Latest news with #Muslimcommunity
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota Muslim community concerned about President Trump's travel ban
The Brief President Donald Trump's new travel ban went into effect on Monday. The ban targets mainly African and Middle Eastern countries, amid the president's escalating campaign of immigration enforcement. Some in Minnesota's Muslim community are already raising the alarm about the ban. ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - President Donald Trump's new travel ban went into effect on Monday. CAIR Minnesota says it will offer "Know Your Rights" presentations to members of the local Somali Muslim community who have questions about the ban. What we know For Minnesota's Muslim community and its allies, President Trump's new travel ban is a cause for concern. "What we know is that this is not about security. It's a continuation of the anti-Muslim and particularly the anti-African ban," said Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Minnesota. The backstory The executive order which went into effect on Monday affects citizens from a dozen countries, including Somalia, and adds tighter restrictions on travelers from seven other countries. CAIR says Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the United States, and it has already heard from members of the Somali community worried about the new regulations. "The ban is carefully crafted to hide its true and evident intent, which is to discriminate based on religion, race, and nationality," said Munira Mohamed, policy associate for the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. During the presidential election, exit polling shows more than half of Muslim voters voted for third party candidate Jill Stein, 21& voted for Trump, while 20% voted for Kamala Harris. CAIR says many Muslims don't regret their decisions in the voting booth because of the Biden administration's stance on Gaza."Banning and bombing are not the same thing. We knew that Muslims in America may suffer more because of this administration. We understood that that was a risk we were willing to take to save the lives of children in Gaza and to end the war," said Hussein. What they're saying CAIR is asking community members, elected officials and neighbors to condemn the travel ban and support the No Ban Act, which would keep future presidents from enacting similar restrictions. "This ban cannot stand. It does not protect our neighbors. In fact, it creates a more racist and non-inclusive society," said Hussein.
Al Arabiya
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
US launches civil rights probe into Muslim-led community project near Dallas amid GOP back
The US Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights investigation into a Muslim-centered planned community around one of the state's largest mosques near Dallas, US Sen. John Cornyn said Friday. Cornyn requested the federal probe of the development last month, citing concerns it could discriminate against Christians and Jews. He announced in a post on X that US Attorney General Pam Bondi had notified him of the investigation. The developers of the proposed planned community tied to the East Plano Islamic Center, which has not yet been built, have said they are being bullied because they are Muslim. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment or to confirm Cornyn's announcement. A federal probe would further escalate pressure on the proposed EPIC City, which is already facing mounting criticism and multiple investigations from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and other GOP state officials who claim the group is trying to create a Muslim-exclusive community that would impose Islamic law on residents. Among its chief critics is the state's hard-right Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is challenging Cornyn for his Senate seat in 2026. 'Religious discrimination and Sharia Law have no home in Texas,' Cornyn wrote in his post on X. 'Any violations of federal law must be swiftly prosecuted, and I know under (President Donald Trump's) administration, they will be.' Dan Cogdell, an attorney for EPIC City who defended Paxton in his 2023 impeachment trial when he was acquitted by the state Senate , said the developers have 'done nothing illegal and we will cooperate fully with all investigations-regardless of how misguided and unnecessary they are.' The state investigations include whether the development is violating financial and fair housing laws and whether the mosque has conducted illegal funerals. Cogdell has said none of the investigations would be happening if the community was planned around a church or temple. The attacks on the project about Islamic law and other claims 'are not only completely without merit and totally misleading but they are dangerous as well,' Cogdell said Friday. 'These folks are US Citizens, law abiding and Texans.' The Council on American-Islamic Relations in the Dallas area also has criticized the state probes as bullying the Muslim community and a violation of constitutionally protected religious expression. Plans for the mixed-used development include more than 1,000 homes and apartments, a faith-based school for kindergarten through 12th grade, a community college, assisted living for older residents and athletics fields. EPIC City would be near the community of Josephine, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Dallas.
Associated Press
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Sen. Cornyn of Texas says federal probe started into Muslim-entered community near Dallas
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights investigation into a Muslim-centered planned community around one of the state's largest mosques near Dallas, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said Friday. Cornyn requested the federal probe of the development last month, citing concerns it could discriminate against Christians and Jews. He announced in a post on X that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi had notified him of the investigation. The developers of the proposed planned community tied to the East Plano Islamic Center, which has not yet been built, have said they are being bullied because they are Muslim. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment or to confirm Cornyn's announcement. A federal probe would further escalate pressure on the proposed EPIC City, which is already facing mounting criticism and multiple investigations from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and other GOP state officials who claim the group is trying to create a Muslim-exclusive community that would impose Islamic law on residents. Among its chief critics is the state's hard-right Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is challenging Cornyn for his Senate seat in 2026. 'Religious discrimination and Sharia Law have no home in Texas,' Cornyn wrote in his post on X. 'Any violations of federal law must be swiftly prosecuted, and I know under (President Donald Trump's) administration, they will be.' Dan Cogdell, an attorney for EPIC City who defended Paxton in his 2023 impeachment trial, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment Friday. Cogdell has previously called state investigations into the development 'fear mongering' and 'racial profiling' that would not be happening if was planned around a church or temple. The state investigations include whether the development is violating financial and fair housing laws, and whether the mosque has conducted illegal funerals. The Council on American-Islamic Relations in the Dallas area also has criticized the state probes as bullying the Muslim community and a violation of constitutionally protected religious expression. Plans for the mixed-used development include more than 1,000 homes and apartments, a faith-based school for kindergarten through 12th grade, a community college, assisted living for older residents and athletics fields. EPIC City would be near the community of Josephine, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Dallas.
CBC
08-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Moncton's growing Muslim community raising funds for new community centre, mosque
Al Salam Community Centre expected to be open to the public in fall 2025 The Muslim community in Moncton is outgrowing its mosques and community spaces. So much so, that community members have taken it upon themselves to construct a new community centre in northeast Moncton. "This is a really ambitious project. The Muslim community is growing and we need infrastructure, social infrastructure," said Ibrahim Najum, one of the organizers of the Al Salam Community Centre project. Currently, there are three mosques in the city — Masjid Yusuf, Moncton Mosque and Hassnain-e-Karimain Masjid. But with an ever-growing Muslim population, they're often full, especially during busy prayer times, like the Friday afternoon jummah. "The mosques that we have currently just aren't big enough … for the number of people that are coming to pray," said Evan "Yahya" Briggs, a Muslim convert who grew up in Moncton. "We're actually having to make people pray outside or turning people away or sometimes we have to do the same prayer two times. One group comes in and prays, and then later on the second group comes in." In 2021, the most recent year for which statistics are available, the Muslim population in the Moncton metropolitan area was 3,515, compared to just 845 in 2011. In the whole province, 9,190 identified as Muslim, compared to just 2,640 in 2011. "There will be hundreds of guys there bumping into each other, trying to squeeze in through the door," said Briggs. "And unfortunately, we have to keep telling people that you're going to have to either wait for a second prayer or you're going to have to try to pray outside." Not just a mosque The idea for the new Al Salam Community Centre first came about in 2020, and while it's just a concrete foundation right now, the first phase is expected to be completed this fall. That first phase includes the mosque, with space for 500 people. "We have everything — or almost everything — ready. All the engineers, the architect and everything," said Najum. "It's just a matter of time to complete the construction of this first multi-purpose building." WATCH | 'We're actually having to make people pray outside or turning people away' Media Video | CBC News New Brunswick : Why Moncton's Muslim community needs another mosque Caption: Moncton's growing Muslim community is building a new facility to address overcrowded mosques and to expand cultural and social new building will fit about 500 people once completed. Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Later phases of the mosque will also include a gymnasium, business plaza and an Arabic school for children. "The need is there, the community is growing and I believe we need this community centre for the benefit of our kids," said Najum. Briggs said it gives the Muslim community a sense of independence, that they will no longer have to hold Arabic classes in rented spaces or people's homes. "Hopefully this should really help the community to have a sense of 'OK, now we have a foot in the door here in New Brunswick, that this community can really grow and feel safe,'" he said. All this will sit on 1.9 hectares of land at the end of Fiedmont Street, where Najum hopes the community can come together to celebrate, mourn and gather. "This is not only for a place to pray. We can pray in a parking lot, we can pray almost anywhere," said Najum. "But it's a cultural place, it's a community centre. There are newcomers, people want to stay in touch with the Islamic culture." A community effort Individual community members like Briggs and Najum are the backbone of the project, coming together not just to raise funds but also to help with construction. "People have helped with clearing up that brush and the trees and stuff, pouring the concrete," said Briggs. "We've saved something like $30,000 on volunteer work." "This shows that the Muslim community really cares, the Muslim community, they won't just sit back and let other people do all the work," Briggs added. The original $480,000 needed to purchase the land was entirely community donations. "For the last four years, five years, we hold fundraising events. For now, we don't have any government funding yet," said Najum. There's still another $300,000 needed to be able to complete the first phase of the project. But Najum and Briggs have faith in their community, and are also looking forward to welcoming all New Brunswickers to come see the Al Salam Community Centre once it's complete. "Right now there is a pause just because of winter and we plan to start in the coming weeks," Najum said. "And hopefully by October 2025, the building will be complete, and Ramadan 2026 we'll pray here."
