The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed an apology issued by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to a Muslim family who were denied timely passport service at the Salisbury Post Office located at 816 E Salisbury Parkway. The civil rights group is calling for appropriate corrective action and mandatory cultural competency training for employees at this location.
BACKGROUND:
On April 14, the family, who is visibly Muslim as the wife wears hijab, had a confirmed 10:30 a.m. passport appointment for their newborn son. When they arrived for their appointment, they were allegedly subjected to a troubling incident in which postal staff repeatedly ignored and dismissed them while assisting other customers, including those who arrived later. Despite waiting patiently and presenting proof of their scheduled appointment, the family was denied service, misinformed about their appointment time, and were ultimately left with no choice but to leave without being served due to the needs of their infant.
The incident, partially captured on security footage, led the family to file a formal complaint. USPS’ Complaints & Inquiry Clerk Stephanie Morrow responded to the family with an apology, which stated in part:
“This [letter] is in regard to a negative experience you encountered with one of our employees at the Salisbury post office when visiting for passport services. I apologize that this was not a positive experience, and share your concern and disappointment regarding the treatment reported in your complaint.
We expect our employees to perform their duties in a manner which is both courteous and professional. Above all else, providing excellent customer service is our goal and we regret you did not receive it in this instance. Please be assured that appropriate action has been taken to address the issue and prevent a recurrence.
Please accept our sincere apology. Every effort will be made to provide you with quality service in the future.”
The nature of the action taken was not specified.
“While we appreciate USPS’ acknowledgement of this family’s ordeal and issuing an apology, this incident underscores the need for cultural competency and anti-bias training for staff at the Salisbury Post Office to prevent future occurrences of discrimination or disparate treatment,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “No family—regardless of faith, race, or ethnicity—should be denied reasonable access to basic government services. We urge the Manager of Post Office Operations, Ms. Brookelyn Mathis, to take proactive steps to rebuild client trust and ensure all customers are treated with respect and dignity.”
“The incident made us feel invisible and unwelcome,” said the father Karam Idris in a statement to CAIR. “The fact that my wife was visibly identifiable as Muslim due to her hijab heightened our sense of being targeted. This incident not only disrupted our ability to obtain a passport for our son but also shook our trust in public institutions that are meant to serve all community members equitably. Incidents like the one we experienced must never happen again, as they undermine the principles of equality, fairness, and respect that public institutions are obligated to uphold. Not seeking accountability sends a harmful message that discrimination is tolerable, which dangerously emboldens further bias and perpetuates systemic inequities.”
CAIR is calling on USPS to:
- Provide cultural competency and anti-bias training for staff at the Salisbury location.
- Ensure transparency and accountability in handling future complaints.
- Establish clearer procedures for addressing appointment-based service discrepancies.
The family hopes that speaking up about their experience leads to meaningful policy improvements. Anyone who experiences discrimination at any federal, state or local facility is encouraged to report it immediately to CAIR and to the respective authorities.
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: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kim Syuardi, ksyuardi@cair.com, 202-850-9293