On October 30, 2026, a coalition of six grassroots, civil-rights and faith-based groups, organized by and including Muslim Advocates filed an amicus (friend-of-the-court) brief asking the New York State Supreme Court to stop the Town of Islip from using its zoning powers to discriminate against Muslims.

The case involves United American Muslim Association (“UAMA”), a non-profit organization that wishes to operate a boarding component to its parochial school for boys on land UAMA owns in the Town of Islip. Several years ago, a Catholic entity operated a boarding school on the same land. With the hopes of continuing to use the property for spiritual and academic instruction, the UAMA made a zoning inquiry to the Town of Islip on January 5, 2026 to confirm authority for its proposed use of the property. Despite the UAMA receiving confirmation of its permissibility, two residents appealed the matter to the Town’s Zoning Board of Appeals. Amidst anti-Muslim rhetoric, the Town reversed the zoning determination.   

The brief discusses the decades of discrimination against Muslim communities by zoning boards and the disproportionate targeting of religious minorities in discriminatory zoning actions. It urges the Town of Islip to treat a Muslim educational organization like UAMA equally and to abide by the fundamental principles of religious liberty enshrined in the constitution.

“RLUIPA was enacted to provide heightened protections for the free exercise of religion, particularly in the context of land use regulations. Muslim Advocates is committed to protecting Muslim communities and other religious minorities from discrimination and supports the robust enforcement of the RLUIPA and existing state laws to preserve these communities’ core rights.” noted Daad Sharfi, a legal fellow at Muslim Advocates.

The brief was filed in  Suffolk County in United American Muslim Ass’n v. Zoning Bd. of Appeals of Islip, No. 631460 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Suffolk County Oct. 22, 2026). The coalition of signatories to the brief includes the Asian American Legal Defense Fund, El Paso Texas Monthly Meeting of Religious Society of Friends, Global Justice Institute, Interfaith Center of New York (“ICNYC”) and the Muslim Public Affairs Council (“MPAC”)