Episode 32: The Color of Surveillance

On Episode 32 of The Activist Files, Senior Managing Attorney Shayana Kadidal speaks with Ramzi Kassem about the case of American Muslims who were placed or kept on the No-Fly List in retaliation for refusing to spy on their communities. Ramzi, Professor of Law and Director of the CLEAR project (Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility) at CUNY School of Law, argued Tanvir v. Tanzin before the U.S. Supreme Court on October 6, 2020, and Shane and the Center for Constitutional Rights are co-counsel (along with the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP). They discuss how our clients’ lives were turned upside down by the FBI and how the men were removed from the No-Fly List just before their first major court date. They talk about the legal questions before the Court, whether the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was intended to allow for damages, and what we can expect going forward. It’s a lively conversation between two lawyers who have worked together closely for many years and a peek behind the curtains of what it’s like to argue a case before the highest court in the land via video camera.

Resources

Tanvir v. Tanzin (formerly Tanvir v. Holder and Tanvir v. Lynch) case page

Supreme Court Case: Tanzin v. Tanvir

FAQs: Tanzin v. Tanvir

Muhammad Tanvir client bio

Naveed Shinwari client bio 

Organizations

The CLEAR project (Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility)