(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J., 8/15/18) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today applauded six members of the New Jersey congressional delegation for demanding the removal of New Jersey ICE office spokesperson Emilio Karim Dabul after disturbing news reports surfaced of his connections to Islamophobic groups.
On Wednesday, Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Albio Sires (NJ-08), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) wrote a letter to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Ronald Vitiello, demanding Dabul’s removal.
“We applaud these six members of the New Jersey Congressional delegation for taking a stand against bigotry,” said James Sues, Executive Director of CAIR-New Jersey. “It is unacceptable for someone with ties to known Islamophobes and anti-Muslim hate groups to speak on behalf of a government agency such as ICE.”
SEE: https://pascrell.house.gov/sites/pascrell.house.gov/files/Dabul%20Letter.pdf
As first reported by the Star Ledger on Aug. 3, Dabul has ties to numerous anti-Muslim groups including ACT for America, an organization which has “flood[ed] the American public with hate speech demonizing Muslims,” according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Dabul also contributed to FrontPage, a far right publication whose founder, David Horowitz, is seen as a godfather for anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant bigotry in the United States. In addition, Dabul helped edit for Freedom Center, another Horowitz organ the Star Ledger labels a “hate group.”
SEE: ICE’s Spokesman in N.J. Has Disturbing Ties to Hate Groups
https://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2018/08/ices_strange_silence_on_its_nj_spokesmans_anti-mus.html
On Aug. 6, CAIR-New Jersey called for the dismissal of Dabul in a letter to Matthew T. Albence Executive Associate Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
SEE: CAIR-New Jersey Calls for Dismissal of ICE Spokesman With Ties to Anti-Muslim Hate Groups
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director James Sues, 908-668-5900, jsues@cair.com
CAIR-New Jersey Calls for Dismissal of ICE Spokesman With Ties to Anti-Muslim Hate Groups
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR New Jersey Calls for Dismissal of ICE Spokesman With Ties to Anti-Muslim Hate Groups
(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 8/6/2018) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), today called for the dismissal of New Jersey’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesman who has ties to anti-Muslim hate groups and designated Islamophobes.
According to an investigation by Star-Ledger and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Emilio Karim Dabul, the spokesman for the state’s ICE office, previously edited and wrote for anti-Muslim hate groups including ACT for America and David Horowitz Freedom Center.
“It is unacceptable for someone with ties to known Islamophobes and anti-Muslim hate groups to speak on behalf of a government agency such as ICE,” said James Sues, executive director of CAIR-NJ. “We call for Emilio Karim Dabul’s immediate dismissal and will consider his continued employment as ICE’s acceptance of Islamophobia.”
SEE: ICE’s spokesman in N.J. has disturbing ties to hate groups
ACT for America has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). “Brigitte Gabriel,” the anti-Muslim group’s founder, has argued that, “America is at stage two Islamic Cancer.” She believes “every practicing Muslim is a radical Muslim,” a Muslim “cannot be a loyal citizen of the United States,” and that Arabs “have no soul.” [NOTE: “Brigitte Gabriel” is also known as Hanah Kahwagi Tudor and Brigitte Tudor.]
In the past, CAIR released two short videos exposing ACT for America’s bigotry and its links to White supremacist organizations.
SEE: CAIR Releases Videos Exposing Anti-Muslim Hate Group ACT for America’s Bigotry, Links to White Supremacist Organizations
CAIR Islamophobia Monitor: ACT For America
http://www.islamophobia.org/islamophobic-organizations/36-act-for-america.html
CAIR Islamophobia Monitor: Brigitte Gabriel
In addition to being an editor for Gabriel, Dabul wrote for David Horowitz Freedom Center’s publication, FrontPage Magazine. According to the SPLC, Horowitz works closely with Pamella Geller to help her fund the designated anti-Muslim group, Stop Islamization of America.
Both Gabriel and Horowitz are listed as members of the nation’s “Anti-Muslim Inner Circle,” according to the SPLC.
Dabul has also praised and defended anti-Muslim activist Steven Emmerson.
An Arab-American Thanks Steve Emerson
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_neTsm-RNc
While Emmerson self-describes as an “expert on terrorism,” he previously accused Gov. Chris Christie of having a “strange relationship with radical Islam” and claimed that the Oklahoma City bomber’s attack in 1995 showed “a Middle Eastern trait.”
The Center for American Progress (CAP) classifies Emmerson’s group, the Investigative Project on Terrorism, as part of “the Islamophobia network in America.”
Yesterday, CAIR-Georgia welcomed Anti-Iranian Judge Sharon Dickson’s decision to step down from the Municipal Court of Sandy Springs after she made bigoted comments in the courtroom.
SEE: CAIR-Georgia Welcomes City’s Decision to Overturn Jail Sentence Imposed by Anti-Iranian Judge
Recently, CAIR has also called for the dismissals of Interior Secretary Zinke’s former spokeswoman Faith Vander Voort and top Trump appointee of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Thayer Verschoor.
SEE: CAIR Calls on Interior Secretary Zinke to Drop Spokeswoman Who Claimed a Muslim Can’t Be President
SEE: CAIR Calls for Firing of VA Official Who Spread Conspiracy Theories, Islamophobic Comments
Last June, CAIR applauded the decision by members of the United Nation’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) to reject President Trump’s nominee for the position of director general to lead the organization because of his history of Islamophobic statements.
SEE: CAIR Welcomes Rejection of Trump’s Islamophobic Nominee for U.N. Migration Post
https://www.cair.com/cair_welcomes_rejection_of_trump_s_islamophobic_nominee_for_u_n_migration_post
CAIR has reported an unprecedented spike in bigotry targeting American Muslims, immigrants and members of other minority groups since the election of Donald Trump as president. The Washington-based civil rights organization has also repeatedly expressed concern about Islamophobic and racist Trump administration policies and appointments.
The Washington-based organization’s recently-released 2018 Civil Rights Report, “Targeted,” showed a 17 percent increase in bias-motivated incidents against American Muslims from 2016 to 2017, and a 15 percent increase in the number of anti-Muslim hate crimes in that same time period.
SEE: CAIR 2018 Civil Rights Report: Targeted
CAIR 2018 Civil Rights Report: Targeted
http://www.islamophobia.org/reports/224-2018-civil-rights-report-targeted.html
