A federal terrorist watchlist, predominantly composed of Muslim Americans, is facing allegations of Islamophobia and being employed for “harassment and humiliation,” with civil rights advocates calling for its withdrawal.
Officially known as the Terrorist Screening Dataset (TSDS), this watchlist encompasses more than 1.5 million individuals, with a significant majority being Muslim, according to legal representatives from the Council on American Islamic Relations (Cair), a Muslim rights organization. Despite the FBI’s assertion that individuals cannot be added to the watchlist based on their race, ethnicity, or religion, Cair’s findings reveal that approximately 98% of those listed are Muslim.
Remarkably, this revelation persists despite numerous warnings over the past decade indicating that domestic terrorism from far-right groups poses a more substantial threat to US national security than Islamist extremism.
The watchlist, in existence for over two decades, traces its origins back to the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Subsequent to these attacks, many Muslims in the United States, or individuals perceived to be Muslim, became subjects of routine surveillance and profiling by various law enforcement agencies.
Cair has initiated multiple lawsuits at various levels concerning the watchlist since its inception. Now, Cair has filed a lawsuit against the federal government, marking a significant development in their efforts.
Dawud Walid, Cair’s executive director for the Michigan chapter, asserted in a statement, “Throughout the nation, American Muslims targeted by the federal government’s unconstitutional, discriminatory watchlist are standing up and demanding justice from the government for 20 years of unjust targeting. The time has come for the Biden administration to end the use of the watchlist.”
The watchlist is employed by numerous government agencies, including the FBI, the US State Department, Secret Service, and various state and local entities. As per the FBI, the watchlist serves the purpose of monitoring “individuals reasonably suspected to be involved in terrorism (or related activities)” with the aim of ensuring the safety of the American populace.
One individual ensnared by the watchlist is Mohamed Khairullah, the longstanding mayor of Prospect Park, New Jersey. Khairullah, initially aware of his presence on the federal watchlist, believed he had been removed from it in 2021. However, earlier this year, he discovered he was still on the list when he was denied entry to a White House Eid event for which he possessed an invitation.
This revelation left him “baffled, shocked, and disappointed,” as conveyed during his interview with the Associated Press.
While the Secret Service declined to comment on the lawsuit, an emailed statement to AP expressed regret for any inconvenience caused, stating, “As we stated in the past, we were not able to grant entry to the Mayor at the White House, and we regret any inconvenience that may have caused.”
Khairullah revealed that traveling became a daunting task in 2019, following his return to the US from his native Syria, where he had visited to witness the atrocities committed by Bashar al-Assad’s regime during the civil war. His designation on the watchlist has significantly complicated air travel, both domestically and internationally.
Cair’s attorneys contend that in most cases, it is exceedingly challenging, if not impossible, to have one’s name removed from the watchlist or associated databases.
Hannah Mullen, an attorney with Cair, emphasized, “The mere fact that they had been placed on the watchlist in the past is retained by the government in several different databases … and can continue to harm them.”
