Muslim Advocates filed an amicus brief this week in the lawsuit Ibrahim v. Department of Homeland Security, supporting Rahinah Ibrahim’s challenge to her placement on the U.S. government’s “no-fly” list. While she was a graduate student at Stanford University, Dr. Ibrahim was prohibited from boarding a flight to Malaysia, arrested and subsequently jailed because her name was mistakenly on the U.S. government’s watch-list. She was ultimately allowed to board her flight but has been unable to return to the United States or have her name removed from the watch-list.

Muslim Advocates regularly hears from people who–for reasons unknown to them–either are unable to fly or are subjected to extensive, additional screening each time they fly. The amicus brief–filed by the American Civil Liberties Union–argues that innocent travelers are subjected to the burdens of the watch-list, with no notice, no opportunity to be heard, and no ability to obtain relief. The brief also argues that the watch-list disproportionately targets American Muslim travelers and harms public safety.