PRESERVING DEMOCRACY AT HOME AND ABROAD.

We advocate for American Muslims and other vulnerable communities by pushing back against bigoted policies that threaten our civil liberties.

We are working on issues that matter to you.

The Policy Bureau at the Muslim Public Affairs Council is dedicated to being the leading voice advocating for American Muslims. This year, we held 394 meetings on Capitol Hill, 35 meetings with the Biden Administration, placed 10 op-eds, and secured 4 media appearances.

Islam and access to education go hand in hand; the crackdown on women’s rights in Afghanistan is diametrically opposed to what The Quran and Prophet taught us. If this decision by the Taliban is not swiftly reversed, it will result in generational harm and further diminish the rights and status of girls and women in Afghanistan. The right to education is the most important tool for development and economic empowerment.

MPAC is concerned that any criticism of Israel as a human rights offender is often conflated with anti-semitism and is used to infringe upon the right to freedom of expression for Arab Americans and American Muslims. The dismissal of American Arab and American Muslim voices are indicative of U.S. foreign policy towards the Arab and Muslim world. The United States must strive to do better on both fronts to ensure inclusivity.

The assessment of religious freedom around the world as being dire is, unfortunately, very accurate. While there are countless examples of countries targeting and abusing religious minorities, very few, if any, have the kind of celebrated relationship with the United States as India and Israel enjoy. Publicly supporting, celebrating, and honoring leaders from nations with such blatant disregard for religious freedom will only result in the United States losing its moral high ground and ceding its position of leadership in the international arena. Moreover, it will embolden leaders in other countries to double down on their treatment of religious minorities.

There is a clear discrepancy between the threat of white supremacist ideology and how federal agencies like the FBI and DHS allocate their resources. Despite the clear and persistent threat of white supremacy, the FBI and the DHS have disproportionately targeted, surveilled, prosecuted, and even entrapped American Muslims. As the FBI continues to ensure the safety of all people in the US by targeting white supremacist groups, Congress needs to do its job and create new legislation to address the double standard in the application of counterterrorism designation.

As Chair of the Faith-Based Security Advisory Council, Building Trust and Partnerships Subcommittee, MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati serves with an impressive group of leaders from the Jewish, Christian, Hindu, and Sikh faiths, as well as law enforcement. The subcommittee’s primary goal is to evaluate the current effectiveness of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) programs for faith-based communities, identifying how the DHS can improve its relationship with marginalized faith groups and provide redress for victimized individuals and communities.

Keeping our eyes on Palestine

To support the Palestinian cause, MPAC held a series of webinars, teach-ins, and press conferences highlighting the role of community organizing and historically accurate education in raising awareness about the ongoing human rights violations of the Palestinian people, advocating for justice, and building solidarity across diverse communities.

PAINTING THE NATION PALESTINE

With your support, MPAC launched a national billboard campaign to raise awareness of the ongoing crisis in Palestine and demand that representatives listen to the needs of the American Muslim community. The power of these billboards to convey our message to a wide audience is unparalleled. Because of your efforts, we have been able to amplify the real experiences of Palestinians, and shift the mindset of those unaware of the extent of the atrocities taking place in Gaza.