CAIR Sues Federal Officials Over Secret Watchlists Targeting Activists

The lawsuit, filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA), represents Osama Abu Irshaid and Mustafa Zeidan, both of whom have no history of violent crime. According to the complaint, the federal government has subjected Irshaid to repeated border detentions and the seizure of his mobile device, while Zeidan has been barred from boarding international flights without explanation. Both men contend their status changed only after they began organizing protests and speaking out against the war in Gaza.

Irshaid, a board member of American Muslims for Palestine, argues the government is infringing on constitutionally protected dissent. During a press conference in Washington, D.C., he described the experience as a return to the post-9/11 era, where he claims religious and ethnic background often triggers suspicion. The legal challenge seeks to hold officials accountable for what the group characterizes as an abuse of administrative power that bypasses judicial oversight and due process.