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Panel Discussion on the Reported Abuses of Muslim Civil Rights
in America |
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On
January 3, 2003, KARAMAH joined The Journal of Law and Religion
in sponsoring a panel discussion on the overall status of
the civil rights of Muslims in the United States with emphasis
on the recent registration requirements announced by the Immigration
and Naturalization Service (INS) and the subsequent mass detentions
in Los Angeles.
Kareema Altomare, a Muslim American woman, gave first-hand
testimony of an FBI raid on the Graduate School of Islamic
and Social Sciences (GSISS), where she was employed at the
time. She brought to life the painful disruption caused to
the school, her community and her own life by the raid. Ms.
Altomare reported that GSISS was not subsequently charged
with any crime. The school, however, was left to cope with
damage to its infrastructure and decreased student enrollment
resulting from the negative publicity.
Ms. Altomare’s moving testimonial was followed by a
presentation by Meredith McEver, a clinical social worker
with the Creativity Center, who had counseled Muslim women
who were victims of recent law enforcement raids. Ms. McEver
explained that all the women in this group exhibited symptoms
of post-traumatic stress disorder and that many continue to
cope with severe trauma and depression.
These presentations were followed by legal analysis and commentary
by Dr. Azizah al-Hibri (KARAMAH), Joseph Onek, Director of
the Constitution Project’s Liberty and Security Initiative,
Elisa Massimino, Director of the Washington, DC office of
the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights and Eric Treene, Special
Counsel for Religious Discrimination at the Office of the
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.
Dr. Azizah al-Hibri and Joseph Onek emphasized the global
repercussions of an assault on the civil liberties of Muslims
in the United States.
Elisa Massimino discussed the latest mass detention of Muslims
in Los Angeles following the mandatory INS special registration
requirements.
Eric Treene discussed his office’s role in enforcing
laws that protect all people from religion-based discrimination
in areas such as education, housing, employment, public accommodations
and access to federal facilities.
The evening was concluded with questions from the audience.
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