing in Blaine, Wash. . .
  
  Other Iranian-Americans are about to cross the Peace Arch Border as they return back to their homes in the United States from an Iranian pop concert that was taking place on Saturday in Vancouver, Canada.
  
  Those detained reported that their passports were confiscated and they were questioned about their political views and allegiances. CBP officials contacted at the Blaine Port of Entry provided no comment or reasons for the detentions.
  
  [NOTE: CAIR published "Know Your Rights" materials online in English, Arabic, Somali, Urdu, Farsi, Bengali, and Bosnian. The multi-language civil rights materials may be printed out for personal use or for distribution at local events. GO TO: https://www.cair.com/KnowYourRights ]
  
  "These reports are extremely troubling and potentially constitute illegal detentions of United States citizens," said Masih Fouladi, executive director of CAIR-WA. "We are working to verify reports of a broad nationwide directive to detain Iranian-Americans at ports of entry so that we can provide community members with accurate travel guidance. We will continue to update the community and other civil rights organizations as we obtain more information."    
  
  
• CAIR-LA Welcomes Resignation of SLO County Planning Commissioner After Islamophobic, Racist Posts
  
  
  • CAIR-Ohio Demands Prosecution of Man Accused of Verbally Threatening Muslim Family in NE Side Incident
    
    
  • Video: CAIR-Oregon Rep Responds to Hate Attack on Muslim Woman
    
    
  • CAIR: Some Columbus Churches Arm Members To Protect Congregants
    
    The Muslim community also employs off-duty police officers, said Romin Iqbal, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Ohio.
    
    
  • Video: Oklahoma Muslims Tell Their Own Story with New Guide Book (CAIR-OK)
    
    

ACTION ALERT:

CAIR Backs Legislation to Stop President Trump's March to War on Iran

(WASHINGTON, DC - 1/5/2019) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed strong support for congressional efforts to bar the Trump Administration from taking further steps toward an illegal and unnecessary war on Iran.

On Jan. 3, the Trump administration launched a drone attack on an airport in Baghdad, killing Iranian general Qassem Suleimani and several members of an Iraqi militia. Since then, Iran has vowed to exact revenge upon the United States. The Trump administration has ordered several thousand American troops to deploy to the Middle East and President Trump has threatened to attack Iranian cultural sites, which would be a war crime under international law.

SEE: Trump Threatens to Destroy Iran's Culturally Significant Sites. That's Considered A War Crime.

In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:

"We join people of peace across our nation and around the world in opposition to another illegal, immoral war in the Middle East. We cannot allow thousands of Americans, Iranians and others to die because of President Trump's reckless military brinkmanship with the Iranian government.

"We do not feel any affinity for a man who committed war crimes against hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in Syria and elsewhere. At the same time, President Trump's decision to assassinate that man for dubious reasons violated both the Constitution and international law.

"We fully support legislative efforts to prevent the Trump administration from launching a full-scale war on Iran, including the bill introduced by Representative Khanna and Senator Sanders. 

"Every American who does not want thousands of people to die in another misguided endless war should loudly and clearly support this legislation in the halls of Congress and on the streets of our cities before it is too late."

CAIR is calling on all Americans to urge Congress to block funding for war with Iran by supporting and cosponsoring legislation introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).

TAKE ACTION: Block Funding for War with Iran 

Introduced on Friday, June 3, the legislation will "prohibit any funding for offensive military force in or against Iran without prior congressional authorization."

The measure was previously introduced as the bipartisan "Prohibition of Unauthorized Military Force in or Against Iran" amendment to this year's National Defense Authorization Act and had passed in the US. House by a 251-margin vote. However, the measure was stripped from the final version of the bill.

Last June, CAIR called on all Americans to urge Congress to stand firm against the Trump administration's ongoing march to an unnecessary and unconstitutional war with Iran.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

END

CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com