CAIR Welcomes New Report Detailing ‘Dehumanizing’ Anti-Muslim Campaign by Public Officials

Texas and Florida officials feature prominently in a coordinated anti-Muslim social media campaign

(WASHINGTON, DC, 4/21/2026) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed new research detailing how 46 Republican federal and state officials are contributing to an anti-Muslim campaign.

Research authors note the campaign includes “explicit endorsement of, or incitement to, violence against Muslims” and “[l]anguage that, when issued by state actors, amounts to the advocacy of ethnic cleansing through policy.” (pg. 18)

In “Manufacturing the Muslim Threat,” researchers at the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH) found that the monthly volume of anti-Muslim extremist posts by these 46 public officials “increased by 1,450 percent” in a 15-month period. The researchers say, “the speed and scale of escalation” of this social media posting is their most “significant finding.”

SEE: Manufacturing the Muslim Threat

“These self-appointed conformity police are using their public offices to impose a narrow view of how other Americans must think, look, worship, and trace their ancestry to – or face being excluded,” said CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor. “Public officials who promote rhetoric that can incite violence or evoke ethnic cleansing must be rejected by all who believe American democracy should work for everyone, not just a select few approved by these 46 Republicans.”  

According to the CSOH report, officials from Texas and Florida are the most prolific voices in the dehumanization campaign. Five officials account for 73 percent of the content: Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL), Rep. Keith Self (R-TX), Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN). Texas officials produced 40 percent of the posts while Florida officials account for 31 percent. (pg. 11-12)

CAIR designated an anti-Muslim caucus founded by Reps. Self and Roy as an anti-Muslim hate group in February. CAIR has previously designated Sen. Tuberville, Rep. Ogles, and Rep. Fine for their efforts to dehumanize Muslims.  

SEE: CAIR Designates House’s ‘Sharia-Free Caucus’ an Anti-Muslim Hate Group

SEE ALSO: CAIR’s Anti-Muslim Extremist Designation of Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

SEE ALSO: CAIR’s Anti-Muslim Extremist Designation of Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN)

SEE ALSO: CAIR’s Anti-Muslim Extremist Designation of Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL)

In January, a study published by Equality Labs showed that more than 4.7 million Islamophobic social media posts targeted Muslim communities in the United States in 2025. That report also found that Islamophobic content is increasingly echoed by certain public officials.

SEE: Manufactured Hate – The Muslim Invasion Conspiracy

In March, CAIR’s annual status of Muslim civil rights in the United States report noted several conclusions:

1. Islamophobia remained at an all-time high in the United States in 2025. CAIR received 8,683 complaints nationwide in 2025, the highest number of single-year complaints CAIR has recorded since our first civil rights report covering 1996 was published.
2. Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Texas were identified as national standouts in this record-setting year.
3. Anti-Muslim narratives more clearly resurfaced in 2025, particularly the notion that the religious principles followed by Muslims are inherently threatening and anti-American. 
4. Government officials used collective and ideological punishment to target both non-citizens and citizens who are perceived to be ethnically or ideologically undesirable. 

SEE: CAIR’s 2026 Civil Rights Report Shows the ‘Right to Be Different’ Narrowed in the Past Year

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.       

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.   

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CONTACT: CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor, 202-384-8857; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@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