Prospect Park, New Jersey’s Mayor Mohamed Khairullah, who has been serving as the borough’s Democratic mayor for 17 years, was blocked by the Secret Service from attending the White House’s celebration for the end of Ramadan.
The White House had invited him to its Eid al-Fitr ceremony on Monday, but he received a call on his way there, stating that he was not cleared by the Secret Service. Mayor Khairullah, a Muslim who was born in Syria, expressed his surprise and confusion about the situation, saying he was “baffled.”
Mayor Khairullah believes that his name might be mistakenly listed on an FBI roster, which has caused him travel problems before. Khairullah says he never received any detailed explanation.
“It left me baffled, shocked and disappointed,” Khairullah told the AP. “It’s not a matter of I didn’t get to go to a party. It’s why I did not go. And it’s a list that has targeted me because of my identity. And I don’t think the highest office in the United States should be down with such profiling.”
While the Secret Service confirmed that the Mayor was not allowed entry into the White House, Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi did not disclose the reason why he was barred from entering.
“Unfortunately, we cannot provide additional commentary on the specifics surrounding the protective means and methods used at the White House,” Guglielmi said.
Eid al-Fitr is celebrated at the end of the month of fasting, Ramadan, in the Islamic faith.
