(COLUMBUS, OH 12/20/22) – On Tuesday, December 13, the Ohio chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) joined a rally with over 170 organizations to demand democracy and fight against House Joint Resolution (HJR) 6, a resolution to require 60% vote for initiated constitutional amendment as opposed to a simple majority (50% plus one). Read More “CAIR-Ohio Joins Rally for Our Democracy at Statehouse”
(COLUMBUS, OH 12/14/22) – Along with more than 40 state and local organizations, the Ohio chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) signs on to a letter urging Congress to preserve language included in the draft Senate omnibus bill, directing the Department of Homeland Security to establish a centralized process whereby people who were deported can apply for an opportunity to return to their families, homes, jobs, and communities.
Members of Congress issued a resolution that enforces permanent banishment with no process in place for immigrants to return. Lifetime separation from their families and the lives they built over years is an extreme consequence for an immigration visa problem.
CAIR-Ohio Legal Director Lina Abbaoui said in a statement: “The systems that immigrants must navigate presents numerous barriers and legal challenges that put a strain on families, and the health of communities. If we allow a dangerous resolution that permanently bars deportees from reentry, the cost of these systems intensifies for the most vulnerable and the impacts would be devastating.”
As a strong advocate of immigrants and refugee rights, CAIR-Ohio urges Congress to preserve language included in the draft Senate bill, directing the Department of Homeland Security to establish a centralized process whereby people who are deported can apply for an opportunity to return to their families, homes, jobs, and communities.
Read the full letter and list of organizations who signed on here.
CAIR-Ohio is a proud member of the Immigrant Dignity Coalition whose purpose is to inform, connect, and mobilize the Southwest Ohio / Northern Kentucky community to defend and protect the dignity of the immigrant and refugee community by working in partnership and as allies.
(COLUMBUS, OH 12/13/22) – On Wednesday, December 8th, the Ohio chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) staff attended the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Ohio’s Annual Statehouse Day. Executive Director Amina Barhumi and Community Relations Assistant Shireen Shaaban joined over 150+ LWV members to push against legislation that could reduce early voting, make it harder for citizens to place initiatives on the ballot, or infringe on the rights of diverse Ohioans.
To kick off the event, Barhumi participated in an ‘Election in Review’ panel with Aaron Ockerman from Ohio Association of Elections Officials and Greer Aeschbury from All Voting is Local. They addressed and shed light upon issues associated with the 2022 Elections. They highlighted trends among voters, problems at the polls, how to appeal to underrepresented and minority voters, and much more. All of which helped in acknowledging ways to do better as community members in motivating voters for future elections.
Throughout the day, Barhumi and Shaaban contributed to worthy conversations with legislators, representatives, and LWV members from all over Ohio regarding crucial policies like House Joint Resolution 6 (HJR 6), House Bill 294, House Bill 458, and more.
Part of LWV Ohio’s Statehouse Day also included time for members to attend hearings and testify to HJR 6 and HB 294, which are legislation CAIR-Ohio has been closely monitoring and advocating against.
View CAIR-Ohio Community Relations Assistant Shireen Shaaban HJR 6 Opponent Testimony here.
View CAIR-Ohio Outreach Director Victoria Hickcox HB 294 Opponent Testimony here.
Take Action: Tell Ohio Representatives to Protect Citizen-Initiated Ballots
(COLUMBUS, OH, 12/12/22)– On Wednesday, December 7th, the Community Relations Assistant of the Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio), Shireen Shaaban, testified to the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee in opposition to House Joint Resolution 6, a resolution to require 60% vote for initiated constitutional amendment.
Secretary of State Frank LaRose and State Rep. Brian Stewart recently announced an effort to change the Ohio Constitution to make it nearly impossible for Ohio citizens to pass ballot initiatives to amend the state constitution. House Joint Resolution 6 (HJR6) is a constitutional amendment that, if passed, will raise the threshold to pass citizen-led Constitutional Amendments on the ballot from a simple majority (50% plus one) to a super majority (60%).
HJR6 would affect a wide range of issues, including redistricting reform. This impacts not only voting rights, but healthcare access, access to education, civil and economic justice, and much more. All of which apply to every Muslim and every Ohioan. This proposal would create an unfair, unpopular, and undemocratic process to bring issues that Ohioans care about to the ballot.
“Making the ballot initiative process even harder for citizens groups will make it almost impossible for anyone except big money special interests to successfully pass a ballot initiative in Ohio,” said Shaaban.
To learn more, visit Ohio Voter Rights Coalition website.
Watch Shireen Shaaban’s full witness testimony here.
Stop this attack on direct democracy in its tracks. TAKE ACTION here.
(COLUMBUS, OH, 12/12/22)– On Wednesday, December 7th, the Outreach Director of the Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio), Victoria Hickcox, testified to the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee in opposition to House Bill 294, the Enact Ohio Election Security and Modernization Act.
While House Bill 294 is masked as legislation to create a more secure election process, it includes a host of anti-voter provisions like limiting access to ballot drop boxes, imposing confusing voter-ID requirements, canceling early voting the Monday before Election Day, and shortening the absentee ballot request period, to name a few.
In 2020, Ohio conducted one of the most secure elections in its history with record-breaking voter turnout. While 2020 saw historic turnout for the presidential election, voter suppression remains a critical issue and research shows it persists and reflects racial discrimination in the voting process (“The Impact of Voter Suppression on Communities of Color,” Brennan Center for Justice).
House Bill 294 is legislation that will feed into voter suppression and reflect racial discrimination in the voting process. Additionally, this bill would create more barriers to the ballot box and make it harder for Ohioans to vote.
Some of the measures this bill will enforce include, eliminating the last day of early voting, limiting County Boards of Election to three drop boxes, restricting set up to county board offices, and permitting their use starting only 28 days before an election.
Additionally, the Sub. House Bill 294 requires citizenship status to be listed on Ohio driver’s licenses.
This sub bill would have a chilling impact on immigrants and noncitizens, outside of the consideration of voting. Based on discrimination complaints and issues that clients face, CAIR-Ohio recognizes that immigrants from across the world are often misclassified due to bias.
“Outlining a person’s citizen status on their ID will potentially open doors for discrimination, prejudice, and oppression in the most basic interactions.” said Hickcox.
Together, all these measures along with most of the new provisions would disproportionately impact Black and brown voters, students, voters with disabilities, low-income Ohioans, active-duty military, rural voters, and seniors.
To learn more, visit Ohio Voter Rights Coalition website.
Watch Victoria Hickox’s full witness testimony here.
Our Democracy is under attack. Secretary of State Frank LaRose and State Rep. Brian Stewart recently announced an effort to change the Ohio Constitution to make it nearly impossible for Ohio citizens to pass ballot initiatives to amend the state constitution. Under House Joint Resolution 6 (HJR6), if citizens spend months collecting signatures to put an amendment on Ohio’s ballot, their initiative would need an outrageous 60% of votes to become law. But if Ohio’s supermajority puts an amendment on the ballot, they would only need a simple majority of votes (50% plus one). Take action here.
Proposals like HJR6 affect a wide range of issues, including redistricting reform. This impacts not only voting rights, but healthcare access, access to education, civil and economic justice, and much more. All of which apply to every Muslim and every Ohioan. This proposal would create an unfair, unpopular, and undemocratic process to bring issues that Ohioans care about to the ballot.
Stop this attack on direct democracy in its tracks. Make our Ohio Representatives respect your right to pass citizen-led ballot initiatives and to think twice before pushing ahead. DO NOT LET HJR 6 pass, send your message here.
(COLUMBUS, OH, 12/07/22) – On Wednesday, Nov. 30, CAIR-Ohio Community Relations Assistant Shireen Shaaban presented testimony to the Ohio Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee as a proponent for House Bill 353, the Testing Your Faith Act. Read More “CAIR-Ohio Presents Proponent Testimony on Religious Accommodations Bill for College Students”
(CINCINNATI, OH, 12/01/22)– On Tuesday, the Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) organized and led character-building and anti–bullying workshops for over 200 students from grades K-8 at the International Academy of Cincinnati (INTAC). CAIR-Ohio staff members were invited to speak on bullying prevention through an Islamic lens to Muslim youth. Read More “CAIR-Ohio Leads Character Building & Anti-Bullying Workshops at Islamic Academy”
(CINCINNATI, OH, 12/01/22)– On Tuesday, the Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) organized and led character-building and anti–bullying workshops for over 200 students from grades K-8 at the International Academy of Cincinnati (INTAC). CAIR-Ohio staff members were invited to speak on bullying prevention through an Islamic lens to Muslim youth. Read More “CAIR-Ohio Leads Character Building & Anti-Bullying Workshops at Islamic Academy”
We are excited to announce that we will be hosting the Muslim Youth Leadership Program (MYLP) next year on Monday, January 16, 2023, at our Columbus office! Read More “Apply for CAIR-Ohio’s Muslim Youth Leadership Program (MYLP)”
