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ICUJP Friday Forum
August 22nd, 7:30-9:30 am Pacific
Mohammad Tajsar: How The ACLU Is Protecting The Rights of Immigrants
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Event Description:
A person asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . "What (sort of) deeds in or (what qualities of) Islam are good?" He replied, "To feed (the poor) and greet those whom you know and those whom you don't know." al-Bukhari, Hadith no: 28
Southern California has been under seige for months because the executive branch has been weaponizing Immigration enforcement in order to make a political statement and sow fear.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been spearheading legal actions to push back on this overreach, including a lawsuit filed by the ACLU, Public Counsel and other legal advocacy groups alleging that ICE and Border Patrol agents patrolling the streets have been detaining and arresting people based on the color of their skin, their accents or just because they're doing work that immigrants commonly do.
In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong ruled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were conducting “roving patrols” of the city and coordinating arrests without “reasonable suspicion” that their targets were in the country illegally.
We are joined by Mohammad Tajsar, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, who will update us on the steps being taken to pursue justice and accountability for everyone under this illegal seige.
Join the conversation with our speaker:
Mohammad Tajsar is a senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California. He joined the organization in 2017. Primarily a litigator, Mohammad’s work focuses on national security and counterterrorism policy, as well as government surveillance and consumer privacy. Mohammad’s current docket includes Fazaga v. FBI, a challenge to the FBI’s surveillance of mosques in Orange County, and Adlerstein v. Customs and Border Protection, a constitutional challenge to the surveillance and detention of immigrant rights lawyers and non-profit leaders.
He also has significant experience protecting individuals' civil rights and privacy against public and private sector use of surveillance technology, and regularly speaks on digital rights, consumer privacy, and how communities and consumers can protect themselves online and in the world.
Prior to joining the ACLU, Mohammad served as an associate at Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP, a Pasadena, California-based law firm specializing in civil rights and workers’ rights.
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7:30 - 7:35 Log in and socialize
7:35 - 7:45 Welcome and introductions
7:45 - 7:50 Reflection (5 min. maximum)
7:50 - 9:15 Program and Q&A
9:15 - 9:20 Announcements
9:20 - 9:30 Closing circle and prayer
Start your morning with us!
Facilitator: Rebecca Arvizu
Reflector: Carolfrances Likins
** Meetings begin promptly at 7:30 am Pacific. **
Here's how to join the online meeting:
To join by video conference, you'll need to download the Zoom app on your computer or mobile device. Click on the link to join the meeting and then enter the Meeting ID number and passcode. You'll be able to see slides and video, as well as speakers and other attendees.
If you prefer to join by phone, you'll be prompted to enter the Meeting ID number and passcode. You won't be able to see the visuals or attendees, but you can view them on the meeting video recording afterward.
If you're new to Zoom and would like to use the video option, we recommend you download the app well ahead of time.
ICUJP Friday Forum 08/22/25
Time: 07:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
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(To find a dial-in number closer to you, go here.)
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Please note: Our Friday Forums and other events are open to the public. By attending, you consent to having your voice and likeness recorded, photographed, posted on ICUJP's website and social media, and included in ICUJP materials and publications for noncommercial purposes. If you don't want to be photographed or recorded, please let the facilitator know.
Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace recognizes the Gabrieliño Tongva as the past, present, and future caretakers of the land, water, and cultural resources in the unceded territory of Los Angeles.
RESOURCES FOR PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF A PEOPLE UNDER SEIGE
ICUJP Condemns the actions of the current administration to foment unrest in Southern California and other parts of the US. We hope you will find the following information useful in keeping involved and safe.
In 2024, campuses across the nation, including UCLA, USC and Occidental became sites of sustained, student-led protest against the onslaught in Gaza, the Biden Administration's support for Israel, and their own universities' complicity through investments and contracts.
On Saturday, August 23rd, the All Saints Middle East Ministry will meet in the Forum to screen and discuss The Encampments, a 2025 documentary which "offers an urgent, intimate portrait of America’s student movement, ignited at Columbia University as students protested their universities’ ties to the war on Gaza. Their actions sparked a nationwide uprising, with encampments spreading across hundreds of campuses. Featuring detained activist Mahmoud Khalil, alongside professors, whistleblowers, and organizers, the film captures the deeper stakes of a historic moment that continues to reverberate across the globe."
We will be joined for our discussion by LuLu Hammad, who was active in the protests at both UCLA and UCIrvine.
The screening will begin at 6pm, so plan to arrive a few minutes before to get a good seat.
The screening is free and there will be an opportunity to contribute to the UC students legal defense fund. Street parking is metered until 6pm, or use our parking lot north of the Church.
RSVP at [email protected]
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