MUSLIM LEGAL FUND OF AMERICA

OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

Strengthen & Protect the Muslim Nonprofit Community

MLFA is recognized by the American Muslim nonprofit community as the leading resource for legal counsel and technical legal support in the areas of compliance, mitigation of risk from government scrutiny, and mission impact.

MLFA is a curator and aggregator of thought leadership on issues related to the legal risk posed to American Muslim organizations and individuals by the government’s national security programs and best practices for risk mitigation. As a result, understanding has increased among American Muslims and the legal community regarding their level of vulnerability, in order to create stronger organizations and effective representation.

Prevent the Unwarranted Indictment of American Muslim Individuals and Organizations

MLFA has contributed to an overall decrease in the number of American Muslim organizations and individuals adversely impacted by FBI, Homeland Security and/or Treasury investigations and related enforcement actions. MLFA is considered a top of mind resource and first responder of choice among American Muslim organizations and leadership when they are at risk of federal investigation as a result of current national security policies.

Increase Reach & Effect of Impact Litigation

MLFA is recognized as a leader in national security-related legal defense for American Muslim nonprofits and their leadership with national reach and visibility. MLFA has built a demonstrated record of challenging the lack of due process and unfair administration of extreme vetting and guilt by association policies and regulations resulting in government encroachment on the civil liberties of American Muslims.

1) Strengthen & Protect the Muslim Nonprofit Community Actions: ● Continue funding the Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America (CLCMA). Established in 2014 by MLFA, CLCMA has taken over 500 cases since inception. MLFA Merged with our law center in 2022.
● In partnership with the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, fund the opening of the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative (MPI) to support Muslim-American nonprofits to be compliant with legal, governance and nonprofit best practices. b) Action: ● Produce the Muslim Nonprofit Leadership Conference, in partnership with the Lilly School of Philanthropy.
2) Prevent the Unwarranted Indictment of American Muslim Individuals and Organizations
MLFA has contributed to an overall decrease in the number of American Muslim organizations and individuals adversely impacted by FBI, Homeland Security and/or Treasury investigations and related enforcement actions. MLFA is considered a top-of-mind resource and first responder of choice among American Muslim organizations and leadership when they are at risk of federal investigation as a result of current national security policies.
Actions: ● CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION: Funding CLCMA to represent individual American Muslims as well as organizations whose civil liberties are under attack, in order to set precedents that will benefit the American Muslim community.
● CRIMINAL DEFENSE: Funding CLCMA to represent individuals and organizations who have been targeted based on guilt by association in order to protect their constitutional rights and set precedents to maintain “good law.”
3) Increase Reach & Effect of Impact Litigation
MLFA is recognized as a leader in national security-related legal defense for American Muslim nonprofits and their leadership with national reach and visibility. MLFA has built a demonstrated record of challenging the lack of due process and unfair administration of extreme vetting and guilt by association policies and regulations resulting in government encroachment on the civil liberties of American Muslims.
Actions: ●IMMIGRATION CASE WORK: Take on cases to reduce Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program (CARRP), unlawful extreme vetting programs, and discriminatory denials for American Muslims. ● CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION: Represent individual American Muslims as well as organizations whose civil liberties are under attack, in order to set precedents that will benefit the American Muslim community. ● CRIMINAL DEFENSE: Represent individuals and organizations who have been targeted based on guilt by association in order to protect their constitutional rights and set precedents to maintain “good law” ●DENATURALIZATION CASES: Expand capacity to take on denaturalization cases related to national security. This can include the precursor matters like administrative revocation of passports, or refusal/delay in issuing passports to U.S. citizens without explanation or a meaningful opportunity to be heard. ●PEER PARTNERS

Muslim Legal Fund of America is staffed with nonprofit professionals, including an CEO who has over 20 years in Non-Profit Development and holds two masters in Leadership and Philantropy. MLFAs Legal Division is headed by renowned attorney Charles Swift, retired officer in the US Naval JAG corps, Christina Jump who has more then 25 years of litigation experince and earned Super Lawyer multiple years and Katheryn Brady who has been practicing as Immication and National Security attorney since 2006. MLFA is also partnered with Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philantrophy incubating our Non-Profit Divsion. Collectivly MLFA's leadership has over 100 years of experince in National Security Law and Nonprofit Development and Leadership.

For over two decades we’ve been the leading entity defending Muslims at the federal level. The Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA) has become a national leader protecting Muslim Americans against constitutional injustices. Before us, no entity existed to solely stand firm as a symbol of courage against institutionalized Islamophobia and hate in the American federal legal system.
MLFA is setting legal precedents and ensuring American Muslims are getting the due process promised by our constitution. We ensure that our laws are applied as fairly and equally to Muslim Americans as they are to non-Muslims. Our deep expertise and service over fees model ensures that with each case we accept, we are serving our entire nation. MLFA was founded in 2001 by a coalition of civil rights activists seeking to redress systemic discrimination against American Muslims. The tragic terrorist attacks of 9/11 caused a surge in discrimination, hate crimes, and unlawful profiling by both the public and private sectors. Immediately following the terrorist attacks, law enforcement questioned Muslims en mass about their constitutionally protected rights of free speech, association, and religion. Islamophobia dominated politics and the media, affecting Muslims from the classroom to the courtroom. A “Muslim” registry was formed (National Security Entry-Exit Registration System – NSEERS), targeting Arabs and South Asians for deportation. Fast forward 20 years and a record number of American Muslims are still facing denaturalization programs, the Muslim ban, and terror watchlists that disproportionately affect minorities in our country. Equally troubling were the targeted campaigns against the American Muslim community that labeled over 300 American Muslim individuals and organizations as “un-indicted co-conspirators” in the shocking and unjust 2006 criminal trial of the Holy Land Foundation. Such an unprecedented and overreaching action harmed the reputations of individuals and organizations, who were left with no legal recourse to defend themselves.
In 2014, MLFA established the CLCMA to provide pro bono legal representation in federal courts aand administrative proceedings for qualified individuals and organizations where the representation is in the interest of the Muslim community.
In 2021, MLFA launched THE ISHAN STANDARD in partnership with and implemented by the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative (MPI) at the Indiana University. The Ihsan Standard images the American Muslim nonprofit community and its leadership clinically through legal screenings, fieldwork, and leadership training.
In 2022, MLFA and the Constitutional Legal Center for Muslims in America (CLCMA) announced their merger, positioning the newly combined organizations to better defend, protect, educate and serve American Muslims and Muslim organizatation against discrimination, unfair targeting and all the legal and social issues that fall under the guise of national security.