Holwell Shuster & Goldberg and Muslim Advocates File Civil Suit Challenging Controversial Federal No-Fly List

New York—Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP, along with Muslim Advocates and Ellahie & Farooqui LLP, today filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on behalf of Dr. Khushnood Ali Baz, a prominent doctor from Pakistan who was suddenly—and without warning—added to the U.S. government’s No-Fly List and prohibited from entering the country. The lawsuit—filed against Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Terrorist Screening Center, the Transportation Security Administration, and the heads of those agencies—seeks to uncover why Dr. Baz is on the No-Fly List and ultimately clear his name. 

While U.S. citizens are entitled to know if they are on the No-Fly List and can challenge their inclusion, this case has the potential to set new precedent, as it aims to extend those rights to foreign nationals, like Dr. Baz, with extensive ties to the U.S.

“As the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals observed in a similar No-Fly List case, a mistaken designation should not take several years and a lawsuit in federal court to correct,” said HSG associate Andrei Vrabie, who is representing Dr. Baz in this matter. “We are hopeful that the government will examine Dr. Baz’s case in good faith, correct this erroneous designation, and implement an adequate redress procedure for individuals with significant voluntary connections to the U.S., such as Dr. Baz.”

The complaint is available here, and a joint release on the lawsuit can be found on Muslim Advocates’ website here. In addition to Andrei, the HSG team representing Dr. Baz pro bono includes Laura Aronsson, Paul Kemnitzer, and David Sanson.