Civil rights group thanks lawmakers, advocates, community that consistently championed justice, defending rights of marginalized communities
The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today marked the end of the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session, which came to a close with Sine Die on Monday, April 7. As it reflects on sustained advocacy, resilience, and progress for civil rights and social justice, the group extends its gratitude to those who fought alongside CAIR for meaningful change. This year, Muslim communities mobilized with allies and partners to advance policies that protect civil liberties and lay the groundwork for future progress.
SEE: 2025 CAIR Maryland Legislative Round-Up
https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Round-Up-compressed.pdf
Approximately 200 attendees joined the annual Muslim lobby day in Annapolis. Together with its partners and allies, CAIR successfully blocked harmful bills, including the CAMPUS Act which endangered students’ free speech rights in higher education, an anti-masking bill which would have provided law enforcement with further justification to crack down on anti-genocide student protests, and a bill that included the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism, which dangerously conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
CAIR welcomed critical progress to safeguard immigrant communities’ and students’ rights with passage of the Sensitive Locations Act that blocks federal immigration enforcement agencies from entering sensitive spaces like schools, hospitals courthouses and more without a warrant. Some provisions of the Data Privacy Act were also adopted, requiring state agencies to create policies and guidelines regarding data sharing and preventing exploitation and misuse. A critical provision prohibiting the 287(g) program which deputizes local law enforcement agencies from acting as ICE agents was disappointingly struck from the Values Act before it was passed minutes before midnight on the last day of session.
In a major step for sentencing reform and addressing mass incarceration which disproportionately impacts Black Marylanders, the Maryland Second Look Act passed with amendments. It allows qualifying individuals who demonstrate rehabilitation to petition the court for sentence reduction. The Antibias Training Act also passed. This measure requires county board of education members to receive certain mandatory antibias training in order to foster a safer and more equitable public school environment.
Advocates successfully struck funding for the Maryland Israel Development Center, a nonprofit that’s brought weapons manufacturers into the state, from the state budget. Lawmakers will be working with the Department of Commerce to ensure Marylanders’ tax dollars are spent responsibly and ethically. A bill to protect Marylanders’ rights to boycott foreign governments and a bill to extend cyberbullying and anti-doxxing protections from minors to also students in higher education both had significant support and little to no opposition but did not make it to the finish line. CAIR remains committed to working with legislators to amend and advance these and others issues in the future.
CAIR offered testimony on two dozen bills, and advocated in partnership with the Muslim community and allies, sending 66,000+ emails to state lawmakers, making hundreds of calls, and leading or participating in seven press conferences, rallies, and vigils as well as four coalition advocacy letters.
The civil rights organization extends its sincere gratitude to lawmakers, students, witnesses, allies, partner groups and community members who engaged on the right side of history this session—whether by testifying, organizing, responding to action alerts, or reaching out to legislators.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
END
CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kimberly Syuardi, ksyuardi@cair.com, 202-850-9293