The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has released its 2025 Civil Rights Report, Unconstitutional Crackdowns, documenting what the organization describes as a record number of civil rights complaints and a shift in how discrimination is taking place in the United States.
According to the report, CAIR offices nationwide received 8,658 complaints in 2024, the highest total since the organization began tracking cases in 1996. The number represents a 7.4 percent increase from the 8,061 complaints reported in 2023.
For the first time in nearly three decades of reporting, CAIR said many complaints were connected to “viewpoint discrimination” rather than religious identity. The report states that individuals who spoke out against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and its policies described by CAIR as apartheid and genocide were often subject to disciplinary action, harassment, or law enforcement involvement.
“Vigorous public debate, a hallmark of healthy democracy, was replaced by crackdowns on people expressing politically disfavored viewpoints in 2024,” said Corey Saylor, CAIR’s director of research and advocacy.
Key Trends on “Unconstitutional Crackdowns”
The report highlights three major trends in 2024:
- Shift in Targeting: Discrimination extended beyond Muslim communities. Palestinians, Arabs, Jews, African Americans, and Asian Americans were also reported to have faced retaliation for opposing Israeli policies.
- Employment Discrimination: Complaints of workplace discrimination accounted for 15.4 percent of all cases, making it the largest category of complaints for the first time.
- Law Enforcement Encounters: Complaints related to law enforcement increased sharply, from 295 in 2023 to 506 in 2024, representing a 71.5 percent rise. The report links much of this rise to protests on university campuses.
Documented Incidents
CAIR’s report cites several high-profile cases from 2024. In Texas, a woman was indicted for attempting to drown two Muslim children, with prosecutors adding a hate crime enhancement. In Illinois, a man and his pregnant wife were attacked in a restaurant, reportedly over a Palestine-themed hoodie. In Florida, a Muslim postal worker was assaulted while delivering mail, with her hijab forcibly removed.
Positive Developments
Despite what CAIR describes as an overall worsening climate, the report also notes several developments that the organization views as progress. The U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling against the federal No Fly List, siding with arguments presented by CAIR. In addition, attorneys reached a legal settlement for nearly 25,000 people affected by the 2017 Muslim Ban, and the Federal Trade Commission prohibited companies from selling location data tied to Muslim app users.
Calls for Action
The report concludes with recommendations for policymakers, corporate leaders, and educational institutions. Among them: ensuring free speech protections around discussions of Israel and Palestine, requiring law enforcement agencies to submit hate crimes data in exchange for funding, and improving security for Muslim institutions.
Zahra Billoo, executive director of CAIR’s San Francisco Bay Area office, said the findings highlight challenges to both civil rights and free expression. “Here in the Bay Area, we have seen students, workers, and activists face retaliation simply for speaking out,” she said.
Citation:
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Unconstitutional Crackdowns: CAIR’s 2025 Civil Rights Report. Washington, D.C.: CAIR National Headquarters, 2025.
