Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council Calls on Congress to Protect Citizens' Equal Rights and Equal Protection Under Law, Take Action to Reduce Hate Crimes

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ahead of its first formal meeting with Congress, the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council today called on lawmakers to protect the Constitutional promise of equal rights and equal protection under law in a new letter. The bipartisan group of leading Muslim American and Jewish American business, political and faith leaders, spearheaded by AJC and the Islamic Society of North America, will hand-deliver the open letter to Congress and its declaration to lawmakers and will discuss the documents in meetings with Members of Congress throughout the day.

The group, co-chaired by Stanley Bergman, CEO of Henry Schein, and Farooq Kathwari, President and CEO of Ethan Allen, formed in November 2016, in the midst of increased political polarization. Its members came together to reaffirm the commitment to religious freedom and pluralism, to demonstrate solidarity with each other and all Americans, and to defend immigration and fight hate crimes. 

"America promises all its citizens equal rights and equal protection under the laws," the Council's declaration reads.  "We have come together to help deliver on that promise for our communities and all Americans, and to participate in building our country pursuant to its laws and ethical traditions."

In light of President Trump's January 27^th Executive Order on refugee policy, the Council's members wrote to Congress, supporting the concerns expressed by many bipartisan members of Congress and underscoring their opposition to any bar on refugee or other immigration based on one's religion. 

The Council went on to call on Congress to act following the recent rise in hate crimes.    

"It is imperative that Congress work to strengthen our country's response to the increase in hate crimes, in particular by exercising its oversight responsibilities so as to ensure that the Justice Department maintains, and heightens, its work with state and local officials on hate crimes, and prosecutes such crimes at the federal level where necessary," the Council members wrote.

Read the Council's full declaration here. 

Read the Council's full letter to Congress here.

Members of the Council, its supporters and Members of Congress will gather for an open-press reception on Wednesday, February 1 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in Dirksen Senate Office Building, SD-G50. Press interested in attending should contact [email protected].

SOURCE Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council