Filed Date: Oct. 4, 2023
Case Ongoing
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This is a case about a Muslim American woman who was mandated to remove her hijab when she was incarcerated. On October 4, 2023, the woman filed this lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. Represented by the Council on American-Islamic Relations and private counsel, the plaintiff sued the Federal Bureau of Prisons under the Declaratory Judgment Act, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), Ex Parte Young, and Bivens, alleging violations of the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause and the RFRA by various individuals working at the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The plaintiff alleged that prison officials had made her remove her hijab several times, including for ID photos, and had threatened to place her in solitary confinement and prevent her from having visitors to make her comply. The plaintiff alleged that the defendants had violated the RFRA because making her remove her hijab and taking and using pictures of her without her hijab imposed a substantial burden on the exercise of her religion and had no compelling justification.
The plaintiff requested a declaratory judgment as well as preliminary and permanent injunctive relief. The plaintiff asked the court to issue an injunction that would prevent the defendants from requiring Muslim women to remove their hijabs whilst taking their ID pictures. Additionally, the plaintiff requested an injunction requiring that the defendants destroy all photographs of the plaintiff taken without her hijab as well as security footage of the plaintiff not wearing her hijab. Furthermore, the plaintiff requested that defendants instruct those with access to plaintiff’s photographs where she is not wearing her hijab to destroy the photos. Lastly, the plaintiff sought compensatory and punitive damages from each individual defendant, as well as attorney fees.
The case was assigned to Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright. As of October 22, 2023, the case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Renuka Wagh (10/24/2023)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67863777/parties/jama-v-peters/
Wright, Wilhelmina Marie (Minnesota)
Shaw, Alec (Minnesota)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67863777/jama-v-peters/
Last updated Dec. 21, 2024, 8:53 p.m.
State / Territory: Minnesota
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Oct. 4, 2023
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Muslim American woman who was incarcerated in Federal prison and forced to remove her hijab.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal Bureau of Prisons (- United States (national) -), Federal
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Religious Freedom Rest. Act/Religious Land Use and Inst. Persons Act (RFRA/RLUIPA)
Ex Parte Young (Federal) or Bivens
Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201
Ex parte Young (federal or state officials)
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Discrimination Basis: