Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
One month into escalating violence, Mali families face humanitarian catastrophe
NEW YORK, May 25 [Category: International] -- The International Rescue Committee posted the following news release:
* * *
One month into escalating violence, Mali families face humanitarian catastrophe
*
Bamako, Mali, May 25, 2026 - One month into a major escalation in armed conflict, families in Mali are struggling to access sufficient food, healthcare, water, and basic services they need to survive. The IRC warns that needs are rising fast across the country, where 5.1 million people already require humanitarian assistance. Without urgent funding, the most vulnerable communities will be left
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, May 25 [Category: International] -- The International Rescue Committee posted the following news release:
* * *
One month into escalating violence, Mali families face humanitarian catastrophe
*
Bamako, Mali, May 25, 2026 - One month into a major escalation in armed conflict, families in Mali are struggling to access sufficient food, healthcare, water, and basic services they need to survive. The IRC warns that needs are rising fast across the country, where 5.1 million people already require humanitarian assistance. Without urgent funding, the most vulnerable communities will be leftwithout support. Rising transportation costs and supply disruptions are reducing the availability of essential goods, including staple foods, medicines, fuel, and farming supplies. At the same time, fuel shortages and insecurity are disrupting the delivery of medical supplies to hard-to-reach areas, and limiting humanitarian access to vulnerable communities..
"The impact of this violence is rippling far beyond the frontlines, said Matias Meier, IRC Country Director in Mali. "Our teams are doing everything possible to keep critical services running, but urgent and sustained funding is needed now. Needs are rising fast, and humanitarian organizations are struggling to keep pace. Without additional support, the most vulnerable communities will be cut off from the aid they need to survive."
Women and children are facing the greatest risks. In parts of central Mali, including Youwarou in the Mopti region, these pressures are making it increasingly difficult for families to meet their daily needs. Across Mali, more than one million children are projected to face severe acute malnutrition, and reduced access is delaying critical nutrition support for children and pregnant women. Limited mobility is also increasing protection risks for women and girls, particularly in isolated communities.
"As violence escalates across Mali, families already struggling with hunger and displacement are being pushed to the brink, " said an IRC health worker in Mali. "Mobile health clinics are facing growing difficulties in reaching remote communities, contributing to reduced vaccination coverage and leaving many to give birth at home without trained medical care and facing life-threatening complications.
Mali features in the IRC's 2026 Emergency Watchlist as one of the countries most at risk of further humanitarian deterioration. The IRC calls for urgent, sustained humanitarian attention and flexible funding to ensure that families in Mali are not left without the support they need to survive. Continued donor support is critical to keep health teams moving, ensure children can receive nutrition treatment, help women and girls access protection services, and preserve essential assistance for families already living under immense pressure. Mali remains one of the world's most underreported humanitarian crises.
Since 2012, the International Rescue Committee has worked alongside communities affected by crisis and displacement in Mali, delivering health, nutrition, protection, economic recovery, and water and sanitation services. IRC teams continue working closely with local communities, authorities, and partners to adapt their response and maintain access to life-saving support in some of the most difficult operating environments in the world.
***
Original text here: https://www.rescue.org/press-release/one-month-escalating-violence-mali-families-face-humanitarian-catastrophe
Interview: Why, after Independence, Do We Still Hold onto Laws That Were Designed to Oppress Us?
NEW YORK, May 25 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
* * *
Interview: Why, after Independence, Do We Still Hold onto Laws That Were Designed to Oppress Us?
*
May 25, 2026, marks the 63rd anniversary of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU). A date that carries the weight of a continent's longing for self-determination and stands as a central expression of the Pan Africanist thought. Yet, across the continent, a cluster of laws criminalizing same sex sexuality have sharpened the question of liberation into
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, May 25 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
* * *
Interview: Why, after Independence, Do We Still Hold onto Laws That Were Designed to Oppress Us?
*
May 25, 2026, marks the 63rd anniversary of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU). A date that carries the weight of a continent's longing for self-determination and stands as a central expression of the Pan Africanist thought. Yet, across the continent, a cluster of laws criminalizing same sex sexuality have sharpened the question of liberation intosomething urgent and concrete. In Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Ghana, new legislation extends criminal exposure not only to individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics (SOGIESC), but also to those who stand in solidarity with them. Waves of arrests, forced HIV tests, and shuttering of civil society organizations have followed.
Sibongile Ndashe is a South African lawyer and women's rights activist working at the intersection of African feminist organizing, international human rights law, and Pan-African political thought. For her, the claim that anti-LGBT legislation is an expression of authentic African identity is one of the most sophisticated pieces of political misdirection at work on the continent today.
We spoke with her on Africa Day about anti-LGBT laws and policies and why she insists that Pan-Africanism, properly understood, is a collective aspiration and action towards liberation for all.
How can Pan-Africanist ideals of unity and liberation be reconciled with the diverse realities of Africans across the continent, including marginalized groups such as LGBT people?
A continent that emerged from slavery, colonialism, and all of these other isms should better understand what oppression means. We live in a reality where being African for some groups means discrimination against women, justified in the name of culture, and hate continues to intensify against queer people. It is this contradiction: we collectively want to be free, yet we normalize subjugation; we dream of an Africa able to determine its future, free from external influences, but when you look at the current phase of attacks against queer Africans, you see right-wing groups entering the continent.
The idea that anything is African or un-African is a bad faith description because there are so many practices we do, that did not start from the continent, yet they are never stigmatized. The only thing that often gets labeled as un-African is sexual orientation. No one looks at a white wedding, which involves a white dress for the bride, sometimes church services and Christian vows, and says that is un-African. It is an artificial tension founded on refusal to respect autonomy. People must be respected regardless of who they are. Sexuality has nothing to do with other people except the desire to control how others live. People are being killed, harassed, and violated simply for existing. The work of stopping people from spreading hate and upholding colonial-era laws that harm is hard, but necessary.
To what extent do colonial legal frameworks still shape contemporary African attitudes and policies toward human rights, and how can Pan-Africanism challenge these legacies?
Former British and French colonies still carry legacy laws: marital rape remains not criminalized, challenges around division of property persist, and consensual same-sex relations remain criminalized. Colonialism laid out the legal foundation, but misogyny and patriarchy have extended its lifeline. Most countries have been free for more than 30 years, yet they remain opposed to removing these legacies. The question is why, after independence, do we still hold onto laws that were designed to oppress us? South Africa was one of the last countries to be freed from colonialism, but across the continent we see that patriarchy has entrenched colonial frameworks.
When external powers exploit Africa's economic vulnerabilities to impose their conditions, how do we build a Pan-Africanism rooted in genuine solidarity, one that refuses to sacrifice its own people under pressure and protects the rights of every African?
African leaders think they can make a deal with imperialists, give them minerals and they will end the war. Survival mode leads to bad deals, and those deals never end in Africa's favor. The taking never stops. The real trap is the belief that looking outward, negotiating with imperialism, is what will save the continent. It won't. Africa is not economically weak, we have the resources, we are just squandering them, and that is what creates the illusion of dependency. Instead of leveraging what we have, we are selling minerals, signing away health data, and handing over what makes us powerful. What we need is to turn inward: accountable governments, freedom from corruption, institutions that actually serve African people and I mean all African people. That is the foundation. Everything else is a distraction.
Turning inward, young Africans are increasingly using digital platforms to organize and connect Pan-Africanist struggles to wider human rights and queer movements. What does that look like to you, and what are the risks?
Tech-facilitated gender-based violence is real and it is everywhere: cyberstalking, revenge pornography, blackmail, image harvesting from dating sites, nonconsensual, explicit deepfakes. Queer people are especially exposed, because when your existence [as a queer person] has to be kept secret, every leak becomes a threat to your safety, sometimes your life.
The platforms are not innocent in this. Humiliation gets clicks, clicks generate revenue, and harmful content stays up too long. Big tech is profiting from this harm, and regulation must be part of the answer because individual self-protection only goes so far. People should not have to choose between living freely online and staying safe.
What we need are binding legal obligations on State Parties to the African Charter and on the tech companies themselves to hold them accountable. Right now, without regional and national regulations, prosecutors say they cannot act because the law doesn't recognize these harms. Even the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, which people are celebrating for mentioning cyberspace, still doesn't conceptually grasp that technology-facilitated violence is a distinct and specific form of harm requiring its own framework. We know what standards are needed. The problem is that no regulations or enforcement mechanisms actually exist yet.
That gap between what we know needs to happen and what institutions are actually delivering seems to run deeper than just digital rights. What should the African Union and Pan-African bodies really look like as defenders of human rights, and how do we make sure no group gets left behind in that vision?
The AU set up the African human rights system: the Charter, the court, the commission. The Charter gives rights to everyone. Yet we see officials acting like mechanisms of protection must align with member states' bigotry. That is when they veer away from their mandate. The idea that someone loses their legal protection because of sexual orientation is not sound law. The problem is sometimes with the law itself, but often it is interpretation. Courts say they do not know what discrimination is, outcomes seem predetermined, and legal instruments stop making sense. The prosecution is supposed to look at the facts, the constitution, and come to a conclusion. But when courts fail to interpret correctly, the law stops making sense. Activists must challenge both the bad laws and the bad interpretations, because otherwise institutions mirror member states' bigotry instead of protecting rights.
***
Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/05/25/interview-why-after-independence-do-we-still-hold-onto-laws-that-were-designed-to
Industry Leaders Highlight Next-Gen Marketing and Training Innovations at 2026 Power Breakfast
HERNDON, Virginia, May 25 [Category: Transportation] -- The RV Industry Association posted the following news:
* * *
Industry Leaders Highlight Next-Gen Marketing and Training Innovations at 2026 Power Breakfast
*
The collaborative efforts driving the RV industry forward were front and center at RVBusiness' 2026 Power Breakfast in Elkhart, Indiana. Speaking to an energetic crowd of over 1,400 RV industry leaders, key representatives from Go RVing and the RV Technical Institute (RVTI) shared updates on major strategic initiatives designed to elevate both consumer engagement and technician training.
... Show Full Article
HERNDON, Virginia, May 25 [Category: Transportation] -- The RV Industry Association posted the following news:
* * *
Industry Leaders Highlight Next-Gen Marketing and Training Innovations at 2026 Power Breakfast
*
The collaborative efforts driving the RV industry forward were front and center at RVBusiness' 2026 Power Breakfast in Elkhart, Indiana. Speaking to an energetic crowd of over 1,400 RV industry leaders, key representatives from Go RVing and the RV Technical Institute (RVTI) shared updates on major strategic initiatives designed to elevate both consumer engagement and technician training.
What Was Covered
The panel was moderated by RVBusiness' Rick Kessler and featured Go RVing Co-Chairs Renee Jones of THOR Industries and Mike Reagan of Crestview RV as well as RVTI Chair Casey Tubman of Newmar Corp, RV Industry Association President & CEO Craig Kirby, and RV Dealers Association President Phil Ingrassia. The panel discussion provided critical updates on how Go RVing and RVTI are evolving to meet modern market demands:
* A Collaborative, Data-Driven Go RVing Campaign: Panelists Mike Regan and Renee Jones detailed a shift toward total transparency and synergy within Go RVing. Regan emphasized that the campaign is moving away from a top-down approach, actively integrating real-time input from OEMs and dealers to align national advertising with local RV show seasons, holidays, and camping trends. Jones introduced a new strategic task force aimed at overhauling how data is reported, promising a clear "scorecard" to measure ROI, a forward-looking dashboard for agile market shifts, and weekly insight emails to monitor overall category health.
* Rapid Growth and Evolution at RVTI: Casey Tubman shared the incredible milestone that RVTI has officially certified approximately 8,000 RV technicians, doubling the workforce from six years ago across 1,400 dealerships and businesses. To overcome the lifestyle challenges working technicians face when trying to advance from Level 1 to Level 2 certification, Tubman revealed that RVTI is breaking the advanced curriculum into smaller, flexible sections. The goal is to aggressively accelerate momentum and push that certified technician count to 16,000. Additionally, Ingrassia highlighted RVTI's digital and on-site accessibility, alongside an exciting new Spanish-language training pilot program to support the 20% of the workforce that is Hispanic.
Why This is Important to the RV Industry
As RV Industry Association President and CEO Craig Kirby pointed out during the discussion, the travel market is more competitive than ever. With cruise lines, hotels, Airbnbs, and theme parks fighting for consumer attention, and buyers taking longer to make purchasing decisions, Go RVing's evolving strategy ensures our industry stays top-of-mind. By utilizing localized, data-backed marketing, dealers can more effectively capture a younger, more diverse generation of outdoor enthusiasts.
Equally critical to the health of the industry is ensuring that consumer satisfaction remains high after the purchase. That is where RVTI's milestones become vital. Expanding the pool of certified technicians directly reduces repair event cycle times, keeping consumers happy and on the road. By making training more adaptable to a technician's daily life and breaking down language barriers, the industry is ensuring a sustainable, highly-skilled service pipeline for years to come.
Together, the enhanced marketing agility of Go RVing and the workforce development breakthroughs at RVTI are giving our industry the tools it needs to remain competitive, resilient, and unified.
RV Power Breakfast Go RVing RV Technical Institute
***
Original text here: https://www.rvia.org/news-insights/industry-leaders-highlight-next-gen-marketing-and-training-innovations-2026-power-breakfast
Chad: 10 Years On, Habre Conviction Inspires Global Justice
NEW YORK, May 25 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
* * *
Chad: 10 Years On, Habre Conviction Inspires Global Justice
*
(Nairobi) - The 2016 conviction in Senegal of former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre was a pivotal moment in the pursuit of justice for atrocity crimes, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said today. The verdict, which followed a 25-year legal campaign by Habre's victims, was the first time the domestic courts of one country tried and convicted the former leader of another for serious international crimes
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, May 25 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
* * *
Chad: 10 Years On, Habre Conviction Inspires Global Justice
*
(Nairobi) - The 2016 conviction in Senegal of former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre was a pivotal moment in the pursuit of justice for atrocity crimes, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said today. The verdict, which followed a 25-year legal campaign by Habre's victims, was the first time the domestic courts of one country tried and convicted the former leader of another for serious international crimesunder the principle of universal jurisdiction.
On May 30, 2016, the Extraordinary African Chambers (EAC), an African Union-backed court within the Senegalese judicial system, sentenced Habre to life in prison for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and torture including sexual slavery and rape. Habre ruled Chad from 1982 to 1990 with US and French backing. His government was responsible for widespread political killings, systematic torture, and thousands of arbitrary arrests. Habre died in August 2021, after eight years in custody.
"Habre's victims pursued him for 25 years and brought him to justice when nearly everyone said it was impossible," said Reed Brody, ICJ commissioner, who worked with Habre's victims on behalf of Human Rights Watch. "Their message to today's dictators is: justice can catch up with you. And to victims everywhere: don't give up."
The case has shaped international justice in several enduring ways, ICJ and Human Rights Watch said.
The EAC model of a "regionalized" hybrid court for prosecuting international crimes inspired the adoption in December 2024 of the statute for a Gambia-Economic Community of West African States hybrid tribunal to try crimes committed under former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh.
The Extraordinary African Chambers were created following the International Court of Justice 2012 ruling in Belgium v. Senegal, which held that Senegal was obligated under the United Nations Convention against Torture to either prosecute Habre or extradite him. The ruling also held that Senegal owed these obligations to all states parties of the treaty- erga omnes partes- allowing any country that had ratified the treaty, including Belgium, to bring International Court of Justice proceedings for noncompliance. That legal pathway later informed Canada and The Netherlands' case against Syria over alleged torture, and the Gambia v. Myanmar and South Africa v. Israel cases under the Genocide Convention.
"The Habre case delivered a trial of a former head of state in a regional court with an African Union mandate, and with survivors at the center," said Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch. "The campaign for justice for Habre's crimes continues to inspire accountability efforts in Africa and around the globe."
The judgment also advanced jurisprudence on torture and sexual violence, including rape and sexual slavery, such as findings that sexual slavery forms part of the customary international law prohibition on slavery as a war crime and enslavement as a crime against humanity. Chadian rape survivors broke their 25-year silence to testify in the case.
The 2016 conviction was upheld by the EAC Appeals Chamber in April 2017, which awarded approximately EUR123 million in reparations to nearly 7,400 named victims and survivors. In 2024, the Chadian government distributed approximately EUR15 million to survivors and families-roughly EUR1400 for each victim-a long-awaited but only partial step that was plagued by irregularities. The African Union trust fund, established to raise and disburse reparations under the EAC order, has yet to begin operations.
In Chad, a parallel 2015 conviction of 20 senior agents from Habre's political police included a reparations award, and an order to build a memorial and convert the police headquarters into a museum, none of which has been carried out. The Chadian government has moved to " rehabilitate " the memory of Habre, the ICJ and Human Rights Watch said. The government expelled Brody from Chad in 2024 when he returned to participate in a conference about the case's legacy.
The two groups said the anniversary should prompt the African Union, Senegal, Chad, and donor states to fully implement the reparations awards, address the irregularities documented in the 2024 Chadian distribution, operationalize the African Union trust fund, and carry out the symbolic measures ordered by the Chadian court.
"Ten years later, the survivors who made this trial happen are still waiting for the full reparations which courts granted them, and for the government to recognize their suffering," said Jacqueline Moudeina, the victims' Chadian lawyer. "The legacy of this case will be measured not only by what the judges wrote 10 years ago, but by what the Chadian government does now."
***
Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/05/25/chad-10-years-on-habre-conviction-inspires-global-justice
Russia Plans 'Civic Death Law' for Exiled Critics
NEW YORK, May 25 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
* * *
Russia Plans 'Civic Death Law' for Exiled Critics
*
On May 26, Russia's State Duma is scheduled to review a draft law that targets exiled critics for allegedly acting "against Russia's interests overseas."
The draft law, prepared by a special parliamentary commission, "On Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia's Internal Affairs," stipulates that Russian exiles convicted of offences typical for politically motivated prosecutions, will be subject to a wide range of restrictions.
The
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, May 25 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
* * *
Russia Plans 'Civic Death Law' for Exiled Critics
*
On May 26, Russia's State Duma is scheduled to review a draft law that targets exiled critics for allegedly acting "against Russia's interests overseas."
The draft law, prepared by a special parliamentary commission, "On Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia's Internal Affairs," stipulates that Russian exiles convicted of offences typical for politically motivated prosecutions, will be subject to a wide range of restrictions.
Theoffences include "discrediting the armed forces," failing to fulfill the requirements of the country's "foreign agent" legislation, engaging with banned "undesirable" organizations, calling for sanctions against Russia, undermining Russia's territorial integrity (which implies, among other things, references to Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories), and disseminating information deemed to exhibit "disrespect" for the Russian state, government agency, state symbols, or Russian society.
Similar to the long-standing ban by neighboring Belarus on issuing its nationals passports and other essential documents at Belarusian consulates overseas, the new Russian draft law also includes a prohibition on providing consular support, such as renewal of passports and notary services to convicted Russian exiles. They won't be able to access Russian governmental digital services, including requesting official documents or executing any actions or contracts through a power of attorney. Their bank accounts, assets, and property in Russia will be frozen, and online banking will be disabled. Independent media and experts aptly described this proposed legislation as "the law on [exiles'] civic death."
When asked about the draft law, the chairperson of the foreign interference commission, Vasily Piskaryov, lamented that Western countries refuse extradition requests and shelter people engaged in "anti-Russian campaigning," thereby compelling Russian authorities to make the life of " traitors " abroad "not better than in prison."
The punitive intention behind this Kremlin-sponsored draft law is evident. Once enacted, it will take the government's retaliation campaign against exiled critics to a new level. Rights-respecting governments should ensure exiled Russians living in their territory are able to exercise basic human rights. If necessary, they should provide effective alternatives to documentation, allowing exiles to work, travel, and access essential services.
***
Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/05/25/russia-plans-civic-death-law-for-exiled-critics
Groups Challenge Trump Administration's Phoenix Ozone Pollution Waiver
SAN FRANCISCO, California, May 23 -- Earthjustice posted the following news release:
* * *
Groups Challenge Trump Administration's Phoenix Ozone Pollution Waiver
EPA blamed city's air violations on Asia, Mexico in granting free pass to pollute
*
Phoenix, AZ -- Conservation groups today challenged the Trump Administration's waiver of stronger air pollution controls for Phoenix, one of the nation's smoggiest cities. The groups' petition for review, filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, claims that the Trump administration illegally granted the waiver based on alleged impacts from international
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, May 23 -- Earthjustice posted the following news release:
* * *
Groups Challenge Trump Administration's Phoenix Ozone Pollution Waiver
EPA blamed city's air violations on Asia, Mexico in granting free pass to pollute
*
Phoenix, AZ -- Conservation groups today challenged the Trump Administration's waiver of stronger air pollution controls for Phoenix, one of the nation's smoggiest cities. The groups' petition for review, filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, claims that the Trump administration illegally granted the waiver based on alleged impacts from internationalemissions. While historically this waiver has been limited to cities on international borders, the Trump administration pointed to emissions from as far away as Asia in giving Phoenix a free pass to pollute.
The EPA also recently proposed granting a similar waiver for Utah's Northern Wasatch Front, which includes Salt Lake City. Conservation groups expect this exemption could be finalized in the coming months. EPA's new approach of granting these exemptions routinely, instead of in rare exceptions, threatens to undermine efforts to reduce harmful ozone pollution nationwide.
"The Environmental Protection Agency is trying to let the state's worst polluters off the hook for their contribution to our awful air quality by blaming international emissions for Arizona's pollution," said Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Director Sandy Bahr. "High ozone levels threaten our health, make it harder to breathe, and shorten our lives. We need EPA to strengthen requirements to reduce the pollution that we can control, but what we're seeing is the complete opposite. With Arizona experiencing one of the highest asthma mortality rates in the country, EPA should be doing everything possible to protect communities, not polluters."
"It's important to recognize what Trump's EPA has and has not done with this decision. The agency has not reduced ozone pollution or mitigated its harms one iota," said Ryan Maher, staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. "Instead, through a paperwork exercise and fuzzy math, EPA has sidestepped life-saving pollution reductions, for the benefit of corporate polluters."
The Phoenix waiver is the first granted by the EPA for a community that is not located on an international border and the first reliant upon air pollution purportedly from Asia. Phoenix has also failed to adopt all the required local pollution-reducing measures, which disqualifies the area from receiving a waiver under the EPA's longstanding reading of the 179B statute.
The Phoenix-Mesa area was classified as "Moderate" nonattainment under the Clean Air Act's National Ambient Air Quality Standard in 2022 for its failure to meet 2015 ozone requirements by 2021. The Moderate classification triggered a new attainment deadline of August 2024, along with the need for an updated State Implementation Plan. Phoenix missed both deadlines. In addition to submitting its plan more than two years late, Phoenix failed to meet the ozone standards. The Maricopa Association of Governments instead submitted a 179B waiver request to the EPA relying on international emissions. The exemption lets Phoenix avoid a downgrade in classification, meaning the area does not have to take stronger protective measures to control local emissions, endangering its residents' health.
"The Trump Administration's war on science has arguably hit EPA the hardest of all agencies," says Chandra Rosenthal, public lands director for PEER. "From eliminating entire divisions, cutting its research and scientific investigation roles, to prompting a mass exodus of staff, EPA has been decimated. The only thing left to justify EPA's decision in Arizona is politics and corporate pandering."
The American Lung Association gave Phoenix-Mesa an 'F' on ozone pollution in its most recent State of the Air report, ranking it as the fourth most polluted city in the nation.
"The Environmental Protection Agency has failed the people of Phoenix with this illegal ozone pollution waiver," said Alexandra Schluntz, senior attorney with Earthjustice's Rocky Mountain Office. "To rely upon purported pollution from thousands of miles away to sidestep the requirements of the Clean Air Act is an insult to the communities that call this region home, particularly those most impacted by ozone pollution including children, the elderly, and those with asthma. Phoenix has repeatedly failed to address its poor air quality and should be held to the requirements of the law by the agency that was created to enforce them."
"Trump's EPA is refusing to implement life-saving standards with a story only this administration could tell -- that a trickle of pollution drifting from China and Mexico is what's fouling Phoenix's air," said Abi Vijayan, senior climate attorney at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). "The math is pure fiction. The harm to Phoenix families won't be."
Earthjustice, on behalf of Sierra Club, filed today's petition for review alongside Center for Biological Diversity, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, and NRDC.
* * *
About Earthjustice
Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.
* * *
Original text here: https://earthjustice.org/press/2026/groups-challenge-trump-administrations-phoenix-ozone-pollution-waiver
[Category: Environment]
CAIR-SFBA Says San Diego Mosque Shooting Must Not Be Used Against Los Gatos Muslim Congregation
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on May 21, 2026:
* * *
CAIR-SFBA Says San Diego Mosque Shooting Must Not Be Used Against Los Gatos Muslim Congregation
Muslim civil rights group urges Planning Commission to approve West Valley Muslim Association's permit application and reject fear-based restrictions
*
(SANTA CLARA, CA) -- The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today urged the Los Gatos Planning Commission
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on May 21, 2026:
* * *
CAIR-SFBA Says San Diego Mosque Shooting Must Not Be Used Against Los Gatos Muslim Congregation
Muslim civil rights group urges Planning Commission to approve West Valley Muslim Association's permit application and reject fear-based restrictions
*
(SANTA CLARA, CA) -- The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today urged the Los Gatos Planning Commissionto approve the West Valley Muslim Association's (WVMA) conditional use permit application and reject attempts to use this week's deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego to justify additional restrictions on the local Muslim congregation.
In a letter sent to planning commissioners ahead of tonight's continued deliberations, CAIR-SFBA said it was "shocked and appalled" that some neighbors invoked the San Diego mosque attack to argue for more restrictions on WVMA and its congregants.
SEE: CAIR-SFBA Letter to Los Gatos Planning Commission (https://ca.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5.21.26_CAIR-SFBA-Letter-to-Los-Gatos-Planning-Commission.pdf)
In a statement, CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo said:
"A hate-motivated shooting that left worshippers dead, families shattered, and children traumatized should never be used as ammunition in a local land use dispute. WVMA and its congregants would be the targets of anti-Muslim violence, not the source of danger. Local government must make clear that Muslim families belong here and that their rights will be protected equally."
CAIR-SFBA said WVMA has been engaging responsibly with the Town of Los Gatos, law enforcement, and fire officials on traffic management, emergency access, occupancy, and safety planning since acquiring the property, and that the draft conditions already address those concerns.
The organization also noted that the Town Attorney has reportedly acknowledged that several previously proposed conditions likely raised concerns under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, or RLUIPA, a federal law that protects religious institutions from discriminatory land use treatment.
"The question before the Town is whether Muslims will be treated equally under the law," Billoo said. "Any conditions imposed on WVMA must be lawful, neutral, evidence-based, and applied consistently across religious institutions. The Planning Commission should not single out this congregation for unequal treatment."
CAIR-SFBA urged the Planning Commission to approve WVMA's application, reject fear-based narratives, and ensure that any conditions imposed are lawful, neutral, evidence-based, and consistent with how the Town treats other religious institutions.
CAIR-SFBA said it is monitoring the matter closely and is prepared to support WVMA and the Muslim community in protecting their civil rights, including through legal advocacy if necessary.
* * *
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-sfba-says-san-diego-mosque-shooting-must-not-be-used-against-los-gatos-muslim-congregation/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR-NJ Announces Release of NJ Resident Amrou Ibrahim From Israeli Custody
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
* * *
CAIR-NJ Announces Release of NJ Resident Amrou Ibrahim from Israeli Custody
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) confirms the release of Nutley resident, Amrou Ibrahim, from Israeli custody. He is currently in Turkey, receiving medical treatment.
READ: Gaza flotilla activists deported from Israel as backlash over treatment grows (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9d3v2d6p1eo).
Amrou is among hundreds of activists who were attempting to deliver aid
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
* * *
CAIR-NJ Announces Release of NJ Resident Amrou Ibrahim from Israeli Custody
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) confirms the release of Nutley resident, Amrou Ibrahim, from Israeli custody. He is currently in Turkey, receiving medical treatment.
READ: Gaza flotilla activists deported from Israel as backlash over treatment grows (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9d3v2d6p1eo).
Amrou is among hundreds of activists who were attempting to deliver aidto Gaza when Israeli authorities intercepted their vessels on international waters. Lawyers with Adalah - The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel shared that their "team received a large number of complaints of extreme violence [...] by Israeli authorities. This violence resulted in severe, widespread injuries, including at least three individuals who were hospitalized and subsequently released." They also reported on the use of tasers, stress positions, sexual harassment and degradation, and in a few instances found broken ribs on some activists.
In a statement shared with CAIR-NJ, Amrou's mother, Aiat Ibrahim shared the following:
"After speaking with my son today, I was relieved to learn that he is safe following his release alongside fellow activists from the Freedom Flotilla of Steadfastness and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. While I am deeply grateful for his release, I am devastated by the account he shared of the treatment he endured during his detention in Israel.
"My son described being subjected to physical beatings and severe physical and psychological humiliation--experiences whose full impact cannot truly be captured in words. During his detention, his prescription glasses and shoes were confiscated, leaving him unable to see properly and forcing him to leave occupied Palestine barefoot.
"As a parent, it is heartbreaking to know that my child was deprived not only of his dignity and safety, but also of basic necessities. The image of him departing in prison clothing, without shoes and without the ability to see clearly, is one that will remain with me forever.
"The only measure of comfort I have at this moment is knowing that he is now in Istanbul, where he and the other released activists are reportedly receiving the medical attention and care they urgently need.
"I call on the international community, human rights organizations, and all governments committed to justice and human dignity to investigate the treatment of these activists and to ensure accountability for the abuses they endured while in detention.
"No parent should ever have to hear such accounts from their child. No human being should be subjected to such treatment."
Aiat shared that when she spoke to her son, he was in high spirits and wanted all the attention focused on Gaza: to urge governments to condemn the blockade on Gaza and the genocide of Palestinians.
* * *
CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-nj-announces-release-of-nj-resident-amrou-ibrahim-from-israeli-custody/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR-FL Commends Rep. Castor, 25 Other U.S. Reps Calling for Justice for FL Resident, Other Americans Killed by Settler Violence in West Bank
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on May 21, 2026:
* * *
CAIR-FL Commends Rep. Castor, 25 Other U.S. Reps Calling for Justice for FL Resident, Other Americans Killed by Settler Violence in West Bank
The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida) today commends U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) for leading a congressional letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The letter demands accountability and
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on May 21, 2026:
* * *
CAIR-FL Commends Rep. Castor, 25 Other U.S. Reps Calling for Justice for FL Resident, Other Americans Killed by Settler Violence in West Bank
The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida) today commends U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) for leading a congressional letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The letter demands accountability andan independent, U.S.-led investigation into the killing of American citizens, including 20-year-old, Tampa, Florida ice cream shop owner, Sayfollah 'Sayf' Kamel Musallet. The letter urges the U.S. Department of State to take immediate measures to curb escalating settler violence in the West Bank.
SEE: BREAKING: CAIR Sends Letter to Sec. Rubio, AG Bondi Calling for Probe into Murder of U.S. Citizen by Illegal Israeli Settlers (https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-sends-letter-to-sec-rubio-ag-bondi-calling-for-probe-into-murder-of-u-s-citizen-by-illegal-israeli-settlers/)
Rep. Castor's letter highlights a critical lack of accountability by the Netanyahu government regarding the brutal July 11, 2025, murder of Musallet--who was beaten to death by extremist Israeli settlers while protecting his family's land--as well as the recent killings of other American citizens, including Khamis al-Ayyad and 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam, who was shot and killed on February 18, 2026.
In response to the initiative, CAIR-Florida Executive Director Hiba Rahim stated:
"We welcome Congresswoman Kathy Castor's necessary leadership in demanding justice for her constituent Sayfollah Musallet and the many American citizens who have lost their lives to unchecked, state-enabled extremist settler violence in the West Bank. It is the fundamental duty of the United States government to protect its citizens abroad and ensure absolute accountability when they are harmed. For nearly a year, Sayfollah's grieving family in Tampa has been met with silence. We call on Secretary Rubio and the Department of Justice to launch an immediate, independent U.S. investigation into these targeted killings."
CALL TO ACTION FOR FLORIDA CITIZENS AND LEADERS:
CAIR-Florida is urgently calling on all Florida citizens, religious leaders, and civil rights organizations to amplify the demand for justice and email your US Officials, urging them to take stronger measures to curb Israeli settler violence against U.S. Citizens in the West Bank: https://bit.ly/ActionForSayf
Additionally, we ask all people of conscience to thank the Representatives who joined Representative Castor in her letter. Thank the 26 Reps here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/b_1yhbBpBkOOgOQTbESDZQ2
The representatives include:
U.S. Representative Kathy Castor
U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost
U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar
U.S. Representative Nellie Pou
U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib
U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter
U.S. Representative James McGovern
U.S. Representative Sean Casten
U.S. Representative Eleanor Homes Norton
U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro
U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch
U.S. Representative Dave Min
U.S. Representative Nydia Velazquez
U.S. Representative Hank Johnson
U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez
U.S. Representative Lateefah Simon
U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam
U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar
U.S. Representative Chuy Garcia
U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett
U.S. Representative Paul Tonko
U.S. Representative Ro Khanna
U.S. Representative Mark Pocan
U.S. Representative Robin Kelly
U.S. Representative Al Green
U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes
The congressional inquiry notes that despite past promises from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee calling for an aggressive investigation into Musallet's "criminal and terrorist" murder, the Israeli government has failed to provide answers, while continuing actions that drive the forced displacement of Palestinian communities. Rep. Castor has requested a formal update from the State Department and DOJ by June 5, 2026.
* * *
CAIR-Florida is the state's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil liberties, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
* * *
INFODOC: https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/LettertoDOJState.pdf
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-fl-commends-rep-castor-25-other-u-s-reps-calling-for-justice-for-fl-resident-other-americans-killed-by-settler-violence-in-west-bank/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR and CAIR-FL Join Global Coalition Demanding Justice for Sayfollah Musallet and Americans Killed by Israeli Settlers Violence
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on May 22, 2026:
* * *
CAIR and CAIR-FL Join Global Coalition Demanding Justice for Sayfollah Musallet and Americans Killed by Israeli Settlers Violence
CAIR and the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR and CAIR-Florida) today joined a diverse global coalition of over 70 global, national, and local faith and human rights groups urging U.S. officials to hold perpetrators accountable for the murder of the Florida resident and other American citizens.
SEE: Letter to
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on May 22, 2026:
* * *
CAIR and CAIR-FL Join Global Coalition Demanding Justice for Sayfollah Musallet and Americans Killed by Israeli Settlers Violence
CAIR and the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR and CAIR-Florida) today joined a diverse global coalition of over 70 global, national, and local faith and human rights groups urging U.S. officials to hold perpetrators accountable for the murder of the Florida resident and other American citizens.
SEE: Letter toSecretary Rubio (https://x.com/imeupolicy/status/2057855195317453148?s=20)
The letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demands accountability and an independent, U.S.-led investigation into the killing of American citizens, including 20-year-old Tampa, Florida ice cream shop owner, Sayfollah 'Sayf' Kamel Musallet. This letter was launched in tandem with an effort led by U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL), whose congressional letter was signed by 25 U.S. Representatives.
SEE: CAIR-FL Commends Rep. Castor, 25 Other U.S. Reps Calling for Justice for FL Resident, Other Americans Killed by Settler Violence in West Bank (https://cairflorida.org/press/cair-florida-commends-rep-kathy-castors-letter-demanding-justice-for-florida-resident-sayfollah-musallet-and-americans-killed-by-settler-violence-in-west-bank/)
Rep. Castor's initial letter highlighted a critical lack of accountability by the Israeli government regarding the brutal July 11, 2025, murder of Musallet--who was beaten to death by extremist Israeli settlers while protecting his family's land--as well as the recent killings of other American citizens, including Khamis al-Ayyad and 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam, who was shot and killed by an Israeli settler on February 18, 2026. The coalition letter reaffirms the urgency and further demands the latest developments concerning American families killed by Israel and the steps taken on behalf of U.S. government officials to investigate and deliver justice.
In response to the initiative, CAIR-Florida Executive Director Hiba Rahim stated:
"We are profoundly grateful for and heartened by the powerful wave of global solidarity from this diverse, international coalition standing with us in the pursuit of justice. This collective global support sends an undeniable message: the world is watching, and we will not allow the lives of American citizens to be taken with impunity." The executive director added:
"We explicitly and unequivocally condemn the horrific, systemic Israeli settler violence targeting American citizens and Palestinians in the West Bank. For nearly a year, Sayfollah's grieving family in Tampa has been met with unacceptable silence while state-enabled extremist violence goes completely unchecked. The U.S. government has a fundamental duty to protect its citizens abroad. We join our global partners in demanding that Secretary Rubio, Ambassador Huckabee, and the Department of Justice immediately launch an independent, U.S.-led investigation to deliver the absolute accountability these families deserve."
CALL TO ACTION FOR FLORIDA CITIZENS AND LEADERS:
CAIR-Florida is urgently calling on all Florida citizens, religious leaders, and civil rights organizations to amplify the demand for justice and email your US officials, urging them to take stronger measures to curb Israeli settler violence against U.S. Citizens in the West Bank:
* * *
CAIR-Florida's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-and-cair-fl-join-global-coalition-demanding-justice-for-sayfollah-musallet-and-americans-killed-by-israeli-settlers-violence/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR Takes Government to Court Over Border Cell Phone Search
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on May 21, 2026:
* * *
CAIR Takes Government to Court Over Border Cell Phone Search
Lawyers from the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, took the federal government to trial this week and challenged the government's searches of Dr. Osama Abu Irshaid's cell phones at the U.S. border.
CAIR argued that Dr. Abu Irshaid, the executive director of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), was unlawfully targeted for his advocacy
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on May 21, 2026:
* * *
CAIR Takes Government to Court Over Border Cell Phone Search
Lawyers from the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, took the federal government to trial this week and challenged the government's searches of Dr. Osama Abu Irshaid's cell phones at the U.S. border.
CAIR argued that Dr. Abu Irshaid, the executive director of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), was unlawfully targeted for his advocacyfor Palestine. The court will decide whether the government violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights by executing the searches.
SEE: CAIR, CAIR-LA Announce Suit Against FBI for Using Illegal, Racist Watchlist Against Palestinian-Americans (https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-cair-la-announce-suit-against-fbi-for-using-illegal-racist-watchlist-against-palestinian-americans/)
"The government targeted Dr. Osama Abu Irshaid because of his advocacy for Palestine, and all but admitted as much in court," said Ahmad Kaki, Staff Attorney at CAIR Legal Defense Fund. "We hope and expect the court to find in Dr. Abu Irshaid's favor. We will continue to fight the government's illegal, invasive harassment of the Muslim community and pro-Palestine advocates across the country."
BACKGROUNDER:
The federal government has, for years, harassed and searched Dr. Abu Irshaid when he returns from international travel. Twice in 2024, customs agents forced Dr. Abu Irshaid to turn over his cell phone for an "advanced" search. These advanced searches are remarkably invasive. The Government can and likely does download all of a user's private and sensitive information during these advanced searches. Customs agents at the border must reasonably believe that a person is engaging in ongoing criminal activity to justify such a search. Agents had no legitimate reason to suspect Dr. Abu Irshaid of any crime. CAIR sued on his behalf.
As Dr. Abu Irshaid's lawsuit progressed, government defendants admitted that they searched Dr. Abu Irshaid because of his leadership of AMP, and because of slanderous statements made against AMP by U.S. Representative James Comer (R-KY-1), in his capacity as a Congressional Committee chairperson. Comer and his Committee have a history of targeting groups that criticize Israel's genocide in Gaza and that advocate for Palestinians.
SEE: House Oversight Committee continues chilling investigation into student groups and nonprofits (https://www.fire.org/news/house-oversight-committee-continues-chilling-investigation-student-groups-and-nonprofits)
At trial, CAIR argued that the customs agents' admitted reasons for the invasive searches cannot satisfy the Fourth Amendment and that, instead, the Government unlawfully targeted Dr. Abu Irshaid for his pro-Palestine advocacy. Dr. Abu Irshaid now awaits a decision from the court.
Dr. Abu Irshaid's experience is part of a disturbing and increasing trend of invasive and harassing searches at the border, targeting Muslim Americans and people advocating for Palestine, among other protected speech. CAIR continues to litigate this unlawful practice in courts around the country.
* * *
CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-takes-government-to-court-over-border-cell-phone-search/
[Category: Sociological]
