[link removed] [[link removed]]
Dear John,
My name is Farideh Farhi, and I serve on NIAC’s Community Council. I’m an independent scholar based in Hawai‘i, where I’ve spent decades researching and teaching comparative analysis of politics and revolutions, both in the United States and in Iran.
I’ve also lived the quiet, bureaucratic forms of discrimination many Iranian Americans face, especially when it comes to financial access and civil rights.
Years ago, I worked alongside NIAC to confront one such injustice: the Bank of Hawai‘i had abruptly closed accounts belonging to Iranian students, simply because of their nationality. These young people had done nothing wrong. They were targeted not for their actions, but for who they were. With NIAC’s support, we pushed back, and we won. The policy was reversed.
Unfortunately, the trend we fought then has only grown more entrenched.
According to NIAC’s new poll with YouGov, 49% of Iranian Americans now believe their civil liberties will be undermined in the months and years to come. That’s not paranoia. It’s a reflection of the lived experience of a community that has been profiled, surveilled, and denied basic rights, from ICE raids to discriminatory banking practices, from no-fly lists to visa denials.
iranianamericanpoll.com [iranianamericanpoll.com]
And the data backs that up. The poll also found that Iranian Americans report financial discrimination, including account closures and extra scrutiny, at significantly higher rates than the general population.
This is why NIAC’s work defending civil rights is so important. Whether it’s pushing back on FBI surveillance, opposing ICE’s targeting of Iranian nationals, or supporting students and families whose lives have been upended by opaque financial policies, NIAC stands up for a simple principle: no one should be punished for where they’re from.
The erosion of rights rarely happens all at once. It happens slowly, through indifference, silence, and bureaucratic fiat. It’s so important that we stay vigilant, and that we continue building the political resilience and power to protect our community.
That’s why we’ve launched our Fall Campaign [[link removed]] with a goal of raising $400,000. Your support will allow us to:
* Build the largest Iranian American civic force in history: 250,000 members strong, organized in every state, impossible to ignore.
* Shape the national conversation: Reach millions Americans with a clear pro-peace message that makes war politically impossible.
* Defend every right and every life: Expand our legal support and advocacy work so no Iranian American faces detention or discrimination alone, and they have access to all resources and tools needed
Our community is depending on us. Together, we can build the power, protect the rights, and secure the future we deserve. PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT THIS FALL [[link removed]] With care,
Farideh Farhi NIAC Community Council Memberunsubscribe: [link removed]