DALLAS — Representatives from the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), a national civil liberties defense organization, is applauding administrators at the Department of Defense for reinstating the long-held security clearance of Linda Mahmoud, a hearing-impaired civil servant of Palestinian descent who had her clearance pulled because she visited family overseas.

Mahmoud was working at the Department when supervisors there informed her last year that her security clearance, which is required for her employment, was revoked due to her visits to family in Palestine, according to Charles Swift, Mahmoud’s attorney.

Linda Mahmoud working at the Department of Defense

Without the clearance, Mahmoud would effectively either be unemployed or demoted. MLFA funded the legal work required to defend her right to visit family overseas without fear of retaliation.

“That Ms. Mahmood faced losing her job because she visited her parents in Ramallah demonstrates how far we have to go to overcome the fear and prejudice that faces Muslims in America today,” said Swift.

“The success in her case demonstrates that fear and prejudice can nevertheless be overcome through the courage and commitment of Muslim Americans like Linda, and with the steadfast assistance of organizations like MLFA.”

Khalil Meek, Executive Director for MLFA, said the group is  pleased with the Department’s decision and believes that a person’s ethnic origin should never be criminalized.