CAIR: AG Holder Asked to Address Constitutionality of MN, OK Hijab Bans

Proposed legislation would prohibit religious head coverings in driver's
license photos

WASHINGTON, March 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A prominent national Islamic
civil rights and advocacy group today asked Attorney General Eric Holder to
determine whether proposed legislation in Minnesota and Oklahoma prohibiting
religiously-mandated head scarves, or hijab, in driver's license photographs
would violate the Constitution.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said that,
if passed into law, both bills would infringe on the First Amendment rights of
Muslims, Jews, Sikhs and members of other faiths who wear religious head
coverings.

SEE: Bill in Legislature Prompts Dispute Over Muslim Women's Headscarves
http://tinyurl.com/b3lrem

The Oklahoma legislation banning head coverings was introduced following a
successful campaign by CAIR's chapter in that state to allow Islamic head
scarves in driver's license photographs.

SEE: Muslim Woman Takes Driver's Photo with Head Scarf (Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQHU6JXdCl8

SEE ALSO: Religious Freedom Under Attack in Oklahomahttp://tinyurl.com/chv4ek

In a letter to Attorney General Holder, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad
wrote in part:

"We believe both of these unnecessary and apparently unconstitutional bills
would have a negative impact on the First Amendment rights of Muslims and
members of other faiths in Minnesota and Oklahoma. We urge you to address the
civil liberties implications of these bills and to offer a formal opinion that
may be used by legislators who wish to support the Constitution and its
protection of religious rights."

A copy of Awad's letter was sent to Loretta King, acting assistant attorney
general for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

According to a 2004 CAIR review, most states -- with the exception of Georgia,
Kentucky and New Hampshire -- have addressed religious accommodation concerns.
Five states -- Arkansas, Mississippi, Kansas, Missouri, and Maine -- recognize
some religious practices, while the other 42 states have adopted more
inclusive approaches to religious accommodation policies.

SEE: Religious Accommodation in Driver's License Photographs
http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/documents/LWVJ.pdf

CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group has 35
offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or
202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina
Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com; CAIR-MN
Communications Director Jessica Zikri, 612-226-3289, E-Mail: jzikri@cair.com;
CAIR-MN Civil Rights Director Taneeza Islam, Esq., 651-587-4712, E-Mail:
tislam@cair.com; CAIR-OK Executive Director Razi Hashmi, 405-248-5853, E-Mail:
rhashmi@cair.com

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

Ibrahim Hooper, National Communications Director, +1-202-488-8787,
+1-202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com, Amina Rubin, Communications Coordinator,
+1-202-488-8787, +1-202-341-4171, arubin@cair.com, both of CAIR; Jessica
Zikri, Communications Director, +1-612-226-3289, jzikri@cair.com, or Taneeza
Islam, Esq., Civil Rights Director, +1-651-587-4712, tislam@cair.com, both of
CAIR-MN; or Razi Hashmi, Executive Director of CAIR-OK, +1-405-248-5853,
rhashmi@cair.com