Latest news with #MuslimAmericans
Axios
6 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Hate crimes hit second largest record in 2024: FBI
Hate crimes in the United States last year hit their second-largest total since the FBI started keeping data, in a sign that bias-motivated crimes aren't subsiding, according to new numbers. The big picture: Although overall hate crimes decreased by 1.5% in 2024 from the year prior, advocates say the high numbers show Jewish Americans, Muslim Americans and LGBTQ+ residents are still targets for bias attacks. By the numbers: Law enforcement agencies reported 11,679 criminal cases of hate crime last year, the FBI said Tuesday. In 2023, the nation saw a record high of 11,862 hate crime cases, according to an Axios analysis of FBI data. In addition, the FBI reported 13,683 related offenses as being motivated by bias toward race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, and gender identity. Zoom in: More than half of hate crimes involved attacks involving race or ethnicity, the FBI Crime Data Explorer database showed. Black Americans were the most targeted group, followed by Jewish Americans, then gay men, according to the numbers. Around 17% of all hate crimes involved sexual orientations. Sikhs remain the third most-targeted religious group behind the Jewish and Muslim communities. Caveat: Just over 16,000 agencies participated in the hate crime collection with the FBI, with a population coverage of 95.1% of the U.S. population. That gap could mean more hate crimes in the U.S. are going unreported, advocates say. What they're saying: "The record-high number of anti-Jewish hate crime incidents tracked by the FBI in 2024 is consistent with (Anti-Defamation League)'s reporting," ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said. "We're facing a crisis of hate and extremism that threatens all of us and the core of our democracy," Jewish Council for Public Affairs CEO Amy Spitalnick said. "Arab Americans, Asian Americans, Black Americans, Jewish Americans, the Latino community, the LGBTQ community, immigrants and others have long sounded the alarm — this violence is not new, it simply remains unaddressed," Arab American Institute executive director Maya Berry said. Between the lines: Anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate crimes appeared to have leveled off slightly last year, but the numbers are still alarming, analyst Brian Levin told Axios. However, it appears that anti-Jewish hate crimes are still near or around record levels, he said. Anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish hate crimes tend to rise during conflicts in the Middle East, he said.
Miami Herald
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Which political party do Muslims identify more with? Poll reveals shifting views
Muslim Americans, who make up about 1% of the population, have long been a small, but dependable, voting bloc for the Democratic Party. Now, however, a political realignment may be underway, according to recent polling. Pew Research Center data published July 21 revealed that 53% of Muslim adults identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party. Meanwhile only a slightly smaller share, 42%, identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. The results come from the latest Religious Landscape Study — conducted between 2023 and 2024 — which surveyed 36,908 U.S. adults, including 273 Muslim respondents. The figures come in stark contrast to those from previous years, which were more favorable for Democrats, indicating the party's 'advantage has shrunk considerably.' In 2007, for example, 63% of Muslim adults identified with or gravitated toward the Democratic Party, while just 11% said the same for Republicans, according to a poll at the time. Similarly, in 2017, 66% of Muslim Americans favored the Democrats, while 13% favored the Republicans. What's causing this shift? Some observers have blamed former President Joe Biden's support for Israel's war in Gaza, seeing it as a key factor driving Muslims from the Democratic Party. Some previous polls support this theory. In an April 2024 Pew survey, 60% of Muslims said Biden was 'favoring the Israelis too much' in the conflict. And a July 2024 Institute for Social Policy Understanding (ISPU) survey found that the war in Gaza was the top concern for Muslim voters in three swing states. However, the latest poll also reveals that, in some cases, Muslim Americans' political values align more with Republicans than Democrats — potentially factoring into the realignment. For example, 63% of Muslim respondents said they believe children are better off when one parent stays home to take care of them. Sixty-six percent of Republicans and 45% of Democrats said the same. Similarly, 55% of Muslims said 'homosexuality should be discouraged by society,' while 47% of Republicans and 13% of Democrats agreed. On the other hand, there were cases in which Muslims' values aligned more with those of Democrats, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of 8.3 percentage points. Seventy-one percent of Muslim respondents said they preferred bigger government — a statement that 79% of Democrats and 31% of Republicans agreed with. And 82% of Muslims agreed that 'openness to immigrants is essential.' Meanwhile, 88% of Democrats and 50% of Republicans said the same.
18-07-2025
- Business
Muslim donors flood Mamdani's campaign for NYC mayor, see national impact
Six days before polls closed in the New York City mayoral primary, and hours after former Mayor Michael Bloomberg injected an extra $5 million into former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's mayoral PAC, a group of Muslim Americans began mobilizing nationwide. A few donors told ABC News they knew they couldn't match Cuomo's donors, but believed a small jolt might give Zohran Mamdani a final push in the Democratic primary. After Mamdani's upset victory over the presumed favorite, Cuomo, some of those who supported Mamdani told ABC News they felt their contributions toward his victory could forecast a rise in a larger network of Muslim Americans fundraising in national politics, which they say might influence who will run, and who might win. On election night, leaders for Mamdani's super PAC, "New Yorkers for Lower Costs," released a memo titled "What we did to help elect Zohran Mamdani," thanking donors for their role in his upset win, writing, "In particular, the generosity of Arab and Muslim Americans … has been truly incredible…" PAC chair Regina Monge told ABC News many of their biggest donors were Arab or Muslim. Some political science experts said Mamdani won support from almost every demographic. Still, longtime Muslim donors stress the Muslim bloc stands out for its first prominent, unified national effort and believe they're seeing the political muscle Muslims could flex across American politics if mobilized. Democratic bundler Asif Mahmood, who helped raise millions for Hillary Clinton and Vice President Kamala Harris and ran for Congress himself, said Mamdani's candidacy has been transformative, and sees it as influencing others like Michigan's Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed, whose campaign touts $1.8 million raised under three months, 95% from donations under $100. "[Mamdani] was able to move Muslim support across the board," Mahmood said, stating he believes Mamdani was unique in coalescing donors who were Arab and South Asian, secular and devout, local and nationwide - much of what he says is apparent in the filing report. Mahmood points to his campaign for Congress, where he says his Muslim donor support overwhelmingly came from his own South Asian community, as a major example. He also points to the Council on American–Islamic Relations' political arm—the Unity & Justice Fund—making a total contribution of $100,000, alongside Muslims in tech making major donations and Muslim pop culture figures inspiring engagement. "He has shown his strength," said Mahmood, who said he will contact Mamdani's campaign for a fundraiser at his California home, adding, "This is not a local race anymore. This is a national race." Mamdani's win vaulted him into the national conversation overnight, drawing mentions from the Speaker of the House, DNC Chair and President Donald Trump. It also led to the conversation about which Democratic Party faction should lead as it aims to rebuild. Every donor ABC News spoke to describes the war in Gaza as a major reason donors became more financially involved. The Uncommitted movement, the pro-Palestinian group critical of the Biden administration's Gaza war policy, did not endorse Harris in 2024, stating "Harris's unwillingness to shift on unconditional weapons policy or to even make a clear campaign statement in support of upholding existing U.S. and international human rights law." "I felt demoralized and ignored. Palestine did not get the attention it deserved," Rehan Azhar, a donor for Mamdani's PAC, told ABC News. Some donors, like first-time donor and Silicon Valley angel investor Tariq Afaq Ahmed, said they believed that money could be the tool to gain the attention their community needed. "If there was a better plan… there could have been a bigger push," Ahmed told ABC News. "Maybe this is the infancy of something to come." New money, new donor class Some Democratic strategists say that historically, South Asian and Arab Muslims in America, many of whom immigrated post-1965, have not invested in politics. "Most immigrant communities in the U.S. follow a familiar trajectory in their giving: it starts with religious institutions and charity," Democratic strategist Waleed Shahid told ABC News. "Investing in politics is rarely the first instinct, but once it happens, it marks a transition from survival to coalition building and political power." Faiz Shakir, Bernie Sanders' senior advisor and former campaign manager, told ABC News that the Muslim community's power is rising as many gain wealth. "This community is maturing quickly. There's more people in probably the 30 to 49-year-old range that are millionaires," Shakir said. One of the lead donors to the "New Yorkers for Lower Costs" super PAC backing Mamdani is the 34-year-old Azhar, and who said early last year he started a small network of like-minded Muslims, most under 50, after selling his business. He said that moments after he watched Mamdani's odds on PolyMarket plunge after Bloomberg boosted Cuomo's war chest to more than $25 million, he knew he wanted to act. "I started texting everyone," said Azhar, who said he felt he had just hours to raise money. "I told them: 'This has the potential to change Democratic politics nationwide. The return on investment is enormous."Within hours, Azhar says several people pledged a total of over half a million dollars. Azhar, a first-time donor, brought his donation for Zohran's "New Yorkers for Lower Costs" super PAC to over $150,000. Others followed with giant checks. One person he called was Ahmed, who said Azhar convinced him to give $25,000. In the final hours, D.C.-based Rocket Money co-founders Haroon and Idris contributed over $189,000. Idris said, "This is a once-in-a-generation candidate ….[Mamdani] didn't back down from principles. It was awe-inspiring." Challenges and the future Some Democratic strategists said that while Mamdani influenced a new donor class, he also received financial blowback from far wealthier individuals. Shakir says "Mamdani's views about Gaza and Israel, combined with his willingness and desire to take on powerful moneyed interests," have galvanized billionaires, and, "With just a few checks, they can just swamp this election."But in his primary, Mamdani proved a little could go a long way - largely fueling his campaign with volume. His campaign received 28,000 small-dollar donations totaling $1.7 million to Cuomo's $4 million from just 6,500 donations. And even smaller campaign donors had a major impact. Californian Mohammed Davoodi gave $2,100 directly to the campaign, and now hopes to host his first-ever fundraiser for Mamdani, and is considering running for office. But Davoodi now hopes to host his first-ever fundraiser for Mamdani, and is considering running for office. "[Mamdani's] my age. His childhood photos look like me. He's an immigrant like I am," Davoodi said. "As much as Islamophobia has come out, it shows Americans don't care - a Muslim can be in office. It's about your principles and policies."
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Zohran Mamdani's NYC primary win inspires Muslim Americans nationwide
When Zohran Mamdani won New York City's Democratic primary on Tuesday night, celebrations rang out well past the borders of the city's five boroughs. For Muslim Americans across the country, his victory was a historic moment — one that cast a sharp rebuke toward Islamophobia as Mamdani, who is Muslim, positioned himself as the favorite for the city's general election in November. Mussab Ali, who is running for mayor in Jersey City, described tearing up while seeing the results of the primary at a watch party for Mamdani in Manhattan. 'To me, it feels kind of emotional to see somebody who looks just like me, who embodies so much of my politics to win at one of the largest stages,' said Ali, 28, a former board of education president who also is Muslim. The win was even more remarkable, said Ali, given the $25 million spent by former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and his supporters that included 'Islamophobic attacks.' Cuomo conceded in the primary race to Mamdani shortly after polls closed. 'As Muslims, we are so used to being attacked for our faith,' Ali said. 'I think people saw through these attacks and that was so empowering for me. 'We have been taught that our identity, politically, is a weakness. You should not embrace your Muslimness. You should be careful about the length of your beard. You should be careful about having a beard at all if you want to be in the political arena. If he wins the general election in November, Mamdani will be the first South Asian, African-born, Muslim and democratic socialist to govern America's largest city. The 33-year-old Mamdani garnered support from a diverse coalition, including many young voters, in a remarkable upset win. For many Muslim Americans, a day like the June 25 primary election in New York City was hard to imagine just two decades ago, as Islamophobia flared in the wake of 9/11. It was a sign, they said, that Muslims could rise in politics even if they spoke about their faith and publicly defended the rights of Palestinians. 'What Mamdani did last night is he demonstrated it does not matter what you look like or what faith you practice. You can win at the highest levels of government.' In the years since 9/11, Muslim Americans have made a strong and concerted effort to get more involved in politics and civic affairs. Many have won elected office across the United States, especially in New Jersey. Forid Uddin, a member of the Paterson City Council, is among a crop of new Muslim leaders. As polls in New York City closed, Uddin wrote about Mamdani's win online as a 'groundbreaking victory.' 'Through inclusive leadership and a deep commitment to change, Zohran has shown the power of unity and purpose in shaping a better future,' wrote Uddin. 'This moment is more than a victory, it's a powerful reminder that representation matters, and that communities often overlooked have the strength to lead and transform our cities.' Omar Mohammedi, an attorney from Far Hills, said it was a 'dream that came true.' His own path was not easy, he said. When he was appointed as a Commissioner of Human Rights in New York City in 2002, he said, he faced smears and death threats due his Muslim faith and Arab heritage. 'I'm so proud of our community to persevere to get where it is now and I hope for more success despite the prejudice, the disgusting bigotry that our community has been facing for decades,' Mohammedi wrote online. 'We pray for a better future for Zohran Mamdani to serve the melting pot in NYC, to be a beacon for justice, for human rights and to protect people's civil rights and uphold the constitution.' Mamdani won in a city with many progressive voters, who connected with his vibrant grassroots organizing, savvy social media campaign and his message of making the city more affordable. But Muslims also recognized that their struggles persist, noting continued faith-based attacks against elected officials and candidates. Sadaf Jaffer, one of the first two Muslims elected to the New Jersey State Legislature, both women, declined to seek reelection in 2023. Jaffer said she had faced harassment both online and in opponents' attack ads because of her religious background and did not want to put her family though another ugly election cycle. Respected New Jersey litigator Adeel Mangi faced an Islamophobic line of questioning by lawmakers — including whether he condemned terrorism and if he celebrated 9/11 — when he was nominated to serve as United States circuit judge. A right-wing organization even aired television ads saying Mangi was a 'radical' and an 'antisemite' while showing footage of the 9/11 attacks. Mangi, who would have been the first Muslim American to sit on a federal appeals court, was eventually left out of a bipartisan deal for judgeships. Along the campaign trail, Mamdani was questioned about whether he would visit Israel and whether Israel should exist as Jewish state. Some accused him of antisemitism, which he had denounced, over his past advocacy for Palestinians. But those accusations did not hobble his campaign in a city with the largest Jewish population outside Tel Aviv. Mamdani also was cross endorsed by Comptroller Brad Lander, a Jewish candidate who also ran in the Democratic primary. Mamdani's views marked a break with the Democratic establishment on Israel, but aligned with views of many voters. With Israel's far-right leadership and continued military campaign in Gaza, most Democrats now report holding unfavorable opinions of Israel, according to Pew and Gallup surveys. The outcome of the Democratic primary won't be official until a runoff is conducted with ballots that rank up to five choices is announced in July. But it positions Mamdani as a favorite in the general election, when he runs against Republican Curtis Silwa and the scandal-plagued incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the primary to run as an independent in the general election. Abed Awad, an attorney from Wayne, celebrated the outcome of the primary, calling it 'an amazing night" that will inspire other Muslim Americans to get engaged." "Mamdani is proof that Democrats are longing for a principled candidate," Awad wrote online. "Mamdani represents the future of the Democratic Party. Change is coming!" This article originally appeared on Zohran Mamdani's NYC primary win inspires Muslim Americans
Sky News AU
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Donald Trump made ‘huge inroads' with Muslim Americans in last election
New York Post Editor at Large Kelly Jane Torrance says US President Donald Trump has made 'huge inroads' in the last election with Muslim Americans. Ms Torrance told Sky News senior reporter Caroline Marcus that Donald Trump has already 'delivered more' in some ways than former US president Joe Biden. Donald Trump is currently in the Middle East, meeting with Arab leaders.
