CAIR-Pittsburgh Condemns Council Member's Bias in Immigration Remarks
(PITTSBURGH, PA, 3/8/2024) – The Pittsburgh chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Pittsburgh), a chapter of the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the recent biased statement made by Bob Macey during the Allegheny County Council resolution vote on March 5th, 2024.
During the council meeting, a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza was voted down 3-9 with 2 abstentions: despite 250 individuals participating in the meeting, most of which supported the resolution. Council Member Bob Macey from District 9 made troubling remarks during the vote. Statements that are Islamophobic considering the high number of immigrants and refugees in the County coming from Muslim countries. He stated, “Now I don’t want to be a conspiracy theorist but on the other hand here we have a situation where people in this country may have come here legally may have had all the right papers but may have come with a hidden agenda.”
In a statement, CAIR Pittsburgh Executive Director Christine Mohamed said:
“We are opposed to and disappointed by the statement made by Bob Macey. The comments, insinuating that individuals may have hidden agendas based on their legal immigration status, are deeply troubling. They not only undermine the overwhelmingly legitimate concerns raised by the speakers at the hearing, but are also inappropriate coming from a council member. Such remarks reflect a biased perspective reminiscent of conspiracy theories propagated by QAnon and the extreme right.”
CAIR’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR Pittsburgh Executive Director Christine Mohamed, 412-606-3601, cmohamed@cair.com
Due to the recent developments in the Middle East and those speaking out at rallies, social media, and other venues, we are reminding our community of their civil rights when dealing with law enforcement.
