Newsletter: [Muslim Immigrants Update] Election Results, New Lawsuits and more
Notable Quotes: "New York will remain a city of immigrants: a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants and, as of tonight, led by an immigrant." —Zohran Mamdani, mayor-elect
Expert Q&A with Yasmine Taeb
Yasmine Taeb is an Iranian-American human rights attorney and currently serves as the Legislative and Political Director for MPower Change Action Fund.
Q: Your organization, MPower Action, registered and mobilized Muslim voters in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Minneapolis, and California – states with significant Muslim populations where Democrats won big on Tuesday. What were you hearing from Muslim voters about their motivations and concerns this election cycle? Do you have any sense of what the Muslim voter turnout was like this year?
We woke up yesterday to a great deal of excitement, particularly around Zohran Mamdani’s win, making him the first Muslim to serve as mayor of New York City. In Virginia, voters elected State Senator Ghazala Hashmi to serve as the next Lieutenant Governor, making her the first Muslim woman in U.S. history to win statewide office.
Across New York, New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere, voters told us they want leaders who stand up for Palestinian rights, immigrant rights, challenge hateful rhetoric and discrimination, and prioritize affordable housing, education, and economic opportunity. Many also expressed concern about rising Islamophobia and the need to elect leaders who truly represent the diversity of their constituencies.
We contacted Muslim voters and supporters to get out the vote in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Minneapolis, and California. We texted, called, and emailed over 250,000 voters in the last month.
As for turnout, while official data is still being analyzed, our on-the-ground teams and partners reported strong engagement and voter turnout—particularly among young Muslim voters and first-time voters.
Muslim Immigrants
Action Hub
MPower Change is working with the Muslim Legal Fund of America to call for the release of MarwanMarouf, a Dallas Muslim community leader who was arrested by ICE officers immediately after his green card application was denied.
Muslim Advocates is representing seven Syrian nationals with deep roots in their U.S. communities as they sue the Trump administration for its decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syria.
Asian Law Caucus has developed community resources and answers to frequently asked questions for Southeast Asian refugees who are facing deportation to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
CAIR-SFBA has filed an emergency legal challenge for Sami Hamdi, a British Muslim journalist who was abducted by ICE while on tour in the United States with a valid visa.
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Life Under the Travel Ban
Durani is an Afghan evacuee who spent 12 years fighting the Taliban alongside U.S troops. He was granted asylum in the U.S. because of the dangers he faces in Afghanistan, but is not eligible for the Special Immigrant Visa that would allow him to bring his family to join him.
He's been separated from his family for the past four years. His wife and four children are currently stuck in Pakistan due to the recent travel ban that bars them from entering the U.S.
Durani is one of four Afghan evacuees who shared their story with the Arizona Daily Star. Read here.
Photo Credit: John Hart, State Journal
What We're Reading
Muslim American Advocates See Mamdani's Historic Win as a Powerful Rebuke of Islamophobia
Zohran Mamdani’s decisive and historic victory . . . in the face of a constant stream of vile Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism leveled by politicians from both parties, sent an incredibly powerful message. —Li Zhou, HuffPost
My Husband was in America Legally. ICE Abducted Him to Silence Free Speech.
In an op-ed, Soumaya Hamdi, the wife of British Muslim journalist Sami Hamdi, calls on the U.S. government to release her husband from ICE detention. —USA Today
The Last Columbia Protestor in ICE Detention
Leqaa Kordia has been detained in a North Texas facility since March for protesting against Israel's military actions in Gaza which have killed nearly 200 family members. —Aida Alami, The New Yorker
Mahdawi and Öztürk’s Legal Battle Highlights First Amendment Constitutional Risks
Legal experts say the rulings in Mohsen Mahdawi and Rümeysa Öztürk’s cases could redefine First Amendment protections for both immigrants and citizens. —Anna Oakes, Documented
Chicago is Pushing Back Against Trump
As federal agents continue to detain immigrants and separate families, Chicagoans are building community safety networks to protect their neighbors. —Danny Postel, New Lines Magazine
About the Campaign
No Muslim Ban Ever is a coalition of more than 200 organizations representing a diverse community of Muslim, Arab, Middle Eastern and South Asian organizations and allies in progressive, faith, human rights, and immigrant sectors. Together we are challenging the Trump administration's persistent efforts to ban individuals from Muslim-majority countries as part of its larger white nationalist agenda of exclusion.
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For interviews, background information, or analysis related to the travel ban, please email media@nomuslimbanever.com.