The Council on American Islamic Relations is marking its tenth anniversary by celebrating the diversity of the Muslim American community.

CAIR-Chicago joins The Illinois Coalition to Protect Academic Freedom and Free Speech that formed in response to anti-boycott legislation introduced in the Illinois State Senate.

CAIR-Chicago is proud of the great work of the Government Affairs Department in creating the comprehensive 2014 Primary Election Voter Guide.

On Friday, March 14, 2014 CAIR-Chicago attended the Chicago Muslims, interfaith leaders urge prayer and fasting for Syria's children press conference.

CAIR-Chicago Staff Attorney Rabya Khan recently won an 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 current Syrian refugee crisis, CAIR Chicago is launching a Syrian Asylum Project to handle asylum cases on behalf of Syrian refugees.

Illinois State Senate Bill 3017 would deny funding to public universities that participate in a boycott of Israeli academic institutions. It would, for example, prohibit a faculty member from getting funds to travel to an American Studies Association (ASA) meeting, even if that meeting is unrelated to the boycott, or the professor herself is opposed to the boycott. A college that violates the prohibition would lose all public funds for that academic year. According to the legislation’s sponsor, it was drafted in response to the ASA’s recent resolution to boycott Israeli academic institutions, like similar bills around the country.

Time Sensitive. Last chance to act: Make your voice heard! The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) is calling on its supporters to contact their elected state senators to urge that they drop proposed legislation that would restrict academic freedom and free speech rights.

CAIR-Chicago recently received complaints from community members who have received threatening, fraudulent phone calls from unknown callers who claim to be IRS tax agents. These phone scams are targeting recent immigrants, throughout the U.S. Victims are informed that they owe money to the IRS. The callers provide fake names and IRS badge numbers, and they may have the victim's Social Security Number, family information or other personal information.

CAIR-Chicago is excited to present a star-studded lineup for this year's 10th Anniversary Gala!

Our 10th Annual Banquet is set to take place on Saturday, March 15th, 2014, at 7:00 p.m., at Drury Lane in Oakbrook, IL. Please mark your calendars and show your support by attending.

On Friday, February 14 CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab joined U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez for an update on the effort to enact comprehensive immigration reform legislation in Congress.

Join CAIR-Chicago as Keith Uchima produces and directs a staged reading of excerpts from their historic trial of Japanese Americans vs. The United States.

Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Chicago, said his mother and sister have had similar experiences. He said he first began to understand what Muslim women who wear the hijab experience when he walked with his sister in a mall after she started wearing it. “People would stare at her, and I would stare at them,” he said. “She on the other hand would just look ahead saying, ‘I won’t let it bother me.’ ”

He said the message of Suleiman’s experience is “just like a book, don’t judge a woman by her cover.”

DePaul University's Muslim Student Association, United Muslims Moving Ahead (UMMA) held their annual Fast-A-Thon on Friday, February 7th. UMMA encouraged participants to abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset as they raise money for Bridging the Gap.

Join CAIR-Chicago at the Illinois Immigrant Integration Policy Summit“Keeping our Families Together” on Saturday, February 22

AIC hopes to proceed with its lawsuit against Des Plaines, who imposed a significant burden on the Center’s religious exercise, as well as discriminating against the Center as a religious institution and based on its Muslim affiliation, the next hearing is set for 3/17/2014.

The new rules will make it possible for Sikhs and members of other faiths to receive such waivers routinely, when possible. Orthodox Jewish service members will be allowed to wear yarmulkes while in uniform, and Muslim service members could wear beards and carry prayer beads.

CAIR-Chicago is looking for a Youth Development Fellow to work closely with the Outreach Coordinator in building and maintaining the Muslim Youth Leadership Symposium (MYLS) initiative, as well as other development programs targeting youth ages 13-19.

After the film was screened, Director Jehane Noujaim and producer Karim Amer Skyped in from New York for an audience Q & A session which was moderated by CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab.