Seeking Justice in the Courts: Ashcroft v. Iqbal

On October 31st Muslim Advocates joined in the filing of an amicus or "friend of the court" brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Ashcroft v. Iqbal. Muslim Advocates joined in filing the brief with the Japanese American Citizens League, Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium.

The case, which has moved through the federal courts and now is before the Supreme Court, was brought by Javaid Iqbal, a Pakistani citizen who was detained as a "person of interest" and subjected to mistreatment in the days following 9/11 simply because of his ethnicity, national origin and religion. He was never accused or charged with any terrorist related activity.

The case of Ashcroft v. Iqbal seeks to hold accountable key government officials who sanctioned profiling, detention and interrogation practices that were a knowing violation of his constitutional rights. A favorable ruling for Iqbal would be a significant rebuke of the federal government's over-reaching response to 9/11 and a critical effort to hold accountable officials who unfairly targeted Muslim and Arab men based on their ethnicity, national origin or religion, not on evidence of terrorism.

To learn more about this case or to request a copy of the amicus brief, please contact Shahid Buttar.