El-Sayed Confirms Sister-in-Law's Terror Watchlist Lawsuit Before Obama Rally
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed acknowledged that his sister-in-law was a plaintiff in a 2016 lawsuit over her placement on the federal terrorist watchlist, an exchange that comes days before former President Barack Obama is set to campaign with him.
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed confirmed that his sister-in-law was involved in a federal lawsuit over her placement on the terrorist watchlist, an acknowledgment that surfaced just days before former President Barack Obama is scheduled to campaign alongside him in the state.
El-Sayed was questioned about court documents identifying Mariam Jukaku as a plaintiff in a 2016 lawsuit challenging her alleged inclusion in the federal Terrorism Screening Database. When asked directly whether Jukaku, his sister-in-law, had been on the watchlist, El-Sayed answered, «Yeah.»
He then defended her, saying she had done nothing wrong and had been removed from the list after suing. «She did nothing wrong and was captured on that and then sued and got off,» El-Sayed said. He went on to criticize the watchlist system as one in which people are treated as «guilty until proven innocent» because of their names, and he tied the infrastructure behind it to his Republican rival, Mike Rogers.
The exchange took place as Obama prepares to appear with El-Sayed in Michigan on Oct. 24, ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election. The former president's involvement underscores the national attention the Michigan Senate race has drawn.
According to the 2016 complaint, Jukaku underwent additional airport screening in 2012 and said she was never told why she had been flagged. The filing indicated she was believed to have been removed from the watchlist by 2016.
El-Sayed characterized the outcome as a victory, but court records show a more complicated history. A federal appeals court overturned a ruling that had favored the plaintiffs in 2021, and a separate lawsuit seeking damages was dismissed in 2017. The watchlist lawsuit does not establish any wrongdoing by Jukaku or by El-Sayed.
The FBI declined to address Jukaku's case specifically, citing government policy. «It is the U.S. government's policy to neither confirm nor deny a person's inclusion in the Terrorist Screening Dataset, commonly known as the terrorist watchlist,» the agency said.
The watchlist questions come amid separate allegations about El-Sayed's family and purported Muslim Brotherhood connections, which his campaign has called «racist and untrue.» Rogers described those allegations as «disqualifying» on Saturday.
The Senate race in Michigan has already turned sharply personal. A recent debate between Rogers and El-Sayed erupted into attacks over Israel, Iran and other issues, reflecting the intensity of a contest that could help determine control of the Senate.
El-Sayed's confirmation of his sister-in-law's role in the lawsuit adds another layer to a campaign already defined by questions about his background and associations. With Obama's visit approaching, the episode is likely to remain part of the political conversation in the final stretch before voters go to the polls.
7
