National Security Criminal Defense Center (NSCDC)
Launching Summer 2025
Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA) is launching the National Security Criminal Defense Center (NSCDC) this Summer.
MLFA’s National Security Criminal Defense Center will be led by federal litigators with deep expertise in national security law. The NSCDC will be staffed by experienced federal national security litigators who work in close coordination to provide nonprofit services (at trial, on appeal, post-conviction), aimed at providing specialized representation in federal national security criminal cases nationwide.
From preemptive prosecutions to surveillance, entrapment, and material support charges, our legal team understands the full scope of how the “War on Terror” has morphed into a domestic machinery of suspicion, fueled by a limitless national security budget and unchecked prosecutorial power.
Team
ISSUES THE NSCDC FOCUSES ON:
- Material Support Offenses, Sanctions violations, federal terrorism-related offenses
- Sentencing in national security/terrorism-related cases
- FBI Entrapment, surveillance, FBI counterterrorism abusive practices
- First Amendment criminalization of political and religious speech
- Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA), Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)
- Malicious Prosecution
- Addressing anti-Muslim and other biases in national security cases
NSCDC SERVICES OFFERED:
- Sentencing support (USSG terrorism enhancement, mitigation, experts etc.)
- Pre-Indictment, counterterrorism investigation representation
- Focus groups, jury selection, and jury trial support
- Expert witness support (terrorism, psychiatric, radicalization etc.)
- Co-counsel, expert counsel assistance
- Direct representation in select cases
- Appellate support, amicus briefing, habeas petitions
- Advising humanitarian aid non-profits re OFAC compliance, sanctions, MST, AML, wire fraud
- Expert commentary on relevant national security laws
The rights granted to both citizens and non-citizens in the United States under the Constitution protect the most basic of human rights.
MLFA works to ensure that in the criminal arena, all people, have the same rights guaranteed under law by the Constitution, regardless of one’s race, religion, or country of origin. We handle and assist in federal criminal cases where the government assertions of national security have the potential to compromise the constitutional rights of the defendant and are of importance to the Muslim community.
Click on the button below to learn more about work in national security cases, or to submit information for review and consideration by our attorneys.