Muslim Advocacy Group Files Lawsuit Against New York Jail Over Hijab Removal, Religious Rights Violations

The Council on American-Islamic Relations for New York (CAIR-NY), alongside the law firm Kaufman Lieb Lebowitz & Frick LLP, has initiated legal action against Orange County, New York, officials, Jurist News reported. The lawsuit centers on allegations of religious discrimination against Tammi Green, a Muslim inmate at the county jail. The 27-page complaint outlines multiple violations of Green’s constitutional rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

According to the complaint, Green was compelled to remove her hijab for her booking photo and daily identification card, which inmates must display to access facilities and programs. Despite repeated requests, she was prohibited from wearing her hijab for over twelve hours during her arraignment. Although she was eventually allowed to retake her photo with the hijab months later, the original uncovered photo remains in the jail’s system, causing her ongoing distress.

The lawsuit further alleges that jail officials confiscated Green’s hijab and other religious items, destroyed her prayer beads during a cell search, and mishandled her Quran. Additionally, Green was denied religious meals during Ramadan, exacerbating her Type 2 diabetes due to the disruption of her fasting schedule.

Green has reported severe emotional and spiritual harm, including depression, grief, and a crisis of faith. She emphasized her inability to pray for her dying mother during these ordeals. CAIR-NY has condemned the jail’s actions, stating that incarcerated individuals retain the right to practice their religion. Green seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as injunctions to prevent future violations.