CAIR Urges Trump Administration Not to Appoint Wisc. Sheriff Who Supported 'Patrols' in Muslim Neighborhoods to DHS Post

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today urged the Trump administration not to appoint Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. to a post with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Sources say Clarke will be appointed as assistant secretary at the DHS's Office of Partnership and Engagement, a position of that does not require Senate confirmation.

SEE: White House Considers Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke for Post in Homeland Security
http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2017/04/28/white-house-considers-milwaukee-county-sheriff-david-clarke-post-homeland-security/101036918/

Last year, Clarke supported then GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz's call for law enforcement to "patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods." CAIR expressed concern that such a policy would lead to religious and ethnic profiling by officers and called the policy "unworkable, unconstitutional and counterproductive."

SEE: CAIR Concerned That Milwaukee Sheriff's Support for Ted Cruz's Muslim 'Patrols' Will Lead to Profiling
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/13465-cair-concerned-that-milwaukee-sheriff-s-support-for-ted-cruz-s-muslim-patrols-will-lead-to-profiling.html

Clarke also caused controversy with his claim that the Black Lives Matter movement would "join forces" with the terror group ISIS. He is facing protests today because he wants his officers to operate as federal immigration agents.

Trump Considers Sheriff Who Called Black Lives Matter 'Terrorists' for DHS Post
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/331139-trump-considers-sheriff-who-called-black-lives-matter-terrorists-for

Controversial Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke Faces Protests Monday
http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/30/us/milwaukee-protest-against-sheriff-david-clarke/

"Given Sheriff Clarke's history of extremist views, and his support for counterproductive and un-American policy proposals, it would be inappropriate to appoint him to any government position -- let alone one involving public outreach," said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw. 

McCaw noted that Clarke would join many other infamous Islamophobes in, or recently removed from the Trump administration, including Sebastian Gorka, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn, and Stephen Miller. Many of the administration's picks are themselves on record as making anti-Muslim statements or of working closely with anti-Muslim conspiracy theorists. 

CAIR Islamophobia Monitor: Islamophobia and the Trump Team
http://islamophobia.org/158-key-issues-in-islamophobia/181-islamophobia-and-the-trump-team.html

CAIR's national headquarters recently decried what it termed the Trump administration's "deafening silence" on a growing number of anti-Muslim incidents nationwide since the November 8 election.

SEE: CAIR Decries Trump Administration's 'Deafening Silence' on Series of Anti-Muslim Incidents Nationwide
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/14225-cair-decries-trump-administration-s-deafening-silence-on-series-of-anti-muslim-incidents-nationwide.html

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

La misión de CAIR es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, fomentar el diálogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.

CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected] 

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

Related Links

http://www.cair.com