Press Release: 9/1/2026

CAIR-MA Marks 10 Years with Release of Civil Rights Report, Launch of First-Ever Islamophobia Tracker

 






  • August 31, 2026

  • 12:49 pm



The report caps CAIR-MA’s first decade of civil rights advocacy while new Islamophobia Tracker and legislative initiatives chart the organization’s path forward



The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MA) today released its Civil Rights and Annual Report, capping the organization’s first decade of civil rights advocacy in Massachusetts and looking ahead to the next chapter of its work on behalf of the Commonwealth’s estimated 150,000 Muslim residents.



CAIR-MA also launched its first-ever Islamophobia Tracker.



Since 2015, CAIR-MA’s Legal Department has fielded 1,882 requests for assistance.



The report reveals several significant trends:




  • Immigration fears spiked. Requests involving international travel increased nearly 600 percent, as travelers faced detention, questioning, or denial of re-entry at airports and other ports of entry. Immigration-related matters represented 21 percent of requests for assistance, making immigration the largest category of requests received by CAIR-MA in 2025.

  • Workplace retaliation persisted. Employment-related issues accounted for 20 percent of requests, including workers who reported discipline, retaliation, or termination connected to Gaza-related speech or political expression.

  • Reported hate incidents declined in number but remained severe. CAIR-MA received eight reports of hate incidents in 2025, compared with 28 in 2024. Those reports included an assault on a student that required surgery and an axe threat against a protester.

  • Discrimination extended into housing and public accommodations. CAIR-MA handled matters involving discrimination and intimidation in everyday life, including a case involving a Palestinian Christian family that was threatened because of its display of a Palestinian flag.

  • Religious accommodation remained a civil rights concern. CAIR-MA sent demand letters to county Houses of Correction concerning religious accommodations for incarcerated Muslims.



First-Ever Legislative Briefing Marks New Phase of Advocacy



CAIR-MA also held its first-ever Legislative Briefingthis year, marking another important step as the organization enters its second decade.



The briefing created a dedicated forum to bring the experiences, civil rights concerns, and policy priorities of Massachusetts Muslims directly to state lawmakers and legislative staff. The briefing also underscored a broader principle:Massachusetts Muslims should not have to wait for a crisis to have a voice in policymaking.



CAIR-MA Launches First-Ever Islamophobia Tracker



As CAIR-MA enters its second decade, the organization is expanding how it documents, communicates, and responds to anti-Muslim discrimination.



CAIR-MA has launched its first-ever Islamophobia Tracker, providing the public with regularly updated information about reported anti-Muslim discrimination, bias, and hate across Massachusetts.



The Tracker is intended to serve both as an early-warning tool for the community and as a resource for policymakers, journalists, advocates, researchers, and institutions seeking to identify emerging patterns and prevent harm.



The Islamophobia Tracker is available on CAIR-MA’s homepage at CAIRMA.org.



Together, the 2025 Civil Rights Annual Report, the new Islamophobia Tracker, and the first-ever Legislative Briefing, illustrate where CAIR-MA is boldly headed as it begins its second decade.  



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CONTACT: Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, Esq., CAIR-MA Executive Director, (617) 862-9159, tamatul-wadud@cair.com