The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the U.S. Senate’s passage of S.Res. 847 honoring Wadee AlFayoumi, a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy who was brutally stabbed 26 times and murdered in Illinois due to his Palestinian Muslim identity.
CAIR also commended the Muslim Civic Coalition for its role in advancing this crucial resolution and highlighting the pressing need for justice.
“We are deeply moved by the Senate’s acknowledgment of Wadee AlFayoumi’s memory and the urgency to fight hate and bigotry,” said Robert McCaw, CAIR Government Affairs Director. “His murder is a painful reminder of the deadly consequences of anti-Palestinian hate and Islamophobia. We also thank the Muslim Civic Coalition for their tireless efforts in securing this resolution and standing firm against hate.”
The Resolution resolves that:
- the United States lost the beautiful light of Wadee Alfayoumi because of hate;
- it is the duty of elected officials and media to tell the truth without dehumanizing rhetoric when informing the public of factual information;
- freedom of speech and peaceful protest are constitutionally protected and a fundamental cornerstone of democracy; and
- the United States has zero tolerance for hate crimes, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab discrimination.
Full text of the resolution is available HERE.
BACKGROUND:
The resolution, led by Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) and co-sponsored by Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), recognizes Wadee’s tragic death as a hate crime. It underscores the nation’s commitment to combating hate crimes, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab discrimination. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) reintroduced the resolution in the Senate, in coordination with the commemoration of International Day to Combat Islamophobia on March 14.
SEE: Congresswoman Ramirez Applauds the Passage of S.Res. 847, The Wadee Resolution by the U.S. Senate
CAIR submitted a detailed written statement to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing titled “A Threat to Justice Everywhere: Stemming the Tide of Hate Crimes in America,” where Wadee’s murder and other cases of discrimination against Muslims, Palestinians, and allies were highlighted. CAIR continues to work with the Muslim Civic Coalition and other advocacy groups to strengthen legislative protections and challenge systemic discrimination in the United States.
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CONTACT: 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