On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti Celebrating Ramadan while living in fear
Feb 25, 2026
Nancy Khalil, an assistant professor studying Muslim American communities and post‑9/11 policy, reflects on Ramadan under the shadow of ICE activity. She discusses how rituals and mosque life are reshaped by fear. Conversations cover surveillance legacies, mosque safety and legal risks, community organizing, and joy as a form of resistance.
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Ramadan Fear Mirrors Post 9/11 Surveillance
- ICE raids are rekindling post‑9/11 style fear across U.S. Muslim communities despite most being citizens.
- Fear comes from racialization and visible enforcement: schools, churches, mosques and street arrests swept up citizens, green card and visa holders.
Run Know Your Rights Trainings And Safety Kits
- Do run Know Your Rights trainings and distribute ICE safety kits at mosques and community hubs.
- Rana Abdelkhamid's Malika organizes canvases for small businesses and street vendors and hands out safety kits weekly.
Muslim Presence Precedes The United States
- The Muslim presence in the U.S. predates the nation and was significantly expanded by the Atlantic slave trade.
- Scholars estimate up to a third of enslaved people brought to these lands came from Muslim-origin communities.