NJ Muslim mayor blocked from White House Eid celebration | World News

The U.S. Secret Service said it prevented a Muslim mayor in Prospect Park, New Jersey, from attending a White House celebration with President Joe Biden to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Shortly before Mayor Mohamed Khairullah was due to arrive at the White House for the Eid celebrations, he received a call from the White House saying he did not have clearance from the Secret Service to attend the Eid celebrations. The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said Biden addressed hundreds of guests.

U.S. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that Khairullah was not granted access to the White House complex, but declined to elaborate on why. Khairullah was elected to a fifth term as the borough’s mayor in January.

“While we regret any inconvenience this may have caused, the mayor is not permitted to enter the White House complex tonight,” Guglielmi said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, we are unable to comment further on the specific means and methods of protection we employ while conducting security operations at the White House.”

CAIR-NJ executive director Selaedin Maksut called the move “completely unacceptable and insulting.”

“If these events happen to a high-profile American Muslim figure like Mayor Khairullah, then it begs the question: What happened to Muslims who don’t have the access and visibility that the mayor has?” Masut explain.

Khalula, who has previously done humanitarian work in Syria and Bangladesh, was previously stopped by authorities and interrogated for three hours at New York’s JFK Airport and asked if he knew any terrorists. Kyle – NJ.

The group said Kerula helped the New Jersey Democratic Party gather the names of local Muslim leaders, invited them to White House Eid celebrations and was a guest at an event at the New Jersey governor’s mansion over the weekend.

The White House declined to comment.