More than 100 Democrats condemned the Sharia Free America Caucus, calling it “hateful.” The 119 Democrats, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD) and Representatives James E. Clyburn (SC), Chair of the Democratic Faith Working Group, Andre Carson (IN), Rosa DeLauro (CT), Jerry Nadler (NY), Hank Johnson (GA), and Ro Khanna (CA), argued that the caucus “reflects longstanding Islamophobic narratives and anti-Muslim sentiment.”
Writing to Senate and House leaders, the lawmakers said, “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.”
Discussing several pieces of legislation combatting Sharia’s influence in the United States, the Democrats claimed the proposals “address no identifiable gap in U.S. law and raise serious constitutional concerns. The U.S. Constitution already makes clear that federal and state law govern civil and criminal matters, and courts have repeatedly invalidated measures that single out a particular religion for disfavored treatment.”
“Islamic teachings emphasize that Muslims should honor the laws of the country in which one resides,” they added, going on to declare, “Congress must not legitimize anti-Muslim proposals that undermine those protections or foster division among the people we represent.”
Congressmen Keith Self and Chip Roy, both Texas Republicans, launched the Sharia Free America Caucus in December 2025.
“Preserving the American way of life is essential to protecting civil liberties and upholding the United States Constitution. Sharia stands in direct opposition to our country and is totally anathema to the concept of individual freedom and our founding principles,” Self said in January. “I thank my House colleagues for joining this noble cause to save Western Civilization and fight back against the threat of Sharia.”
