Airport watchlist for terrorists challenged by Muslim civil rights group and a couple of Palestinian-American males

ANAHEIM — Two Palestinian-American males, one from Southern California and one other from Virginia, filed a federal lawsuit Monday with the Council on American-Islamic Relations difficult the airport watchlist for terrorists, arguing that they had been being focused for his or her criticism of the conflict in Gaza.

The go well with was filed in federal court docket in Virginia in opposition to officers with the U.S. Justice Department, FBI,  Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the Defense Department, the State Department and different businesses. It was introduced throughout information conferences in Washington and Anaheim.

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CAIR holds press conferences in DC and LA to announce a lawsuit in opposition to the federal authorities.

— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) August 12, 2024

Mustafa Zeidan, the Southern California resident, stated he has been positioned on the “no fly” listing, and Osama Abu Irshaid of Virginia stated he was additionally positioned on a watch listing that prompts airport safety to examine his cellphone each time he takes a flight, prolonging the time to board a aircraft, generally by hours.

Irshaid “is detained on the border by federal brokers every time he crosses it,” the lawsuit alleges.

Irshaid is subjected to “humiliating questions on his lawful associations and work main a nonprofit group that advocates for the rights of Palestinians,” the go well with alleges.. Authorities have seized his cellphone and he has been unable to retrieve it, the go well with alleges.

Zeidan stated he has been blocked from flying altogether and has needed to rent somebody to take care of his ailing 72-year-old mom in Jordan. She has hypertension and diabetes, he stated

When he tried to board a flight March 24,”I used to be shocked when airport safety knowledgeable me I couldn’t board the flight with out offering any clarification,” Zeidan stated at a information convention at CAIR-LA workplaces in Anaheim.

“This state of affairs induced me important concern for my mom who depends on me for care,” Zeidan stated.

Zeidan stated he felt “humiliated and distressed,” and added, “I’m perplexed as to why I’m out of the blue being denied entry. Could this be associated to my current exercise? Since Oct. 7, I’ve been peacefully and legally protesting in opposition to genocide.”

Zeidan stated he leads weekly demonstrations within the “High Desert area of Southern California” in opposition to Israel’s conflict on Hamas for the mass kidnappings and killings in October in Israel.

According to the FBI web site, “the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) retains the American individuals protected by sharing terrorism-related data throughout the U.S. authorities and with different legislation enforcement businesses.”

“The TSC works to guard privateness and civil liberties in any respect steps within the watchlisting course of. To add an individual to the watchlist, particular intelligence-related standards should be met,” the web site says.

The Orange County Register contributed to this story.