CAIR-NY Testimony, Briefs and Policy Statements

Selected Legal Filings

• Testimony In Support of Int. Nos. 287, 288, 292, 832, and 1116 (Street Vendor Bills)

• Clark et al. v. City of New York S.D.N.Y. Complaint. Filed March 16, 2018.

• Lazoja v. Nielsen et al. D.N.J. F.R.Cr.P. Rule 41(g) motion. Filed August 23, 2018.

• Lazoja v. Nielsen et al. D.N.J. Stipulation re Data Deletion and Dismissal. Filed October 30, 2018

• New York City Commission on Human Rights Referral letter re Laura Loomer. Sent June 28, 2018.

• Social Media Posts Cited In New York City Commission on Human Rights Referral letter re Laura Loomer. Sent June 28, 2018.

Amicus Briefs

• Amicus Brief in State of Texas v. United States of America, No. 1:18-cv-00068 (TXSD Jul. 20, 2018)(on religious organizations support of DACA)

• Amicus Brief in N.Y. Immigration Coalition  v. Ross, No. 18-5025 (S.D.N.Y. Jul. 11, 2018) (challenging 2020 Census citizenship question).

• Amicus brief in Batalla Vidal v Nielsen and New York v Trump, No. 18-485 (2nd Cir. Apr. 11, 2018)(on religious and civil rights organizations support of DACA)

• Amicus brief in Regents of the University of California v. Department of Homeland Security, No. 18-15068 (9th Cir. Mar. 20, 2018)(on religious organizations support of DACA and how its termination will cause great public harm).

• Amicus bricf in U.S. v. Kolsuz, No. 16-4687 (4th Cir. Mar. 20, 2017)(objecting to warrantless searches of electronic devices at the border).

• Amicus bricf in Vidal v. Duke, No. 16-cv-4756 (E.D.N.Y. Dec. 22, 2017)(supporting an preliminary injunction to block the President's unlawful repeal of DACA).

Selected Policy Statements:

• CAIR-NY Comment Regarding Proposed Rulemaking Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds. Submitted December 4, 2018.

• Joint Statement by CAIR-NY and other organizations re 2019 U.S. Department of Homeland Security appropriations.

• Joint Statement by CAIR-NY and other organizations Opposing Legislative Efforts to Expand Family Detention and Overturn Flores

• Joint Statement by CAIR-NY and other legal service providers urging for the renewal of the Liberty Defense Project (LDP)

• Comment of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc., and partners to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Docket No. DHS-2017-0038 re "Social Media Surveillance." October 16, 2017.

• CAIR-NY urges Mayor de Blasio to end NYPD use of “Glomar Responses” to FOIL requests. July 3, 2017.

• Joint Statement by the Council on American-Islamic Relations of New York & Columbia Law School’s Public Rights/Private Conscience Project re President Trump's Executive Order “Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty.” May 15, 2017.

• Comments of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc. to the Federal Communication Commission on WC Docket No. 17-108 “Restoring Internet Freedom.” Submitted May 24, 2017.

Selected Op-Eds:

• Kings County Politics: Op-Ed: Pass the POST Act, Post Haste. August 20, 2018.

• Gotham Gazette: City Leaders Say They Stand with Muslims & Immigrants, But Do They Mean it? July 3, 2018.

• Just Security: Carpenter Ruling Brings Us Back From Brink of Orwellian Surveillance State. June 28, 2018.

• MSN/NowThisNews: CAIR-NY Legal Director Albert Fox Cahn Discusses the Muslim Travel Ban Decision. June 27, 2018

• NY Daily News: The Court made a historic mistake: The travel ban ruling will be remembered as a dark day in America. June, 26, 2018.

• Forward: I Was Barred From Speaking At My Temple Because I Work With Muslims. June 11, 2018.

• The Forward: Saying 'Never Again' Means Saying 'No Muslim Ban.' April 24, 2018.

• Just Security: 16 Years Since Gitmo: A New Chapter in Indefinite Detention Begins. January 12, 2018.

• Just Security: Trump’s Threat to Diversity Visas. November 21, 2017.

• Newsweek: Conservative Correctness: Why the Double Standard Over Gun Violence? November 7, 2017. 

• Newsweek: Why is Facebook Censoring Rohingya Accounts of the Genocide? October 2, 2017.

• NY Daily News: New York's scary push to crack down on incitement to riot as a hate crime: We will regret undermining the First Amendment.

Selected Testimony:

• Statement of Lamya Agarwala, Supervising Attorney, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Submitted to the New York City Public Safety Committee Council Regarding the Strategic Response Group (SRG) on March 22, 2024

• Statement of Lamya Agarwala, Supervising Attorney, Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York - Sta to the New York City Council City Council Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection Oversight in support of Ints. 1264, 1253, 1060, 1062, and 1188: Street Vending in NYC

• Statement of Ahmed Mohamed, Esq., Legal Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Before the New York City Banking Commission. Presented Thursday, May 25, 2023

• Statement of Ahmed Mohamed, Esq., Legal Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Before the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission Presented Monday, December 6, 2021

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq. Legal Director Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc.  Before the Committee on Civil and Human Rights and the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addiction for a Hearing Concerning Oversight – Negative Mental Health Consequences of Discrimination and Bias Incidents. Presented Wednesday, December 12, 2018 .

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq. Legal Director Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc.  Before the Committees on General Welfare and Health New York City Council for a Hearing Concerning Oversight – the Impact Of the Proposed “Public Charge” Presented Thursday, November 15, 2018.

• Statement of Princess Masilungan, Legal Fellow Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc. Before the Committee on Youth Services and Immigration New York City Council for a Hearing Concerning Int 480 - In Relation to Requiring the Department of Youth and Community Development to Review Strategies and Create a Plan of Action to Protect Children Who Qualify For Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Presented Monday, September 17, 2018.

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq. Legal Director Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc.  Before the Committee on Public Safety New York City Council for a Hearing Concerning Oversight – Abolish Ice  Preconsidered Int – in Relation to Prohibiting New York City From Contracting With Entities Engaged In Immigration Enforcement. Presented  Thursday, September 6, 2018.

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq. Legal Director Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc. Before the Committee on Immigration New York City Council for a Hearing Concerning, A Resolution Calling for the Passage of the Keep Families Together Act (S. 3036). Presented July 12, 2018.

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq. Legal Director Council on American Islamic Relations, New York, Inc. Before the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing For a Hearing Concerning, Initiative 0959-2018, Expanding the Prohibited Street-Vending Zone Around the world Trade Center. Presented June 14, 2018.

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq. Legal Director Council on American Islamic Relations, New York, Inc. Before the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations New York City Council For a Hearing Concerning, Resolution 0792-2015 - Establishing January 30 Annually as Fred T. Korematsu Day. Presented October 25, 2017. 

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq. Legal Director Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc.  Before the Committee on Civil Rights New York City Council For a Hearing Concerning, Oversight - Examining the Rise In Discriminatory Harassment Claims Received by the Commission on Human Rights.  Presented September 28, 2017.

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq. Legal Director Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc. Before the Committee on Courts and Legal Services Jointly with the Committee on Immigration New York City Council for a Hearing Concerning, Oversight - ICE Enforcement in New York City Courts. Presented June 29, 2017.

• Statement of Marium Khawaja Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc. Before the Committee on Immigration New York City Council for A Hearing Concerning, A Resolution Calling For The Passage Of The New York State Dream Act And The Bridge Act Presented June 19, 2017

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq. Legal Director Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc. Before the Committee on Public Safety New York City Council for a Hearing Concerning, Creating Comprehensive Reporting and Oversight of NYPD Surveillance Technologies. Presented June 14, 2017.

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq. Legal Director Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc. Before the Committee on Immigration; Committee on Public Safety; And Committee on Education New York City Council for A Hearing Concerning, Identifying Information and T2017-1557 And T2017-1588. Presented April 26, 2017.

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq., Legal Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York, Inc., Before the Committee on Immigration New York City Council, for a Hearing Concerning Oversight - the Impact of New Immigration Enforcement Tactics on Access to Justice and Services. Presented March 15, 2017.

• Statement of Afaf Nasher, Esq., Executive Director, Council on American Islamic Relations, New York, Before the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations of the New York City Council, for a Hearing Concerning Res. 1230-2016, Declaring Support for Muslim Communities. Presented October 11, 2016. 

• Statement of Albert Fox Cahn, Esq., Executive Director, Council on American Islamic Relations, New York, Before the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations of the New York City Council, for a Hearing Concerning Res. 1230-2016, Declaring Support for Muslim Communities. Presented October 11, 2016.

• Statement of Muneer O. Awad, Esq., Executive Director, Council on American Islamic Relations, New York, Before the Committee on Investigations & Government Operations of the New York Senate, for a Public Forum on Hate Crime Laws. Presented June 14, 2013.