Imam Khalil Adem v. Hackensack Meridian Health

Imam Khalil Adem v. Hackensack Meridian Health

Filed: June 2025

Jurisdiction: Federal Court, New Jersey

Background

Imam Khalil Adem, a Clifton-based nurse and respected community imam, served Hackensack Meridian Health with distinction for over a decade. Beginning his employment in 2013 and earning a promotion in 2021, he was known not only for his professional competence but also for his compassionate care and deep commitment to his patients.

Outside of work, Imam Khalil is a religious leader who frequently delivers sermons rooted in justice, peace, and compassion. In August 2024, he gave a sermon at Masjid Al-Iman in Flanders, New Jersey, where he spoke about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people. His remarks, grounded in his faith and conscience, called for justice and dignity for all oppressed peoples.

Shortly after, Islamophobic actors launched a coordinated campaign both within and outside Hackensack Meridian to defame Imam Khalil’s reputation, falsely accusing him of criminal conduct. The Islamophobes filed a police complaint alleging “hate speech” in an attempt to criminalize his religious expression. A video of the sermon soon circulated online, drawing public attention—but the complaint was ultimately dismissed as unfounded.

Termination and Employer Actions

On September 12, 2024, Hackensack Meridian Health placed Imam Khalil on administrative leave. The hospital claimed that his sermon violated its internal policies on discrimination, harassment, and social media use, and raised vague concerns about patient safety. These claims lacked any connection to his conduct as a nurse, which had never been subject to prior discipline or complaint.

Despite Imam Khalil’s efforts to clarify the religious and humanitarian nature of his sermon, and his willingness to engage in dialogue with hospital leadership, he was terminated within days. Hackensack Meridian not only fired him but also banned him from working in any of its facilities moving forward. No formal hearing or due process was afforded.

While his employer illegally targeted him for expressing a faith-based perspective on a humanitarian crisis, it simultaneously allowed other employees to post Islamophobic statements on social media without any repercussions or employment action. These desperate and retaliatory treatments are a classic violation of Imam Khalil’s rights under the Constitution and of his protected speech.

Legal Claims

Our firm filed a civil complaint in federal court in June 2025 on behalf of Imam Khalil, asserting numerous claims against Hackensack Meridian arising from the hospital’s unlawful and discriminatory actions. These include, but are not limited to:

• Violation of the First Amendment – Retaliation against protected speech and religious expression;
• Violation of the Fourteenth Amendment – Denial of due process and equal protection under the law;
• Discrimination under Title VII – Unlawful termination based on religion (Islam) and national origin;
• Defamation – False and damaging implications of criminality associated with his religious expression;
• Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress – Causing severe mental anguish and reputational harm;
• Violations of New Jersey State Law – Including state constitutional protections, anti-discrimination statutes, and common law claims.

Our firm will seek to redress the violations of Imam Khalil’s rights to the fullest extent of the law—efforts that not only protect our client but aim to set a precedent for countless employees, particularly minorities, facing adverse actions by employers in violation of their civil rights. Stay tuned.

Broader Context

Imam Khalil’s case is part of a growing national trend targeting Muslim professionals and pro-Palestinian advocates for expressing their constitutionally protected views—especially when those views address human tragedies inflicted on tens of thousands of Palestinian children by egregious and calculated acts of aggression in violation of international norms and basic principles of humanity.

Rather than being silenced or sanctioned, such expressions of conscience should be protected, respected, and encouraged—as essential contributions to global justice and the democratic discourse in this country.

Like other recent cases—including that of a New York nurse terminated for describing the Gaza war as “genocide”—this matter raises urgent questions about selective enforcement of workplace policies and the broader suppression of dissent rooted in ethnic, religious, and political bias.

Our Position

Our firm believes that Hackensack Meridian Health acted unlawfully in terminating Imam Khalil for speech made in a religious setting. His case represents a violation of core constitutional protections and highlights the growing threat of Islamophobic retaliation in both public and private institutions.

We are proud to represent Imam Khalil in his pursuit of justice—not just for himself, but for the broader principle that no one should lose their livelihood for speaking truthfully, faithfully, and peacefully.