On Monday, January 30, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will hold a news conference at its Capitol Hill headquarters in Washington, D.C., to announced the filing of a federal lawsuit on behalf of more than 20 individuals challenging the "Muslim ban" executive order signed today by President Donald Trump.
[MEDIA NOTE: CAIR's news conference will be live-streamed on its Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational ]
WHAT: CAIR to Hold News Conference to Announce Suit Against Trump's 'Muslim Ban' Order
WHEN: Monday, January 30, 1 p.m.
WHERE: CAIR's Capitol Hill Headquarters, 453 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20003
The lawsuit, to be filed in the U.S. District Court – Western District of Virginia, will challenge the constitutionality of the order because its apparent purpose and underlying motive is to ban people of the Islamic faith from Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.
"There is no evidence that refugees – the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation – are a threat to national security," said CAIR National Litigation Director Lena F. Masri, Esq. "This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality."
"The courts must do what President Trump will not—ensure that our government refrains from segregating people based on their faith," said Attorney Gadeir Abbas, Esq., who is co-counsel on the lawsuit.
"Our First Amendment is under attack. We, as attorneys, are foot soldiers of the American Constitution and took an oath to protect all from being targeted by the government because of their faith," said Attorney Shereef Akeel, Esq., who is also co-counsel on the lawsuit.
