150212_CE_Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT 240 Moving from Exclusion to Belonging centers to move forward despite the opposition.1160 Even where the city allows the Islamic institution, however, the opposition has a negative impact on Muslim immigrants: “If others were forming a school, would there be a complaint? No. This is very unwelcoming.”1161 The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act imposes a very high standard on governments when land use decisions such as zoning impose a “substantial burden” on the practice of a person’s religion.1162 Governments must show a “compelling governmental interest” for such a decision and that the decision is the least restrictive means of achieving their goal.1163 Even a neutral statute that does not on its face discriminate against religious institutions may not be allowed under the Act if it imposes a burden on the exercise of religious freedom without a compelling reason. The Department of Justice is investigating one Minnesota town that denied a permit for an Islamic Center in order to determine whether they violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.1164 The lone council member to vote in favor of the Islamic Center cited potential lawsuits as the reason for his vote, evidence that the Act has a deterrent effect on religious discrimination in land use decisions.1165 PARTICIPATION IN IMMIGRANT-LED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Outside of overt religious discrimination, immigrants did not report many problems with participating in their own cultural communities. Participants were motivated by familiarity and a sense of safety. Immigrant-led organizations did face some difficulties accessing the same kind of institutional support as organizations that serve the larger community. Interviewees attributed some of this to ignorance of the rules governing nonprofits on the part of immigrant-led organizations and some to a lack of effort by the larger community to foster immigrant-led organizations. 1160 Interview 18. 1161 Interview 129. 1162 42 U.S.C. §2000cc. 1163 Vermont Natural Resources Board, “Religious Land Use and Institutionalize Persons Act,” (accessed Mar. 21, 2014), http://www.nrb.state.vt.us/lup/publications/manual/RLUIPA.pdf. 1164 Star Tribune Blog, Feds launch formal investigation into St. Anthony mosque rejection, Oct. 29, 2012, Minneapolis Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/176309071.html. 1165 Rose French, St. Anthony City Council rejects Islamic center plan, Jun. 13, 2012, Minneapolis Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com/local/158785005.html. The Karen community, they have nine geographic areas. These programs are all volunteer-based, and they are so well- organized.”