The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, and its Greater Los Angeles Area office (CAIR-LA) today expressed strong opposition to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that effectively permits Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to resume racially profiling, detaining, and interrogating Latinos who gather in public in Los Angeles while speaking Spanish.
CAIR-LA said the ruling endangers civil rights protections for millions of Latinos in Los Angeles and across the nation.
In a statement, CAIR and CAIR-Los Angeles said:
“We strongly oppose the Supreme Court’s dangerous decision to let ICE once again racially profile, interrogate and terrorize any Latinos in Los Angeles who dare to publicly stand next to each other while speaking Spanish. Speaking Spanish with other people in Los Angeles while being Latino is not a crime. We stand in solidarity with those endangered by this ruling, and we encourage local businesses, politicians and law enforcement agencies to protect the people of Los Angeles from these legalized abuses of ICE.”
CAIR has repeatedly urged public officials, law enforcement agencies, and community leaders to protect immigrant communities from racial profiling, discrimination, and unjust deportations.
The civil rights organization noted that both Latino and Muslim communities have historically been targeted by discriminatory government policies and that solidarity between impacted groups is essential in defending civil liberties.
CAIR is urging people of conscience nationwide to speak out against the Supreme Court’s ruling and to support policies that safeguard equal rights for all communities.
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com; CAIR-LA Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com; CAIR-LA Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Hameed, mmorse-hameed@cair.com