The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today issued a precautionary travel advisory to Muslim travelers in light of recent reports of community members being stopped at the U.S. border for secondary screenings.
SEE: The four-letter boarding pass code that could cause big airport delays
ACTION REQUESTED: If you, or anyone you know, has been subjected to discrimination, please file a report at: https://www.cair.com/report/
SEE: CAIR Know Your Rights While Traveling Video on YouTube
“We encourage the community to review this advisory and be aware of what constitutes inappropriate or discriminatory conduct. We want Muslim travelers to be aware of their rights and know how to document and report any incidents that might occur so that organizations like CAIR can help advocate for them,” said CAIR Community Advocacy Director Nicole Fauster.
Download, Print, Save CAIR’s ‘Know Your Rights While Traveling’ Guide
Know Your Rights While Traveling:
- TSA and CBP cannot target you for additional screening or questions based on religious, racial, or ethnic profiling.
- CBP can physically take possession of your electronic items, but they cannot force you to unlock them. There are limits on how much data CBP can examine. Contact CAIR for more information.
- US citizens cannot be denied entry for refusing to answer questions. However, invoking your rights may result in delays.
- Green card holders cannot be refused entry unless their travel was not brief and innocent per USC 1101(a)(14). However, invoking your rights may result in delays.
- Non-citizen visa holders can be denied entry into the country for refusing to cooperate. Speak to an attorney prior to exiting the country.
- Contact CAIR to report discrimination or harassment while traveling.
CBP Agents can:
- Ask about:
- Your citizenship
- The nature or purpose of your trip
- Anything you are bringing back to the United States that you did not have with you when you left
- Examine your baggage and everything in it
- Physically take possession of your electronic items, but they cannot force you to unlock them. There are limits on how much data CBP can examine. Contact CAIR for more information.
CBP Agents cannot:
- Target you for additional screening or questions based on religious, racial or ethnic profiling.
- Ask you general questions without reliable information that leads them to believe you are breaking a law. For example, they cannot question you about your personal life, where you spend time, work, or worship.
TSA Screeners cannot:
- Target you for additional screening or questions based on religious, racial or ethnic profiling.
- Ask you general questions without reliable information that leads them to believe you are breaking a law. For example, they cannot question you about your personal life, where you spend time, work, or worship.
- Handcuff you or strip search you.
How Your Immigration Status Can Impact You When You Invoke Your Rights at the Border:
- US citizens cannot be denied entry for refusing to answer questions. However, invoking your rights may result in delays.
- Green card holders cannot be refused entry unless their travel was not “brief and innocent” per USC 1101(a)(14). However, invoking your rights may result in delays.
- Non-citizen visa holders can be denied entry into the country for refusing to cooperate. Speak to an attorney prior to exiting the country.
Additional Guidance for Travelers:
- Be Prepared: Travel with a fully charged phone and have CAIR/your attorney’s contact information readily available. Carry a “Know Your Rights” card to present to agents, which asserts your rights without you needing to speak.
- Remain Calm and Respectful: Interactions with federal agents can be stressful, but it’s important to remain calm and respectful. Do not physically resist, even if you believe your rights are being violated.
- Keep Answers Short and to the Point: Make sure responses to questions are short and direct. Do not share information about your personal life if you are not required to do so. Never lie to federal agents.
- Document the Encounter: When you are in a safe and private space, document the encounter you had with the officer, including their name, agency, duration of detention, and any questions they might have asked you.
- Report Incidents: If you experience any form of detention, invasive questioning, or other troubling encounters, or you believe your rights were violated, report the incident to CAIR as soon as possible. Your report can help protect others and provide a basis for legal action.
ACTION REQUESTED: If you would like more information on the ramifications of the pending Muslim ban and how it might affect Muslim communities, join CAIR’s webinar on February 27, 2025.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]