Muslim Caucus to hold first conference amid Trump’s attacks

Ilhan Omar, others set to speak at first annual conference. Organised by the Muslim Caucus, the Muslim Collective for Equitable Democracy 2019 will feature appearances by representatives Omar, as well as a host of other prominent Muslim American figures, including Gold Star father Khizr Khan and Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress and current Minnesota attorney general. “We reached out to every single Democratic candidate as well as Republican, the one Republican candidate who is running against Trump,” said Ghazala Salam, president and founder of the Muslim Caucus Education Collective. “Whether minority or majority … Muslims, even though we’re a minority right now, we’re facing such discrimination, especially from this administration.” ‘Not a small sideshow in US politics’ The conference comes at a time when rights groups have documented an increase in Islamophobic attacks on Muslim communities and individuals. 190606132145443 In addition to pursuing policies, such as rescinding the travel ban and rolling back discriminatory counterterror operations like the FBI’s use of confidential informants in Muslim communities, engaging with Muslims at an historic event like this week’s Muslim Collective for Equitable Democracy should be a priority for politicians and presidential candidates, Love said.