Hundreds of Egyptian-Americans and human rights activists will rally and hold a press conference today outside the Egyptian Consulate in Chicago to support the efforts of pro-democracy activists in Egypt.

Christian, Muslim, Jewish and civic leaders affirm religious freedom and call on the DuPage County Development Board to reconsider the Zoning Board's decision to deny a permit for MECCA, a mosque in Willowbrook.

"There is a large and growing number of Muslim families who live, work, and pay taxes in DuPage County yet are being denied the same right as their neighbors to establish institutions to accommodate their religious and community needs," said Ahmed Rehab.

CAIR-Chicago filed two complaints in circuit court today against the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. The complaints were filed on behalf of a Muslim family that was barred from entering a children's water park last year because of their clothing.

The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations yesterday filed a discrimination lawsuit in federal court on behalf of 49 Muslims of Somali heritage who were fired from a meat packing plant in Nebraska. The lawsuit intervenes in a class action filed by the Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in August on behalf of more than 200 Somali factory workers from the Swift Co. plant in Grand Island, Nebraska.

On Tuesday, November 16th, Muslims all over the world and in America will mark the end of the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, with communal prayers and celebrations. See Chicago prayer locations and timings at http://www.chicagomuslims.com/

“We appreciate Judge Bernthal’s bold and principled decision and his acknowledgment that such threats are acts of terror,” said CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Amina Sharif. “We hope this sends a clear message to Islamophobes who try to threaten and intimidate Muslim Americans - that we will not live in fear.”

CAIR-Chicago applauds the efforts of law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the United States, Europe and the Middle East to foil an apparent plot to ship packages containing explosives from Yemen to synagogues in Chicago.

CAIR-Chicago filed a discrimination complaint in federal court against the Southwest Suburban Village of Worth on behalf of Ala Alsherbini, a local Muslim business owner.

CAIR-Chicago received a favorable ruling today from the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) regarding a discrimination complaint filed against a Cook County recreational pool on behalf of a Muslim family.

CAIR-Chicago announced today that it is deeply concerned about the FBI’s recent raids on the homes of anti-war activists in the Midwest. CAIR-Chicago is issuing the following statement in response to the raids.

“The reprehensible attack against this Jewish congregation is an insult to all of us,” said Ahmed Rehab, executive director of CAIR-Chicago. “An attack against one house of worship is an attack against every house of worship.”

“I expect police and federal investigators to thoroughly examine the incident and remain vigilant as there has been a significant rise in these sorts of hateful, Islamophobic incidents across the country,” said Abraham. “We will not let hatemongers spread fear and intimidate Muslims.”

CAIR-Chicago filed a discrimination complaint in federal court today against the Illinois State Police (ISP) on behalf of Kifah Mustapha, a leading Muslim religious leader (Imam) based in Chicago. The ISP had previously hired Imam Kifah as the first and only Muslim chaplain for its workforce after the completion of a thorough background check. Shortly after news of Imam Kifah’s hiring, the ISP revoked its decision citing a dubious Internet report attacking Imam Kifah. The report was written and distributed by Steven Emerson, an anti-Muslim blogger notorious for fighting against American Muslim civic participation.

CAIR-Chicago is hosting its annual “Taste of Ramadan” cook-off and Iftar August 26 in its downtown office. Over a hundred friends and supporters of CAIR-Chicago are expected to attend.

Local leaders will discuss their concern that a calculated campaign of Islamophobia and fear mongering have influenced public officials and misinformed the general public. The coalition will discuss opposition to mosques including in Illinois, rising levels of anti-Muslim bigotry and hate crimes.

At a press conference today, CAIR-Chicago and an interfaith community coalition responded to a recent decision by the Illinois State Police (ISP) to revoke a chaplaincy position previously extended and confirmed for Imam Kifah Mustafa, a leading Chicago Muslim cleric. (See Press Release HERE)) ISP revoked its decision citing an internet report attacking Imam Kifah that was written and distributed by Steven Emerson, an anti-Muslim blogger who has a well-known reputation for fighting against American Muslim civic participation. Read FAIR's detailed expose on Steven Emerson and his dubious work, HERE

At a press conference today, CAIR-Chicago and an interfaith community coalition responded to a recent decision by the Illinois State Police (ISP) to revoke a chaplaincy position previously extended and confirmed for Imam Kifah Mustafa, a leading Chicago Muslim cleric. (See Press Release HERE)) ISP revoked its decision citing an internet report attacking Imam Kifah that was written and distributed by Steven Emerson, an anti-Muslim blogger who has a well-known reputation for fighting against American Muslim civic participation. Read FAIR's detailed expose on Steven Emerson and his dubious work, HERE