A Muslim Democratic mayor accused the government of placing him on a discriminatory “watch list” Tuesday after the Secret Service denied him access to the White House with no explanation.
Mohamed Khairullah — who has served as the mayor of Prospect Park, New Jersey, for four terms — was denied access to the White House minutes before he entered the compound on Monday, and was unable to attend President Joe Biden’s celebration of Eid al-Fitr, the mayor said.
The Secret Service refused to reveal the reason for the denial, Khairullah claimed, alleging that he had been unjustly placed on a discriminatory and illegal “secret list.”
“I have no reason to believe that I am an unsafe person to any elected official,” the mayor said at a Tuesday press conference.
“At this point, our crimes are our names, ethnicities and religion and I call on President Biden to correct the injustices of the previous administrations by disbanding this illegal list and correcting ill-advised and racist policies,” Khairullah continued, providing details on previous occasions on which he said he was unjustly detained.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) New Jersey chapter reportedly offered reporters records, which they claimed proved the mayor was on a list, Politico reported. CAIR did not respond to an inquiry from the Daily Caller.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to provide more details about the denial of entry and noted that the Biden administration had hosted nearly 400 Muslim Americans.
US President Joe Biden greets attendees during a reception celebrating Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 1, 2023. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
“Let me just first say this is under the purview of the Secret Service. What I will say more broadly is that — and I can say this; I was in the room — the President was very proud to welcome nearly 400 Muslim Americans to the White House to celebrate Eid yesterday. It was a meaningful event and opportunity to celebrate along Muslim leaders from across the country who were here — as I said, nearly 400,” she said. (RELATED: An Organization Behind Massive ‘Super Eid’ Muslim Celebration At Minnesota Vikings Stadium Labeled A Terrorist Organization)
The Secret Service issued a statement following Khairullah’s denial, but did not provide details on the reasoning.
Democratic New Jersey Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker and Democratic New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell drafted a letter demanding the White House and Secret Service publish information on why the mayor was denied entry.