The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said on Tuesday that it logged 8,683 complaints of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias in 2025, the highest annual total since it began collecting and publishing such data in 1996. That figure edges up from 8,658 complaints reported in 2024.
CAIR's report breaks down the types of complaints it received, with employment discrimination accounting for 12.7% of allegations. Immigration and asylum-related complaints made up 6.5% of the total, hate incidents 6.4%, and travel-related discrimination - including government watchlists and extra screenings - 5.6%.
Advocates who track anti-Muslim bias say the drivers of Islamophobia have shifted over time. Historically linked to the September 11, 2001 attacks, they now point to a mixture of anti-immigration sentiment, white supremacy, and the repercussions stemming from Israel's war in Gaza as contributing factors.
CAIR singled out actions by the current administration aimed at pro-Palestinian protests and immigration enforcement as partial catalysts for the uptick in complaints. The organization said some policy moves and public statements have led to collective targeting of Muslim and Arab communities.
On immigration, the report notes that the administration and its supporters reject accusations of discrimination, emphasizing goals of reducing illegal immigration and enhancing domestic security. Advocacy groups, however, contend that the immigration crackdown carries risks to safety and due process.
CAIR's report points to comments and actions directed at Somali Americans in Minnesota - a majority Muslim community - saying the president accused some members of fraud and referred to them as "garbage." CAIR argued the government has at times used isolated incidents to justify broad targeting and questioned the administration's credibility on fraud enforcement, citing pardons issued to individuals with past fraud convictions. CAIR's Minnesota chapter reported 693 complaints in 2025, up from 353 the prior year.
The organization also documented what it described as heightened targeting of Afghan immigrants after an indictment was brought against an Afghan in connection with a November shooting that injured two National Guard soldiers in Washington.
On the question of protests, CAIR described a pattern it sees as conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism and equating pro-Palestinian advocacy with sympathy for extremists. The administration, according to the report, has pursued deportation efforts against foreign protesters, threatened to withhold funds from universities that hosted demonstrations, and directed more extensive screening of immigrants' online comments.
Protesters and some Jewish groups have pushed back, saying criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories does not inherently amount to antisemitism, and that advocating for Palestinian rights should not be treated as support for extremism. "The Trump administration framed anyone who holds pro-Palestinian views as inherently threatening," CAIR said.
CAIR highlighted several high-profile enforcement actions. Mahmoud Khalil was detained for months while his wife was pregnant, and Leqaa Kordia - who the report says lost over 170 family members in Gaza - was briefly hospitalized after a seizure while in detention. These cases are cited as examples of what CAIR describes as heavy-handed treatment and as raising concerns about free speech, due process and academic freedom.
The report notes that parts of the administration's approach have encountered judicial limits. Meanwhile, governors in Florida and Texas have issued orders designating CAIR as a "terrorist" organization; CAIR has sued over those designations and a judge has blocked Florida's order.
CAIR's annual complaint totals reflect the organization's view that recent policy and rhetoric have had tangible effects on Muslim and Arab communities across employment, immigration, travel and educational institutions. The group says the reported increases and the cited instances of enforcement and designation warrant scrutiny for their implications on civil liberties and community safety.