Sikh American Legal Defense & Education Fund

Founded as the Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART) in 1996, SALDEF began solely as an all-volunteer organization with a primary focus on media analysis and education. Based on the needs of the Sikh American community, SALDEF immediately began responding to civil rights, legislative, employment, and accommodation issues. In November 2004, we changed our name to the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).

SALDEF is proud to reflect on the following record of leadership. First Sikh American organization to provide free legal assistance to Sikhs in the United States starting in 1997. Additionally, the first legal database of federal and state court opinions and orders relating to the Sikh American community was started by SALDEF. First Sikh American organization to create a training program for first responders in July 1999. SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program has now trained over 35,000 individuals, including the FBI, DOJ, White House officials, and other public agencies, at the federal, state and local level. Only organization to collaborate with federal agencies to produce Sikh American awareness posters: * 2004: U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) poster titled, Common Sikh American Head-coverings, to present accurate information about Sikhs in August 2004. The Transportation Security Agency (TSA) published a similar poster in 2005. * 2006: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) poster titled, Sikh Americans and the Kirpan, to present accurate information about the Kirpan. First organization after 9/11 to meet with Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and present information to the FAA for the “appropriate and sensitive” handling of Sikh American passengers. Also conducted awareness and protocol training about Sikhs at Albany International Airport in response to the first reported incident of illegal turban removal after 9/11 by airport security screeners in October 2001. Only Sikh American organization to work with Fleet Bank, then America’s 8th largest financial company, to publicly state in January 2002 that it will respect and accommodate Sikh religious practices. Only Sikh American organization to participate at regular meetings since October 2001 with top government officials including the FBI Director, Attorney General, Secretary for Department of Homeland Security, and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. Only Sikh organization to develop a Law Enforcement traini