Phoenix Muslim community watching debate closely

Rasa - Members of the Phoenix area's Muslim community will be watching Monday night's presidential debate closely at a watch party in Tempe.

News ID: 423940

Date: 27 September 2016 - 23:54

RNA - Members of the Phoenix area's Muslim community will be watching Monday night's presidential debate closely at a watch party in Tempe.

The party, organized by the Islamic Community Center of Tempe and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, is the first of its kind in the Valley, organizers said.

And this year's presidential election could directly impact American Muslims. Donald Trump has, at times, proposed creating a national registry of Muslims and banning them from entering the United States.

“Some people are scared," CAIR Executive Director Imraan Siddiqi said. "They feel like, what’s going to happen if so and so candidate wins? Do I need to make plans to move out of the country?"

The watch party, Siddiqi said, is a way for the Muslim community to watch the presidential debate together and talk about what they hear.

“We want to see a strong denouncement of the rampant Islamophobia that’s taken place, because it results in a negative backlash against the community," Siddiqi said.

The watch party starts at 5:45 p.m. at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe.

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