WASHINGTON – On Thursday, the White House introduced what it described as the inaugural national strategy to address Islamophobia, presenting over 100 measures aimed at combating hate, violence, discrimination, and bias against Muslims and Arab Americans.
This strategy comes on the heels of a national initiative to fight antisemitism that President Joe Biden revealed in May 2023, amid rising concerns over increased hate and discrimination faced by Jewish communities in the United States.
Federal officials have been developing the anti-Islamophobia plan for several months, with its unveiling occurring just five weeks prior to the end of Biden’s presidency. According to the White House, many of the proposed actions are already in place, with plans to implement the remainder before Inauguration Day on January 20, when President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.
In a statement reflecting on the strategy, the Biden administration emphasized, “Over the past year, this initiative has become even more critical as threats against American Muslim and Arab communities have surged.” The urgency of the plan was underscored by tragic incidents, such as the October 2023 murder of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi, a Palestinian American boy, who was fatally stabbed in Illinois.
The outlined strategy highlights not only actions being taken by the Executive Branch but also provides more than 100 additional recommendations aimed at various sectors of society.
Four core priorities are pivotal to the strategy: raising awareness about the hatred directed at Muslims and Arabs while recognizing the cultural heritages of these communities; enhancing safety and security measures for these groups; ensuring religious practices for Muslims and Arabs are accommodated while combatting discrimination; and promoting solidarity among diverse communities to collectively address hate.
Many of the goals outlined in this plan reflect those presented in the Biden administration’s antisemitism strategy, particularly regarding strengthened safety measures and fostering cross-community unity.
The announcement acknowledged that while some individuals might be targeted due to assumptions about their Muslim identity, Arabs frequently face discrimination simply for their ethnicity. The administration reiterated the historical contributions of Muslims and Arab Americans to the foundation of the nation, emphasizing the importance of new data collection and educational initiatives to raise awareness of these forms of hate and celebrate their rich heritages.
The strategy also advocates for broader communication of effective practices in engaging Muslim and Arab Americans in reporting hate crimes, while clarifying that discrimination against these communities in federally funded activities is prohibited.
Additionally, the White House calls on “state, local, and international partners, as well as non-governmental organizations, to launch similar initiatives aimed at enhancing unity through the recognition of our shared humanity, values, history, and the pursuit of equal justice, liberty, and security for all.”
Pro-Palestinian groups, expressing dissatisfaction with the administration’s strong support for Israel amid its conflict with Hamas in Gaza, have frequently disrupted campaign events of both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden suspended his reelection campaign in July.
Trump, who previously enforced a travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority nations, recently secured a significant win in a majority-Muslim U.S. city in the latest elections. However, some Arab Americans who initially supported Trump are beginning to express apprehension regarding his impending Cabinet selections and broader administration choices.
Critics, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest civil rights organization for Muslims in the U.S., criticized the strategy as “the White House’s long-delayed document,” deeming it as “too little, too late.”
The council acknowledged that while the strategy presents certain positive recommendations concerning anti-Muslim prejudice, its late introduction limits its potential impact, and it notably lacks commitments to amend federal programs that allegedly promote widespread anti-Muslim discrimination. They further indicated that the plan does not address the so-called “federal watchlist,” which they claim targets certain Arab Americans as possible terrorists.
The statement concluded with a stronger critique, stating, “The plan fails to confront the most significant catalyst of anti-Muslim prejudice today: the U.S.-supported atrocities unfolding in Gaza.”
