Sues Homeland Security & Wins
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| Wed, 08-18-2004 - 8:25am |
Discrimination Case
vs. Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice
Washington, DC, July 30--On July 26, a Florida jury awarded Simon Abi
Nader, an Arab American, $305,000 in his employment discrimination
suit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the
Department of Justice (DOJ). Abi Nader was subjected to an abusive
work environment based on his national origin/race. Abi Nader, an
Area Port Director for the DHS, had routinely experienced
discrimination, harassment and humiliation perpetrated by high-level
agency officials while employed in the Miami District Office of the
Department of Homeland Security Citizenship and Immigration Service
(formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service under the
Department of Justice).
According to Abi Nader, "the DOJ/INS prevented me, as an Area Port
Director of three major ports, in South Florida from sharing my
knowledge, my experience, and my abilities to prevent terrorists from
entering this country. Immediately after 9/11, I was prohibited from
leaving my office without notifying my immediate supervisor. On a
daily basis, I had to inform him of every move I made and every person
I contacted as the Area Port Director." Rod Hannah, Abi Nader's
attorney added, "The jury's verdict reflects their recognition that
Mr. Nader's civil rights, as those of all American workers, not just
Arab-Americans, have substantial value in this post-9/11 world.
Additionally, the fact that the jury returned a verdict for more than
what we asked them for reflects a jury that was angry for being
blatantly lied to, under oath, by the high-level agency witnesses who
engaged in the discrimination and harassment."
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) had been
monitoring this case and numerous others as part of its daily work.
ADC President Mary Rose Oakar noted, "This verdict upholds the civil
rights of all Americans and provides much needed encouragement for
countless Arab Americans who have been harassed, humiliated, and/or
terminated from their employment in the post 9-11 climate."
