The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MD), the state’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today applauded the University of Maryland Student Government Association’s unanimous decision to support the call for the university and its charitable foundation to cut all ties with companies, institutions and academic entities that support or profit from Israel’s regime of apartheid and occupation.
SEE: UMD SGA passes boycott, divestment and sanctions resolution
The historic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) resolution—passed following years of tireless student organizing—marks a watershed moment for student advocacy and moral clarity on campus.
It urges UMD and the University System of Maryland to disclose and divest from companies engaged in or profiting from Israel’s occupation and ongoing violence against the Palestinian people. The resolution also calls for transparency in university endowments and investments to ensure alignment with human rights and international law.
“We applaud UMD students for standing on the right side of history,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “At a time when Palestinians are enduring unspeakable suffering unfolding on the global stage, the association’s moral courage and perseverance demonstrate the power of collective action rooted in truth and respect for basic human dignity.”
CAIR noted that this victory follows years of student-led mobilization—spanning from earlier campaigns in 2017 and 2019, to a campus-wide divestment referendum this past spring. The SGA’s unanimous vote reaffirms growing nationwide momentum among university communities calling for an end to institutional complicity in Israeli apartheid and U.S.-backed war crimes in Gaza.
“Students have long been at the forefront of movements for justice—from apartheid South Africa to today’s struggle for Palestinian freedom,” added Chaudry. “Their resilience, moral clarity, and refusal to be silenced despite pressure, intimidation, and smear campaigns is an inspiration.”
CAIR expressed solidarity with student activists who have faced harassment, doxxing, or retaliation for their support of Palestinian human rights, reaffirming that advocacy for freedom and equality must never be criminalized or suppressed.
The civil rights group congratulated every student who played a role in achieving this historic step toward accountability and justice.
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 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