Muslim community and affected individuals are joined by advocates and allies in prayer
NEW YORK, NY - Today the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), the Islamic Center at New York University, MPower Change, and the International Refugee Assistance Project, joined the Muslim community and allies for a Jummah Prayer in Washington Square Park. The event took place the day before the one year anniversary of NoBanJFK, honoring the millions who are still affected by President Trump’s third iteration of the Muslim Ban.
Murad Awawdeh, Vice President of Advocacy at the New York Immigration Coalition, issued the following statement:
“President Trump signed the first Muslim Ban a year ago, and thousands of New Yorkers responded by rushing out to JFK airport in one of the most memorable acts of resistance in a year defined by protest. Today we gather to honor those at the center of this struggle, and provide the continuing community and compassion that this government has abandoned. In #OurNY we will always fight for the values that truly make America great: opportunity and justice for all.”
Background
The NYIC has been leading the fight against the Muslim Ban since January 2017 when the first Executive Order came out, with the #NoBanJFK movement, and assisting travelers from over 20 countries and organizing hundreds of lawyers and volunteers. The protests at JFK sparked actions across the nation, including a rally held in Battery Park the next day, which drew over 30,000 people. The NYIC has organized several additional actions in response to the second and third iterations of the ban.
Watch the documentary: “48 Hours at JFK”.
In July, the NYIC was back out at JFK to monitor the situation and provide legal assistance if necessary. On September 24, the third iteration of the Muslim ban included Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia. Six out of the eight countries are Muslim-majority nations. On October 17th, two federal judges issued temporary halts to the ban, and on December 4th, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down these injunctions to allow full enforcement of Trump’s Muslim Ban. The United States Supreme Court announced last week that it will be taking up the third ban in the Spring.
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