Atlanta Muslim Woman Sues Bartow County Sheriff Over Hijab Removal

Ivana Elliott alleges deputies forced her to remove religious head covering and strip during jail booking

Mar. 15, 2026 at 10:08pm

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A 21-year-old Muslim woman from Atlanta has filed a federal lawsuit against the Bartow County sheriff, claiming deputies violated her religious rights by forcing her to remove her hijab and strip during a jail booking process following a traffic stop in Cartersville in April 2025.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of Muslim women and the protection of religious freedoms, particularly in law enforcement settings where there have been previous incidents of Muslim women being forced to remove their hijabs against their will.

The details

According to the lawsuit, Ivana Elliott said deputies surrounded her, forced her to remove her hijab, and then stripped her of all her clothes while she was being booked into the Bartow County jail. Elliott said she was left in a cell without adequate facilities and was forced to urinate on herself, which she described as deeply traumatizing. Her attorney, Keon Grant with CAIR Georgia, said the lawsuit seeks both accountability and policy changes to prevent similar incidents from happening to others.

  • The incident occurred during a traffic stop in Cartersville, Georgia in April 2025.
  • Ivana Elliott filed the federal lawsuit against the Bartow County sheriff in March 2026.

The players

Ivana Elliott

A 21-year-old Muslim woman from Atlanta who filed a federal lawsuit against the Bartow County sheriff over the alleged violation of her religious rights during a jail booking process.

Keon Grant

An attorney with CAIR Georgia who is representing Ivana Elliott in the lawsuit against the Bartow County sheriff's office.

Bartow County Sheriff's Office

The law enforcement agency that Ivana Elliott has sued over the alleged forced removal of her hijab and strip search during a jail booking process.

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What they’re saying

“They started surrounding me, and I like pulled off my little headscarf that like my little under cap … and they just dragged me into the cell, and they just ripped off all my clothes.”

— Ivana Elliott (CBS News Atlanta)

“My religious head covering is how I represent myself to God and to be able to, like, represent myself to non-related men to me.”

— Ivana Elliott (CBS News Atlanta)

“And they left me in there with no toilet, and they told me to pee in the hole in the ground.”

— Ivana Elliott (CBS News Atlanta)

“It's actually becoming very common. We're starting to see a lot more reports of this.”

— Keon Grant, Attorney, CAIR Georgia (CBS News Atlanta)

What’s next

Ivana Elliott's attorneys have filed a motion for a preliminary injunction and are asking a judge to order the removal of Elliott's mugshot from public databases because it shows her without her head covering.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges Muslim women face in asserting their religious rights, particularly in law enforcement settings, and the need for clear policies and training to protect the religious freedoms of all individuals, regardless of their faith.