CAIR-WASHINGTON

04/26/12 - Government Agency/USCIS - A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA regarding his application for permanent residency for his children, which was denied. CAIR-WA met with the man to review his paperwork. Since the case was complex, involves immigration and didn't appear to be a civil rights case, CAIR-WA referred the man to several immigration clinics and non-profits for assistance.

 

04/25/12 - School/Other - A Muslim man and University of Washington student was enrolled in a Biology class which had exams every other Friday afternoon. The student had to choose between attending Friday prayers or taking his exams. After requesting accommodations and being denied, the student contacted CAIR-WA and CAIR-WA sent a complaint letter to the school. The school responded stating that the issue had been resolved and the man reported that he was being provided with an alternative exam time so he could attend Friday prayers. The case is considered a great success and a landmark for future cases of accommodations in schools.

 

04/25/12 - School/Bullying- A Muslim woman and mother of a high school student contacted CAIR-WA regarding a bullying incident involving her daughter. The woman's daughter was bullied by a student who called her a terrorist. In addition, one of the daughter's teachers made fun of her on several occasions in front of the entire class. The daughter met with her counselor, the teacher, and a security guard who witnessed the events. CAIR-WA met with the mother and daughter to discuss the case and what CAIR-WA can do to help. The daughter is not interested in CAIR-WA's involvement at this time, but will keep CAIR-WA updated on her case.

 

04/25/12 - Employment/Hire or Fire - Three weeks after beginning a new job, a Muslim woman received a reduction in hours and her status was reduced to part-time. The woman received fewer and fewer shifts despite stating that she wanted more shifts, until she was eventually placed on call. Even still, the woman was not called for shifts and the company continued to hire new employees. CAIR-WA sent a letter of complaint to the company. After receiving the letter, the company placed the woman back on a part-time schedule. CAIR-WA is currently drafting the second letter to the company with further requests.

 

04/25/12 - Employment/Other - A Muslim man and employee of American Medical Response contacted CAIR-WA regarding adequate accommodations to observe modesty. The man's working conditions had recently changed, requiring him to live with other men and woman for up to 12 hours in a single room. The man reported that there was no room for prayer or privacy for him to change clothes. CAIR-WA received the man's complaint through the online discrimination report form and contacted that man several times without reaching him.

 

04/25/12 - Prison- After being denied accommodations for Maghrib prayer for one month, a Muslim man incarcerated at Airway Heights Corrections Center contacted CAIR-WA for help. The man has an educational program during the evenings and is not allowed to take a brief break for prayer. After receiving the man's letter, CAIR-WA wrote him asking for more details. With these details, CAIR-WA contacted the head of Religious Programs in the Department of Corrections, who addressed the issue with the facility Chaplain. The Chaplain educated the facility staff about the importance of prayer and the man is now allowed to take a break for prayer during his class.

  

04/19/12 - General - A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA requesting a referral to an attorney who handles malpractice cases. The man believes he was a victim of medical malpractice. CAIR-WA referred the man to two attorneys who work in the area of malpractice.

 

04/17/12 - Government Agency/ICE - After being followed by an ICE agent on the freeway, and approached by another in a Starbucks, a Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA. The man believes that ICE may be following him as part of an investigation into a possible prostitution ring at the school where he works. CAIR-WA has documented the case and is waiting for a call from the man for more information.

 

04/17/12 - Public Accommodation - A Muslim woman and active community member was kicked out of a Republican Central Committee meeting in Oregon at the request of one of the candidates. The woman was not causing a disturbance and was kicked out before the meeting began, during the networking session. The woman reported several incidents in which she was kicked out of or excluded from events and forums with the Republican Party though she fully supports the party platform. After reporting the case to CAIR-WA, to woman met with the Oregon Republican Party chair and voiced her concerns. Currently, the woman does not want CAIR-WA to take action as her complaints have been resolved.

 

 04/16/12 - Employment/Harrassment - A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA after receiving a notice of right to sue from EEOC for a workplace incident. The man's supervisor told a moving company to "pack him up and send him back to Iraq." When the man complained about the incident to HR, he was bullied by his supervisor and told that he could not understand the joke. Frustrated, the man quit his job and filed a complaint with EEOC. He wants an attorney to file a lawsuit against his former company. CAIR-WA referred the man to several employment attorneys.

 

04/16/12 - Government Agency/Police - While working at his son's company which purchases damaged electronics, a Muslim man was arrested for buying stolen computers. The man claims he only purchased computers which were broken beyond repair. All evidence was confiscated, including $30,000 cash, from the man's home. All computers were eventually returned, but the cash was not. The man wants an attorney to assist him in his $450,000 tort claim against the Seattle Police Department and to expunge the charges from his record. CAIR-WA referred the man to an attorney who agreed to negotiate on his behalf for the tort claim.

 

04/13/12 - Employment/Harrassment - A Muslim woman contacted CAIR-WA because she was being harassed at work about her headscarf, such as being asked, "Do you really have to wear that?" and told that she does not look professional. When addressing these concerns with her supervisor, the woman was written up for "complaining too much." The woman is afraid to ask for prayer breaks because her workplace environment is already hostile. CAIR-WA advised the woman to address the issue with Human Resources, and a meeting was arranged. The woman called to report that her workplace situation had already improved and she was going to be allowed breaks for prayer.

 

 04/12/12 - Criminal Offense/Against Person - Two Muslim high school girls were walking home from school when a man tried to run over them with his car. The man made religious slurs and told the girls to go back to their country. After missing the girls once, the man backed up and tried to run over them again. The girls called the police who arrived at the scene to take a report. The case was reported to CAIR-WA for documentation only.

 

04/12/12 - Prison - The wife of a Muslim man incarcerated at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center recently converted to Islam and began wearing a headscarf. The woman called CAIR-WA to report increased scrutiny during security clearance at the prison when she visited her husband. On every occasion, the woman was asked to remove her headscarf publicly, in the waiting room, and was closely monitored during her visit. CAIR-WA wrote a complaint letter to the Department of Corrections requesting a policy change to reflect the inappropriateness of requiring a Muslim woman to remove her headscarf publicly. The final draft is under review and will be sent soon.

 

04/12/12 - Employment/Hire or Fire - A Muslim woman began working at a hospital laboratory in 2007 and received very positive performance reviews. Several years later, in 2011, she decided to begin wearing a headscarf and her performance reviews and relationships with supervisors and coworkers began to rapidly decline. At one point, the woman complained to Human Resources about a comment from a coworker about her headscarf, and she was scolded by her supervisor for reporting it to HR. The woman contacted CAIR-WA after being terminated from her position. In the termination letter, the woman's supervisor lists several mistakes which the woman states were equivalent to or less severe than mistakes made by her coworkers. CAIR-WA assisted the woman in filing a complaint with Seattle Office for Civil Rights and referred to a legal clinic for advice regarding the separation agreement she was offered.

 

04/12/12 - Employment/Hire or Fire - After being hired with a security company, a Muslim man was assigned to work at a liquor store. The man told his supervisor that he needed to check with a religious authority to see if he was permitted to work at a liquor store. After consulting his sheikh, the man informed his supervisor that he could not work at a liquor store. The man was removed from the schedule and told that there was nothing else available. A manager told the man that if he couldn't work at a liquor store, he couldn't work from them. Though the man was not formally terminated, he has not been placed back on the schedule since. The manager's reaction was contrary to the staff that hired the man, who told him he could be accommodated if there were certain sites where he could not work for religious reasons. CAIR-WA drafted a letter of complaint to the company requesting company-wide training. Currently, the letter is under review by the complainant.

 

04/11/12 - Employment/Hire or Fire - During the six years that a Muslim man worked with a property management company, he was subjected to disproportionate criticism, scrutiny, and blamed for mistakes his coworkers had made. On one occasion, the man's direct supervisor chastised him for being "grumpy and tired" since he was fasting. The man was terminated after being accused of stealing property from his company. The property he was accused of stealing, however, is his personal property. CAIR-WA sent a letter of complaint to the management company and assisted the man in completing and filing his complaint with EEOC.

 

04/11/12 - Employment/Harrassment - A Muslim woman works as a Bilingual Instructional Assistant (BIA) with Somali students in a Seattle elementary school. The woman contacted CAIR-WA after receiving a very negative performance evaluation which was left out in the staff break room, the culmination of an increasingly hostile work environment. The poor treatment from her supervisor matches what this woman has observed at her school: BIAs, who are largely foreign-born, are treated very poorly. CAIR-WA advised the woman to contact Human Resources and her union representative, and a meeting has been scheduled.

 

04/10/12 - Public Accomodation - While searching for the FBI offices in downtown Seattle, a Muslim man and participant in the FBI Citizen's Academy arrived at the Jackson Federal Building, mere blocks away from his destination. The man was denied entry to the building and stood outside asking for directions to the correct building. The security guards eventually allowed the man to step inside but one officer kept his hand on his gun during their entire conversation. The man was quickly escorted out of the building after determining that he was in the wrong location and told to look up the FBI office in a phone book. The man missed his Citizen's Academy class and suspects he may have been treated suspiciously since he was wearing a kufi. CAIR-WA sent a letter of complaint to the security company regarding their treatment of the man and is awaiting the response.

 

04/09/12 - School- A Muslim student at the University of Washington contacted CAIR-WA to report a strange encounter with a recent convert on campus. The convert started saying violent things about Islam and was talking about killing people. The complainant reported the case to the FBI and received a case number.

 

04/05/12 -  - Two board members from the Ethiopian Muslim Association of Seattle contacted CAIR to review a property agreement proposed by the City of Seatac for a building they recently purchased and want to use as a community center. According to the agreement, the property is specifically forbidden to be called a mosque, yet they are allowed to hold religious events and services. CAIR-WA referred the board members to a legal hotline for questions about the legality of the property agreement.

 

04/04/12 - Public Accommodation - A Muslim man is subletting an office space for his business, which sells new and refurbished electronics. Recently, the building suffered severe water damage due to leaks in the roof and it damaged most of the man's electronic equipment. The man approached the property manager who was unwilling to replace the damaged goods or pay for the cost of repairing the roof. The property is home to several Somali businesses and the man believes the property manager is preying on Somali immigrants with illegal rental practices. CAIR-WA requested a copy of the sublease agreement and the original lease agreement to review. The man is currently collecting these documents.

 

04/04/12 - Employment/Hire or Fire - While working at an organization for four years, a Muslim man experienced multiple problems with his supervisor. The man was asked to cook pork at work and, when he refused, was scolded by his supervisor. The man received very poor reviews from his supervisor and his hours were greatly reduced. When the man asked to address his concerns with his supervisor, he was told to do so at the staff meetings, which were moved to a time when he could not attend. The man was eventually suspended from his job and quit due to frustration. CAIR-WA is awaiting details and evidence from the man before drafting a complaint letter to the company.

 

04/04/12 - Employment/Hire or Fire - A Muslim man in Utah worked at a US Army base for several years. After taking a sick day, the man was accused of placing a suspicious package in the warehouse to harm his coworkers. Though there was no evidence, the man was terminated. The man has an attorney but contacted CAIR-WA to request assistance with the discrimination portion of his complaint. CAIR-WA referred the man to several discrimination attorneys in Utah.

 

04/04/12 - Employment/Hire or Fire- After taking an extended maternity leave, a Muslim woman returned to work and was placed on the graveyard shift. Though other shifts are available and the woman has seniority over other employees, she was told that the graveyard shift is the only option available to her if she wants to keep her job. The woman's husband contacted CAIR-WA five days before her schedule was due to change, and CAIR-WA drafted a complaint letter to the woman's company. The woman believes the company is limiting the options available to her to pressure her to quit because she is Somali, Muslim, and recently took a pregnancy leave. CAIR-WA is waiting for the woman to review the complaint letter before sending it.

 

04/04/12 - Public Accommodation - A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA for assistance with the low-income housing complex in which he lives. The complainant reported that the housing management is trying to kick him out of the housing complex and he believes the efforts are racially and religiously motivated. CAIR-WA contacted the man several times to schedule intake and has not yet heard a response.

 

04/02/12 - Government Agency/FBI- After FBI agents visited his home asking to speak to his father, a Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA for assistance. The man's father does not speak English, but the FBI agent told the man he needed to speak with his father about another person's visa application. CAIR-WA referred the man to several attorneys who have offered to complete a 30-minute FBI interview pro bono. CAIR-WA has followed up with the man for an update and is awaiting his response.

 

03/29/12 - Employment/Hire or Fire - While washing his face in the restroom sink, a Muslim man was approached by a coworker who told him not to wash his face in the sink. As the complainant's coworker was leaving the restroom, he punched the complainant in the tailbone. The complainant followed his coworker to his desk and said: "Don't ever do that again." The following Monday, the complainant was sent home from work during an investigation of the incident. One week later, the complainant was fired for allegedly threatening the coworker. The complainant contacted CAIR-WA because he feels the investigation was biased and unfair by relying largely on written testimony (the man is not proficient in written English). CAIR-WA sent a complaint letter to the company and assisted the man in reporting his case to Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR). The case is currently under investigation by SOCR.

 

03/29/12 - School/Other - A Muslim woman from Washington State went to the East Coast for a medical school interview. In one of these interviews, a faculty member questioned the woman almost exclusively about her ethnic background and religious and political beliefs. The questions were inappropriate, irrelevant, and vulgar. After returning to Washington, the woman sent a complaint to the university requesting a written apology and reimbursement of all her travel expenses. The university has agreed to reimburse the complainant if she signs a general release of claims. CAIR-WA drafted a complaint letter to the university and offered to mobilize the community to demand the termination of the involved faculty member. However, the woman requested that CAIR-WA take no action on her case currently as she is concerned it may impact her other medical school applications.

  

03/26/12 - School/Other- Following allegations of anti-Somali discrimination against the Tukwila School District Superintendent, CAIR-WA contacted a Muslim woman who had posted several statements on her facebook page about the pending investigation of the Superintendent. The complainant agreed to put Somali families in contact with CAIR-WA to document their experiences with discrimination in the Tukwila School District. CAIR-WA has followed up with the woman several times and is still waiting for a response and/or contact from these families.

 

03/23/12 - Prison - On behalf of her husband who is incarcerated in Washington State Penitentiary, a Muslim woman contacted CAIR-WA to request resources, study materials, donations, and mentorship support. CAIR-WA sent a letter to the woman's husband introducing CAIR and inquiring about the religious accommodations and resources he is currently provided. CAIR-WA connected the man's wife with two Muslim men who volunteer with incarcerated Muslims.

 

03/21/12 - General - While shopping in a Vietnamese grocery store in Seattle, a Muslim man found a product labeled halal that also had a "pork" label in Vietnamese. The man reported the product to CAIR-WA and dropped off the product at the CAIR-WA office. CAIR-WA wrote a letter of complaint to the company that certified the product as halal, but the company responded and said they did not certify that product and the label did not match their halal certificate. After further investigation, it was discovered that the product did not have any pork but had artificial pork flavor. CAIR-WA is currently researching the company that makes the product, about which very little information is available.

 

03/21/12 - Employment/Harrasment - A Muslim man was the victim of racist and degrading remarks from a co-worker. The complaint reported these comments to his supervisor and manager and was instructed to go to Human Resources. After Human Resources investigated the coworker, the complainant was told that he needed to get along with his coworker and was asked to either work in the same area as the coworker. The man quit his job and was not granted any unemployment benefits. CAIR-WA has drafted a complaint letter to the complainant's former company and is awaiting a response from the complainant.

 

03/20/12 - Employment/Prayer - A Muslim man was not consistently provided with time off on Fridays for congregational prayer. After attending CAIR-WA's Community Action Training, the man contacted his Human Resources representative and requested consistent accommodations for Fridays. The complainant was told he would be transferred to a new position that would allow him to leave early on Fridays, but he would be compensated equally. CAIR-WA followed up with the man after discussing his case at the training, and he reported that his case was resolved.

 

03/16/12 - General - A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA regarding his current divorce case. The attorney of the man's ex-wife is using verses from the Qur'an out of context to argue that the Qur'an states it is okay for a man to beat his wife and thus, the man beat his wife as a devout Muslim. The complainant has a divorce attorney and cannot afford another attorney for a discrimination case.  CAIR-WA contacted the man's divorce attorney and provided an expert witness to testify at the hearing.

 

03/14/12 - Employment/Other- A Muslim man has worked at Swedish Medical Center for four years. The complainant was laid off in 2011 and transferred to another department. Despite receiving several positive daily evaluations from his trainers and supervisors, he received a very negative performance evaluation in March of this year, after only four weeks in his new position. The complainant is concerned that the negative performance evaluation is going to be used to fire him. CAIR-WA sent a complaint letter to Swedish Medical Center requesting clarification about the discrepancy between the man's daily evaluations and performance review. After a brief response from Swedish, CAIR-WA responded requesting more information about the complainant's employment. CAIR-WA is currently awaiting the response from Swedish.

 

03/14/12 - Employment/Other - A college professor in Idaho contacted CAIR-WA for advice regarding an increasingly hostile work environment. The complainant has reported her case to the Idaho Human Rights Commission but she has few witnesses and little community support. CAIR-WA assisted the woman in preparing and reviewing her complaint with the EEOC. Currently the woman is preparing to file with EEOC to request an investigation. Given the lack of community support, the complainant did not want CAIR-WA to send a complaint letter to the school directly.

 

03/13/12 - Prison - A Muslim man incarcerated at Airway Heights Corrections Center contacted CAIR-WA regarding lack of adequate religious accommodations at Pierce County Jail, where he was previously incarcerated. CAIR-WA provided the man with information about the current lawsuit against Pierce County Jail and inquired into the accommodations afforded him at his new facility.

 

03/13/12 – General – A Muslim woman volunteers at the Evergreen Public Library answering questions about the religion of Islam. Recently, she was informed that there may be a video of her volunteering that was taken by library staff. The woman contacted CAIR-WA as she had not signed a media waiver and is concerned about the library's filming policies. CAIR-WA sent a letter to the library indicating that she did not consent to being filmed and would like any existing films to be destroyed. The library responded that no such films existed and the library does not have filming equipment. The video may have been taken by an individual, and the complainant was encouraged to discuss future concerns with library staff.

 

03/12/12 – Employment/Harassment – After three years of harassment in the workplace, a Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA to report discriminatory actions taken by his supervisor. In addition to being accused for things he did not do, such as injuring another employee and scratching a car in the parking lot, the complainant was consistently denied opportunities for overtime from which his peers benefited. The complainant's annual review is scheduled for June 2012 and he believes he supervisor may try to give him a very negative review and fire him. At the complainant's request, CAIR-WA documented the case and will follow up in June.

 

03/12/12 – Child Custody – A Muslim man is facing domestic violence charges and his ex-wife is trying to restrict his visitation with their son. The attorney representing the man's ex-wife is using the man's facebook page, a poem he wrote about his son, and verses from the Qur'an to argue that the man is dangerous to his son. The man believes he is the victim of a biased trial that is relying on negative and violent stereotypes about Muslim men. CAIR-WA referred the man to the Middle East Legal Association (MELAW) for legal advice.

 

03/02/12 – General – A Muslim man spotted an offensive anti-Islam book in the Lake Hills branch library in Bellevue, WA and emailed CAIR-WA to report it. The book was not featured or on display but the man is concerned that the library carries a disproportionately high number of anti-Muslim books when it does not carry similar content about other minority groups. The man contacted CAIR-WA to recommend balanced books to the King County Library System and learn more about how materials for library catalogs are acquired. CAIR-WA arranged a meeting with the Diversity Coordinator, Director of Public Services, and Manager of Selection and Order at King County Library System, and invited the complainant to attend, as well as past complainants who contacted CAIR-WA with library-related issues. The library staff explained the process for acquiring and cataloging books. Moving forward, King County Library System has requested CAIR-WA's assistance with reviewing various diversity materials as well as providing speakers for panels and trainings involving library staff.

 

03/25/11 Government Agency/USCIS Other -  A woman in Portland, Oregon emailed CAIR-WA office to report that a Kenyan-American family living in Portland on a medical visa was going to be deported. Family has 2 sons with a rare medical disorder and the boys are receiving free care at Portland hospital until they are 21 years old. If the family is deported, the sons will not be able to receive the medical care they need. The family received an extension on the visa.

03/22/11 Government Agency/USCIS Other Naturalization - A Muslim man called on behalf of a Somali-American man who has been in immigration hearings for several months and has his final hearing on May 6, 2011. The man needs an attorney or consultation but has very low income. CAIR-WA helped refer him to the appropriate legal service.

05/31/12 – General - A man contacted CAIR-WA for legal assistance regarding an ongoing legal battle in which he is currently trying to appeal the court's decision because he believes the trial was biased. CAIR-WA referred the man out to a legal clinic for assistance.

 

05/01/12 – Government Agency/CBP - A Canadian citizen and US permanent resident contacted CAIR-WA about problems with his NEXUS pass, which is supposed to expedite border crossings between the US and Canada. Despite having a NEXUS pass, the man has been stopped for primary screening for several years. The man was told by guards at the border that he should not be stopped with a NEXUS pass, but his name shows up on a list where they have to stop him. Even after the man sent a letter to the US Department of State to clear his name from the list, he remained on it for several years. At the time of intake with CAIR-WA, the man reported that he had not been stopped on the last several trips across the US/Canada border. CAIR-WA documented the case, advised the man on his rights at the border, and asked him to follow up if he has problems with his NEXUS pass again in the future.

10/26/11 School – A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA in regards to his son being threatened at school. There were two incidents where his son was threatened by two different people but the school did not take any action. CAIR-WA is awaiting further information from the family including documentation before writing a letter to alert school officials.

10/26/11 Public accommodation – A Muslim woman was threatened with eviction when a public housing employee came to inspect her residence. The woman was praying at the time of the inspection and the employee threatened her with a 10-day eviction notice. CAIR-WA reviewed the woman’s letter of complaint to public housing authorities and is awaiting the response.

10/20/11 School – A Muslim woman contacted CAIR-WA about a bullying case at her daughter’s school. The daughter was given detention for retaliation towards another student and the other student was given a one-day suspension for using anti-Muslim language. CAIR-WA is following up with the family to determine next steps.

10/20/11 Employment/Other – A Muslim man was terminated from his position and denied a letter of suspension due to exploitation allegations made against him even though the investigation was inconclusive. CAIR-WA is following up with the client to determine next steps.

10/18/11 Public Accommodation – Two Muslim men were not allowed to reserve a public facility for prayers even though it has never been a problem in the past. They were told their group was “too noisy” and that their group was given lesser priority compared to large corporations who also wanted to use the facility. CAIR-WA is working with the men to propose policy changes to the City’s handbook and address a complaint against a particular city employee.

10/13/11 Government agency/FBI – A Muslim man received a call from state patrol wanting to talk to him about an incident of “reckless driving” that occurred several months prior. The man was arrested and is currently being detained pending a terrorism investigation. The reason for the investigation is due to a phone exchanged between the man and another man who has been arrested on terrorism charges. CAIR-WA took statements from the man’s family and is attempting to get in contact with the man’s public defender to discuss the case. .

10/10/11 Public Accommodation – A Muslim man and woman ate at a restaurant with the son, who became very sick from the food. The couple reported the bad food to the restaurant manager who told them to wait for paperwork from the Department of Health. As the couple was waiting for the paperwork, the police arrived in the restaurant and the manager said she wanted to police to kick the couple out of the restaurant. The couple was issued a notice of trespassing. CAIR-WA assisted the couple in filing a complaint with the restaurant chain and attended a meeting with a third party adjuster in which the couple made statements regarding the incident. The case is pending as CAIR-WA is waiting to hear from the restaurant’s insurance company as to what kind of settlement will be offered to the couple.

10/06/11 Public Accommodation – A Muslim woman along with her husband have received racial/religious insults. As a result, their development project has been stopped several times by the housing authority. CAIR-WA reviewed the documents of the case and referred the woman to a civil rights legal firm.

10/03/11 Employment/Prayer – A Muslim man was terminated from his work due to his taking breaks for prayer. CAIR-WA referred the man to an employment attorney in his area.

09/26/11 Employment/Other – A Muslim man who works for a school district contacted CAIR-WA when he was denied leave from work to perform Hajj. CAIR-WA sent a complaint letter to the employer’s legal counsel and then the leave was granted, although it was too late for the man to make travel arrangements. CAIR-WA is working with the man to request leave for next year far in advance, so he can perform Hajj in 2012.

09/26/11 Employment/Other – A Muslim man was removed from his work building by security guards and asked to go to a psychiatrist after having a dispute with a non-Muslim coworker. The man was still not allowed back to work for nearly a month after he went to the psychiatrist. The other employee involved was not punished or suspended, to the best of the victim’s knowledge. CAIR-WA sent an investigative letter to the man’s employer requesting information about the disciplinary procedure involving these two men, and the discrepancy between the treatment each received.

09/26/11 Employment/Beard – A Muslim man from Lynnwood was asked to shave his beard as his next stationed company only allowed mustaches. CAIR-WA has drafted a letter to the company explaining the religious significance of the beard for some Muslim men, and is following up with man to resolve the situation.

09/23/11 Government agency/Police – A Muslim woman from Seattle was patted down by a male police officer and given a ticket for not properly swiping her prepaid pass to ride the light rail. The woman was sent to jail, where she was then forced to remove her headscarf. No charges were brought against the woman but she had to attend court the next morning, also without her headscarf on. CAIR-WA assisted the woman in requesting a contested hearing for the ticket she received. Further, CAIR-WA is drafting policy recommendations to police and sheriff’s departments regarding religious coverings.

09/19/11 Employment/Other – A Muslim man from Tukwila was denied his badge for work after being told he looked “suspicious.” CAIR-WA is attempting to follow up with the man to investigate the incident and potentially file a complaint.

9/8/2011 Hate Mail/Hate Phone Calls – Two men from an Islamic center in Washington contacted CAIR-WA regarding two items that were found outside the center on the morning of September 8, 2011: A sticker on the door reading "Do not forget 9/11" and a Safeway plastic bag with a copy of "American Crescent" which had vulgar language on the cover, calling Muslims sexual perverts. The bag smelled bad and had ants crawling inside it. The men reported the case to the police department and to CAIR-WA for documentation.

9/7/2011 Hate Mail/Hate Phone Calls – A Muslim woman contacted CAIR-WA to report several threats that had been made against her after her husband was arrested. The woman had received hate mail, hateful notes on her car, and several threatening remarks from strangers. CAIR-WA advised the woman to report all incidents to the police and save future notes/mail as evidence.

09/06/11 Employment/Other – A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA regarding discrimination from his supervisor which resulted in his being terminated from his job. The supervisor did not give employees time to pray and would interrupt people if they prayed during their already allocated breaks. The man also claimed that the supervisor would not give him an accident report form when he was injured on the job, resulting in his denial of worker’s compensation benefits. CAIR-WA sent a complaint letter to the employer and assisted the man in filing a complaint with EEOC. The case is pending as CAIR-WA awaits a response from the employer and a response from EEOC determining if it will open an investigation.

8/23/2011 Employment/Harassment – A Muslim woman contacted CAIR-WA regarding ongoing harassment from her immediate supervisor who denied her time off for Eid ul-Fitr, requested that she wear different clothing (a shorter skirt), and provided less training and support for the Muslim woman than for her non-Muslim coworkers. The woman was placed on probation for taking too much time off (two days for court and one for Eid ul-Fitr). CAIR-WA assisted the woman in requesting time off for Eid-ul Fitr, which was approved. Further, CAIR-WA assisted the woman in requesting a transfer to another location.

8/17/2011 Airport Profiling/Airline – A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA to report a profiling incident on a recent flight from Chicago to St. Louis. The agent, Colin, was very rude and threatened to call the police, refusing to let him board. The agent picked up the phone saying "I have a Muslim man standing here interfering with my work." When the manager and police arrived, the Muslim man was put on the next flight home and given a $400 credit. CAIR-WA referred the man to an attorney for legal advice in pursuing legal action against the airline.

7/21/2011 Employment/Harassment – A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA regarding discrimination in the workplace. The man works as a professor at a public university in the Northwest. The man was repeatedly excluded from events relevant to his department and area of study, harassed by several coworkers, and denied informal benefits enjoyed by other staff members in his department (such as having his study abroad program advertised on campus listservs). CAIR-WA assisted the man in compiling a timeline of events and filing a complaint with the EEOC. The case is pending as CAIR-WA awaits a response from EEOC as to whether or not they will open an investigation.

7/16/2011 School – A Muslim man enrolled in a professional diving school after passing a medical examination. Upon completing the program, he took another medical examination and failed due to medical complications which disqualified him from a career in the field. The man found out later that the FBI was involved after they received complaints from the school about him. CAIR-WA helped the man file a Privacy Act with the FBI. Further, CAIR-WA worked with the school’s insurance company and legal counsel to have the man fully refunded for all tuition and fees he had paid to the school, a sum of $34,600.

7/7/2011 Airport Profiling/Airline – A Muslim man was scheduled to fly from Portland to Italy, however when he arrived at the airport the airline clerk told him that he was being rescheduled because of technical problems with the aircraft. After much delay, the man was approached by a Port of Portland police officer who held his passport and told him he was on a "no fly" list. CAIR-WA sent a letter to the airline as well as TSA regarding the man’s treatment and filed a Privacy Act request with the FBI regarding the man’s record. CAIR-WA is in the process of appealing the FBI’s response to the Privacy Act, which yielded no documents under the man’s name.

6/22/2011 Employment/Prayer – A Muslim man was promoted at his job at a hotel near an airport. Upon promotion, the man’s schedule changed, requiring him to take three breaks for prayer per day, while he formerly only took one break for prayer per day. The man was written up by his supervisor for refusing to compromise or shorten his prayers. CAIR-WA wrote a letter of complaint to the company and filed a complaint with the EEOC. The case is under active investigation.

6/20/2011 Prison – A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA because he was not being provided adequate accommodations for Maghrib prayer during an evening class at a state prison. CAIR-WA addressed the issue with the Department of Corrections. The man was transferred to another facility for unrelated reasons and CAIR-WA continues to correspond with him regarding religious accommodations.

6/17/2011 Government Agency/FBI – A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA after being contacted by the FBI for an interview. FBI agents questioned the man at length about one of his friends at the interview, at which an attorney from the man’s company was present. CAIR-WA advised the man of his first amendment protected freedoms and requested that he contact CAIR-WA if he is contacted by the FBI again.

6/17/2011 Employment/Other – A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA about ongoing harassment at his place of work. The man complained of repeated sarcastic comments by his supervisors about his faith and unsuccessfully attempted to resolve the issue through the human resources department. CAIR-WA assisted the man in filing a complaint with the EEOC and provided a translator for the EEOC interviews. EEOC found that the incidents of discrimination had occurred outside the statute of limitations, so they closed the investigation. The man was referred to several attorneys who work in employment law.

6/16/2011 School – A Seattle area Muslim woman contacted CAIR-WA regarding a bullying incident involving her son in which she felt the school did not take appropriate investigative or disciplinary actions. CAIR-WA wrote a letter of complaint to the school’s principal and board of directors of the district requesting an investigation and a meeting. CAIR-WA is in the process of scheduling a meeting with the mother, her son, and the school principal.

6/15/2011 Employment/Other – A Muslim man working for a state agency has been complaining about harassment by his supervisors, specifically about their designs to destroy his career. CAIR-WA has filed a complaint with the EEOC and is assisting the man in organizing all evidence he has compiled regarding the ongoing discrimination. .

6/14/2011 Government Agency/Other – A Muslim woman contacted CAIR-WA after being denied a travel visa to Canada three times. CAIR-WA addressed a letter of support to the Canadian consulate and connected the woman with an immigration attorney for free legal advice. The woman is currently awaiting review of her application for citizenship.

6/14/2011 Employment/Other – A Muslim woman who worked on the janitorial staff at a community college was laid off after taking a 3 week emergency vacation. The woman was told that all part time employees had been laid off. She claimed that this was false and that the other Muslim employees had been laid off as well. CAIR-WA drafted a letter to the community college which the woman is currently reviewing.

6/10/2011 School – A Muslim father contacted CAIR-WA regarding disciplinary action taken by school officials against his two sons, who were both suspended. CAIR-WA advised the man on how to appeal the decision to the school board. Still dissatisfied with the response, CAIR-WA submitted a public records request on the man’s behalf. The results of the request explained the disciplinary procedure through which his sons had been suspended.

6/9/2011 Government Agency/Other – A mosque in the Seattle area has requested to remove “no parking” restriction in front of the mosque. After extensive correspondence with the city, no rational reason has been given for the continuation of the parking restrictions. Board members of the mosque reported the case to CAIR-WA, but decided to hire an attorney to work on the case.

6/7/2011 Prison – A Muslim man from Kelso, WA was asked numerous questions about his faith and political views during a polygraph test by his probation officer. When the man said that he did not have to answer those questions, the probation officer said that if he refused he would fail the test and go back to jail. CAIR-WA sent a letter to the Department of Corrections reporting the contracted polygraph tester and requesting that DOC terminate their contract with the tester. An investigation was launched following CAIR-WA’s letter and the results are expected to be released within the next month.

6/7/2011 Hate Mail/Hate Phone Calls – CAIR-WA offices received a hateful e-mail rant about how "dishonest" and "hateful" Islam is and how Americans will eventually mount a resistance against CAIR-WA and Islam. The e-mail was reported to the FBI and the Seattle Police Department as it contained particularly violent and threatening language.

6/7/2011 Government/CBP – A Muslim man has been stopped and questioned by the CBP during his last three entries into the U.S. despite having dual U.S./Canadian citizenship. He was stopped for at least two hours and his car is searched. CAIR-WA educated the man on his rights at the border and encouraged him to file for a traveler’s redress number. The man indicated that he would contact CAIR-WA if he had trouble crossing the border in the future. CAIR-WA calls the man periodically to check up on the status of his case.

6/7/2011 General – A Muslim woman called CAIR-WA reporting various harassment incidents that occurred when she was wearing a headscarf. The incidents ranged from comments while she was shopping to jokes about the possibility of her being a terrorist during a strip search at an airport. CAIR-WA encouraged the woman to call the police if she is ever threatened, and to report any future incidents to CAIR. The woman indicated that she called for documentation purposes only.

6/2/2011 Hate Mail/Hate Phone Calls – A Muslim woman in Bellevue was driving when she heard a man say, “Osama is dead” through her open window. She asked him why he said it, and there was a heated argument between the two that ended with the man cursing at her. CAIR-WA contacted the Bellevue Police Department reporting the incident. A police officer followed up with woman who reported that he was very courteous and respectful. Though the suspect was not found, the police encouraged the woman to contact them in the future if she receives any threats. The investigating police officer also attended a potluck at the woman’s masjid, upon invitation.

6/2/2011 Government/Other – A woman contacted CAIR-WA regarding discrimination in public accommodations after she left a hospital without treatment after waiting for over 4 hours. While waiting, the woman was questioned by a nurse about her headscarf. CAIR-WA addressed a letter to the hospital and the ethics review board which the woman is in the process of reviewing and approving.

5/31/2011 Public Accommodation – A woman and her husband were the recipients of racial slurs at a carnival at the Seattle Southcenter Mall in May 2011. The carnival employee who made the racial comments also made indirect threats to the lives of Muslim carnival goers. The woman and her husband complained to the manager of Cascade Amusements Services asking to close the carnival. CAIR-WA contacted the woman to discuss options, but she indicated that she had reached out only for documentation purposes

5/26/2011 Criminal Offense/Against Person – A local Muslim woman was assaulted by her roommate which resulted in many lacerations and bruises. A motive for the crime is suspected to be religious bias. CAIR-WA was contacted for documentation purposes only, but encouraged the woman to file a police report, which she had already done.

5/25/2011 Hate Mail/Hate Phone Calls – A Muslim woman and her daughter went into a Starbucks in Redmond for about ten minutes and upon leaving they found a blue sticky note attached to their car saying in English, "We don't Muslims in America," and in Arabic, "We don't want Muslims in our country. Leave." Her daughter, who was in a wheelchair at the time, was scared that the person was going to follow them home and hurt them. CAIR-WA assisted the family with filing a report with the Redmond police, who took the situation very seriously. CAIR-WA also held a press conference regarding the case and mediated between the victim and the media regarding confidentiality. As the police investigated the case, they discovered that a Muslim man who works nearby and parks in the same parking lot had received a similar note several months prior. The author of the notes has not yet been found. See TV news coverage here. 

5/25/2011 Government Agency/FBI – A man contacted CAIR-WA claiming an FBI agent had visited his son at a public high school in Seattle and interviewed him privately for an hour. The high school did not alert the parents of these visits, which occurred two days in a row. CAIR-WA collaborated with the ACLU to advise the family of their rights. In addition CAIR-WA sent a complaint letter to the school’s principal and the school district’s board of directors. After no response, CAIR-WA filed a public records request pertaining to the student, which yielded over 600 pages of records. CAIR-WA is in the process of reviewing the records with the family and determining what steps to take next.

5/4/2011 General – A man was denied an orthodontic examination for his son after waiting three weeks for an appointment. The orthodontist, who worked out of Issaquah, said he was denying service because of a heated miscommunication the client had about a paper that he refused to sign, because he did not understand it. The man cannot read or write English and was confused about the paperwork.  CAIR-WA is working with the man to report the orthodontist’s office to the Department of Health due to violations of denying services on the basis of ethnicity.

5/2/2011 Prison – The wife of a Muslim inmate called CAIR-WA to report her husband's transfer from a low security to a high security prison. She has a medical hardship, and her husband's transfer means that she would rarely get to visit him. She wants to understand why he has been transferred and why others with similar or worse sentences were allowed to remain. CAIR-WA filed a public records request with the Department of Correction which yielded over 100 pages of documents. The documents revealed that due to the murder of a corrections officer at Monroe, inmates with certain offenses and sentences were sent to higher security prisons, such as this woman’s husband. The woman felt satisfied by the response, which revealed that the transfer was not due to bias but security concerns.

4/27/2011 Employment/Other – A Muslim man has worked at a car dealership in Portland for the last 19 years. He fell and hurt his back on the job and received medical treatment paid for by his worker's insurance from 2002-2009, however the treatment did not provide relief from the pain. He needs a costly surgery and shots, however the company refuses to pay for the surgery and he was terminated from his job last week. CAIR-WA referred the man to an attorney to assist him in appealing his denial of worker’s compensation benefits for injuries sustained on the job.

4/20/2011 Prison – A Muslim man incarcerated at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center contacted CAIR-WA regarding his prayer which was lost or stolen when he was transferred from another facility. Despite filing grievances and tort claims, the prayer rug was not replaced. The man was infracted for allegedly falsifying his property matrix, but was found not guilty at his infraction hearing. CAIR-WA worked with Department of Corrections officials and the Chaplains at Coyote Ridge to secure a prayer rug donation which was given to the man, free of charge.

4/20/2011 Government Agency/USCIS Naturalization – A Muslim man applied for citizenship at the end of August 2006. When immigration called him in for his second interview, they told him they wanted to ask a few simple questions, however he ended up being interviewed for three hours by the FBI. When he received no information about the status of his citizenship request, he wrote to his local senator, who replied with a letter saying that his application was pending due to background review. CAIR-WA contacted USCIS regarding the extensive delay of the man’s application. Shortly thereafter, the man received a call to schedule his appointment for fingerprinting and for his citizenship interview. CAIR-WA is still in contact with the man regarding his application, which is pending review for approval.

4/6/2011 Criminal Offense/Against Person – A Muslim man at a Jamba Juice store in Bellevue Square Mall was harassed when he gave his name with the order. The employee began cursing at him and making offensive remarks ("terrorist," "stop making bombs," etc.) in front of other store customers, as well as the man’s children. The police were called to take the victim’s statement and the manager told the police that he had already been terminated. CAIR-WA documented the incident and drafted a letter of complaint to Jamba Juice, which the man decided not to send.

06/20/12 – Employment/Harrassment

06/07/12 – Criminal Offense/Against Person - A Muslim woman was at a bus stop in the Northgate neighborhood of Seattle with her young son who dropped two pouches of juice on the ground while his mother was turned away. A Caucasian man approached and kicked the pouches toward the woman, who then asked why the man had kicked them at her. After a brief altercation the woman asked the man to leave her alone. Once on the bus, the man threw the pouches onto the Muslim woman's lap. The woman pushed the pouches off and asked the man "Why are you harassing me?", then walked to the back of the bus. Other Caucasian men on the bus chimed in with discriminatory comments and said the woman was being a disturbance. The woman picked up the juice pouches to throw away later. She then contacted CAIR-WA with her story. We wrote and sent a letter to the Seattle Police Department, whose Crime Scene Investigations Unit has now taken the case.

12/20/2011 - General – After reading a concerning article on Slate.com with misinformation about the Prophet Muhammad (saw), a Muslim man from Seattle contacted CAIR-WA to report the article and inquire about possible responses. CAIR-WA is writing a letter to Slate.com to advise them of the inaccurate information.

12/20/2011 - School – A man from Seattle contacted CAIR-WA, expressing concern over the celebration and education of Christmas in public schools that is not parallel with other religious holidays. CAIR-WA has tried to contact the man several times with no success.

12/19/2011 - Government Agency/ICE – After spending two years in the detention center, a Muslim man from Seattle contacted CAIR-WA regarding appealing the decision in his immigration case. Since this is not apparently a discrimination issue but one that involves immigration issues, CAIR-WA referred the man to three possible attorneys who work in immigration law.

12/16/2011 - Government Agency – While traveling abroad with his family, a Muslim man who is a Washington state resident was detained at an airport in Minneapolis for several hours with his family due to the amount of money they were taking overseas. Despite regulations stating that individuals can carry up to $10,000 when travelling, DHS agents counted the family’s money collectively, rather than individually and confiscated over $27,000. Though the man has appealed the decision with substantial evidence, his appeal has been denied. With the help of the Minnesota chapter of CAIR, CAIR-WA referred the man to an attorney in Minnesota who has worked on several cases involving American Muslims. Further, CAIR-WA assisted the man in obtaining copies of the legislation referenced in his denial letters.

12/14/2011 - Criminal Offense - A Muslim man from Seattle was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and taken to the detention center. His wife contacted CAIR-WA for assistance in completing paperwork and finding an attorney for her husband’s trial. Since this is not apparently a case of discrimination but one that involves immigration issues, CAIR-WA referred the woman to an organization which works exclusively with individuals in the detention. In addition, CAIR-WA is in ongoing contact with the woman to assess the progress of her case and offer additional assistance as needed.

12/14/2011 - Government Agency – A Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA regarding zoning issues impacting the expansion of a mosque in Washington State. Of particular concern was that zoning permits seemed to be dispersed more readily to several Christian churches in the same area which had expanded recently. However, the man’s mosque was not allowed to construct a roof over an existing balcony. CAIR-WA organized a meeting with the man and a member of the US Attorney’s office to discuss the case. A second meeting has been scheduled for mid-January.

12/9/2011 - Child Custody – A Muslim woman from Seattle contacted CAIR-WA regarding a custody battle with her ex-husband over their daughter. CAIR-WA contacted a family law attorney for legal advice and forwarded the attorney’s response to the woman. As a policy, CAIR-WA does not intervene in child custody cases except for those involving a Muslim and non-Muslim where an anti-Muslim bias has been evidenced. Thus, CAIR-WA was not able to further assist the woman with her case, but offered her other potential resources.

12/4/2011 - General–A Muslim man from Seattle contacted CAIR-WA to report an anti-Islamic flyer his friend had found in a library in Bellevue. The flyer had inflammatory, inaccurate information about Mohammed and the Qur’an, and called Islam another “fascist, totalitarian ideology.” The police department in Bellevue had contacted CAIR-WA in June 2011 regarding inflammatory anti-Islamic flyers and graffiti in the area and seeking any further information we could offer. CAIR-WA forwarded the witness’ contact info to the police department in her area to follow up with her for further details.

11/28/2011 - Employment - A Muslim woman from Burien who worked at a large chain restaurant was written up for inappropriate behavior because she took her meal break at the same time as another co-worker to break fast and pray during Ramadan. When the woman contacted CAIR-WA, she had already quit her job due to an increasingly hostile work environment. CAIR-WA discovered that the woman was also repeatedly denied or discouraged from opportunities for promotion and was denied access to the bathroom unless she clocked out for a break. CAIR-WA has been working with the woman to finalize the letter of complaint as well as the paperwork required by EEOC and L&I. The complaint is anticipated to be sent the week of January 16th.

11/23/2011 - Government Agency – USCIS – A man from Seattle contacted CAIR-WA because his wife was denied a travel visa. Since this does not appear to be a case of discrimination, CAIR-WA referred the man to an immigration attorney.

11/17/2011 - Employment – A Muslim man from contacted CAIR-WA regarding accommodations for prayer at a large corporation in the Seattle area. The man stated that Muslims were going to lose their prayer room at work as the space they previously used was needed for something else. CAIR-WA provided the man with language regarding Washington state law requiring religious accommodations and how to request them from his employer. On December 9, 2011, CAIR-WA followed up with the man who stated that employees had found two rooms that were often available and somewhat private, so he considers the case resolved for the time being. The man also stated that he did not want to take the case to Human Resources unless prayer accommodations became unavailable in the future. Thus, CAIR-WA considers this case favorably closed.

11/7/2011 - Employment - A Muslim man in Seattle was fired from his job due to an injury he sustained during work. He went to court and got paid for the time he missed at work. He had surgery for the injury and is seeking worker’s compensation from his former employer. Since this is not apparently a case of discrimination, CAIR-WA referred the man to an attorney that specializes in employment law and has handled previous “L&I” cases.

11/7/2011 -Government Agency/Police – A Muslim man from Tukwila called CAIR-WA to report that a large group of Muslim men were at a bowling alley celebrating Eid Al-Adha when they were interrupted by the police. The police forced several members of their party to leave the bowling alley. A man inquired with the police as to why people were being forced to leave and the police officers responded by kicking the man out as well. Two police officers shoved the man by the shoulders until he was out of the building. The man told the police that he had done nothing wrong and they couldn’t just kick him out, but the police responded by threatening to arrest him. The man left the scene for fear of arrest. CAIR-WA is trying to get in contact with the man for further details about his case so corrective actions can be taken to address possible police misconduct and facilitate a more positive relationship between the police department and Muslim community in this area.

11/4/2011 - School - Two female Muslim students in Ballard had repeated negative interactions with a staff member at their high school. The interactions escalated to the point that the students felt they could no longer approach her for resources or assistance, and began to avoid her entirely. The girls believed that the staff member was so rude to them due to their race and religion, as she treated other Caucasian students and non-Muslim students much more respectfully. When the conflict was reported to the principal, very little was done to resolve the issue and the principal addressed the situation as a “misunderstanding”. CAIR-WA sent a complaint letter to the school and is currently working with the students to arrange a meeting with the students and the principal.

07/31/12 – Hate Mails/Hate Phone Calls - A woman emailed CAIR-WA to report an individual who has been making inappropriate comments and posts online that are offensive to religious peoples, including and especially Muslims. CAIR-WA documented the case but declined to work further on the case since these online posts didn't convey a threat.

 

07/27/12 – Prison - A man calling on behalf of his son, an inmate at a Washington state correctional facility, reported to CAIR-WA that the Muslims at the facility are not being given proper Ramadan accommodations. For example they do not have enough time to heat their food in the microwave in the mornings, and the chaplain has been reluctant about allowing Muslims to gather for Morning Prayer. CAIR-WA has received several other reports of this nature and is actively pursuing a suitable solution through the Department of Corrections.

 

07/27/12 – Government Agency/TSA - A woman called CAIR-WA to report that she and her son have been having issues when flying abroad, both to and from home. They are unable to check-in on line at all, and when they arrive at the airport to print their boarding passes they are always required to get clearance first, which causes delays. CAIR-WA assisted the woman with filling out paperwork for the Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP), which will assign a TRIP number to the names of each member of her family on travel tickets from now on. This will distinguish them from others with the same name and should prevent future delays.

 

07/26/12 – Government Agency/FBI   - A Somali-born US citizen reported to CAIR-WA that he had been contacted by an FBI agent who told him that he wanted to ask some questions about what is going on in Somalia. The man told the FBI agent that he would speak with the FBI but only with an attorney present. He then called CAIR-WA, and we provided for the man a list of attorneys who would offer their services to him for the interview free of charge, as well as a basic training on his rights and how to handle FBI investigations.

 

07/26/12 – Employment/Hire or Fire - A Muslim woman had a job interview with a Seattle-based assisted living center. It was reported to CAIR-WA that the interviewer stated that before the interview began, he needed to ask a question: "Can you uncover yourself while working? Like take your headscarf off?" The woman replied that no, she could not. Even after agreeing to wear the required uniform, which included pants, the man replied that if she was not willing to take off her hijab then there was no point in continuing the interview. He then escorted her to the exit with no further explanation. On behalf of the woman, CAIR-WA has sent a letter of complaint to the living facility's CEO, the Seattle Office for Civil Rights, and several other pertinent individuals. The letter includes a request for an internal investigation; cooperation with the Seattle Office for Civil Rights' investigation of the alleged incidents; a written apology for the woman; another opportunity for the woman to interview with a different interviewer; absolutely no retaliation against the woman or any employees; clarification of the company's religious policies; and institution of CAIR-WA's Workplace Sensitivity and Diversity Training for all employees. We are awaiting a response.

 

07/26/12 – Criminal Offense/Against Person - An Iraqi-born US citizen contacted CAIR-WA on behalf of her husband to report that he has been accused of paying kids in his community to do "bad" things with him. He was in Iraq at the time the accusation was made and has remained there for fear of being arrested if he returns to the US. The man had been paying children to do household chores for him but denies any inappropriate relations having occurred. The man is also dealing with an altercation between himself and a woman who has been trying to steal his business for the past fourteen years, an issue which his contractor has consistently failed to address. CAIR-WA referred the woman to a list of attorneys with which we have worked in the past who can possibly provide her with the legal counsel which this case needs.

 

07/20/12 – Criminal Offense/Against Person - A Muslim man who was entering a SeaTac mosque just after 8 am startled another man who had been sleeping there. The man who had been sleeping jumped up and attacked the other man, punching him and then stealing his wallet and car keys. When police arrived the man tried to run an officer over using the stolen vehicle. The incident was reported to CAIR-WA, however this was not believed to be a hate crime.  Therefore we have been asked to act no further on the case.

 

07/19/12 – Government Agency/Police - An 18 year old Muslim boy was wrongfully beat up and arrested when he stopped to view a crime scene last June. According to the victim, there was no reason for this arrest. Since then, his family reports that the boy's behavior has changed drastically and that he displays "crazy", often violent behavior - including hallucinations. Doctors have diagnosed him with an otherwise unspecified psychotic disorder, potentially brought on when the police officer who arrested him slammed his head into the concrete. The boy is currently in custody of a mental health institution. His family contacted CAIR-WA and we are currently working with them to achieve justice and reach the best possible solution for his care.

 

07/19/12 – Government Agency/ICE - A Moroccan-American man was picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in October of 2009, directly after his release from prison. Aware of his rights, he informed the ICE officers that it was illegal to apprehend him as his case was still pending and not final; therefore he was not eligible for deportation. The man was held for 2 ½ years until April of 2012 and believes his detainment was unlawful. He contacted CAIR-WA, and since this is an immigration case and didn't appear to be a case of discrimination, we provided a list of attorney referrals with individuals we have worked with on cases like this in the past.

 

07/19/12 – Government Agency/USCIS - The immigration application of a Jordanian citizen currently living in the US on a visa has been denied because of his marital status. He contacted CAIR-WA with his case. Since this didn't appear to be a case of discrimination, we were able to refer him to a local immigration hotline for assistance and support.

 

07/19/12 – Criminal Offense/Against Property - A woman walking past the window of a Muslim-owned print shop in Seattle saw that its front window had been broken. She called the police, who brought in the owner. It was discovered that the window had been intentionally shattered by a firework. A police report was filed but no suspects were found. Two weeks later the shop owner's employee found a sticker placed on the exterior window sill that said "You will know who I am. SMEREONE DO NOT REMOVE WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION." He reported this to the police and the owner then contacted CAIR-WA. We have requested both police reports and are monitoring the situation.

 

07/18/12 – Criminal Offense/Against Property - A man called to report that while he had been teaching kids in the downstairs of a Seattle-area Masjid, a man threw a large rock through an upstairs window. No one was upstairs. A non-Muslim bystander called the police after seeing the man throw the rock and hearing him make a negative statement about Muslims in Ethiopia. CAIR-WA filed a request for the police report but was asked by the Masjid to take no further action on the case.

 

07/18/12 – Prison - An inmate at a Washington state corrections center wrote to CAIR-WA to report that the chaplain had denied his request to sign up for the Ramadan diet. The inmate is a recent convert to Islam and had missed the deadline to sign up. CAIR-WA contacted the Department of Corrections Head of Religious Programs and was informed that the facility will make every effort to provide a Ramadan diet for the inmate if it has the means to do so.

 

07/16/12 – Public Accomodation - When a Muslim woman's home caught on fire, her insurance company rented her a hotel room for one month and said that it would compensate her. However, one year later it had still not done so. The company is now saying it will not give her anything, even after receiving a breakdown of everything that was lost. The woman contacted an attorney, who informed her that the statute of limitations had expired on her claim. She believes this delay of over a year was orchestrated by the insurance provider and that she was exploited on account of her national origin and lack of English proficiency. The woman contacted CAIR-WA, and we have sent a letter of complaint to the Washington State Insurance Commissioner as well as the CEO of the insurance company on her behalf.

 

07/16/12 – Employment/Other - CAIR-WA was contacted by a man about a pay dispute and/or possible discrimination going on in his workplace. After multiple attempts, we were unable to contact him for further investigation.

 

07/13/12 – Government Agency/TSA - A Muslim woman reported to CAIR-WA that when her 18 year old daughter was going through security at Sea-Tac Airport she was stopped by a TSA officer. The officer claimed a new law requires any person with a head covering to be searched. Though the only extra clothing the girl had on was a headscarf and her metal detector had not gone off, her whole body was thoroughly searched. CAIR-WA sent a letter of complaint on behalf of the woman and her daughter and is waiting for signed paperwork from the woman before sending the complaint.

 

07/13/12 – Public Accomodation - A Muslim couple that is trying to adopt recently received a letter in the mail from the Seattle-based adoption agency with which they had been working for the past nine months. The letter vaguely stated that the agency could no longer work with the couple and included a partial refund of their fees, with no further explanation. This came after the couple had passed all tests and screenings with flying colors, gone above and beyond with filling out extra paper work and completing additional tasks not normally asked of applicants, and their own case worker had stated that they are excellent candidates for adoptive parenthood. Knowing that there was nothing new that could have popped up in their file in recent months, the couple wrote a letter back to company to inquire about why they had been dropped; there was no reply. The couple contacted CAIR-WA and we sent a complaint letter to the adoption agency on their behalf, requesting a written explanation of the couple's denial. The director of the adoption agency responded requesting a meeting to clear up "misunderstandings." The couple denied the director's meeting request and CAIR-WA is pursuing diversity training for the adoption agency's staff.

 

07/12/12 – Employment/Hire or Fire - A Muslim woman believes a co-worker who had been severely harassing her for over a year was trying to have her fired. She reported her concerns to a supervisor several times, but no action was taken. On July 1st the woman called in to work sick and was told she could come in later than scheduled. She showed up 9 minutes late, which her co-worker reported to their supervisor's boss. This was a breach in protocol as such complaints are supposed to go through the supervisor, who was the aware of the ongoing harassment situation. The boss called the woman in to his office at the end of her shift and terminated her, even though other employees have not been fired for similar reasons.  CAIR-WA sent a letter to the company on behalf of the woman requesting an internal investigation into the matter, cooperation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the woman's immediate reinstatement, absolutely no retaliation, and suitable redress for the offending employees. The company responded, denying all allegations and refusing CAIR-WA's requests. CAIR-WA is drafting a response to the company requesting documented evidence supporting their claims. If the situation remains hostile, CAIR-WA will refer the woman to an attorney in order to more aggressive legal recourse.

 

07/11/12 – Emplyment/Hire or Fire - A local union worker contacted CAIR-WA on behalf of five union members who had been terminated for praying at work. After many attempts we have been unsuccessful in getting a hold of the union worker again, but the case has been documented.

 

07/06/12 – Criminal Offense/Against Property - An adult male entered the Abu Bakr Masjid in Tukwila around 3:30 am as about 20-30 people were leaving after prayer. The man said offensive things about Islam, took out a large knife, cut his hand and said "I am God; I cut myself and feel no pain."  CAIR-WA requested a copy of the police report from the Tukwila Police Department, documented the incident, and made multiple attempts to contact witnesses but was unable to do so. According to leaders at the mosque, it is believed the man was mentally unstable and they do not want to take action against him.

 

07/05/12 – Government Agency/Police - A social worker from a community-based organization in Seattle contacted CAIR-WA to report that the bail of a 19 year old, mentally ill Muslim man has been set too high for his mother to pay. Furthermore, he has been detained without trial for an abnormally long period of time. CAIR-WA referred the man's family to Disability Rights Washington - an organization that does work around the rights of disabled inmates - for further assistance.

 

07/05/12 – Public Accomodation - A man called CAIR-WA to report that his two children had been refused a ticket to swim when he dropped them off at a public pool in a suburb of Seattle. The boy and girl had been standing in line when the employee handing out tickets skipped them. The employee later claimed that they had left the line and were playing somewhere else when he passed them by, but both the children and a witness claim this is false and that they were standing in line with the others. After unsuccessful attempts to locate the witness, CAIR-WA sent a letter of complaint to the mayor, city council, and recreation center on behalf of the man and his two kids. We are awaiting a formal response following the City's investigation.

 

07/05/12 – Government Agency/Other - A man who ordered car headlight bulbs from a company in China found out that his package had been detained for inspection by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) without notice. After one month, the man called again to inquire about the status of his package and was told that its contents had been destroyed by DHS with no explanation, even though the man knew of several others who had ordered the same contents in the past with no issue. The company made an identical shipment to him one week later which was delivered successfully. CAIR-WA informed the man of his rights and drafted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to find out why his package had been destroyed without reimbursement. CAIR-WA is currently waiting for the man to return the pertinent paperwork to file the FOIA request.

02/07/12 – Public Accommodation – A Muslim man and woman in Burien have been having trouble with their landlord at a public housing facility. The manager/landlord at their housing facility has tried to evict the couple several times. The manager turns out to have a record of problems with discrimination, such as imposing fines on African-American and Asian-American tenants for behavior that he allows for Caucasian tenants (like feeding the birds off the deck). The man believes he has evidence to prove his case and that he just needs a lawyer that will accept payment on a contingency plan. Given this request, CAIR-WA referred the couple to several attorneys with experience in litigating civil rights cases.

02/03/12 – Employment/Harassment – A Muslim man in Kent has been harassed by the same co-worker for several years. The co-worker makes repeated snide comments about Muslims, such as wishing the man a “Happy Terrorist Day” on September 11th. The man complained to his manager on multiple occasions but his manager did not take any disciplinary actions against the co-worker and would tell the man that he was being a “crybaby”. CAIR-WA suggested the man first pursue resolution through his union which he is currently doing. CAIR-WA is closely monitoring the case and will get involved if the union does not take strong actions to reduce hostility in the workplace and require training for the man’s co-workers.

02/03/12 – Government Agency/FBI –A Muslim woman from Kent was contacted by the FBI in Oct.-Nov. 2011. They asked her questions regarding a man that was arrested in 2010, with whom they allege she had communicated at some time. The Seattle FBI office called her and after responding to their inquiry, the Chicago FBI office now wants to do a follow-up interview with her. The woman reported wanting to cooperate but she does not want the FBI to continue contacting her. CAIR-WA referred the woman to a lawyer who represented the woman pro bono (i.e. free of charge) in a 30 minute interview with the FBI.

02/02/12 – Employment/Harassment – A Muslim man in Seattle contacted CAIR-WA regarding ongoing discrimination at work. During training for his current position, the man was not given the same training as other employees and was denied one-on-one training which his co-workers received. The man believes he may be treated differently from other employees because he is Muslim. The man’s co-workers also harass him by making mean comments or throwing his book closed when he's reading it. He reported his case to his union and they said they would transfer it to another department. Options were discussed for CAIR-WA to advocate on the man’s behalf, including sending a letter to his supervisor or having a meeting to discuss the work environment. The man hasn't heard back from his union and is currently contacting his union and HR before discussing further action with CAIR-WA.

01/30/12 – Employment – A Muslim man in Portland was fired from his job unexpectedly after several years with the same company. When the man asked his employer why he was being terminated, he was told that it was regarding an incident in which two customers had been suspected of shoplifting. While the customers were exiting the store, the man asked them for their receipts and the customers offered to let him look through their bags which he briefly glanced in. The incident was caught on tape but the man’s employer accused him of “grabbing” the customers as they exited the store. The man believes that this is a fabricated reason for his termination due to a long history of harassment from his immediate supervisor. The man believes his supervisor was looking for a reason to fire him simply because the man is Muslim. CAIR-WA sent a complaint letter to the company and the company is currently compiling their response. In the meantime, CAIR-WA assisted the man in filing a complaint with the EEOC. The man has now decided to hire a private attorney.

01/26/12 – Government Agency/Police – A Muslim man from Seattle contacted CAIR-WA for assistance regarding an altercation with the police. Given the complexity of the man’s case and possible criminal charges, CAIR-WA referred the man to several attorneys for legal advice.

01/24/12 – School – A Muslim man in Tacoma contacted CAIR-WA after his six-year-old daughter was repeatedly instructed to sing Christian holiday songs at school. The man spoke to the Principal of the school after his daughter was first instructed to sing these songs and the Principal assured him that it would not happen again. However, his daughter was instructed to sing the same song the following day. For the following several weeks, the man’s daughter would go to the Principal’s office while her classmates sang Christian songs. The man also spoke to the deputy superintendent of the school district who responded with hostility. CAIR-WA sent a complaint letter to the school district addressing two primary issues: the instruction of religious materials in public schools, and the lack of balance in cultural/religious celebrations (overrepresentation of Jewish and Christian traditions and apparent absence of celebration of Islamic traditions). The school district’s attorney responded to the complaint and is currently conducting an investigation of the complaints as well as compiling public records requested in our letter. CAIR-WA continues to monitor this case closely and will continue take appropriate action as needed to bring it to resolution.

01/17/12 – Employment/Prayer – A Muslim man and his fellow Muslim co-workers in Seattle had their prayer room taken away from them after a switch in managers. The group sent a letter to Human Resources and had a meeting to discuss accommodations for prayer. CAIR-WA has contacted the man several times to follow up on his meeting with HR but he has been unresponsive to all voicemails.

01/13/12 – Employment – A Muslim woman in Seattle has been trying to find a job through a job placement and training program. The woman has gone to multiple locations for this company and often experiences unusually long wait time and staff members do not contact her when they state they will. She believes that the abnormally poor service may be due to her appearance as a hijab-wearing woman. CAIR-WA sent a letter of complaint to the company which responded by setting up a meeting to discuss the woman’s customer service complaints. Another meeting has been scheduled to discuss the discrimination portion of the woman’s complaint.

01/09/12 – Prison – A Muslim man incarcerated in Washington contacted CAIR-WA regarding religious accommodations. The man complained that Sunni and Shi’a Muslims are allowed to have separate prayer services from Nation of Islam (NOI) members, but both groups share one space and meal for Eid ul-Adha. The man is a new client of CAIR-WA but the complaint is not; many Sunni Muslims and NOI members have contacted CAIR-WA expressing their discontent with the two groups having to share a space for Eid ul-Adha. CAIR-WA is using the numerous complaints to advocate for changes within the Department of Corrections. So far, a memo has been released to all Chaplains across Washington reiterating the inappropriateness of the two groups sharing one space for Jum’ah and requiring Chaplains to provide sectarian accommodations in the same way they do for other religious groups. However, CAIR-WA is continuing to work closely with the Wash. State Dept. of Corrections (DOC) to have this requirement extended to religious celebrations as well, which is complicated by the oft-cited budget and staff shortages within the DOC.

01/05/12 – Government Agency/Other – On behalf of her sister who resides in Canada, a Muslim woman contacted CAIR-WA for assistance getting her brother-in-law back to Canada, where his wife lives. As there isn’t evidence to indicate that this may be a civil rights issue, CAIR-WA contacted several Canadian immigration groups for assistance and referred the woman to several agencies for assistance, including the CAIR chapter in Canada.

01/04/12 – Other – A US resident and employee of the State of Washington since 1998, a Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA due to his citizenship application being denied after a four-year delay. As there isn’t evidence to indicate that this may be a civil rights issue, CAIR-WA referred the man to several immigration attorneys.

01/04/12 – Other – After his friend was threatened with foreclosure, a local Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA seeking a lawyer to help his friend keep his home. As there isn’t evidence to indicate that this may be a civil rights issue, CAIR-WA referred the man to a legal clinic operated by the Middle Eastern Legal Association of Washington (MELAW) which provides 30 minutes of free legal advice and can often refer clients to attorneys for further help.

01/04/12 – General – A Muslim woman from the Seattle area contacted CAIR-WA in pursuit of an attorney to assist her in appealing a lawsuit filed against her involving the sale of her house. Given this request, CAIR-WA referred the woman to several attorneys and referral agencies for assistance.

01/04/12 – Child Custody – A local Muslim man contacted CAIR-WA for assistance in gaining partial custody of his son. The man believed that the defense lawyer was using his religion against him in court, alleging that he would take his son to live overseas if he had partial custody. The man had a lawyer but could no longer afford the fees. CAIR-WA referred the man to lawyers that practice family law with low-income clients.

Case Digest for October, 2012