(WICHITA, KS, 9/18/17) -- The Kansas chapter of the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR-Kansas) today called for an “independent” investigation of both Emprise Bank and the Wichita Police Department following the traumatic arrest earlier this month of the Iraqi-American Muslim family for a “fraudulent check,” which was later determined to be valid.

SEE:  Muslim Family Won't Accept Police, Bank Apologies

Man Says Family is ‘Living In Fear’ After He Was Handcuffed at Bank

“The conflicting statements from both Emprise Bank and law enforcement authorities are adding to the confusion rather than clarifying the situation,” said CAIR-Kansas Board Chair Moussa Elbayoumy.

He added: “Instead of hiding behind vague ‘policies and procedures’ that they claim were followed and vowing to do the same in a similar situation, they should come clean and explain what were the specific reasons for their actions. They should also re-examine those policies and procedures and make any necessary changes in the training of staff to avoid repeating this traumatic event with another family.”

Elbayoumy said CAIR-Kansas has been to trying to support the family during this difficult time, while waiting for explanations from those involved before exploring legal options.

(KANSAS CITY, MO, 9/15/17) -- On Sunday, September 17, a coalition of Kansas City organizations, including the ICNA-KC (Islamic Circle of North America – Kansas City), Burma Task Force-KC and the Kansas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Kansas), will hold a rally against the Burmese government's ongoing ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims.

During the rally, which is scheduled to take place at West 47th Street and J.C. Nichols Parkway on the Plaza, Kansas City, Mo., activists will call on both Kansas and Missouri elected senators to join Senator John McCain in supporting a Senate resolution that would condemn the Burmese government's violence. 

WHAT: Rally Against Rohingya Genocide

WHEN: Sunday, September 17th at 4 p.m.

WHERE: Plaza Fountain at West 47th Street & JC Nichols Parkway, Kansas City, MO

CONTACT: CAIR-Kansas Board Chair Moussa Elbayoumy, 785-318-6323, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“Governor Sam Brownback’s history of rushing to sign anti-Islam legislation designed to vilify Muslims in Kansas state courts should under any normal circumstances disqualify him from the office of U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom. Only under the Trump administration would someone so opposed to the constitutional rights of an American faith community be appointed to safeguarding international religious freedom.” -- CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw

SEE: Kansas Gov. Brownback To Leave for Federal ‘Religious Freedom’ Post

In 2012, CAIR asked Brownback not to sign a bill the sponsors of which admitted was designed to attack “Sharia,” the religious principles of Islam.

CAIR: Kansas Governor Asked Not to Sign Anti-Sharia Bill

CAIR: Kansas Governor Signs Bill Effectively Banning Islamic Law

In 2016, Brownback withdrew Kansas from the federal government’s refugee relocation program due to fear of possibly resettling primarily Muslim refugees from Syria in that state. CAIR notes that states withdrawing from the federal program cannot stop refugees from being resettled in those states or moving anywhere in the nation once resettled in the U.S.