INKSTER—A local Arab American woman is suing Advance America
for  discrimination. Raghdaa Ali was denied
services at the Advance America location in Inkster because she was wearing the
hijab, a traditional headscarf worn by Muslim women.

On Wednesday the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee of Michigan (ADC-MI) and the Council on American Islamic Relations of
Michigan (CAIR-MI) held a joint news conference outside the Inkster store to
announce the filing of a federal lawsuit against the company that has locations nationwide.

Ali visited the Advance America store to get a money order
on June 13 with her two-year-old son, when she was asked to take off her
headscarf in order to receive services.

She informed the Advance America associate that she was
there to get a money order. The associate said she couldn’t assist Ali because
of the company’s policy, which prevents customers wearing hats and sunglasses
from receiving services.

“She said, ‘get out.’ She was so rude, and she was
screaming,” said Ali describing the incident. 
“I was so disappointed. I called my friend, and I was crying. She said, ‘no
this is not right we’re American why do they treat us like this.”’

Ali went back to the store with her friend. A video obtained
of the incident shows the door to the Advance America store was purposely
locked to prevent Ali and her friend from entering.

Another customer was also trying to enter the store at the
same time and was allowed inside despite wearing something similar to a hair line cap on her head.  Ali and her friend managed
to enter the store with the customer. A second customer was seen on camera
already in the store wearing a white hat.

Although the employee started to help the customer who was
wearing something on her head without question, she still refused to handle
Ali’s transaction.

“Despite the fact that she was wearing it for religious
reasons she was not permitted to obtain any services at that location Meanwhile
the store services another customer who was wearing a hat and another customer
who was seated inside who was also wearing a hat,” said CAIR-MI Staff Attorney Lena Masri. 

When Ali explained that she couldn’t take off the head
covering and it wasn’t a hat, the employee said they needed to go to another
location that had “bulletproof glass.”

The employee said refusing to handle Ali’s transaction had nothing to do with religion. While Ali and her friend were in the store the associate made a call complaining that they wouldn’t leave. 

“She said if you do not take it off, we can
not serve you,” Ali said.

Ali’s driver’s license, which she had at the time, features
a photo of her wearing a headscarf.

“I was so disappointed. I was speechless, because I believe
this is my country and I have the same rights as they have, we should be
treated the same,” Ali said.

The Arab American News visited the Advance America store to
get a comment about the lawsuit, but was told to contact the company for media
inquires.

The company released the following statement in response to
the lawsuit:

For the safety of our
customers and employees, Advance America requires the temporary removal of
hoods, hats, sunglasses and other head coverings in order to be admitted into
one of our centers. The safety and security of our customers and employees are
our primary responsibilities and our policy ensures that those entering our
centers are easily identifiable. While Advance America understands the concerns
expressed by the plaintiff we regret that she may have misinterpreted the
intent of our policy, and we intend to vigorously defend the legitimate
security purpose of our practice in court.

Masri said Advance
America should be held responsible for implementing a policy that discriminates
against Muslims and Arab American customers on the basis of their religion, ethnic
background and national origin.

“Advance America’s policy cannot and should not be
tolerated. This lawsuit challenges that policy and requests that the court
issue an injunction that prevents Advance America from not serving other
Muslims and Arab American customers,” 
Masri said.

Dawud Walid, the
executive director of CAIR-MI pointed out that Muslim women wear headscarves at other
banking institutions in the area.  

He said the U.S. Department of Defense allows women to wear
headscarves serving in the U.S. military, and that women are allowed to wear a
headscarf in driver’s license and passport photos, and at the Secretary of
State’s office.

“So what this check cashing place is doing over here is
running counter to what takes place at other financial institutions, and it is
completely wrong,” Walid said.

Masri says the lawsuit was filed in order to obtain a court
order to force advance America to change their discriminatory polices.

Fatina Abdrabboh, the director of ADC-MI said it is important to note that the Advance
America location is only a few miles from the city of Dearborn Heights and
Dearborn, which has the largest concentration of Muslim and Arab Americans in
the entire country.

 “The conduct of this location is an additional slap in the
face to the community that is just a few miles away from here,” she said. “We
urge Advance America to remedy the discriminatory acts to enact non-discriminatory
polices.”