Muslim Civic Coalition Provides Public Comment in Support of Protection and Funding of Social Services with Partners Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice

Chicago, IL — July 9, 2026 — The Muslim Civic Coalition joined our partners at the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice to speak at a Community Townhall hosted by the Cook County Board of Commissioners.

Cook County has projected a $550 million shortfall for next year and are looking for ways to save costs and tighten measures for efficiency within the general budget.  The Cook County Board of Commissioners hosted a Community Townhall to discuss the upcoming budget and hear suggestions directly from constituents on what the Board should prioritize. 

The Muslim Civic Coalition was invited by our partner, Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice (INPJ), to provide public comment in support of protecting community social services, while freezing law enforcement spending. This has been just one of the many initiatives INPJ has moved forward in efforts to more broadly address the root causes of socio-economic and racial inequities in our legal system and ultimately end mass incarceration. 

Alongside our team, INPJ and Asian Americans Advancing Justice gave incredibly powerful statements, urging the Board of Commissioners to protect and increase human and health services, while freezing all law enforcement spending, which includes the Sheriff's Office, Department of Corrections, and the State’s Attorney. Especially amongst the Trump administration’s cuts to social services and attacks on marginalized communities, Cook County residents who rely on these very services remain vulnerable. This also puts at risk the progress the County has made to support immigrant and minority communities. 

Rija Arshad, Lead Organizer at the Muslim Civic Coalition delivered the organization’s testimony: “When our communities and neighbors talk about safety, they mention counselors for their kids, stable housing, legal help, and youth programs, not bigger line items for jails and prosecutions. You know the budget reality: case filings are down, the jail population has fallen by about 40% over the last decade, yet carceral budgets have continued to grow. Every new dollar to those lines is a dollar not available to keep families housed, healthy, and whole, especially as federal cuts and enforcement have strained community support.”

This work directly aligns with the Muslim Civic Coalition’s mission to advance racial, equity through data-driven advocacy. 

We thank the INPJ and their partners for their initiatives to progress and preserve social services while holding our elected officials accountable.