Action: Tell Congress to Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform CAIR today joins the thousands of community, labor, immigration, and human rights activists rallying across the country and at the nation's capital to demand that Congress pass commonsense immigration reform. CAIR is asking all Americans who believe that comprehensive immigration reform is long overdue to urge their U.S. senators and representatives to pass legislation by late spring or early summer. (Read more or take action) CAIR-MD Announces Awards Ceremony Honorees for Inaugural Banquet  The Maryland chapter of CAIR today announced those to be honored at an awards ceremony during its inaugural banquet to be held on April 28, 2013, at Martins Crosswinds in Greenbelt, Md. (Read more) CAIR-MI Rep Speaks in Support of Death Penalty Moratorium A representative of CAIR-Michigan yesterday spoke to students at Marygrove College in Detroit, Mich., about the need for a national moratorium of the death penalty. (Read more) CAIR Blog: Associated Press Takes Positive Step on Use of 'Islamist' 4th International Islamophobia Conference at UC BerkeleyThe conference will be streamed live internet stream on April 18-19, 2013. Details are at www.islamophobiacon.com/ Video: Islamophobe Daniel Pipes Again Seeks Support for Assad Regime to Keep Killing Going Video: Pamela Geller Posted 'Pig Face' of Prophet Muhammad, Says Islam 'Inspired Hitler' FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CAIR: GOP Must Repudiate NC Lawmaker Who Compared Islamic Prayer to 'Terrorism' (WASHINGTON, D.C., 4/10/13) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the Republican Party to repudiate a North Carolina GOP lawmaker who compared Islamic prayer to terrorism. In an email exchange with a constituent, North Carolina State Rep. Michele Presnell was asked whether she was "comfortable with a public prayer to Allah before a legislative meeting." She responded: "No, I do not condone terrorism." Presnell is also a co-sponsor of House resolution 494, which states that North Carolina may establish a state religion. "If the Republican Party hopes to reach out to minority groups, it must clearly and forcefully repudiate such bigoted comments by its representatives," said CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor. Saylor noted that a GOP official in California was recently reprimanded for anti-Muslim and anti-Sikh remarks. Last December, a coalition of 11 major American Muslim organizations called on the Republican Party to reach out to Muslim voters by rejecting anti-Islam bias and discriminatory legislation. Video: Coalition Asks GOP to Reach Out to Muslim Voters CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.