CAIR-Texas, the largest Muslim civil rights organization in Texas and the state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), today called on officials and chaplains at Texas ICE facilities to ensure that Muslim detainees receive reasonable religious accommodations as Ramadan begins on or about February 18.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar and a sacred month of fasting for Muslims worldwide. Fasting, according to Islamic Sharia law, requires Muslims to abstain from food, drink, smoking, and sexual activity from dawn until sunset each day throughout the month. Ramadan is also a time for family and community bonding, self-discipline, spiritual reflection, and increased worship.

Texas currently holds approximately 18,600 individuals in ICE immigration detention facilities—the highest number of any U.S. state—with no statistics available regarding detainees’ religious affiliations. However, CAIR-Texas estimates, based on received cases and requests, that at least 5 percent of those detained in Texas are Muslims, many of whom are documented.

In a statement, Shaimaa Zayan, Operations Manager of CAIR-Austin, said: 

“As the month of Ramadan approaches, our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in ICE detention centers, as many have little to no access to Muslim chaplains. Muslim detainees during Ramadan need special meal schedules that allow them to eat right before dawn to begin fasting and again at sunset to break their fast. They also need access to copies of the Quran in their languages, religious texts for devotion, prayer beads, prayer mats and designated prayer spaces, and, in some cases, dietary and medication adjustments. In the absence of adequate knowledge of Islamic practices, requests for Ramadan accommodations may be misunderstood or denied, potentially violating constitutional protections as well as federal standards under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.”

Some Muslim detainees currently held in Texas ICE detention facilities were initially detained in other states before being transferred to Texas. As a result, they are deprived of visits from family and friends, even during Ramadan—a month intended to strengthen social bonds through collective worship, charity, and shared meals under the ethical code of Islamic Sharia Law. Receiving religious accommodations not only facilitates religious observance but also brings peace and solace in the face of uncertainty.

CAIR-Texas staff offer partnership with chaplains of all faiths serving in Texas ICE detention centers to support the religious needs of Muslim detainees.

Please contact our offices in Austin, Houston, and Dallas with questions and requests:

Austin: info@cairtx.org

DFW: info@cairdfw.org

Houston: info@houston.cair.com

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, 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. 

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CONTACT: Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR-Austin Operations Manager, (512) 785-7105, szayan@cair.com; Mustafaa Carroll, CAIR-DFW Executive Director, (832) 549-1042, mcarroll@cair.com; Imran Ghani, CAIR-Houston Director, (713) 922-5270, ighani@cair.com