(Houston, Texas, 1/6/2020) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Houston Chapter, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, expresses deep concern over the dozens of Iranian-Americans, this past weekend, who were stopped at length and questioned at the Peace Arch Border Crossing in Blaine, Washington. We strongly encourage our communities to take precautions when traveling and entering the U.S.
CAIR-Houston operates a 24/7. If you are concerned about your upcoming international travel, email ed@cair-houston.com so our team of volunteer attorneys can monitor your flight.
If you have any questions or concerns, please emailCAIR-Houston Executive Director Lubabah Abdullah at labdullah@cair.com. If you or a loved one is stopped, detained, or denied entry at William Hobby or George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) Airports, please call our emergency hotline at 713-838-2247. We also highly recommend that you review your rights.
Please see the links to guides below:
SEE:”Know Your Rights” materials online in English, Arabic, Somali, Urdu, Farsi, Bengali, and Bosnian.
SEE: ACLU “Know Your Rights” online guide
“We are wary of creeping prejudice consistently validated by the current administration. Whatever the political backdrop, it is wrong to target travelers merely for their religion, race or national origin. The number of intakes regarding alleged travel discrimination has been steadily increasing, but we’re working in every way we can to secure the rights of traveling Muslim-Americans everywhere,” Abdullah said.
Please remember: If you or a loved one is approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Patrol:
- Do not permit agents to enter your office or home or search your property without a warrant signed by a judge
- Do not lie or provide false info – lying to a law enforcement officer is a federal crime
- Demand to have a lawyer present when speaking to agents or any law enforcement
- Document the interaction (Name of officer, badge number, department, note questions asked)
CAIR-Houston is the Greater Houston Chapter of America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization.
Our mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance. 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.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Houston Executive Director, Lubabah Abdullah, Esq.(713) 838-2247; labdullah@cair.com; Development and Outreach Coordinator, Ambreen Hernandez, 973-495-0976; ahernandez@cair.com
