The Council on American‑Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a bicameral congressional letter signed by 119 Members of the U.S. House and Senate that denounces anti-Muslim hate and “opposes” and “express[es] serious concern” about creation of the so‑called “Sharia‑Free America Caucus,” an anti‑Muslim hate group promoting fascist legislation and policies meant to ban American Muslims from their nation.
The letter, led by U.S. Representatives James E. Clyburn, André Carson, Rosa DeLauro, Hank Johnson, Ro Khanna, Jerry Nadler, and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, warns that the hate caucus promotes legislation that discriminates against American Muslims and undermines the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom.
CAIR previously designated the House’s “Sharia‑Free America Caucus” as an anti‑Muslim hate group masquerading as a congressional caucus, noting that it seeks to promote bigotry under the guise of policymaking.
CLICK HERE: READ THE LETTER
READ THE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: Clyburn, Van Hollen, Carson, DeLauro, Johnson, Khanna, Nadler Lead 119 Democrats in Condemning the Anti-Muslim “Sharia-Free America Caucus” and Harmful Legislation | Congressman Andre Carson
“To be clear, American Muslims serve this nation in every capacity and are entitled to the same constitutional protections as all other Americans. They are guided by both faith and civic responsibility to respect the U.S. Constitution, follow the law, and contribute positively to their communities and to the nation they call home. Congress must not legitimize anti-Muslim proposals that undermine those protections or foster division among the people we represent,” the lawmakers wrote to congressional leadership.
In a statement, CAIR Director of Government Affairs Robert S. McCaw said:
“We welcome this strong, principled letter from 119 Members of Congress. American Muslims serve this nation in every capacity and are entitled to the same constitutional protections as every other community. We thank the Members of Congress who stood up today against discrimination and against legislation that stigmatizes Muslims for practicing their faith.
“Let’s be clear: the so‑called ‘Sharia‑Free America Caucus’ is not a serious policy effort. It is an anti‑Muslim hate group and election‑year distraction masquerading as a congressional caucus. Its proposals are rooted in Islamophobic conspiracy theories, not any legitimate legislative need. Congress is right to reject attempts to single out American Muslims and undermine our Constitution.”
“In championing this letter U.S. Representatives James E. Clyburn, André Carson, Rosa DeLauro, Hank Johnson, Ro Khanna, Jerry Nadler, and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen – and the 113 other Members of Congress who joined them – have demonstrated principled leadership making it clear message that this anti‑Muslim hate caucus has no place in Congress.”
Advocacy Day Priority Becomes Concrete Congressional Action
Condemning the “Sharia‑Free America Caucus” was one of the top three agenda items of the 11th Annual National Muslim Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, organized by the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO). A record‑breaking 1,000 Muslim delegates urged Members of Congress to reject the caucus and oppose its discriminatory bills.
Today’s letter represents a direct congressional response to that call to action and a significant win for the Muslim community’s coordinated efforts to defend religious freedom and equal protection under the law.
Background on the Discriminatory Bills
The 119 lawmakers specifically condemned the following three measures associated with the anti‑Muslim caucus:
- Preserving a Sharia‑Free America Act (H.R. 5722 / S. 3009)
- No Shari’a Act (H.R. 5512 / S. 3008)
- Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act (H.R. 7611)
The letter notes that these proposals: “address no identifiable gap in U.S. law and raise serious constitutional concerns,” emphasizing that the U.S. Constitution already governs civil and criminal matters and that courts have repeatedly struck down measures that single out a particular religion for disfavored treatment.“
The lawmakers further explain in the letter: “Sharia, like Catholic canon law and Jewish Halakha, is a system of personal religious guidance developed through centuries of religious scholarship. For American Muslims, it primarily governs matters of faith and ethics, such as prayer, charity, honesty, family responsibilities, and service to others, and does not supersede U.S. law.”
Like the 119 members of Congress who signed the letter, CAIR will continue to urge all Members of Congress and congressional leadership to:
- Publicly reaffirm Congress’s commitment to religious liberty and neutrality;
- Reject efforts rooted in anti-Muslim bias; and
- Refrain from scheduling the above-referenced legislation for floor consideration.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com