Later this morning, the San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, plans to join faith and human rights advocates at San Francisco International Airport to protest the U.S. government’s detention and refusal of entry to two Palestinians—Eid Hthaleen and Ouda Alhadlin—who arrived on valid visas to speak at a series of Bay Area interfaith events.
The men, residents of Umm Al-Khair in Masafer Yatta in the occupied West Bank, were invited by local faith communities including Kehilla Community Synagogue and the Buena Vista and Los Altos United Methodist Churches. CBP detained them upon arrival Wednesday afternoon and revoked their visas. As of Thursday morning, they remain in custody at the airport.
San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood visited the airport overnight to demand their release, calling the incident “backwardness” by the federal government.
WHEN: Thursday, June 12 at 8:30 am
WHERE: San Francisco International Airport, International Arrivals, Terminal G, (Outside U.S. Customs & Border Protection)
WHO: Local interfaith and human rights advocates and members of the Palestinian and Muslim communities
The community is demanding the immediate release of Hthaleen and Alhadlin and a reversal of the politically motivated decision to silence Palestinian voices speaking on human rights and life under occupation. Advocates are also calling on the State Department and DHS to stop targeting Palestinian travelers and to uphold the right to free speech and peaceful interfaith exchange.
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, 408.498.5779, ladam@cair.com; Zahra Billoo, CAIR-SFBA Executive Director, zbilloo@cair.com, 626.252.0885