Hiiraan Online
Wednesday May 4, 2016
MINNESOTA (HOL) – Leaders for the Muslim communities in Minnesota called for an urgent investigation into allegation by a Minneapolis manager for the Transportation Security Administration who alleged that they have been targeting Muslim leaders with racial profiling.
Speaking to lawmakers during congressional testimony last week, Andrew Rhoades, an assistant federal security director for the TSA, said that he was pressured by his supervisor earlier this month to profile Somali imams and community members visiting his Twin Cities office.
“We call for the government to launch an immediate and independent investigation into this serious matter.” The Minnesota-based Muslim leaders said in a statement issued after a large gathering on Tuesday.
Responding to the allegations, TSA said it doesn’t tolerate racial profiling.
In addition, the Minnesota Democratic Representative Keith Ellison also raised his concerns about the allegation which sparked an outrage by American Muslims who have long complained of racial profiling by the law enforcement.
The allegations, the latest in rare confirmations of anti-Muslim racial profiling by US officials had dealt a major blow to the US government’s efforts to win support by Muslim communities in fighting extremism and terrorism.
The racial profiling practice emerged after 9/11 attacks in the United States, with federal authorities in response to fears of travellers by reinforcing security at airports and throughout the country.
The practice has come under fire by politicians; and critics ask questioned the racial profile method by authorities who were accused of singling out Arabic and Muslim-looking men at airports.