CAIR’s 2025 Civil Rights Report Reveals Islamophobia at an All-Time High Nationwide, With California Leading in Complaints
(LOS ANGELES, CA – 3/11/2024) – The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today announced the publication of CAIR’s 2025 Civil Rights report, “Unconstitutional Crackdowns.” The report reveals that Islamophobia has reached an all-time high nationwide, with CAIR’s California offices receiving the highest number of anti-Muslim discrimination complaints in the country.
WATCH: CAIR’s 2025 Civil Rights Report Press Conference – Washington, D.C.
In 2024, CAIR offices nationwide received a total of 8,658 complaints, the highest number ever recorded since the organization’s first civil rights report in 1996. This marks a 7.4% increase from the 8,061 complaints received in 2023, signaling a worsening climate of Islamophobia.
This concerning trend was also reflected in California, where CAIR-CA—comprised of offices in the Greater Los Angeles Area, Sacramento Valley/Central California, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area—received 1,004 civil rights complaints in 2024 compared to 756 in 2023.
CAIR emphasized that viewpoint discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a key factor in many of these cases.
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“The findings in this report reaffirm what our community has been experiencing firsthand—an alarming rise in Islamophobia and the suppression of political speech. Within California and across the nation, students, workers, and activists have faced retaliation simply for speaking out against genocide and apartheid. These unconstitutional crackdowns threaten not only the civil rights of Muslims but also the very foundation of free expression in our country.
“The American Muslim community is not only being targeted by hate and bigotry for their faith but also for their commitment to justice and human rights. Now, more than ever, we must remain strong and politically engaged as we challenge hate and defend our communities.”
SEE:
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- Anti-Muslim hate hits new high in US: Advocacy group
CAIR’s research staff identified three key trends in the report:
- A Shift in Targeting: Unlike past years, where American Muslims were often targeted specifically for their faith, 2024 saw a broader pattern in which Muslims, alongside Palestinians, Arabs, Jews, African Americans, and Asian Americans, were targeted for their opposition to genocide and apartheid. This shift highlights the growing tension in American society around issues of global justice and human rights.
- Rising Employment Discrimination: Employment discrimination reached a new high, comprising 15.4% of all complaints reported to CAIR offices. This is the first time that employment discrimination is the highest-reported category across CAIR chapters nationwide. Many of these complaints stemmed from employees, particularly minority groups, being punished or smeared for speaking out against Israel’s occupation of Palestine and its treatment of Palestinians. This trend reflects a troubling disconnect between corporate promises of inclusivity and actual practices in workplaces across the nation.
- Increase in Law Enforcement Encounters: Law enforcement encounters surged by 71.5%, with 506 incidents reported in 2024. This increase coincided with student-led anti-genocide protests, marking a troubling trend of university administrators using law enforcement to target individuals based on their activism and viewpoints.
SEE ALSO: CAIR Calls 9-0 U.S. Supreme Court Victory in Watchlist Case a ‘Historic Milestone for American Muslims’
The report also showcases positive developments in the fight for civil rights in 2024. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 9-0 in favor of CAIR’s arguments against the federal No Fly List. Attorneys representing individuals impacted by President Trump’s 2017 Muslim Ban reached a major agreement for nearly 25,000 affected individuals. The Federal Trade Commission acted to prohibit the sale of sensitive location data from Muslim app users, protecting their privacy and preventing its misuse for surveillance.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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MEDIA AVAILABILITY: CAIR-LA’s legal team is available for comment to provide further insight into these findings and the broader impact on civil rights.
CONTACT: CAIR-LA Digital Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com; CAIR-LA Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Hameed, mmorse-hameed@cair.com
