The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced the resolution of a lawsuit over the Mecklenburg County Detention Center Central (MCDCC) and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) in Charlotte, North Carolina, depriving a Muslim woman of her religious rights by forcing her to remove her Islamic head scarf, or hijab, taking a booking photograph of her without it, and allowing her photo to remain publicly available on its website.
CAIR secured a settlement, including substantive policy changes, on behalf of its client.
“This case is about protecting the fundamental right of Muslim women to practice their faith with dignity,” said CAIR Staff Attorney Nadia Bayado. “No one should be forced to choose between their religious beliefs and compliance with law enforcement procedures. The policy changes secured here ensure that what happened to our client will not happen again, and they reaffirm that constitutional rights do not stop at the jailhouse door.”
BACKGROUNDER:
CAIR filed a lawsuit in this case last year with the goal of having the woman’s photograph destroyed, as well as having the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office implement policy changes to prevent officers and staff from taking photographs of women without their hijabs in the future.
After the filing of the lawsuit, MCDCC and MCSO took steps to destroy the woman’s photograph from their database and participated in discussions with CAIR to reach agreed-upon policy changes and a monetary settlement.
MCDCC and MCSO consented to multiple policy changes in the settlement, which include, but are not limited to, informing individuals in MCDCC custody of their right to request religious head covering accommodations upon intake, allowing individuals in custody to wear their religious head coverings during their booking photos, and allowing individuals in MCSO custody to wear the religious head coverings they brought with them throughout the facility unless a compelling reason, such as safety or security concerns, requires temporary removal.
While the woman is proud of the policy changes her case resulted in, she would be remiss as a respected Palestinian Muslim community organizer not to call attention to the event that led to her arrest and the subsequent violation of her religious rights in the first place—a city council meeting where she expressed pro-Palestine sentiments and urged the city to divest from Israel.
The woman’s involvement in the event led to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department issuing a warrant for her arrest. She believes her detainment was part of a nationwide pattern of political repression and anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian sentiment. As the movement for Palestinian liberation grows in size and urgency across campuses, city halls, and communities nationwide, so too does the repression aimed at silencing it—especially the women at its forefront.
“This is not about one person. This is about every Palestinian, every Muslim, every organizer who refuses to stay silent while our government sends billions to fund the destruction of Gaza,” the woman said. “It is about reminding us that even here—in the so-called land of the free—Palestinians are being punished for demanding the right to live.”
Local attorney Ismaail Qaiyim of the Queen City Community Law Firm assisted CAIR as local counsel in representing the woman. “Her case is about ensuring that all people are treated fairly and that the rights of all people are protected under the law. The issue of repression of Palestine activists touches at the very heart of due process, free speech, freedom of assembly, and human rights. No person who stands up for the rights of others should be targeted and mistreated. This case represents all oppressed peoples fighting in solidarity for liberation locally and globally.”
Earlier this year, CAIR released its 2025 Civil Rights Report, Unconstitutional Crackdowns, which reveals that Islamophobia remains at record-high levels nationwide. CAIR said viewpoint discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a key factor in many cases.
CAIR will continue to monitor legislation that threatens constitutional rights and work with lawmakers, allies, and community members to ensure Americans’ freedoms are defended.
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 Deputy Litigation Director Gadeir Abbas, 720-251-0425, gabbas@cair.com; CAIR Staff Attorney Nadia Bayado, 202-984-7643 nbayado@cair.com; Ismaail Qaiyim, info@qcclawfirm.com