(CHICAGO, IL, 3/13/2014) — CAIR-Chicago is pleased to announce the launch of 'The Syrian Asylum Project' to handle asylum cases on behalf of Syrian refugees.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Rabya Khan recently won our first full asylum case for a Syrian physician based on past persecution and a well founded fear of future persecution by the Syrian regime.

"Due to the gravity of the Syrian crisis, we intend to pursue more asylum cases from Syria with the support of our community. We are grateful for the expertise provided by the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and the Middle East Country Specialists at Amnesty International USA in making our case a success," Executive Director Ahmed Rehab said.

-- You can support our efforts by making a donation to CAIR-Chicago --

The crisis in Syria has resulted in a massive displacement of refugees in a country with a population of little over 22 million. UNHCR estimates there to be about 2.5 million refugees, with the large majority (approximately 2.1 million) fleeing to bordering Middle Eastern countries such as Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon (wherein Syrian refugees already comprise over one-fifth of the population). Only around 100,000 Syrians have been granted asylum in Europe. Additionally, there are over 4 million Syrians internally displaced within Syria, and the UN estimates that over 5.5 million Syrian children are in dire need of humanitarian aid as a direct result of the war.

"We are partnering with CAIR-Michigan on representing asylum applicants at their asylum interviews in Chicago. We are planning to organize trainings and develop a network of attorneys who can provide pro bono asylum and immigration representation for Syrian refugees," Khan said.

CAIR-Chicago plans to expand the asylum project to other refugees in need.

Individuals in need of assistance may contact our Civil Rights department at (312) 212-1520 for an intake.

CAIR-Chicago is a chapter of America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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CONTACT:

CAIR-Chicago Executive Director, Ahmed Rehab, arehab@cair.com, 312.212.1520, 202.870.0166 (cell)

CAIR-Chicago Senior Communications Coordinator, Agnieszka Karoluk, akaroluk@cair.com, 312.212.1520

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Rabya Khan, rabya.khan@cair.com, 312.212.1520