Newsletter: October 31st, 2019
Trial Attorney Opening!
CAIR-Chicago is seeking a Trial Attorney to join our Civil Rights Department and help fight against discrimination and hate crimes.
To apply please send a Cover Letter, Writing Samples (limited to 15 pages), and Resume to Deputy Director, Sufyan Sohel at ssohel@cair.com. Please write ‘Trial Attorney” in the Subject heading. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Description
CAIR-Chicago is a local office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAIR is the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization and was established to promote an accurate image of Islam and Muslims in America. CAIR-Chicago’s mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance. The Civil Rights Department counsels, mediates, and advocates on behalf of Muslims and others who have experienced religious discrimination, defamation, or hate crimes. The Department works to protect and defend the constitutional rights of Muslims to freely practice their religion and be treated in a non-discriminatory manner.
The Trial Attorney in CAIR-Chicago’s Civil Rights Department develops strategies for cases reported to the Department, represents complainants who have experienced discrimination, and facilitates resolutions ranging from proactive measures to full litigation of complaints in court. Litigation of CAIR-Chicago’s cases entails filing complaints, engaging in written and oral discovery (occasionally expert discovery), briefing summary judgment motions, and presenting cases at administrative hearings and court trials (including jury trials). The Trial Attorney also assists in the general management and supervision of the Department when necessary, including overseeing interns and externs.
Examples of the matters litigated by CAIR-Chicago include employment discrimination, denials of public accommodations, discrimination against students, mosque zoning disputes, travel ban issues, and delays in immigration benefits for Muslim immigrants.
In addition to pursuing individual complaints of religious discrimination, the Department has implemented several ongoing special projects that target important issues in the diverse Muslim communities:
Citizenship Delay Project – works to end the lengthy delays in the citizenship process for Muslims applying for U.S. citizenship.
Asylum Project – seeks to protect refugees from Middle Eastern countries who are unwilling or unable to return to their home country due to past persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
Employment Discrimination Project – assists Muslims facing religious discrimination in the workplace.
Travel Free Project – addresses complaints of Muslims encountering problems while traveling.
Police Misconduct Project – advocates and represents clients in cases of discriminatory treatment by law enforcement.
FBI Project – assists individuals contacted by FBI agents, fully protecting their constitutional rights when being questioned.
Prison Project – secures the rights of Muslim inmates to practice their religion freely as well as seeks to ensure that inmates are treated humanely.
The Trial Attorney assists on working with staff members and interns/externs on all of these projects.
Requirements
At least six years of litigation experience, preferably in Federal Court, and admitted to the Illinois State Bar and the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.
Self-motivated, well-organized, and demonstrated ability to multi-task.
Ability to participate in all stages of complex litigation and to formulate and implement sophisticated legal strategies.
Excellent writing and analytical skills.
Ability to work cooperatively on a variety of projects with attorneys, other staff members, and diverse community organizations and coalitions.
Ability to communicate effectively in legal and non-legal settings with a wide range of individuals and organizations.
Interest in protecting civil liberties in the United States
To apply please send a Cover Letter, Writing Samples (limited to 15 pages), and Resume to Deputy Director, Sufyan Sohel at ssohel@cair.com. Please write ‘Trial Attorney” in the Subject heading. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
For any questions please contact Deputy Director Sufyan Sohel at 312-212-1520 or ssohel@cair.com
CAIR-Chicago Meets with State Rep. Will Guzzardi
On Wednesday, October 23rd, CAIR-Chicago hosted a workshop with State Representative Will Guzzardi and the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition. Over lunch, the parties discussed the best way to increase Muslim visibility in the State Capital, among other topics.
Litigation Director Phil Robertson brought civil rights issues to Rep. Guzzardi’s attention, namely the lack of access to zabiha food in Illinois prisons and the lack of understanding of religious headdress in government institutions.
Communications Coordinator Saadia Pervaiz also brought to attention a lack of validation between Muslims and elected parties on the legislative floors, leading to a distrust among the community.
IMCC’s Dilara Sayeed urged immediate mobilization throughout the team, stating that starting with the 2020 Census, Muslim representation can finally be reflected in legislation.
CAIR-Chicago Trains US Customs & Border Patrol Officers
On Tuesday, October 15th, CAIR-Chicago Deputy Director & Counsel Sufyan Sohel facilitated a training and discussion with officers of the U.S. Customs & Border Patrol at their offices near O’Hare International Airport. Sufyan gave an overview of Islamic faith traditions, illustrated the rich diversity of the Muslim community, and delved into the rise of Islamophobia and how bigoted policies, including the Muslim Travel Bans, affect Muslims and other marginalized communities
Sufyan stressed how US policies have led to increased levels of anxiety and fear within the communities that CAIR-Chicago serves, and how perceived bias by federal agents adds to the mistrust of government actors that many immigrant communities already have.
“This was a much needed training for O’Hare’s Customs & Border Patrol Officers. We are grateful that CBP’s local leadership granted us this opportunity to present the perspectives and stories of Muslim travelers.
Not a week has gone by, since Muslim Bans went into effect, that CAIR-Chicago’s TAP Service has not received at least a dozen calls of individuals detained or denied entry into the U.S. It was beneficial to share some of those experiences with CBP and for me to hear and learn from them,” Sohel said.
CAIR-Chicago, through its Travelers Assistance Project, has operated an online portal and 24 hour hotline to assist travelers, and their families, who may be detained or denied entry into the United States. We encourage our communities and readers to follow all established rules and protocols while applying for a visa and/or traveling. If you feel that you have been targeted due to your faith or country of origin, please call us at 312.212.1520.
Civil Rights Report
Civil Rights intakes from the weeks of October 18th to October 31st
Woman complained of religious/racial discrimination in process for housing application
Government employee complained of discrimination and retaliation at workplace, leading to a wrongful suspension.
Woman estranged from citizen spouse sought out immigration aid
Legal permanent resident sought aid with citizenship process
Petitioner complained her mother's application had been stuck in administrative processing for over a year.
US citizen father sought to obtain citizenship for his immigrant children.
Apply for Our Internships!
CAIR-Chicago is currently accepting applications for the Winter/Fall 2019 term! All departments are accepting. Internships also can be used for class credit (dependent on university). Check out more info below!
Meet our New Fellows!
Semir Music
One World Chicago Fellow
Semir Music founded the digital marketing agency Lilium Digital at the age of 25 and in three years managed to establish cooperation with over 300 companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Australia, Germany and the USA. So far he has worked for brands such as: Porsche, Mercedes, Audi, Shell and many others.
Brianna Pursell
Civil Rights Fellow
Brianna Pursell is a Law Clerk in the Civil Rights Department for the fall session of 2019. She graduated from DePaul University College of Law in May 2019 with a focus on civil and human rights issues, a Certificate in International and Comparative Law, and a passion for immigration and asylum work.
Christopher Nevarez Azdar
Census Fellow
An Outreach & Government Intern alum from Summer 2019, Nevarez Azdar he will work with CAIR-Chicago and the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition on 2020 Census related matters, namely building community awareness through workshops, presentations and events.
DID YOU KNOW...
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Read about them on our website!