Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah says he was racially profiled, disinvited from White House Eid celebration
PROSPECT PARK, N.J. -- A Muslim mayor in New Jersey says the Secret Service racially profiled him.
The Prospect Park mayor was disinvited from a White House event, and now he's demanding an apology.
"Our crimes are our names, ethnicities and religion," Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah said.
Khairullah says he was disinvited to an Eid celebration at the White House because he's unfairly on a secret government watchlist that targets Muslims.
"I call on President Biden to correct the injustices of the pervious administrations by disbanding this illegal list," he said.
Khairullah, who's been been the mayor of Prospect Park for 17 years, stood with several civil rights groups, saying as he was about to arrive to the Eid party, someone from the White House called to say he was banned from entering because the Secret Service wouldn't give him clearance.
"He pretty much told me that I should turn around and return home," he said.
The Secret Service confirms Khairullah wasn't allowed into the White House but adds the agency doesn't comment on protective security measures.
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is demanding an apology and asking the White House meet with the mayor.
"We're asking that the White House take this as an opportunity to once and for all disband the watchlist comprised of primarily Arab and Muslim names," CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said.
"The government has adamantly refused to disclose what standards they use to place people on this watchlist and denies existence of these watchlists altogether," CAIR-NJ civil rights attorney Ayah Zaki said.
The mayor says he's been detained before -- at John F. Kennedy International Airport and other places -- and no one's given him a reason as to why.
"I was returning from Canada by land, where I was held up in a glass holding area for my children to watch me and ask why can't we be with you," Khairullah said.
In a tweet, Gov. Phil Murphy called Khairullah a personal friend and promised to get answers from the White House.
We reached out to the Secret Service for comment, but no one has gotten back to us.