MEDIA ADVISORY

**FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION**

(Chicago, IL 6/22/2020) – The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) today called on the U.S. State Department to immediately seek the quickest, safest, and most efficient way to repatriate the more than 400 American citizens and legal permanent residents (LPR) who are currently stranded in Yemen without flights due to the COVID-19 global health crisis.

While CAIR-Chicago welcomes the news that the State Department has scheduled two flights on June 28 and July 1 for repatriation, a number of affected passengers will be unable to board those flights because their passports or travel documents have expired while stranded in Yemen. We are calling on the U.S. government to help Yemeni Americans and LPRs and #BringThemHome, including providing immediate assistance or waivers to those with expired or missing travel documents who can prove they are U.S. citizens or LPRs.

SEE: Travelers Assistance Project Yemen & COVID-19 Information and Aid

For the past couple of months, CAIR-Chicago has been working with government officials and departments as well as national partners to assist Americans who are stranded abroad. Travelers have been able to use the Travelers Assistance Project for aid and resources for returning to the United States.

“There are hundreds of US citizens and Legal Permanent Residents stuck in Yemen, a country not only dealing with COVID-19, but is also in the midst of war which is leaving millions without access to clean water or proper healthcare," Deputy Director Sufyan Sohel said. "We’ve been trying to help these Americans return home for months and we call on our leaders to make this happen."

If you or your loved ones need assistance on this matter, please fill out our COVID-19 Travel Aid Form and email Deputy Director Sufyan Sohel at ssohel@cair.com, and our team will follow up shortly.

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