\n
![](\"https:\/\/images.squarespace-cdn.com\/content\/v1\/5aeb7bb8e2ccd14dfc3d03ff\/1741749962156-3GTJZIOA6ETNUJ7WZ38E\/im-54398229.jpeg?format=1500w\")
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
– For Immediate Release and Distribution –<\/p>\n
(CHICAGO, IL, 3\/12\/25) \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>On Wednesday March 12th,\u00a0the The Chicago Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago)<\/strong>,<\/span><\/a> partners and elected officials will host a press conference denouncing the abduction of U.S. Citizen Mahmoud Khalil and political suppression on Chicago University campuses. Speakers will react to Mahmoud\u2019s federal court hearing expected hours before and will announce the introduction of a new resolution by Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez condemning the weaponization of ICE to suppress political dissent and violate the First Amendment rights of U.S. citizens.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n WHAT<\/strong>: CAIR-Chicago Press Conference<\/p>\n WHEN<\/strong>: Wednesday, March 12th, 3:00pm CST\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n WHERE<\/strong>: CAIR-Chicago’s Azima Center, 17 North State Street, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60602\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n LIVESTREAM:\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cairchicago<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n WHO<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 25th Ward Alderman Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez and other alderpersons\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ed Yohnka, Director of Communications & Public Policy\u00a0, ACLU of IL<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Muhammad Sankari, Organizer, US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Fred Tsao, Senior Policy Counsel, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights\u00a0(ICIRR)\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n The White House is weaponizing ICE to suppress political dissent and violate the First Amendment rights of U.S. citizens.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n SEE: <\/strong><\/span>Immigration agents arrest Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University protests<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMahmoud’s case is not just about one individual, but whether the White House can summarily abduct legal residents and deport them for holding personal or political opinions that might not please the current ruler. It is very much about the heart and soul of American democracy, freedoms, and everything that sets this country apart from the despotic world.\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab<\/strong>. \u00a0<\/p>\n SEE: <\/strong><\/span>CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab Analyzes White House “Shalom Mahmoud” Tweet<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This escalation follows a disturbing trend of political suppression on college campus across the nation. Including here in Chicago where Northwestern University<\/strong><\/span><\/a> has been asked to crack down on pro-Palestinian protestors and the University of Chicago<\/strong><\/span><\/a> has evicted a student for protesting for Palestine on campus, in clear violation of these students’ First Amendment rights.\u00a0<\/p>\n CAIR-Chicago\u2019s mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote understanding.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n CONTACT:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Ahmed Rehab<\/strong>, Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago | 202-870-0166 |\u00a0arehab@cair.com;<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Monia Alhelou<\/strong>, Operations Coordinator of CAIR-Chicago | 312-212-1520 |\u00a0malhelou@cair.com;<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Hafsa Haider<\/strong>, Communications Coordinator of CAIR-Chicago | 561-317-7509 |\u00a0hhaider@cair.com<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n