(Miami, FL, 3/11/2025) – The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL) is calling a press conference to respond to CAIR’s newly released 2025 Civil Rights Report, Unconstitutional Crackdowns, which highlights a troubling rise in Islamophobic incidents nationwide.

The report reveals that Islamophobia is at an all-time high, with CAIR offices across the country receiving 8,658 complaints in 2024—a 7.4% increase from 2023. Disturbingly, CAIR-FL processed 438 complaints, nearly 100 more than the 341 recorded the previous year, marking a 22% increase in Islamophobic civil rights violations from 2023.

News Conference Details

• WHAT: News conference on CAIR’s 2025 Civil Rights Report, Unconstitutional Crackdowns
• WHO: CAIR Florida Communications Director Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, CAIR Florida Lead Attorney Omar Saleh
• WHEN: Wednesday, March 12, 11 a.m. ET
• WHERE: CAIR Florida (South Florida Office), Conference Room, 9000 NW 44 St., Suite 200-C
• CONTACT: Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, (305) 502-6749, [email protected]

Islamophobia at an All-Time High, With Viewpoint Discrimination a Key Factor

SEE: 2025 Civil Rights Report: Unconstitutional Crackdowns

Some of the most concerning incidents in Florida include a case in which a Florida man attacked a Muslim female U.S. Postal Service worker. The perpetrator, Kenneth Pinkney, was charged with battery and a hate crime due to “prejudicial comments on the victim’s ancestry, religion, and national origin.” He later pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal employee and received a sentencing enhancement based on a finding that hate was a motivating factor.

CAIR-FL Communications Director Wilfredo Amr Ruiz stated:

“Our Florida office received 97 more complaints than the previous year—an unprecedented 22% increase. This is especially worrisome because, for the first time in CAIR-Florida’s 23-year history, viewpoint discrimination is the leading factor in most complaints.”

Ruiz added: “Standing up for the human rights of the Palestinian people and residents of Gaza or openly criticizing the State of Israel’s war crimes and genocide against Palestinians often leads to false accusations of anti-Semitism or defamatory associations with terrorist organizations. The consequences are severe, including students facing disciplinary action, dozens of doctors losing their jobs, and attorneys being fired from their law firms.”

Documented cases in Florida include:

• A licensed dentist charged with disorderly conduct after verbally assaulting a Muslim family for wearing hijabs.
• A licensed physician charged with criminal mischief for vandalizing a Palestinian’s vehicle.
• An attorney fired from their law firm for criticizing the Israeli government.

Those who have not lost their jobs continue to face doxxing campaigns by groups intent on damaging the reputations of individuals expressing their right to free speech by criticizing the Israeli government’s historical campaign of genocide against Palestinians.

Ruiz stated: “U.S. officials appear to be silencing dissent more than Israel itself.”

The report also highlights three major national trends:

• A Shift in Targeting: In 2024, Muslims, Palestinians, Arabs, Jews, African Americans, and Asian Americans were increasingly targeted for speaking out against genocide and apartheid. This marks a shift from traditional religious discrimination to viewpoint-based crackdowns.
• Rising Employment Discrimination: Workplace discrimination emerged as the most reported category, accounting for 15.4% of all complaints. Many cases involved retaliation against employees for expressing support for Palestinian human rights.
• Increase in Law Enforcement Encounters: Reports of discriminatory law enforcement actions surged by 71.5%, reflecting a growing pattern of university administrators and law enforcement agencies targeting student activists and Muslim-led protests.

While the report paints a grim picture, it also highlights key victories for civil rights in 2024, including:

• A 9-0 Supreme Court ruling against the federal No Fly List.
• Legal victories for 25,000 individuals impacted by the Muslim Ban.
• FTC actions to prevent the sale of Muslim user data.

CAIR Florida remains committed to advocating for the rights of Florida’s Muslim community and combating Islamophobia in all its forms.

Since 1996, CAIR’s annual reports on the status of American Muslim civil rights have documented anti-Muslim incidents reported to CAIR each year. The report typically includes sections on specific civil rights and civil liberties issues affecting American Muslims during the year under review.

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CONTACT: CAIR-FL Communications Director Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, (305) 502-6749, [email protected]