CAIR Opposes Nomination of U.N. Ambassador Nominee Heather Nauert

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the Trump administration to withdraw its nomination of Heather Nauert for the position of U.N. ambassador, saying she is "Unqualified and Islamophobic."

Early next year, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a nomination hearing for Nauert. CAIR is urging the Senate and members of the Foreign Relations Committee to oppose and vote "NO" on Nauert's nomination for the position of U.N. ambassador.

TAKE ACTION: Urge the U.S. Senate to Reject Islamophobic' U.N. Ambassador Nominee Heather Nauert
https://oneclickpolitics.com/messages/edit?promo_id=4962 
READ CAIR's Senate Factsheet: https://tinyurl.com/NauertFactsheet

CAIR said Nauert promoted Islamophobic smears while employed as a Fox News anchor.

In 2013, she criticized special swim classes for a group of Somali-American girls, describing the classes as the "minority becoming the majority at one community pool. Sharia law is now changing everything."

In a 2009 Fox special on "stealth jihad," she interviewed Islamophobic panelists, including notorious Islamophobes like Robert Spencer, Frank Gaffney and Nonie Darwish, who claims that "Islam should be feared, and should be fought, and should be conquered, and defeated, and annihilated." Nauert has also defended Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric.

SEE: Trump's New State Department Spokesperson Spread Anti-Muslim Hate as Fox News Anchor
https://theintercept.com/2017/04/24/trumps-new-state-department-spokesperson-spread-anti-muslim-hate-as-fox-anchor/

Nauert previously bashed refugee students in Pennsylvania for wanting "an even better" public education and falsely claimed that child migrants from Central America were "an illegal health risk."

SEE: Fox Shames Refugee Students For Seeking "An Even Better" Public Education
https://www.mediamatters.org/video/2016/08/19/fox-shames-refugee-students-seeking-even-better-public-education/212521
Right-Wing Media Keep Rehashing The Xenophobic Smear That Immigrants Bring Diseases
https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2016/04/25/right-wing-media-keeps-rehashing-xenophobic-smear-immigrants-bring-diseases/210076

Other than her current position as State Department spokesperson, Nauert has no apparent diplomatic or government experience or expertise.

"Heather Nauert does not represent our nation's diversity or its commitment to treating all Americans with equality and respect," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.

"Such an important post should not be occupied by someone who is clearly unqualified and Islamophobic," said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw. "There are many other individuals who do have the knowledge and background necessary for this post. Ms. Nauert's nomination should be withdrawn."

In June, CAIR applauded the decision by members of the United Nation's International Organization for Migration (IOM) to reject President Trump's nominee for the position of director general to lead the organization, a post held by Americans since 1951.

It was reported that members of the IMO rejected Isaacs's nomination due to his past Islamophobic statements and in response to Trump administration policies such as the Muslim ban and migrant family separations.

SEE: CAIR Welcomes Rejection of Trump's Islamophobic Nominee for U.N. Migration Post
https://www.cair.com/cair_welcomes_rejection_of_trump_s_islamophobic_nominee_for_u_n_migration_post

CAIR has reported an unprecedented spike in bigotry targeting American Muslims, immigrants and members of other minority groups since the election of Donald Trump as president. The Washington-based civil rights organization has also repeatedly expressed concern about Islamophobic and racist Trump administration policies and appointments.

The Washington-based organization's recently-released 2018 Civil Rights Report, "Targeted," showed a 17 percent increase in bias-motivated incidents against American Muslims from 2016 to 2017, and a 15 percent increase in the number of anti-Muslim hate crimes in that same time period. Preliminary data for 2018 indicate that there have been 927 hate incidents targeting American Muslims.

New CAIR Report: Trump's Muslim Bans Increased Anti-Muslim Discrimination, Violence
https://www.cair.com/new_cair_report_trump_s_muslim_bans_increased_anti_muslim_discrimination_violence_2

CAIR launched an app to share critical "know your rights" information and to simplify the process of reporting hate crimes and bias incidents and is urging American Muslims and members of other minority groups to download the app and utilize this resource to stay informed and empowered.

For a quick download of CAIR's civil rights app, click here: http://www.cair.com/app

Community members are being urged to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by going to: https://www.cair.com/report

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

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CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)