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CAIR Reps Visit 113 Congressional Offices
Meetings part of group's 6th annual Capitol Hill Advocacy Days

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/8/2012) -- This week, representatives from more than 20 chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) met with elected officials and staff at 112 congressional offices for the Washington-based Muslim civil rights organization's 6th annual Capitol Hill Advocacy Days.

CAIR chapter representatives met Monday and Tuesday with officials at 66 Democratic, one Independent and 46 Republican offices. They spoke with members of Congress and key congressional staffers from their home states about supporting due process for all Americans and about concerns over racial and religious profiling.

During the meetings, CAIR representatives asked that Congress re-examine the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 and sought support for legislation that repeals the law's indefinite detention provisions and reaffirms the due process rights of all people.

SEE: CAIR Legislative Fact Sheet on the National Defense Authorization Act

The CAIR representatives asked members of Congress to support and co-sponsor the End Racial Profiling Act of 2011. That act would prohibit and promote measures to eliminate profiling based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion by federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement.

SEE: CAIR Legislative Fact Sheet on the End Racial Profiling Act

Members of Congress were also urged to support a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting a revision of its 2003 policy guidance on racial profiling. Critics say the current DOJ guidance remains ineffective because it includes open-ended loopholes that allow federal law enforcement agencies to profile at U.S. borders and for reasons of national security.

SEE: CAIR Legislative Fact Sheet on DOJ Loophole on Racial Profiling

CAIR has published a "Civic Participation Handbook" designed to provide best practices and step-by-step guides for everything from holding voter registration drives to making the most of a meeting with elected officials.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT:

CAIR Government Affairs Coordinator Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, E-Mail: rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor, 202-384-8857, E-Mail: csaylor@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com