civil liberties

Foreign Governments Targeting American Dissidents?

civil liberties

Foreign Surveillance

Middle East politics

muslim public affairs council

salam al-marayati

The MPAC Podcast with Salam Al-Marayati

The Young Turks

Transnational Repression

On October 13, 2026 By MPAC

In this clip from Episode 11 of The MPAC Podcast, host Salam Al-Marayati and guest Cenk Uygur discuss how foreign Middle Eastern regimes attempt to surveil, intimidate, and place American political dissidents on terror lists. Cenk challenges conventional foreign policy narratives, breaking down regional alliances and the contradictions behind who gets labeled an extremist. Disclaimer: The views, statements, and opinions expressed by guests on The MPAC Podcast are solely those of the individual guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), host Salam Al-Marayati, its leadership, board, or staff. Watch full podcast episodes, analysis, and interviews on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Links in the description! Subscribe to MPAC's channel: http://bit.ly/MPACYouTube Like MPAC on Facebook: http://fb.com/mpacnational Follow MPAC on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mpac_national Follow MPAC on Instagram: http://instagram.com/mpac_national Visit MPAC's website: http://mpac.org About the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) We improve public understanding and policies that impact American Muslims by engaging our government, media, and communities. Help us to continue this work by making a donation today: http://mpac.org/give.

Salam Al-Marayati: How Interfaith Solidarity Averted Internment After 9/11

9/11 25th Anniversary

civil liberties

Interfaith Solidarity

Japanese American Internment

muslim public affairs council

salam al-marayati

St Johns Cathedral Los Angeles

The Guibord Center

On September 23, 2026 By MPAC

Speaking at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral in Los Angeles for The Guibord Center's 25th-anniversary Service of Spiritual Solidarity, MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati reflects on the enduring power of interfaith partnerships. He explains how solidarity - especially from the Japanese American community - helped avert mass internment after September 11, and why true public safety requires prioritizing human security, civil liberties, and our common humanity over endless surveillance and war. Subscribe to MPAC's channel: http://bit.ly/MPACYouTube Like MPAC on Facebook: http://fb.com/mpacnational Follow MPAC on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mpac_national Follow MPAC on Instagram: http://instagram.com/mpac_national Visit MPAC's website: http://mpac.org About the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) We improve public understanding and policies that impact American Muslims by engaging our government, media, and communities. Help us to continue this work by making a donation today: http://mpac.org/give.

Former LAPD Deputy Chief Mike Downing on Police Reform, Counterterrorism & ICE

civil liberties

Community Policing

Counterterrorism

dr. maher hathout

muslim public affairs council

salam al-marayati

The MPAC Podcast with Salam Al-Marayati

On August 25, 2026 By MPAC

In this episode of The MPAC Podcast, host Salam Al-Marayati sits down with longtime colleague Mike Downing, former LAPD Deputy Chief and head of the Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau. Reflecting on a 35-year law enforcement career spanning the 1965 Watts Riots to the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising, Downing breaks down what it takes to build authentic community-led policing, why federal consent decrees were essential to institutional LAPD reform, and the critical difference between local community police and militarized agencies like ICE. Salam and Mike also engage in a direct, candid discussion regarding post-9/11 counterterrorism policies, intelligence gathering, the roots of radicalization, and the ongoing stigmatization of American Muslim civil rights organizations. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction & 35 Years on the LAPD Force 03:56 - Smart Policing vs. Hunting & Pursuing 08:32 - The 1992 Uprising, Christopher Commission & Federal Consent Decree 12:12 - America’s Homelessness Failure & Systemic Solutions 16:36 - Defund the Police Debate & Quasi-Military Structures 19:12 - Suspicious Activity Reporting, Intelligence & Community Trust 28:23 - Comparing Gang Dynamics to Counterterrorism & Radicalization 30:08 - The Problem with ICE: Excessive Force & Lack of Accountability 36:47 - Civil Rights Engagement: CAIR, MPAC & The Legacy of Dr. Maher Hathout Subscribe to MPAC's channel: http://bit.ly/MPACYouTube Like MPAC on Facebook: http://fb.com/mpacnational Follow MPAC on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mpac_national Follow MPAC on Instagram: http://instagram.com/mpac_national Visit MPAC's website: http://mpac.org About the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) We improve public understanding and policies that impact American Muslims by engaging our government, media, and communities. Help us to continue this work by making a donation today: http://mpac.org/give.

MPAC Condemns Executive Order Targeting Pro-Palestinian Student Protesters

civil liberties

On January 30, 2025 By Rebecca Husaini

Washington, D.C. | www.mpac.org | January 30, 2025 — The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) strongly condemns the recent executive order issued by President Donald Trump, which mandates the cancellation of student visas and the deportation of non-citizen students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests. This executive order is not…

MPAC Empowering Voices Awards 2016

Benjamin Wittes

civil liberties

empowering voices

On September 25, 2017 By MPAC

The MPAC Empowering Voices Awards celebrates voices championing diversity in policy & media. Join us Sep. 27 in DC as we honor David Karp, CEO of Tumblr, Benjamin Wittes, Editor-in-Chief of Lawfare, and Stosh Cotler, CEO of Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice. Learn more and buy tickets at mpac.org/empowering-voices. Past honorees include DNC Chair and then Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, NPR Journalist and "Serial" podcast creator Sarah Koenig, and civil rights icon, Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), among many others.