(LOS ANGELES, CA – 3/4/2022) – The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA), the ACLU, and UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law Policy today held a press conference in response to the Supreme Court’s decision regarding Muslim surveillance case FBI v. Fazaga.
SEE: What You Need To Know About CAIR-LA First-Ever Supreme Court Case
Today, in a unanimous decision, SCOTUS refused to endorse the federal government’s attempt to win dismissal of the religious discrimination claims presented by Sheikh Fazaga, Ali Malik, and Yasser AbdelRahim. Although the Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit’s ruling that those claims should be governed by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), the Supreme Court sent the case back for the Ninth Circuit to decide how the case will proceed. Its decision explicitly leaves open several paths to victory for Americans who practice the Muslim faith and have suffered unconstitutional surveillance because of their religion.
Statement from CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush:
“The Court’s decision allows the Muslim American community and, specifically, the three plaintiffs in this case, to continue to seek justice. Our community in Southern California was targeted by the FBI, and continues to be a target to this day, for no other reason than our religious beliefs and practices. We are hopeful that our continued fight against the FBI’s overreaching surveillance of our community will lead to more awareness of the FBI’s unconstitutional actions and to the FBI being held accountable for its discrimination against the Muslim American community. We are hopeful that the lower courts will see this case for what it is—the unconstitutional targeting of a religious community by the federal government.”
Statement from Sheikh Yassir Fazaga, Plaintiff in FBI v. Fazaga:
“Today, the Supreme Court decided that we can continue to fight our case to hold the government accountable for illegally spying on the Muslim community. Fifteen years ago, the FBI looked us all in the eyes and assured us unequivocally that they were not spying on us. We trusted them. But they lied, and our sacred community was shaken to its core. Today, we live to fight another day in our struggle to ensure that Americans who practice Islam are protected by the sacred right to religious freedom that our Constitution guarantees.”
Statement from Ali Malik, Plaintiff in FBI v. Fazaga:
“I was in my early twenties when I learned that my own government was spying on me and attempting to entrap me because of my religion. I felt deeply betrayed and sad. I also did not understand how the U.S. government could get away with violating a right I knew was guaranteed to all of us by our Constitution. I decided to hold my government accountable and, today, over fifteen years later, I’m relieved that the Supreme Court will allow our case to continue. I believe the most patriotic thing someone can do is to fight for the Constitution, so that all Americans can be protected by it and the sacred rights it bestows. I will continue to fight on behalf of my family, community, and all Americans to ensure that all of us are protected by the US Constitution.”
Statement from Yasser AbdelRahim, Plaintiff in FBI v. Fazaga:
“When I found out that the FBI was spying on me because I worshipped at a mosque, I felt betrayed. I felt that the place of worship I once found peace in and connected with spiritually was no longer safe. The Supreme Court’s decision today makes me hopeful that we will, in fact, be able to hold the government accountable for violating our religious freedoms. I will continue to fight to right the wrongs the US Government committed against me and my community and to hold them accountable for treating Muslim Americans as second-class citizens.”
CAIR-LA is Southern California’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-LA Digital Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 776-1847 or eelkadi@cair.com
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