A Message from Our Leadership
We are living in challenging times, but also in a moment of incredible opportunities for us to rise to the occasion. I remain humbled and inspired by the work that MPAC does in advancing what is right, not only for the American Muslim community, but for all Americans, because there is no divide between being Muslim and being American; our values are deeply aligned.
At the MPAC Hollywood Bureau, our work centers on shaping how Muslims are represented across film, television, and media. By influencing culture, we shape perception, and ultimately, the policies that impact our communities. This unique intersection of entertainment and policy is where MPAC leads, and where real understanding & change begins.
As you read this report, know that your support is essential. You are helping drive cultural understanding and meaningful progress so that we are seen for who we are, vital contributors to American Pluralism.
In Peace,
Sue Obeidi
Senior Vice President, MPAC® Hollywood Bureau |
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What You Need To Know, Today:
Reported by multiple news sources, the U.S. Department of Defense has spent an estimated $25 billion on military operations against Iran as of April 29, 2026, marking roughly 60 days of conflict. MPAC held a Press Conference on Thursday, April 16, 2026, to address the impact of Operation Epic Fury.
Our paper, “The Pitfalls of Operation Epic Fury - How the Undeclared War Against Iran Hurts Americans’ Interests Abroad and at Home,” and Community Guide, speak to the validity of this campaign. We brought together subject matter experts who further solidified our message.
We share what we are doing for our community, and how you can get involved: |
Our Center for Security Technology and Policy Released A Critical Security Bulletin for Mosques and the American Muslim Communities Across the Country:
MPAC has identified a concerning trend: an eleven-fold increase in attacks targeting Muslim individuals and mosques. This sharp rise underscores the urgent need for heightened awareness, community coordination, and timely reporting.
We encourage you to stay informed by signing up for our security updates. If you experience or witness a threat, incident, or safety concern, please report it directly to our team. Your vigilance helps strengthen our collective response and ensures we can act quickly to protect our communities. |
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| Iran Hill Engagement: Advocating for Americans, Not the Military-Industrial Complex
MPAC’s Center for Government Impact brought these priorities directly to Capitol Hill through targeted engagement with Members of Congress and their staff. We raised concerns that the Administration’s use of religious and Christian nationalist rhetoric in its Iran policy may violate the Establishment Clause and warrant congressional oversight. We also urged an end to the unauthorized conflict by supporting War Powers Resolutions, as momentum grows for Congress to reclaim its authority to declare war. Finally, we called on lawmakers to reject supplemental funding, warning that without clear authorization or strategy, it risks prolonging another costly “forever war.” |
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Across these engagements, the message was clear: U.S. foreign policy must be grounded in law, accountability, and the interests of the American people, not driven by unchecked executive power or defense industry incentives.
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MPAC takes on Canada
MPAC sent a delegation to Canada to deepen collaboration with Muslim elected officials, civil society leaders, and creatives across policy, media, and advocacy. From Toronto to Ottawa, the delegation met with Muslim Members of Parliament, including Sameer Zuberi, alongside leading voices in the Canadian Muslim community, building cross-border momentum around shared priorities and long-term impact. |
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Conversations centered on strengthening Muslim representation in media and culture, addressing affordability, advocating for principled foreign policy positions on Palestine, protecting free expression, and confronting anti-Muslim hate.
The delegation also engaged research and policy organizations tracking Islamophobia and Canadian domestic and foreign policy, exchanging tools to strengthen coordinated responses.
A key highlight was engagement with the Toronto International Film Festival, where MPAC’s Hollywood Bureau advanced discussions on expanding Muslim creative representation through The Muslim House® activation, with planning underway for TIFF 2026 (September 10–20, 2026). |
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MPAC in the Media
MPAC was cited in the Religion News Service’s Opinion, Islamophobia is surging again, but Muslims won’t be victims this time, highlighting our flagship “An American Eid” event on March 24th, 2026, at La Vie in the DC Waterfront.
MPAC celebrates American Muslims and stands strong with “unapologetic empowerment and strategic, meaningful, and nonperformative allyships over victimization.” |
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MPAC’s President Salam Al-Marayati published a powerful op-ed in the Chicago Sun-Times, and we wanted to make sure you saw it.
At a time when anti-Muslim rhetoric is being weaponized in legislatures and on the campaign trail, Salam answered back with clarity, confidence, and conviction.
The piece, titled "Sharia is a framework for Muslims — not a threat to America," cuts through the fear-mongering and speaks a truth that MPAC has championed for over three decades. This piece helps reframe the narrative, debunk dangerous myths, and affirms American Muslim values. |
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What We're Fighting For: The work this cycle for the issues our community cares about most... |
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Religious Freedom & Civil Liberties
Defending the First Amendment promise that every American, including every American Muslim, belongs.
Civil Society Under Pressure: What the Targeting of Southern Poverty Law Center Signals for All Communities
The recent targeting of the Southern Poverty Law Center by the federal government raises serious concerns for civil rights and democratic accountability. Civil society organizations, whether the SPLC or Muslim advocacy groups, play a critical role in protecting communities, documenting extremism, and defending constitutional rights. Efforts to delegitimize or penalize these organizations risk reframing dissent from marginalized communities as a security threat rather than a democratic necessity.
For American Muslim communities, this moment is especially alarming. We have seen how quickly national security and counter-extremism narratives can be used to justify surveillance and civil liberties erosion. At a time of rising antisemitism and broader extremism, the focus should be on strengthening the institutions that protect all communities, not undermining them.
Campus Activism Framed as “Muslim Terror” by Elected Officials
Randy Fine publicly characterized campus activism as “Muslim terror,” conflating political expression with extremism. This framing raises concerns about how surveillance and law enforcement tools could be directed at students and advocacy spaces under the pretext of counterterrorism. The stigmatization of civic engagement as a security threat mirrors earlier post-9/11 tactics, where Muslim identity and political activity were used to justify monitoring, watchlisting, and infiltration.
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Policy & Legislation Where laws are being written, blocked, or rewritten, and where MPAC is in the room.
Historic Momentum on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval
The effort to hold U.S. arms transfers accountable has reached an unmistakable turning point. While recent votes on two Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) did not ultimately pass, the margins reveal a dramatic and consequential shift in congressional sentiment.
S.J.Res.138, which sought to block the transfer of 1,000-pound bombs to Israel, and S.J.Res.32, aimed at halting the sale of Caterpillar bulldozers used in the demolition of Palestinian homes, both garnered unprecedented levels of support in the Senate. Notably, 40 out of 47 Senate Democrats voted to block the bulldozer sale, and 36 out of 47 supported stopping the bomb transfers. This marks a stark evolution from just one year ago. In April 2025, only 15 senators voted in favor of a similar resolution. Today, nearly the entire Senate Democratic caucus is aligned around enforcing existing U.S. laws governing arms transfers and human rights compliance.
This is not incremental progress; it is structural change. The growing support reflects sustained public pressure and coordinated advocacy that is reshaping what is politically possible. While the resolutions did not pass, the legislative foundation for future accountability is now firmly in place.
FISA Section 702: A Win Hiding in Plain Sight
Congress’s failure to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) marks a significant, if underrecognized, development. A bipartisan bloc in both chambers rejected efforts to pass a “clean” extension of FISA Section 702, one that would have preserved surveillance authorities without adding warrant protections, forcing leadership to halt and reconsider.
For years, Section 702 has enabled warrantless “backdoor searches” of Americans’ communications, with documented disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities, including American Muslims. Extending this authority without reform would have reinforced a system vulnerable to abuse under the justification of national security.
MPAC has consistently supported reauthorization only if accompanied by meaningful warrant requirements. The inability of congressional leadership to advance a clean extension, and the willingness of lawmakers across party lines to demand safeguards, signals a shift driven by sustained advocacy and growing skepticism of unchecked surveillance powers. The pause is not the end of the fight, but it is a clear indication that the status quo is no longer politically viable.
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🚨 Take Action
If you are interested in meeting with your Member of Congress or their staff during the upcoming recess, our team is ready to support you. This is a critical moment to ensure your voice is part of the policymaking process.
Demand Congress End the Illegal War on Iran, Protect Civil Liberties, and Combat the Surge in Hate-Fueled Violence: MPAC is calling on Americans to demand accountability from their elected representatives. The current crisis demands immediate Congressional action on three interconnected fronts: the legality of the war itself, the protection of American Muslims, Iranians, and Arabs from unconstitutional surveillance and targeting, and the urgent need to address a documented spike in anti-Muslim hate-fueled violence. Take Action Now
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Surveillance, Security & Technology Pushing back on policies that treat our community as a threat, from FBI watchlists to AI-driven profiling. The Center for Security, Technology & Policy (CSTP) publicly launched three real-time, data-driven platforms.
→ The Muslim Hate Incident Tracker → The Legislative Tracker → The Sharia Scare Tracker
CSTP leverages advanced data analysis and AI tools to monitor and combat Islamophobia in real time, tracking trends in legislation, media coverage, social media, and public discourse. These tools promote awareness and give meaningful insight for immediate action.
“MAMDANI Act” Introduced to Expand Ideological Deportation Powers
Chip Roy has introduced legislation allowing deportation or denaturalization based on alleged ties to broadly defined “Islamic fundamentalist doctrines,” raising concerns about ideological screening that could target constitutionally protected beliefs. This approach reflects a broader pattern of using national security frameworks to justify expansive enforcement tools, often first impacting Muslim communities before extending more widely. MPAC is responding through policy analysis, congressional engagement, and coalition advocacy to oppose overbroad authorities that threaten civil liberties.
State and Local Campaigns Revive “Sharia Law” Fear Narratives
In Frisco, mayoral candidate Rod Vilhauer is campaigning on banning “Sharia law,” reviving a debunked narrative to mobilize voters despite no real legal threat. Such campaigns have historically been used to justify surveillance and monitoring of Muslim communities under the guise of security. MPAC is addressing this through public education, narrative correction, and tracking the policy implications of Islamophobic platforms.
Notable mentions of Anti-Muslim hatred from elected officials:
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MPAC on the Ground
Where we showed up this cycle — because policy isn't made in press releases, it's made in rooms.
MPAC-CSID World Policy Forum: What is Sharia Law, and is it a Threat to Our Democracy? April 22, 2026 | Washington, DC MPAC and the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) convened a World Policy Forum to examine the meaning of Sharia law and its implications for American democracy. The discussion featured leading scholars, including Khaled Abou El Fadl, Mohammad H. Fadel, Ilya Somin, and Paul L. Heck.
The forum addressed a central policy question: whether Sharia poses any threat to constitutional governance in the United States, or whether current debates are driven by misunderstanding and political framing. Key Findings:
→Sharia is not a codified legal system. Sharia is a broad ethical and legal framework derived from religious sources and interpreted by scholars over time. It is not a single, uniform code, and its application varies widely across contexts.
→No threat to constitutional order. There is no legal or institutional mechanism by which Sharia can replace or override U.S. law. The Constitution remains the supreme law of the land, and all religious practices operate within its framework.
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Religious legal practices already exist in the U.S. Voluntary religious arbitration is already practiced by multiple faith communities, including Jewish and Christian groups. Sharia-based practices, where present, function under the same legal constraints.
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Policy debate driven by perception, not evidence. Current legislative efforts targeting Sharia are largely based on misconceptions rather than demonstrated legal risks. These efforts often conflate diverse interpretations of Islamic law with extreme cases.
→Potential impact on religious freedom. Policies that single out Sharia risk setting precedents that could undermine First Amendment protections and affect all religious communities. |
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📅 Upcoming Events
Countering Anti-Muslim Hate in an Era of Christian Nationalism Today, April 30, 2026. 4:00 – 5:00pm.
Interfaith Alliance and the Muslim Public Affairs Council invite you to join us for a timely and urgent national webinar confronting the rise of anti-Muslim bigotry and its threat to religious freedom and American democracy. Come hear from leading national advocates, faith leaders, and policy experts about how and why anti-Muslim sentiment is experiencing a resurgence through Christian nationalist movements, how it erodes the constitutional promise of religious freedom, and how it is fueling discriminatory policies and marginalizing Muslim communities.
📍Zoom (Register Below)
🗓Thursday, April 30, 2026. 4:00-5:00
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| The Muslim House® Presents “Funny While Muslim”
On May 6, 2026, during Netflix is a Joke week, we are harnessing the power of comedy and challenging assumptions through laughter and deeper conversations. Join us at United Talent Agency for “Funny While Muslim”, a special edition of The Muslim House® that will feature conversations between seriously funny people.
This event is free but RSVP required and is brought to you by The Muslim House®—produced by the MPAC® Hollywood Bureau with the support of the Doris Duke Foundation.
📍 Los Angeles, California 🗓 Wednesday, May 6, 2026 |
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🌍 A World Order Without Democracy? The CSID–MPAC 24th Annual Conference.
Join an exceptional lineup of policymakers, scholars, and global experts tackling one of the most urgent questions of our time: Can the U.S. defend its interests without abandoning democracy and human rights?
📍 Georgetown University Capitol Campus
🗓 Friday, May 15, 2026, 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
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250th Anniversary of U.S. Declaration of Independence: Pluralism and Freedom in Islam
Join us for a conversation on pluralism and freedom in Islam on May 17, 2026 at 10am PDT at the Islamic Center of Southern California. Join us as we reflect on how we, as American Muslims, can remain invested in its future for the next 250 years.
📍 Los Angeles, California
🗓 Sunday, May 17, 2026 Stay tuned for more details! |
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Empowering Voices Gala – Los Angeles Celebrate community achievements and help fund the next year of MPAC's work.
🗓 Saturday, October 10, 2026 |
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Thank you for your continued support! Click the button below to donate and help MPAC continue its work. |
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Founded in 1988, the Muslim Public Affairs Council improves public understanding and policies that impact American Muslims by engaging our government, media, and communities. Our policy analysts provide insight from D.C. to the palm of your hand on the most pressing issues impacting American Muslims. Email is an important way for us to communicate with supporters like you. Should you want to stop hearing from us or change your preferences, click here to (Unsubscribing is not supported in previews)
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