Source: https://www.aclutx.org/es/node/2540
Timestamp: 2018-02-23 12:05:50
Document Index: 315327350

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2000', 'art. 5', '§110', '§ 2000', '§ 2000', '§ 2000']

Defending Against Anti-Muslim Discrimination | ACLU of Texas
Over the past several years, our nation has seen a rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric, anti-Muslim hatred, and anti-Muslim discrimination. We have seen Muslim communities surveilled, profiled, and targeted by unjust immigration laws. Some have been the victims of hate crimes. Some have been asked to sign loyalty oaths by the lawmakers who represent them. And most recently, the President of the United States has taken the first step towards trying to ban Muslims from the country.
As a result, we have prepared this resource.
Religious Freedom for Houses of Worship
Important Information About Informants
Religious Freedom in Public Accommodations and Housing
Your Rights During Law Enforcement Encounters
I. The Right to Wear a Hijab
Because the right to wear hijab can often depend on your particular circumstances and state or local law, it is important to contact an attorney for more information. The ACLU in your state can help.
Religious freedom includes the right to wear religious garb, such as headscarves or hijabs. Unfortunately, many Muslim women face discrimination in a variety of contexts because of their decision to wear a headscarf or hijab. You have a right to wear your headscarf or hijab:
At the airport and the border.
If asked to remove your hijab, you should assert your right to wear it before going through the airport security screening. If an alarm goes off, however, airport security officers may request additional screening. They may then conduct a pat-down of your hijab or ask you to remove it. You have the right to request that the pat-down or removal be conducted by a person of your gender and that it occurs in a private area.
Generally, school officials are required to permit you to wear your headscarf or hijab in school.
Depending on local laws, a school district may have stricter obligations under local law than under state or federal law to permit you to wear your hijab.
In public accommodations and public facilities.
Under the law, “public accommodations” cannot turn you away because of your hijab or headscarf, or demand that you remove it in order to obtain goods or services. Public accommodations covered under the law include most restaurants, other food service establishments, inns, hotels, motels, other places of lodging, movie theaters, concert halls, sports arenas, stadiums, and other entertainment venues. Some state and local laws provide additional protections.
In state-issued photo IDs.
Texas does not have explicit regulations that dictate what a person may or may not wear in their driver’s license or state-issued ID. However, religious head and face coverings, such as a headscarf or hijab, are generally allowed as long as a person's eyes are visible.
II. Your Rights at the Airport and the Border
Be free from discriminatory questioning at the airport or border.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have the authority to ask your immigration status when you are entering or returning to the United States or leaving the country. They have the power to determine whether non-U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents have the right to enter the country. If you are a U.S. citizen and you have presented a valid passport, you do not have to answer officers’ questions, although refusing to answer routine questions about the nature and purpose of your travel could result in delay and/or further inspection. If you are a lawful permanent resident, we recommend you answer officers’ questions. If you are a non-citizen visa holder, you may be denied entry into the United States if you refuse to answer officers’ questions. Officers, however, may not select you for questioning based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs.
If you are a U.S. citizen and the officers’ questions become intrusive, you have the right to talk to a lawyer before answering any questions. You should be aware that refusing to cooperate with officers may result in delay and/or further inspection. If you are a lawful permanent resident, your right to talk to a lawyer depends on the circumstances. If the officers’ questions become intrusive, you may ask to speak to a lawyer but, in some situations, officers have the authority to refuse to allow you to speak to a lawyer before you answer their questions. If you are a non-citizen visa holder selected for further questioning, you may ask to talk to a lawyer but you generally do not have the right to consult a lawyer before answering the officers’ questions. Importantly, for anyone attempting to enter the United States, if a customs officer or border agent informs you that you are under arrest, or if it becomes clear that he or she suspects you have committed a crime, you have the right to talk to a lawyer before answering any questions.
Be free from discriminatory stops and searches at the airport or border.
Generally, CBP officers may stop, detain, and search any person or item at the border, including laptops or cell phones. This is true even if there is nothing suspicious about you or your luggage. Officers, however, may not select you for a personal search or secondary inspection based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs.
Wear your religious head covering.
You should assert your right to wear your religious head covering if asked to remove it before going through airport security screening. If an alarm goes off, however, airport security officers may request additional screening. They may then conduct a pat-down of your religious head covering or ask you to remove it. You have the right to request that the pat-down or removal be conducted by a person of your gender and that it occurs in a private area. Officers may not conduct additional screening based solely on your race, national origin, religion, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs.
Be free from discriminatory questioning or removal by airline employees.
An airline pilot may refuse to fly a passenger if he or she reasonably believes, based on observation, that the passenger is a threat to flight safety. A pilot may not, however, question you or refuse to allow you on a flight because of biased stereotypes, including any based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs.
Return to the United States after traveling abroad if you are a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident.
If you are a U.S. citizen or green-card holder denied boarding in a foreign country due to apparent inclusion on the No Fly List or other watchlist, the U.S. government must help you secure approval to return to the United States on a commercial flight. Additional information if you are denied boarding on a flight or believe you are on the No Fly List.
If the answer to any of these questions is yes and you want more information, please contact the ACLU of Texas:
Has a customs officer, border agent, or airline employee questioned you about your religion (e.g., how many times you pray or what mosque you attend) or your political beliefs (e.g., your view on the conflict in Syria or U.S. foreign policy)?
Have you been questioned by U.S. law enforcement officers abroad about your religious or political beliefs?
III. Religious Freedom for Houses of Worship
Religious freedom for houses of worship and other religious institutions is protected by the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc et seq., and the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann. art. 5, §110. Under these laws, houses of worship have the right to:
Federal law prohibits discrimination among faiths in the application of zoning and land-use laws.These anti-discrimination provisions help ensure that zoning boards do not treat some faiths less favorably than others. These protections apply to houses of worship of every faith, including mosques and Islamic centers, churches, temples, gurdwaras, and synagogues.
Federal law also forbids any zoning law or land-use regulation that “treats a religious assembly or institution on less than equal terms with a nonreligious assembly or institution.” This means that zoning officials can’t treat religious institutions less favorably than similar nonreligious ones (e.g., civic organizations) when it comes to land-use decisions.
If the answer to any of the questions below is yes, you might have a legal claim. For more information, contact the ACLU of Texas or visit the U.S. Department of Justice website.
IV. Religious Freedom in Public Schools
School officials cannot disparage your faith by, for example, making anti-Muslim or anti-Arab remarks.
Speak the language of your choosing.
According to the Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1966, students have a right to speak the language of their choice at school. They cannot be prohibited from speaking a language other than English at school, including Arabic and Farsi. A school district may not censor or prohibit student speech based on language. Students have a right to express themselves, which includes speaking in the language of their choice. English-only policies violate the First Amendment and Title VI.
Students of every faith, and those of none, should feel safe and welcome in our public schools. If you believe your religious liberty rights have been violated in the public schools, contact the ACLU of Texas.
V. Religious Freedom in the Workplace
Religious freedom in the workplace is protected by federal and state law. Under Texas Labor Code Chapter 21 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq., you have a right to:
If the answer to any of the questions below is yes, your employer may be violating the law. Contact the ACLU of Texas for additional details on workplace protections or visit the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s website or the Texas Workforce Comissions website.
Is there evidence that this action was motivated by your religious practices or faith? (For example, were you subjected to anti-Muslim comments by a supervisor or demands that you stop wearing certain religious garb?)
VI. Religious Freedom for Prisoners
Religious freedom for prisoners and other incarcerated individuals is protected by the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc et seq., the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb et seq., and certain state laws. Under these laws, you have the right to:
Under federal law, prison officials cannot place excessive burdens on prisoners’ ability to practice their sincerely held religious beliefs. If a prison regulation imposes a “substantial burden” on your religious exercise, officials must grant an accommodation unless they can show that the regulation is the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling governmental interest. Some courts have required prisons to provide religious accommodations for certain grooming practices (like beards), foods (for example, kosher or halal diets), literature (for example, religious books), headwear (like kufis or hijabs), and worship practices (like group prayer). However, this legal determination is very individualized and fact-driven; whether you have a legal claim will depend on your particular situation.
If the answer to any of the questions below is yes, you might have a legal claim. Contact the ACLU of Texas for more information.
VII. Important Information About Informants
What should you do if you suspect someone is an informant?
If you think that someone within your mosque or organization is an informant, you should raise your concerns with your imam or organizational leadership, and you or the leadership should consult a lawyer.
What should you do if law enforcement asks you to become an informant?
You have the right to refuse to become an informant.
If you want more information, contact the ACLU of Texas.
VIII. Religious Freedom in Public Accommodations and Housing
Religious freedom in public accommodations (such as restaurants, hotels, and theaters) and housing is protected by federal and state law. Under the Texas Fair Housing Act and Titles II and VIII of the Civil Rights Act, you have a right to:
In a pluralistic society, people of all faiths, and those of none, should be able to frequent businesses without facing discrimination because of their religious beliefs. Under Title II of the Civil Rights Act, certain places of business — defined as “public accommodations” — cannot discriminate against customers based on religion, race, color, or national origin. Public accommodations covered under the law include most restaurants, inns, hotels, motels, movie theaters, concert halls, sports arenas, stadiums, and other places of lodging, food service, or entertainment. Some state and local laws provide additional protections.
Public accommodations must deliver goods and services of the same quality as those delivered to customers of other faiths and cannot charge you more for those goods and services because of your religion.
No one should be denied participation in public accommodations or adequate housing because of their faith. If you believe your religious liberty rights have been violated in these contexts, contact the ACLU of Texas.
IX. Your Rights During Law EnForcement Encounters
Additional information on what to do if you’re stopped by the police.
Remain silent and have a lawyer present.
In general, you do not have to talk to law enforcement officers, and you do not have to answer any questions. In some states, you must provide your name to law enforcement officers if asked. If you are driving and pulled over for a traffic violation, you must show your license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance. If you wish to exercise your right to remain silent, say so clearly and remain calm. You have the right to talk to a lawyer before answering questions and to have a lawyer present if you decide to answer questions. Once you have asked for a lawyer, the officer must stop asking you questions, and she or he cannot resume questioning you without the presence of your lawyer. Officers may not question you based solely on a discriminatory motive.
Decline a voluntary interview.
If law enforcement officers ask you to agree to an interview, you have the right to refuse. We strongly urge you to talk with a lawyer before agreeing to a voluntary interview with law enforcement because a lawyer can protect your rights. If you agree to be interviewed, you have the right to have a lawyer present, to set the time and place for the interview, to find out the questions beforehand, and to answer only the questions you feel comfortable answering. Law enforcement officers are not allowed to ask you questions about your religious or political beliefs, and you are not required to discuss those beliefs.
Insist on seeing a warrant if a law enforcement officer wants to enter your home or office.
If law enforcement officers knock on your door, ask if they have a warrant. If the answer is no, you have the right to refuse to let them in. If the officers have a search warrant and the information on it is accurate and complete, you still have the right to remain silent while they conduct the search.
Remember that it is a crime to provide false information to a federal officer and sometimesto state and local law enforcement. Remaining silent is not a crime.
If you are a non-U.S. citizen, you generally have the same constitutional rights as U.S. citizens when law enforcement officers stop, question, or arrest you, or search your home. However, there are some special concerns that apply to non-citizens.
If the answer to any of the following questions is “yes,” contact the ACLU of Texas:
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