MEDIA ADVISORY

**FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION**

CAIR-Chicago Condemns SCOTUS Stay Lift for Asylum

(CHICAGO, IL, 9/13/2019) - The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, today called a press conference to express its deep disappointment with the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to allow the Trump administration to close the entire Southern border to asylum seekers except those who originally come from and through Mexico.

The rule became effective on July 16, 2019, but was stayed in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court lifted the stay on September 11th, 2019. The rule is directed to individuals from any country if they cross the Southern border and plan to seek asylum here, but can be applied broadly.

Border Patrol data cross referenced with a 2018 Center for Immigrant Studies report showed that of 300,000+ persons that Border Patrol apprehended at the US-Mexico border in 2017, only about 0.3% came from 'special interest' countries (countries where due to terrorism concerns, the citizens receive extra scrutiny when arriving in the US, i.e., mostly African/Mid-East/West Asian nations).

"Wide dragnet policies like this one or like the Muslim Ban before it are ineffective from a national security perspective, and are pummeled through solely for political gain." Said Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director. "Our leaders owe us more honesty & transparency, especially when it comes to our safety, security, and public resources."

CAIR-Chicago currently has about a dozen open asylum cases stagnated due to unexplained and indefinite delays from USCIS. The seven clients in the mandamus are facing discrimination, persecution, torture, and even death if they return to their home countries due to political unrest. The recent decision has the potential to undermine any future asylum seekers.

SEE: CAIR-Chicago Files Mandamus Against USCIS

WHAT: Press Conference Condemning SCOTUS Decision

WHERE: CAIR-Chicago, 17 N State Street, Suite 1500 Chicago, IL 60602

WHEN: Friday, September 13th, 2019 at 11 AM

WHO: Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago; Phil Robertson, CAIR-Chicago & Partners

CAIR-Chicago runs a project (Travelers Assistance Project, or TAP) to help those detained at the border. The project was born in response to the first Muslim Ban in 2017. The hotline is 24/7 with legal assistance readily available.

SEE: Travelers Assistance Project

CAIR-Chicago is the Chicago Chapter of America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Our mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance.

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CONTACT: CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Saadia Pervaiz, 312-212-1520, spervaiz@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Hannah Faris, 312-212-1520, hfaris@cair.com