CHICATO, ILLINOIS (December 20, 2023) — In response to the tragic and senseless murder of six-year-old Palestinian Wadee AlFayoumi, a victim of a hate crime based on his ethnicity and faith, Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), in collaboration with diverse racial and ethnic communities, led by the Muslim Civic Coalition, introduced the Wadee Resolution at the federal level.
Wadee AlFayoumi's life was cut short in the State of Illinois due to a heinous act of hate targeting his Palestinian and Muslim identity. The primary objective of the Wadee Resolution is to reaffirm comprehensive protection to individuals belonging to ethnic and faith backgrounds, including Palestinians, Muslims, Jews, and others. By doing so, the Act aims to prevent instances of abuse and discrimination solely based on one's identity while reaffirming the protections of freedom of speech, peaceful protest, and ethnic and religious identity-markers, including, but not limited to, hijab, yamakas, kaffiyehs, and turbans.
Maaria Mozaffar of the Muslim Civic Coalition emphasizes, “Wadee AlFayoumi was the first casualty resulting in death on US soil due to misinformation and hateful rhetoric against Palestinians from the media and elected officials since October 7. We cannot allow our country to dehumanize people and mischaracterize who they are. This is what leads to hate and heartbreaking violence. All people regardless of their faith deserve safety. Wadee’s death is a tragic wake-up call for this country and we should seize the opportunity to confront the work that needs to be done.”
The Resolution comes as a response to the escalating incidents of discrimination against Palestinians, Jews, Arabs, and Muslims. The introduction of the Wadee Resolution represents a significant step toward creating a safer and more inclusive environment for all Americans.
“Hateful anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian rhetoric has real consequences. Just thirty minutes away from my district, Wadee Alfayoumi, a six-year-old Palestinian-American child full of dreams, became victim to the rising Islamophobia and hateful rhetoric spewed about carelessly and recklessly since October 7. His death and his family's pain weigh heavily on my heart,” said Congresswoman Ramirez. “The safety, well-being, and peace of our communities are interconnected. The rise of hate crimes anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism puts all of us in grave danger. That’s why I am proud to join Reps Jacobs, Underwood, and Watson Coleman, Wadee’s family, and a broad coalition of human-rights advocates to honor the life of Wadee and condemn hatred that makes us all less safe. I call on all the members of Congress to join me in upholding our sacred shared humanity.”
By actively addressing the root causes of discrimination, this legislation aims to build a society where individuals can coexist peacefully, irrespective of their ethnic or faith background.
