New Jersey mayors support Muslim mayor who was disinvited to White House reception

By Firdevs Bulut Kartal

TORONTO (AA) - Sixteen mayors in the state of New Jersey showed support for Muslim Mayor Mohamed Khairullah, who was disinvited from an Eid al-Fitr reception organized by US President Joe Biden at the White House earlier this month.

The mayors announced a "call to action letter" at a program organized at the Dar al Islah Mosque in Teaneck, New Jersey.

The letter addressed to US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and Biden's Assistant Secretary of Social Affairs Carloz Elizondo said they supported and stood by Prospect Mayor Mohamed Khairullah, who was not allowed to attend the May 1 reception at the last moment because of security reasons.

The mayors emphasized that the FBI's "watch list" is unconstitutional that contains 1.5 million people, mostly Arabs and Muslims.

"We ask you to provide important reasons for why Mayor Khairullah was rejected at the reception and apologize to him," said the letter.

It emphasized that Khairullah is the longest-serving Muslim Mayor in New Jersey with 17 years in office and demanded the removal of the government’s "watch list", which includes Khairullah, who is unfairly labeled and discriminated against.

Khairullah challenged authorities to bring evidence against him and said officials cannot find anything significant.

The US unconstitutionally placed 1.5 million people on the watch list, he said.

The Secret Service barred Khairullah from an annual Eid al-Fitr even at the White House, which commemorates the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

*Islam Dogru contributed to this story in New York